Season 2
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It’s a Wrap
In this season finale of Mind of State, hosts Jonathan Kopp and Betty Teng, along with their co-founder, Tom Singer, look back at season 2 as a time of extraordinary intensity, when the country wrestled with its demons and angels. The months leading up to and after the 2020 election were so filled with emotion, …
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Our Collective Trauma
We typically think of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as afflicting an individual who has experienced a terrifying event, such as combat, sexual assault or the death of a child. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Judith Herman, whose three-stage trauma recovery model has guided therapists for over twenty years. Tune in, as we …
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Cultural Complexes & the Soul of America REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 1 (09/02/2020), with new introduction] What underlying preoccupations – or “cultural complexes” – shape our country’s politics and collective psyche? On this premiere episode of season 2, we welcome Mind of State co-founder, Dr. Thomas Singer, who is also the editor of Cultural Complexes and the Soul of America and one of …
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Living Unarmed
What’s the lesson plan for first day back in class after a school shooting? Our guest, Megan Doney, is an English professor at New River Community College in Virginia, where she lived through the nightmare scenario students and teachers across America try to prepare for with active shooter drills. In honor of National Gun Violence …
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Restoring Faith In Democracy REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 9 (11/25/2020), with new introduction] Long after the news outlets called the election for Biden, Trump still refuses to concede his loss. This reminds us that our democracy relies on not only the rule of law, but also a shared set of beliefs about how we choose to govern ourselves. Eric Liu, …
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When Myth Becomes History
Is the freedom not to wear a mask what America’s Founders had in mind with the phrase, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?” Is Donald Trump a modern day mad King George III? Join us in a discussion with British psychoanalyst and mythologist Jules Cashford, who discusses the dangers of conflating myth with history …
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The Politics of Care REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 5 (10/14/2020), with new introduction] Across America, some people are marching for progress, while others are text- and phone-banking to get others to register and vote. The former seek change from outside the system; the latter work the inside game. Dr. Deva Woodly, New School professor of Politics and author of The …
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Perfect Storm: Climate, Race and COVID
For too long, the adverse impacts of climate change have disproportionately burdened poor and underserved communities of color in the US. When COVID-19 hit, we were beset with not only a pandemic, but also an economic downturn, an historic uprising against racial injustice, and a series of massive wildfires and hurricanes. Dr. Adrienne Hollis, the …
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America’s Economic Myth REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 4 (10/07/2020), with new introduction] A debate rages in the US over protecting our health versus preserving our wealth. Can our faith in the almighty dollar withstand a deadly pandemic and climate change? Join us, as we explore the roots of America’s economic myth, the natural forces challenging our long-held assumptions, and …
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Conspiracy Without Theory
Alien life? JFK’s murder? The Moon landing? These are classic topics for conspiracy theorists, who gather data, connect dots, and see where the evidence leads. But with more recent controversies, such as Birtherism, Pizzagate, QAnon, evidence is optional. For Trumpists, mere assertion is all that’s needed to draw outrageous conclusions and spread untruths. Dr. Nancy …
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Ambiguous Loss and the 2020 Pandemic REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 2 (9/16/2020), with new introduction.] How can we make sense of the tumult and tragedy of this moment – the loss of lives and jobs from the COVID-19 pandemic, the societal tensions borne of systemic racial injustice, the worsening climate crisis, and the final stretch of a volatile presidential campaign? Join us, …
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Justice, Rage and Peace
Post election, we are exhausted. Joe Biden won, yet Trump and his Trumpists refuse to concede, and authoritarianism remains a significant threat to democracy. How do we combat the rising tide of fascism and defuse the racism and anti-Semitism that fuels it? Civil Rights leader Eric Ward, of the Western States Center and the Southern …
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Restoring Faith In Democracy
