How to Be a Better Human

A-1. Killer-diller. Outta sight. All that and a bag of chips. This slaps! From the 1940s to the early 2020s, these words and phrases are all generational slang that means the same thing—“excellent.” In this episode, Chris speaks with linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic on how technology and algorithms are changing language. They also discuss which age-group is experimenting the most with language, how social media is transforming how the deaf community communicates, and whether going completely offline does more harm than good.

Featured guest

• Follow Adam Aleksic on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and at etymologynerd.com/
• Subscribe to Adam's Substack, The Etymology Nerd
• Buy Adam's book Algospeak

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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I was looking for certainty when there was no certainty to be found. If Simone’s words resonate with you, then this episode is for YOU. Simone Stolzoff is a journalist who writes about the uncertainty of life. In his conversation with Chris, he observes why people are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty, the harm caused when we take AI output as definitive answers, and what you can do to expand your capacity to hold uncertainty in your life.

Featured guest

• Follow Simone Stolzoff on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and at simonestolzoff.com/
• Buy Simone's books How to Not Know and The Good Enough Job

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard to not feel stress at the state of the world today, so how can you cope with stressors without letting them completely overwhelm you? Clinical psychologist Jenny Taitz spends most of her days helping clients navigate through their stress. She shares why she uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, in her therapy work, whether a cold plunge can help you snap out of your messy ruminations, and why doing a few tasks each day to practice for pleasure and mastery can help improve your mood.

Featured guest

• Follow Dr. Jenny Taitz on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://www.drjennytaitz.com/
• Buy Dr. Taitz's book Stress Resets

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your hardest emotional challenges could be solved by talking to a stranger? A person who has gone through the exact same situation or something very similar. That’s the premise of Proxy, a podcast that investigates your niche emotional conundrums with host Yowei Shaw. In this episode, Yowei and Chris talk about the power of knowing you’re not the only person going through something, however specific. Whether it’s losing your job, a friend breakup, or an alternate version of your life that you can’t let go of, Yowei has a method to make it all make more sense.

Featured guest

• Follow Yowei Shaw on Instagram, Patreon, and at yoweishaw.com/
• Listen to Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Graham has had a high-powered career at a ton of extremely successful companies—and now she’s joining TED as the new host of the podcast WorkLife with Molly Graham. So what does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? Chris and Molly discuss career transitions, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

Featured guest

• Follow Molly Graham on Instagram, LinkedIn, and on Substack
• Learn more about Molly's Glue Club!
• Listen to WorkLife with Molly Graham
• Watch Molly's TED Talk

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Graham has had a high-powered career at a ton of extremely successful companies—and now she’s joining TED as the new host of the podcast WorkLife with Molly Graham. So what does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? Chris and Molly discuss career transitions, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

Featured guest

• Follow Molly Graham on Instagram, LinkedIn, and on Substack
• Learn more about Molly's Glue Club!
• Listen to WorkLife with Molly Graham
• Watch Molly's TED Talk

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sex is a normal part of human life, but it can also get complicated–whether you’re having it or not! The way we approach, think, and engage with our sexuality varies widely our culture, community, identity, and more. But one thing we can all strive for is healthy and safe sex. Siphumeze Khundayi and Tiffany Mugo are two sex educators and the co-founders of HOLAAfrica (HOLAA!) a Pan-Africanist digital platform that focuses on creating spaces that deal with safe sex and pleasure. Today they share insights on the kinds of mental and emotional tools we can turn to in order to have great sex, why it’s ok to take small steps on your sexual journey, and why it’s important to take ownership of your pleasure.

(This episode originally aired in 2022)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Eric Zimmer has learned the hard way that the path to big life changes starts with small everyday behaviors. Whether it’s kicking an addiction, building a business, or writing a book, Eric starts with habits and a clear focus on what he wants to do. The host of the podcast “The One You Feed” and the author of the new book “How a Little Becomes a Lot,” Eric joins Chris to discuss his recovery journey and why he values consistency over perfection.

