The Monster of We

From dating shows to police interrogation rooms, the polygraph test has long been marketed as a way to detect deception. But can it really? And who decided we needed a truth machine in the first place? In this episode, a Throughline listener sends us on a quest to uncover the sto ...  Show more

The Eighth Amendment. What is cruel and unusual punishment? Who gets to define and decide the amendment's boundaries? And how did the Constitution's authors imagine it might change? In this hour, the shifting definition of cruel and unusual punishment. This episode was originally ...  Show more

"If you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater his effort the heavier the wor ...  Show more

Ayn Rand is one of the most controversial thinkers of the 20th century. In this episode, we'll explore her philosophy of Objectivism, which champions rational self-interest and free-market capitalism, and discuss why her ideas remain divisive today. Ayn Rand's life and background ...  Show more

Selfishness, altruism and our culture. Akimbo is a weekly podcast created by Seth Godin. He's the bestselling author of 20 books and a long-time entrepreneur, freelancer and teacher.You can find out more about Seth by reading his daily blog at seths.blog and about the podcast at ...  Show more

Rand consistently tops polls of influential authors. Libertarians worship her; teens can’t stop reading her. But what makes her so compelling? Also, why was she obsessed with Morris the Cat? Featuring John Green.