Long after the news outlets called the election for Biden, Trump still refuses to concede his loss. This reminds us that our democracy relies on not only the rule of law, but also a shared set of beliefs about how we choose to govern ourselves. Eric Liu, CEO of Citizen University, joins Mind of State …
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Analyzing the Election
As the dust settles and the votes get sorted in the 2020 presidential election, Mind of State welcomes Boston Globe columnist, Michael A. Cohen, to help us process the results. With Michael, we discuss the politics, the polls, Trump, Trumpism, what it all says about the electorate, and what we might expect in the coming …
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The Case for Radical Openness
What if we listened more intently, instead of waiting for the chance to state our case? What if we engaged in dialogue, instead of debate, and allowed ourselves to be moved by another person’s expression and context? Dr. Anton Hart joins us to discuss his concept of “radical openness” and how it could help enhance …
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Sounding the Alarm
At a time when democratic institutions and norms are under siege, authoritarianism and white nationalism are on the rise, the COVID-19 pandemic is killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, and climate change is ravaging our planet, Dr. Robert Jay Lifton sounds the alarm about the dire stakes of the 2020 election. Dr. Lifton is a …
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The Politics of Care
Across America, some people are marching for progress, while others are text- and phone-banking to get others to register and vote. The former seek change from outside the system; the latter work the inside game. Dr. Deva Woodly, New School professor of Politics and author of The Politics of Common Sense: How Social Movements Use …
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America’s Economic Myth
A debate rages in the US over protecting our health versus preserving our wealth. Can our faith in the almighty dollar withstand a deadly pandemic and climate change? Join us, as we explore the roots of America’s economic myth, the natural forces challenging our long-held assumptions, and the possibilities for what’s next, with Dr. Betty …
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Can Voting and Democracy Survive the Internet?
Does social media foster debate or threaten democracy? Election law expert Nate Persily joins us to discuss the Internet’s impact on democracy, healthy elections during a pandemic, and what keeps him up at night about the 2020 presidential election. Full episode transcript here. © Copyright Original Music “Royal Flush Gang” by Composer Joel Goodman; Published …
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Ambiguous Loss and the 2020 Pandemic
How can we make sense of the tumult and tragedy of this moment – the loss of lives and jobs from the COVID-19 pandemic, the societal tensions borne of systemic racial injustice, the worsening climate crisis, and the final stretch of a volatile presidential campaign? Join us, as Dr. Pauline Boss applies her groundbreaking concept …
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Cultural Complexes & the Soul of America
What underlying preoccupations – or “cultural complexes” – shape our country’s politics and collective psyche? On this premiere episode of season 2, we welcome Mind of State co-founder, Dr. Thomas Singer, who is also the editor of Cultural Complexes and the Soul of America and one of the authors of the NY Times bestseller, The …
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Season 2 Trailer
Get ready for season two of Mind of State, a podcast where politics and psychology meet. Tune in, as co-hosts Betty Teng and Jonathan Kopp welcome an exciting lineup of fascinating guests to discuss how mind impacts state and vice versa in the midst of a global pandemic, economic meltdown and racial tensions, and in …
Season 1
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Politics & the Teenage Mind
New York Times bestseller Dr. Lisa Damour lends her expertise in child and adolescent psychology to discuss how current events impact the teenage mind. Join us as Lisa shares her wisdom about how to engage our teens on politics, immigration, race, #metoo — and yes, pornography. Full episode transcript here. © Copyright Original Music “Royal Flush …
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The Trauma of Syria
Veteran war correspondent Anne Barnard — Murrow Fellow at the Council on Foreign Affairs and NY Times Beirut Bureau Chief from 2012-2018 — discusses the complex trauma of Syria’s ongoing civil war, its impact on politics in Europe and the US, and the inability of the UN and other international institutions to deal with such …
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Anger & Racial Politics
University of Maryland professor Antoine Banks joins us to talk about how anger — specifically white anger — impacts everything from opinions on Obamacare to how black candidates are perceived and talked about. We also discuss how race and anger — on both side of the aisle — will impact the 2020 election. Full episode …
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The End of Truth?