Featured guest

• Follow Eric Zimmer on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at oneyoufeed.net/
• Buy How a Little Becomes a Lot by Eric Zimmer

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Duffy—comedian, writer, and host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human—joins to discuss how humor shaped his path from teaching and improv to podcasting and television. Together, they explore why laughing more isn’t about being funny, but about attention, vulnerability, and connection, and how humor helps us stay human.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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“When was the last time you did something you didn’t do yesterday?” asks journalist and explorer Alex Hutchinson. Alex joins Chris to examine whether the desire to explore is baked into our genes, how he intentionally tries to get lost in his neighborhood, and what he learns from following his curiosity.

Featured guest

• Follow Alex Hutchinson on Instagram and at alexhutchinson.net/
• Buy The Explorer’s Gene by Alex Hutchinson

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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What is consciousness? Humans and animals have it, but do plants have sentience? These are the questions journalist Michael Pollan studies. Michael is the author of ten books on the relationship between food, consciousness, and psychedelics. Michael joins Chris to discuss why humans ruminate, how people should get comfortable with boredom, and whether we can really trust our own memories?

Featured guest

• Follow Michael Pollan on Instagram and at michaelpollan.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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“Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

Featured guest

• Follow Yara Shahidi on Instagram and at yarashahidi.com/
• Listen to The Optimist Project podcast

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

Featured guest

• Follow Yara Shahidi on Instagram and at yarashahidi.com/
• Listen to The Optimist Project podcast

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Levine is the author of Bloomberg’s “Money Stuff” newsletter where he writes about Wall Street and finances. Matt joins Chris to break down common money questions such as what exactly is commodity trading? How do AI companies make money? How do companies balance ethics and virtues with increasing profits for shareholders? They also discuss how Matt uses comedy and humor to make complicated money topics accessible.

Featured guest

• Follow Matt Levine at mattlevine.co/work
• Subscribe to Bloomberg's Money Stuff newsletter

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we accept that work-life balance is a necessity, then why are stress and burnout still increasing? Guy Winch is a psychologist and was the first guest ever on the How to Be a Better Human podcast. Guy returns to the show six years later to share strategies on how to stop indulging in unhealthy ruminations, start identifying harmful triggers, and why it’s necessary to change your perspective and view problems as solvable.

Featured guest

• Follow Guy Winch on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at guywinch.com/
• Buy Mind Over Grind by Guy Winch

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you could switch places with someone and peek into their mind, who would you pick? For journalist Courtney Martin, she chose her aging dad with advanced dementia. Courtney joins Chris to talk about her deep desire to understand her father’s experiences, what it’s like to witness a loved one's health decline, and why it’s important to practice asking for help. This is a perfect episode to listen to if you’re taking care of a loved one (or know someone who is) and want practical ways to be kinder to caregivers.

Featured guest

• Follow Courtney Martin on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, and at courtneyemartin.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us tend to prioritize our romantic and familial relationships over friendships — and that could be harming our wellbeing and health. In this special episode from our friends at A Slight Change of Plans, cognitive behavioral scientist and bestselling author Dr. Maya Shankar looks at how friendships expand our sense of self. Maya is joined by psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, who offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting could make your friendship stronger, and how to break up with a friend with clarity and kindness.

On A Slight Change of Plans, Maya explores how we experience change and provides strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval. Find A Slight Change of Plans wherever you get podcasts.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Love coach Francesca Hogi is dedicated to helping daters find “lasting love in the midst of a broken dating culture.” In this episode, Francesca shares her approach to analyzing romantic patterns and feeling more empowered in your love life. From discussing romantic manifestations to reflecting on bell hooks’ claim that humans are unskilled at love, Chris and Francesca talk about the ways you can be more open to finding love.

