The Examined Life

Send us Fan MailRosie Spinks Substack - https://rojospinks.substack.com/aboutKenny Primrose Substack - https://positivelymaladjusted.substack.com/Moby Gratis Music - https://mobygratis.com/Writer and journalist Rosie Spinks joins us to explore her powerful question: "What do we do now that we're here?" Drawing from her journey from ambitious journalist to burnout victim to advocate for a different way of living, Rosie offers a surprisingly hopeful perspective on navigating a world where traditional markers of success have lost their shine.After achieving what looked like career success—writing for prestigious publications like The Guardian and The New York Times—Rosie found herself profoundly unhappy. The pandemic provided an unexpected reset, challenging her assumptions about what's guaranteed in life and what truly matters. She describes straddling two worlds: "here" (where we've accepted the limitations of growth and progress) and "there" (the conventional world of consumption and productivity we still partially inhabit).The conversation takes a particularly powerful turn when Rosie discusses how becoming a mother revealed the transformative power of care. "I had never in my old life, in my twenties, in my ambitious journalist life, thought about anyone but myself. The work of caregiving is repetitive and you're never done, but in that is this extraordinary quality that you unlock within yourself." This insight extends beyond parenting—it's about redirecting our energy toward connection with others and our local communities.Rather than dwelling in despair, Rosie offers practical suggestions for building what she calls "the village"—trading childcare with other parents, learning neighbors' names, replacing consumption-based leisure with generative activities. These small shifts can rebuild our sense of belonging while preparing us for a future that may demand more resilience and mutual support.Support the show

Ruth Taylor, an expert on values and culture change with the Common Cause Foundation, dives deep into how our cultural narratives shape societal beliefs. She reveals the 'values perception gap,' where individuals prioritize intrinsic values despite feeling others lean towards wealth and status. Discussing the power of narratives, she highlights how cooperation can benefit community well-being, especially in the wake of COVID. Ruth emphasizes creating 'glimmers' of alternative living aligned with deeper values, inviting listeners to reflect on what truly fosters collective happiness.

Send us Fan MailWhat does it mean to live a purposeful life? Is the way you're spending your time truly reflective of your deepest values and aspirations? These questions stand at the heart of my enlightening conversation with William Damon, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and a world-renowned expert on purpose and moral development.Damon brings decades of research to bear on understanding how purpose shapes our lives, offering a compelling definition that transcends simple personal satisfaction. True purpose, he explains, must be both meaningful to ourselves and consequential to the world beyond ourselves. This dual focus distinguishes purpose from mere ambition or self-interest, creating a pathway to both personal fulfillment and meaningful contribution.Our discussion explores how purpose evolves across the lifespan, with Damon sharing insights about why approximately 20-25% of people find themselves "drifting" without clear direction. Contrary to popular belief, purpose isn't something we discover in a single moment of clarity, but rather develops gradually through experimentation, feedback, and mentorship. Damon vulnerably shares his own journey of finding purpose through early writing experiences and later through reconciling with his absent father's legacy—a powerful illustration of how understanding our past can illuminate our future direction.Ready to examine whether your daily activities align with your ultimate concerns? This conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone seeking to live with greater intention and meaning. Subscribe to The Examined Life podcast for more thought-provoking discussions about the questions that matter most.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhat shapes our children's future? Who are they becoming? And why aren't we talking about it more? Katharine Birbalsingh, known as "Britain's strictest headteacher," has a clear vision for the role of school's in shaping the future of Britain."Children are the future and families and schools influence who they will become, and we seem to care about neither," she observes with passion that's impossible to ignore. While politicians debate net-zero targets and immigration policies, Katharine argues we're missing something far more urgent – the values being instilled in children today will determine tomorrow's cultural landscape.At her Michaela Free School in London, Katharine has pioneered an approach that prioritizes character formation alongside academic excellence. She rejects the increasingly popular notion that teaching children boundaries somehow restricts their freedom. Instead, she offers a compelling alternative: structure actually enables maturity and growth. When children understand the difference between right and wrong, they develop the internal resources to resist harmful influences and make positive contributions to society.This conversation takes us into questions of belonging, personal responsibility, and moral formation. Katharine articulates a vision of education rarely heard in mainstream discourse – one where schools aren't merely credential factories but communities that shape virtuous human beings.  She insists that what matters most isn't test scores but "who they are as people." This isn't empty rhetoric – it's the foundation of her educational philosophy. By cultivating virtues through daily habits, children develop the character that naturally leads to success in all areas of life.Katharine's perspective seems quite distinct from those espoused in episodes 1 and 3 of this series - which share similar concerns. Where do you stand? Join the conversation on Substack - Positively Maladjusted | kenneth primrose | Substack, or on the youtube channel (1) Examined Life Podcast - YouTubeSupport the show

