What It’s Like to Be…a City Manager
Mediating pickleball noise disputes, shepherding communities through thorny decisions, and practicing radical pragmatism with Martha Bennett, city manager of Lake Oswego, Oregon.
April 08th, 2025
work
March 26th, 2025
What It’s Like to Be…a Barman
Pouring pints for thirsty tourists, defusing situations with drunk patrons, and finding flow in the Friday night rush with Brian Wynne, a barman in Dublin.
March 12th, 2025
What It’s Like to Be…a Brain Surgeon
Zapping parts of the brain to know where to cut, operating a mouth-controlled microscope that’s worth more than a house, and carrying the weight of life-or-death decisions with Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, a brain surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.
February 25th, 2025
What It’s Like to Be…an Aircraft Carrier Commander
Commanding a floating city of 5,000 sailors, intercepting Houthi missiles in the Red Sea, and stripping rank from sailors who cross the line with Captain Chris “Chowdah” Hill, commanding officer of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.
February 16th, 2025
Vibe Check: AI and Behavioral Science in Silicon Valley
Kristen Berman has worked at the intersection of behavioral science and technology in Silicon Valley for the past decade and a half. What’s her on-the-ground view of where AI is headed?
February 13th, 2025
What It’s Like to Be…a Daycare Owner
Singing cleanup songs, tiring out kids before naptime, and battling the “babysitter” stereotype with Brenda Hawkins, a daycare owner in Maryland.
February 09th, 2025
What It’s Like to Be…an Audiobook Narrator
Fine-tuning the perfect accent for a character, recording for hours in a sound-insulated booth, and tracking down obscure pronunciations with Sean Pratt, an audiobook narrator.
February 02nd, 2025
How Zero-Sum Beliefs Get in the Way of Fairness
The more we are stuck in the fixed-pie mentality, the harder it is to spot the opportunities to expand the pie.
January 26th, 2025
What If We Thought of Our Daily Commute as a Team Sport?
Better street design, safer cars, and driver education programs offer promising paths to safer roads, but their success still depends on something more fundamental—the decisions we make behind the wheel.
January 22nd, 2025
Event: Living the Imperfect Life with Oliver Burkeman
In March, we’ll host Oliver Burkeman for a live conversation to discuss what it means to live an imperfect life, and you’re invited.