Featured guest

• Follow Francesca Hogi on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at francescahogi.com/
• Buy How to Find True Love by Francesca Hogi

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you quieten the judgmental voice in your head? Educator and entrepreneur Anu Gupta suggests you actually listen to it.Anu joins Chris to discuss the effects of human biases on our psyche and how to combat self-destructive habits by swapping out harmful emotions with constructive thoughts. They also talk about how individuals, when they come together, can create a society that is anchored around a loving, not critical, culture.

Featured guest

• Follow Anu Gupta on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at anuguptany.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many company cultures can feel stagnant and uninspiring, says designer Ben Swire, whose job is to help people take creative risks. Ben shares why icebreakers, compliments, and competitive bonding games can undermine workplace camaraderie. Later Ben shares how he finds success leaning into creativity and provides five activities for more meaningful connections.

Featured guest

• Follow Ben Swire on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at benjaminswire.com/
• Buy Safe Danger by Ben Swire
• Learn more about Make Believe Work

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Townley is a meditation teacher. But he’s also a comedian who leads museum tours and an actor whose career spans Men in Black 3 and Law & Order. In today’s episode, Kevin talks about how to practice the art of looking and the deep Buddhist wisdom that can be found in every museum. Inspired by his book Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again: Buddhist Wisdom Reflected in 26 Artists, Kevin shows Chris how letting go of judgment—and engaging Buddhist principles—can change the way we view the world and find belonging.

Featured guest

• Follow Kevin Townley on Instagram and at kevintownley.nyc/home
• Buy Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again by Kevin Townley

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can our dogs feel guilt? Or have they successfully trained us with their puppy eyes to win a treat and extra kibble? Alexandra Horowitz is a researcher and head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College; she joins Chris to chat about how dogs make us laugh and ways to be more present in life.

Featured guest

• Follow Alexandra Horowitz on Instagram and at dogcognition.weebly.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the past five seasons, host Chris Duffy has been interviewing guests from psychotherapist Dr. Orna Guralnik to poet Sarah Kay to author Andrew Leland and more on how they work to become better humans. In this special episode kicking off season 6, Chris is now in the hot seat. Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, joins as guest host to interview Chris on finding joy and how a 5th grader taught Chris humor. They also discuss Chris’ debut book Humor Me and the lessons he learned from hosting the podcast throughout the years.

Featured guest

• Follow Manoush Zomorodi on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at manoushz.com

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a mysterious wave of tics and twitches swept through a small-town high school in New York, documentary podcaster Dan Taberski set out to investigate what was really happening. Drawing on extensive research and intimate interviews with the people involved, he explores the roots of mass hysteria — and what it reveals about the line between illness and belonging. What happens when the very thing that makes us sick ... is also what connects us?

After the talk, Shoshana interviews Dan on how his research into the mysterious Havana Syndrome leads to his unearthing of a similar mass hysteria in Le Roy, New York. They also discuss how storytelling can reshape discourse surrounding medicine and what happens when the person experiencing an illness feels unheard and unsupported by the very medical professionals supposed to care for them?

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Relationships of any kind can be tricky—but therapists are here to help. In this special episode, Anne and Frances talk to clinical psychologist Dr. Orna Guralnik, star of the hit show Couples Therapy, to translate her advice for romantic relationships to the professional world. Together, they discuss the art of deep listening, underline the importance of patience and working through differences, and reframe relationships as a constant cycle of rupture and repair. Dr. Guralnik also reflects on the making of Couples Therapy and gives Anne and Frances advice as a couple who work together.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Many of us are entering the new year with a similar goal — to build community and connect more with others. To kick off season five, Priya Parker shares ideas on how to be the host with the most. An expert on building connection, Priya is the author of “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters.” Whether it's a book club, wedding, birthday or niche-and-obscurely themed party, Priya and Chris talk about how to create meaningful and fun experiences for all of your guests — including yourself.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Remember those fun high school superlatives like the “Class Clown” or the “Biggest Flirt”? In this special How to Be a Better Human season finale, you will be hearing from our previous guest Dallas Youth Poet Laureate Naisha Randhar and our team of editors, marketers, producers, fact-checkers and more on their favorite episodes this year. 