Send us Fan MailIf you’re a parent or a teacher, you’ve probably wondered about what the best conditions are for psychological development in children, and where we might have gone so wrong as a society. This week, we talk with psychologist Peter Gray about the developmental needs of children, and why long school days, risk free environments, and too much supervision are wreaking havoc with their psychological development.Other episodes on parenting/teaching:Michaeleen Doucleff on the universals of childhood - https://examined-life.com/interviews/michaeleen-doucleffe/Links:Peter Gray's Substack - https://petergray.substack.com/Peter Gray's TED talk on play - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg-GEzM7iTkKenny's Substack - https://substack.com/@kennyprimrose?utm_source=user-menuSupport the show

Michael Sacasas, a writer and thinker on technology and human flourishing, explores what we should do for ourselves even if machines can perform those tasks. He discusses Albert Borgman's distinction between 'focal things' and 'devices,' highlighting how technology can impact social connections and communal practices. Sacasas emphasizes the importance of mundane tasks like washing dishes for reflection and conversation. Deliberate technology adoption, embodied skills, and nurturing relationships emerge as essential for a meaningful life.

Send us Fan MailWhat if the Western approach to parenting is based on spurious cultural assumptions, not human nature? In this episode, science writer Michaeleen Doucleff takes us inside indigenous communities around the world to reveal what Western parenting gets backwards, as we explore her question - what are the universals of childhood? From the origins of modern parenting in orphanage manuals to the power of kids contributing to real family life, we explore what children actually need to thrive — and how small shifts can create big changes in connection, confidence, and calm at home.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this summary episode, we take the theme of attention which runs through most of conversations in the second season. In the episode you'll hear fragments of conversation from Iain McGilchrist, Dacher Keltner, Dougald Hine, Phoebe Tickell, Alex Evans, Elizabeth Oldfield, Jill Bolte-Taylor, Eve Poole and Todd Kashdan. Over this short episode, you'll hear discussion of a wide range of topics, from religion,  AI and smartphones, to the role of awe and imagination.Click here to access any of the podcast episodes in full - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-examined-life/id1680728280Support the show

Send us Fan MailThis is a distilled version of last year's conversation with the writer Oliver Burkeman. In it, you'll hear Oliver talk about our troubled relationship with time and how to more fully inhabit it.Oliver believes our obsession with productivity and efficiency is no route to happiness, quite the opposite. In order to inhabit time more fully, we need to embrace our limitations. This will mean admitting that however many worthwhile ways there are to spend our time, we can't do them all. This is a liberating fact, and can help us enjoy those things we have committed to all the more.Oliver's new book Meditations for Mortals is now available to buy, and focuses on helpful ways to resist the culture of efficiency, and embrace our finitude more fully.Support the show

Send us Fan MailPhoebe Tickell is a biologist, systems thinker, and 'imagination activist'. Phoebe works across multiple contexts applying a complexity and systems thinking lens and engaging people in how to think differently about the planet and its problems. In 2020 Phoebe created 'Moral Imaginations', which researches and implements collective imagination exercises and training to inspire change and find new solutions in an era of unprecedented disruption and potential for transformation.In this episode we explore the ways in which western culture has shaped the way we think and approach the problems of our day. Phoebe suggests that taking a step back and questioning received wisdom might provide more promising solutions to the crises we are currently facing.Support the show