Is ignorance truly bliss?

Games are fun. Aren’t they? When we play games — board games, video games, any kind of game — something magical happens. Games allow us to explore, to create little worlds where we can be different versions of ourselves. But when we turn life into a game — where we have to get th ...  Show more

Why do we love football so much? Why does this sport dominate American culture in a way nothing else can? Why does it feel essential even to people who barely like sports? And what does it say about us that we keep watching, even as the risks and contradictions become harder to i ...  Show more

Bliss can be described as a feeling of well-being, contentment, and boundlessness, or uncaused healthy happiness. These words do not do it justice. In fact, words cannot describe this delight that is beyond understanding. Explore bliss together with Hale Dwoskin in this episode o ...  Show more

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, in his work The Joyful Wisdom, explored this through a thought experiment he called the "eternal return." He asked us to imagine: What if you had to live this very life, exactly as it is—every joy, every sorrow, every thought—over and over, for et ...  Show more

We humans love novelty. We seek it out. While that can be good, it can also get us in trouble. This episode begins by exploring why we seek out new things, places and experiences and what happens after we do. Source: Winifred Gallagher author of the book New ( https://amzn.to/3Xs ...  Show more

Brad Wilcox is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and Director of the National Marriage Project. Why are some people naturally happier than others? Whether it's genetics, upbringing, or life circumstances, how can you finally rediscover joy and feel like your ...  Show more