How to Be a Better Human 2025 Superlatives

• Most Likely to Make You Rethink Your Place in the World
• Most Inspiring Story
• Most Likely to Make You Feel Your Feels
• Best Motivator 
• Most Likely to Improve Your Life Tomorrow
• Biggest Perspective Shifter
• Most Shared Tidbit

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Money can buy you happiness – but not in the way we think. Giving money away – especially to help others – has been shown make us happier than spending on ourselves.

Social psychologist Lara Aknin explains the best ways to spend on loved ones, friends and even total strangers to get the biggest happiness bang for your buck.

And Harvard’s Josh Greene reveals how much money Happiness Lab listeners gave to charity via Giving Multiplier last year – and how many lives you saved.

Pods Fight Poverty: https://GiveDirectly.org/betterhuman

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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What makes a hometown home, and how do you find community? Sarah Kay is a spoken word poet and author of the latest poetry collection, A Little Daylight Left. Sarah and Chris grew up in New York City where the energetic and diverse community shaped their lives. They discuss how to find belonging in new neighborhoods, how to focus on creating art and being empathetic when it feels like the world is chaotic, and how to take note of the small things in life that bring them joy.

Host & Guest

Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Sarah Kay (Instagram: @kaysarahsera | https://kaysarahsera.com/)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy: https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL

Follow TED! 

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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If you remove ingredients like dairy, wheat, flour, cane sugar, beef, pork, and chicken from your diet—then what do you eat? For Sioux chef Sean Sherman, excluding colonial ingredients from his cuisines gives him the opportunity to spotlight indigenous produce and uplift local communities. Sean is the owner of the James Beard Award-winning restaurant Owamni in Minneapolis. Sean joins Chris to discuss the philosophy behind his indigenous restaurant, where he thinks the American education system falls short, and how he is using food to reclaim indigenous history.

This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.

Watch

Sean cooking Indigenous foods: https://youtu.be/p0IpMqUZKbs

Chris extended interview: https://youtu.be/n6_bat26dmQ

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guests:

Sean Sherman (Instagram: @the_sioux_chef and @siouxchef | https://seansherman.com/)  

Linda Black Elk (Instagram: @linda.black.elk)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

Instagram: @owamni | Facebook: @Owamni - By The Sioux Chef | https://owamni.com/

Instagram: @natifs_org | Facebook: @NATIFSorg | https://natifs.org/

Follow TED! 

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where do you belong and what does community mean to you? These are the central questions Chris asks poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib while visiting Hanif’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Hanif is a poet and essayist of many notable works such as They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, A Fortune for Your Disaster, and A Little Devil in America, among others. Hanif joins Chris to share his love for the city Columbus, what it means to be cared for by community members, and how spending time with others can show you how to love them better. 

This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.

Watch

Hanif shows Chris and Sarah his hometown: https://youtu.be/xGJe_eRw2Ao

Extended interview with Chris: https://youtu.be/hl-5PGuwEBg

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: 

Hanif Abdurraqib (Instagram: @nifmuhammad | https://www.abdurraqib.com/)

Sarah Kay (Instagram: @kaysarahsera | https://kaysarahsera.com/)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

Follow TED! 

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks 

Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“All couples fight. In fact, how they fight in the first three minutes predicts with 96% accuracy not only how the rest of the conversation will go, but how the rest of the relationship will go six years down the road,” says relationship expert Dr. Julie Gottman. Dr. Julie and John Gottman are founders of the Gottman Institute and the Love Lab where they study how to sustain love and health in relationships. They join Chris to discuss why more people now than ever are deciding to go solo, what a healthy end to a conflict looks like, and the 52 questions you should ask your partner before getting married.

This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.