What is truth in the post-modern world, where facts are in the eye of the beholder and partisans turn to their own tribes for reporting that reaffirms their polarized world views? Scotty McLennan, an ordained minister, lawyer, professor, and former Dean of Religious Life at Stanford University, joins us for a conversation about the quest …
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The Perilous Path to Asylum
What does our Statue of Liberty stand for, when we reject so many asylum seekers fleeing torture, war and persecution? We explore this vital topic with human rights psychologist Dr. Hawthorne “Hawk” Smith, Director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture (survivorsoftorture.org / @_PSOT). Full episode transcript here. © Copyright Original Music “Royal Flush …
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Trump On the Couch
Is Donald Trump mentally and emotionally unfit to execute the duties of President? Join us for a conversation about narcissism, misogyny, deception, racism, and more with Dr. Justin (“Justy”) Frank, a former clinical professor of psychiatry at GWU Medical Center with more than 40 years of experience in psychoanalysis. Justy is the best-selling author of Trump …
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Democracy & the Decline of Reason
Do facts matter when experts are dismissed as partisan propagandists or out-of-touch elitists? Political economist William Davies, author of Nervous States, joins us to discuss Trump, Brexit and the triumph of emotion over reason in modern politics. Full episode transcript here. © Copyright Original Music “Royal Flush Gang” by Composer Joel Goodman; Published by Oovra Music
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White Identity Politics Is Bigger Than the KKK
Amidst ongoing tension over America’s growing diversity, white identity is on the rise as a force in US politics. Are Americans who embrace their whiteness racists? How do we distinguish between white identity, white supremacy, white racism & prejudice? Duke political scientist Ashley Jardina, author of White Identity Politics, joins us for a riveting conversation. …
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Partisan Politics, Toxic Identities, Dangerous Divides
What do Duck Dynasty and The Family Guy have to do with US politics? And what happens when we so identify with a group that we want it to win, even when it’s against our self-interest? Our guest, Dr. Lilliana Mason, explores the political impact of “in-group / out-group” dynamics in her book, Uncivil Politics: How Politics Became Our Identity. …
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Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Tweet (Bonus)
Peter Glick returns for a bonus episode to help us unpack and understand the week’s controversy surrounding Representative Ilhan Omar’s tweet about the pro-Israel lobby, specifically AIPAC. Michael, Betty, and Peter take on the difficult and fraught conversation about anti-Semitism and Israel and add important psychological insights missing from the debate. Full episode transcript here. …
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Why Everyone Hates the Jews
Recently, the US has seen a disturbing uptick in hate crimes, especially those directed against Jewish people and institutions. From neo-Nazis in Charlottesville to the tragic mass murder at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue, anti-Semitism seems to have found a deadly new voice in America. What drives anti-Semitism today, and how is it different from …
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Acknowledging Harm and Repairing the World
How do we move out of a political discourse of blame and shame into one that acknowledges past and present harm done and the need to repair it? In this episode, renowned psychoanalyst, Dr. Jessica Benjamin, discusses the psychological barriers to the struggle for a lawful world based on recognizing our common humanity and universal …
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The Symbolic Power of Trump’s Wall
When is a wall not just a wall? When it’s Donald Trump’s Wall. Dr. Thomas Singer, a Jungian psychoanalyst, argues that the Wall needs to be recognized for the symbol it has become in the minds of Trump’s most ardent supporters and harshest critics. Reason, facts, and well-argued positions don’t matter when they come up …
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Delusions & Lies — the Mind of Trump
What’s the difference between a lie and a delusional falsehood? It’s a matter of perspective—especially when you’re talking about Donald Trump. In this episode of Mind of State, we are joined by Dr. Michael Tansey, a psychoanalyst with a self-proclaimed obsession for Donald Trump. (How else can you explain starting every day by reading Trump’s …
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We Are All Going to Die — Someday
Humans are uniquely aware of our own mortality. Someday, hopefully later rather than sooner, each of us is going to die. For our guest, Dr. Sheldon Solomon, recognition of our own death is the most important idea in human history. Sheldon argues, and he has the proof to back it up, that the awareness of …
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Make America Sane Again (Teaser)
Mind of State is a weekly podcast where politics and psychology meet. Each episode features lively commentary on current events, policymakers, and the body politic, and how we have arrived at this moment, as observed through both a political and psychological lens. We explore how “mind” impacts “state” — and vice versa. Tune in, as …