Oliver Burkeman is a journalist and author of the book 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In this episode we discuss:
- The time management myths that are holding you back
- Practical strategies that help you focus on what matters most
- The true cost of convenience culture and what you lose
We also talk about how writing the book changed Oliver’s relationship to time, the path to producing original creative work and the issues with self-help culture.
Armand D’Angour is a professor of classics at the University of Oxford and the author of several books including Socrates in Love and his latest, How To Innovate.
In this episode we discuss:
- The 3 different types of innovation and how to use them to your advantage
- How the Greeks thought about change and what we can learn from them
- The relationship between innovation and ethics
We also cover the true story behind Archimedes’ famous “Eureka!” moment and Aristotle’s thoughts on political innovation.
Larry Grobel is a writer and interviewer who has interviewed every big name in Hollywood from Robert de Niro to Nicole Kidman, Al Pacino to Angelina Jolie. In this episode we discuss:
- The art of a great interview informed by Larry’ work with the world’s biggest stars
- Techniques for building rapport fast to make people feel comfortable and open up
- Larry’s principles for great storytelling that he’s used in his writing & interviewing
We also talk about Larry’s 10 days on Marlon Brando’s private island, his close 30 year friendship with Al Pacino and his controversial interview with former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight.
Gary Lachman is a writer and philosopher, whose work focuses on human imagination and the history of occult ideas. In this episode we discuss:
- Moving between the rational and the imaginative modes of consciousness
- The rise of meme magic in politics and how Trump, Putin others have used it
- How to make sense of a world dominated by philosophies of nihilism
We also discuss Gary’s experience in the rock band Blondie in the mid 70s, how the internet shapes reality and the history of some of the most important ideas about consciousness.