Watch

Julie and John answer listeners' questions: https://youtu.be/nJ4RtT0T_BA

Extended interview with Chris: https://youtu.be/CxW0JRAw8bk

Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: Dr. Julie and John Gottman

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

https://www.gottman.com/

Instagram: @thegottmaninstitute

YouTube: @TheGottmanInstitute

Linkedin: @the-gottman-institute

TikTok: @thegottmaninstitute

Follow TED! 

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

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Edith Zimmerman is a sketchbook cartoonist and writer of the Substack newsletter, Drawing Links. In this episode, she joins Chris to talk about honesty and self-discovery. From sharing her artwork to discussing her sobriety journey to falling in love with running, Edith and Chris explore how creativity and pursuing new activities can help you overcome personal challenges.

This episode is part of the How to Be a Better Human Bonus Videos series. You can find the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel.

Watch

Edith draw and go running with Chris: https://youtu.be/1jWA3mE5o9Y

Edith and Chris' interview: https://youtu.be/U_tOmuja0w8

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Edith Zimmerman (Instagram: @edithzimmermans | Website: https://www.edithzimmerman.com/) 

Links

https://drawinglinks.substack.com/

Stop Drinking Now by Allen Carr

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Did you know that you start losing bone AND muscle mass as soon as the age of thirty? Or that your fingers and toes don’t have muscles? Or how women in Scotland are starting to compete in the lighting of Dinnie Stones – which weighs 733 pounds?! These are topics that Chris discussed with Bonnie Tsui, author of the book On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters. They also discuss what strength and weightlifting means in today’s society – especially as more women enter the sport. Bonnie and Chris also discuss studying martial arts, playing on sports teams, and the benefits of functional mobility as you age.

Watch

Bonnie teaches Chris to surf: https://youtu.be/YOryOy1qL00

Bonnie and Chris' interview: https://youtu.be/Z3WnwLtVUes

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: Bonnie Tsui (Instagram: @bonnietsui8 | Website: https://www.bonnietsui.com/)

Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)

Buy Bonnie's book On Muscle: https://tinyurl.com/onmuscle

Newsletter: https://www.bonnietsui.com/events

Other handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnietsui

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-tsui-71a57775

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@bonnietsui8

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bonnietsui

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How do you quit people-pleasing? Internet filmmaker Baron Ryan and family therapist Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile unpack the all-too-common fear of rejection and explore the practices necessary to reclaim your ability to finally say “no” and stop caring about what other people think. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts navigating the ideas shaping our world.)

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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This is the surprising story of how Texas – rich in oil and gas – became America's biggest producer of wind energy. For our first episode, Ryan and Anjali talk with Pat Wood, once George W. Bush’s right hand man and head of Texas's Public Utility Commission, to uncover the innovative approach that turned Texas into a renewable energy powerhouse. It’s a story about what could get done before partisan politics got in the way of good climate policy, and it shows that economic incentives for consumers, government, and companies can play a huge role in supercharging clean energy.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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The real lever of a meaningful life isn’t intelligence or hustle — it’s personal agency, says Cate Hall, former Supreme Court attorney and once the world’s top-ranked female poker player. Sharing her journey from the throes of addiction to leading a multibillion-dollar foundation, Hall shares tactical wisdom for increasing your ability to see and act on life's hidden degrees of freedom, showing how even the most trapped among us can discover a path to fulfillment.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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How often do you connect with different people each week? How many many close relationships do you aim to cultivate during those connections? And how long do these interactions last? Kasley Killam has the perfect guide to help you build better social connections – the 5-3-1 Rule. Kasley is a social scientist and the author of The Art of Science and Connection. Kasley joins Chris to discuss the future of social connection – why do we invest in physical health but not social health? And what happens when you substitute companionship for AI chatbots? Kasley shares tips on how to connect with your community and rethink social norms on technology.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Kasley Killam (Instagram: @kasleykillam | LinkedIn: @kasleykillam | Website: https://www.kasleykillam.com/) 

Links

TED Talk: Why social health is key to happiness and longevity

Substack: Social Health with Kasley Killam

Book: https://www.kasleykillam.com/social-health-book

Newsletter: https://www.kasleykillam.com/newsletter

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How do you raise confident and capable children in a seemingly scary and unsafe world? According to Lenore Skenazy, the solution is simple yet controversial — you leave the kids alone. Lenore is the president of Let Grow and the founder of the Free Range Kids Movement where she argues that parents don’t need to hover over their kids as much because they’ll be more than okay — they’ll thrive. Chris and Lenore discuss why overprotecting kids can backfire, how parents might be unintentionally stifling children’s innate curiosity, and why one of the best tools to teach kids is to step away and let them learn and problem-solve themselves.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Lenore Skenazy (Instagram: @lenoreskenazy_freerange | LinkedIn: @lenoreskenazy | Website: https://www.freerangekids.com/) 

Links

Instagram: @letgroworg

LinkedIn: @letgrow

Join Let Grow (free!): https://letgrow.org/join

Facebook Group: Raising Independent Kids Facebook Group

Book: Free Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow

Lenore's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whaesnYloMQ

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What’s more important in communication— the content or the delivery? Julian Treasure is a five-time TED speaker and the author of Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet, and he argues conscious listening is an invaluable tool for elevating conversations. Julian joins Chris to give advice on how to speak better, the listening method that could save your marriage, and how to be comfortable in silence.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Julian Treasure (Instagram: @juliantreasure | LinkedIn: @juliantreasure | Website: https://www.juliantreasure.com/) 

Links

Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet 

How to Be Heard

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What makes some people supercommunicators? How can you become one too? This is the central lesson in Charles Duhigg’s bestseller Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret of Communication. Charles and Chris dissect what makes messy conversations so great, how to ask deep questions, and whether women and men communicate differently. They also discuss the different rules for different technologies — from telephones to Facebook to Signal — and how cautious politeness may be the best method to communicate effectively online.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Charles Duhigg (Instagram: @charlesduhigg | LinkedIn: @charlesduhigg | Website: https://charlesduhigg.com/) 

Links

Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

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Is it effective to engage with politics on social media — and what does it take to make actual change? Katherine Cross is a researcher on online harassment and the author of Log Off: Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix. She shares why she believes social media is “anti-political” and how virtual engagement will not achieve the necessary political work for us. Katherine and Chris also discuss the limitations of short-form content in conveying decades of geopolitical strife, why our lives would be better off without social media, and the guardrails platforms could utilize to help users engage with posts critically and to slow down viral misinformation. 

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Katherine Cross (Website: ischool.uw.edu/people/phd/profile/kcross1) 

Links

Log Off Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix

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What will dating look like in the age of AI? Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder and CEO of Bumble, the popular dating app that has helped millions of people meet their match. In this episode, Whitney chats with Adam about her vision for the future of dating online and offline, her decision to take a break from leading Bumble, and the importance of platonic love. They also debate whether or not you have to learn to love yourself before loving someone else, and imagine a world in which AI agents vet potential partners before a first date.

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Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)

Guest: Whitney Wolfe Herd (Instagram: @whitney) 

Links

bumble.com

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When someone you love is going through a difficult time, what do you say? Despite your best intentions, author Katherine May argues offering help or shying away from tough conversations isn’t as effective as you think. Katherine is the author of the memoir, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, and its latest companion piece, Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age. Chris and Katherine share how humor may sometimes be a good medicine and how to live alongside life’s difficulties.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Katherine May (Instagram: @katherinemay_ | Website: katherine-may.co.uk/) 

Links

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times (UK Bookshop / US & CAN Bookshop)

Enchantment: Reawakening Wonder in an Exhausted Age (UK Bookshop / US & CAN Bookshop)

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What parts of yourself did you lose as you grew up? This is one of the central questions asked in Ashley C. Ford’s memoir, Somebody’s Daughter. Ashley joins Chris to talk about growing up with an incarcerated father, grappling with a complicated relationship with her mother, and how writing can be a way of processing and understanding your life. They also discussed why adults become less kind to kids, how libraries can become safezones, and how to confront the messy parts of childhood.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Ashley C. Ford (Instagram: @smashfizzle | Website: ashleycford.net/) 

Links

Somebody’s Daughter

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What makes kids so joyful? Why do polka-dots and bright colors invoke feelings of joy? How do our senses shape our experience of joy? These are questions designer Ingrid Fetell Lee studies. Ingrid is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness and the blog, The Aesthetics of Joy. Chris and Ingrid ruminate on how joy differs from happiness and how infectious joy can be – so much so that the simple act of sharing your joy with others can even spark second-hand joy!

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Ingrid Fetell Lee (Instagram: @ingridfetell | @aestheticsofjoy) 

Links

Book: Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness

aestheticsofjoy.com/

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“People are expected to have good friendships, but nobody talks about how they happen,” says journalist Aminatou Sow. Aminatou is also the host of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend and the author of the book Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. She joins Chris to discuss the communication efforts necessary to maintain meaningful friendships, why she rejects Western society’s obsession with self-improvement, the insights she gained from reading obituaries and the act of grace in sharing bits of yourself with others.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Aminatou Sow (Instagram: @aminatou) 

Links

Crème de la Crème Substack

Book: bigfriendship.com/

Podcast: callyourgirlfriend.com/

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Humor is all around us— you only need to be intentional about seeking moments of laughter and joy in your life. In this special compilation episode on humor, Chris shares six short snippets from his conversation with thoughtful guests such as TikTok forager Alexis Nikole Nelson, meditation and happiness journalist Dan Harris, peace activist Aziz Abu-Sarah and more on how they flex their laughing muscles. From foraging mugwort to drawing a stranger for 60-seconds, Chris and his guests encourage you to practice mindfulness and embrace the spectacle of life.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guests:

Alexis Nikole Nelson (Instagram: @blackforager | TikTok: @alexisnikole | YouTube: @blackforager)

Dan Harris (Instagram: @danharris | Website: danharris.com)

Wendy MacNaughton (Instagram: @wendymac)

Laurel Braitman (Instagram: @laurel_braitman | Website: laurelbraitman.com/)

Lear deBessonet (Website: lct.org/shows/people/lear-debessonet/)

Dave Nadelberg (Instagram: @davenadelberg | Website: getmortified.com/)

Neil Katcher (Instagram: @neilkatcher | LinkedIn: @neilkatcher | Website: getmortified.com/) 

Aziz Abu-Sarah (Instagram: @azizabusarah | Website: azizabusarah.com/)

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We often think donating clothes is a sustainable act, but when tons of garments are shipped to places like West Africa, it creates environmental waste and disrupts local artisans’ livelihoods. Diarra Bousso, a mathematician and sustainable fashion designer, joins Chris to unpack the hidden cost of global textiles waste and how she founded her lifestyle brand Diarrablu. She shares how she designs with emotional sustainability in mind – creating clothes that adjust to our changing body while showcasing Sengalese’s bold colors and prints. They also discuss how mathematical concepts influence her work, how technology and AI might help designers reduce waste, and why it’s important to make clothes that make you feel good.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Diarra Bousso (Instagram: @thediarrablu | LinkedIn: @diarrabousso | Website: diarrabousso.com/) 

Links

diarrablu.com

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Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book, From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire, and explore the idea that between pandemics, climate change, and economic inequality, many of us are feeling a huge (and often unacknowledged sense of grief. Sarah explains the concept of “disenfranchised grief” and how collective mourning can invite meaningful social connections.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Sarah Jaffe (Instagram: @sarahljaffe | Website: sarahljaffe.com/) 

Links

From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire

Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone

Subscribe to TED 

Instagram: @ted

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Website: ted.com

Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts

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