How to Be a Better Human

TED

Your guide to becoming a little less terrible.

  • 34 minutes 53 seconds
    How to tell a juicy story (w/ Rachelle Hampton)

    What makes a story so good you HAVE to tell everyone you know? How do you hook listeners with juicy details and tantalizing conundrums? In this special live episode, recorded at On Air Fest in Brooklyn, Chris is joined by Rachelle Hampton, the new host of Normal Gossip. Chris and Rachelle talk about what she’s learned touring the country and hearing strangers share their secrets, the art of keeping (or not keeping) secrets, and how to listen closely to hear the story behind the story. Plus, audience members share wild stories of their own, including gossip about a Maine snowplow coup and a wedding throuple.


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    Host: Chris Duffy (@chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

    Guest: Rachelle Hampton (Instagram: @heyydnae | LinkedIn: rachelle-hampton-95355899


    Links

    Normal Gossip (@normalgossip | defector.com/normal-gossip-podcast) NEW SEASON premieres Wednesday, April 9th


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    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts 

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    31 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 38 minutes 50 seconds
    How to cultivate kindness (w/ Richard Weissbourd)

    Happiness, high achievement, or kindness – which is most important to you in your kids? Which do you think your kids think you care about the most? Richard Weissbourd is a psychologist, the senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the director of the Making Caring Common Project. Richard joins Chris to discuss the challenges facing American parents which he raised in his book, The Parents We Mean to Be. Rick also explains how parents can overcome their own shame, the importance of teaching kids to recognize others' emotions, and how acts of service can strengthen relationships.


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    Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram | Website)

    Guest: Richard Weissbourd (Harvard Website


    Links

    Making Caring Common

    The Parents We Mean to Be by Richard Weissbourd


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    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 39 minutes 54 seconds
    How poetry builds teenagers' confidence (w/ Youth Poet Laureate Naisha Randhar)

    In honor of National Poetry Month, Chris is speaking with Naisha Randhar. Naisha is the Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas, the author of Roses of Arma, and the youngest guest Chris has ever interviewed — she’s a high school sophomore. Chris and Naisha talk about the inspiring work of teaching teenagers poetry and how to balance self-awareness with self-confidence. Naisha also encourages listeners to be witnesses more than interpreters and how it’s equally important to witness yourself and your presence in the world.


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    Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram | Website)


    Links

    Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas

    Roses of Arma by Naisha Randhar


    Subscribe to TED

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    Website: ted.com

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    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 34 minutes 9 seconds
    The right way to know you might be wrong (w/ Tenelle Porter)

    Tenelle Porter’s job is to study humility. Specifically, intellectual humility, the idea that we might be wrong or mistaken about some of our beliefs. Tenelle talks with Chris about why she thinks intellectual humility is so important, how to cultivate it, and why it’s the missing piece in so many conversations these days. Whether it’s in politics, academia or social media, Tenelle argues discovering you are wrong doesn’t have to be a painful realization, rather it can lead to positive discovery.


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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    10 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 37 minutes 47 seconds
    How to trust in times of uncertainty (w/ Rachel Botsman)

    Rachel Botsman studies trust. She’s a professor at Oxford University and the author of the books What's Mine is Yours, Who Can You Trust? and the new audiobook, How to Trust and Be Trusted. From asking AI medical questions, to understanding what’s real and what’s a lie online, Chris and Rachel discuss trust in many forms. What happens when trust is shifted away from human interactions and given to machines or companies to be monetized?


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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    3 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 36 minutes 32 seconds
    How to get your sense of wonder back (w/ Nate DiMeo)

    How do you make sense of the present? Nate DiMeo might suggest you look at the past. Nate is the host of the podcast and book, The Memory Palace. Nate joins Chris to discuss how the past can teach us to live life in a new, rich, and complex way. Nate shares how to exercise the muscle of curiosity, how to tap into your sense of wonder to escape algorithmic filters, and urges you to seek moments of meaning in between life’s biggest plot points.


    Audio excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random House Audio from THE MEMORY PALACE by Nate DiMeo; excerpt read by Nate DiMeo. © 2024 Nate DiMeo ℗ 2024 Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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    24 February 2025, 11:00 am
  • 35 minutes 27 seconds
    Power, purpose, and the American presidency with Jared Cohen | from ReThinking with Adam Grant

    What do the most powerful people in the world do after they've achieved success? Jared Cohen is a history buff and a presidential historian. His latest book, “Life After Power,” is a fascinating exploration about what seven American presidents did after leaving the most influential job in the world. In this episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, Adam and Jared discuss the psychology of the founding fathers, debate the pros and cons of pursuing a legacy, and share what these historic figures can teach us all about pursuing and finding purpose.


    Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts


    For more, follow ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you get your podcasts.

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    17 February 2025, 11:00 am
  • 41 minutes
    How to stop being weird about money (w/ Paco de Leon)

    Talking about money can feel confusing and awkward, but it doesn’t have to be. Paco de Leon is a financial planner and author of the book Finance for the People: Getting a Grip on Your Finances. Paco joins Chris to discuss ways everyone – but particularly freelancers and artists – can reframe their conversations and shift their mindset from “money corrupts” to “money gives you the power and freedom to create more art”. Whether it’s advising parents how to talk about money to their children or learning how to set a premium price for your skill, Paco shares tips to help you increase your profits – and transform your confidence around money.


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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    10 February 2025, 11:00 am
  • 40 minutes 22 seconds
    How to make the most of a finite life (w/ Oliver Burkeman)

    There’s only so much you can do in a week – or, according to Oliver Burkeman, in the roughly 4,000 weeks the average human lives. Oliver is a journalist and author of the books Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Meditations for Mortals, and the newsletter “The Imperfectionist.” Chris and Oliver discuss the paradox of why change can only occur once we accept that we might not be able to change. Oliver also shares how life’s mishaps can become our most treasured memories and why sharing your imperfections is an act of generosity.


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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    3 February 2025, 5:28 pm
  • 39 minutes 52 seconds
    How to believe in God even when the world sucks (w/ Nadia Bolz-Weber)

    Nadia Bolz-Weber believes the good and bad in all of us is what makes us human. Nadia has built a career talking about personal failings, recovery, grace, faith, and really whatever the hell else she wants to. She’s a bestselling author, a former stand-up comic, and now an ordained Lutheran Pastor. Nadia joins Chris to discuss her journey with religion, leadership, and community. They explore questions around the definition of faith, whether spirituality is innate to us, and the beauty of low expectations.


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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    27 January 2025, 11:00 am
  • 31 minutes 29 seconds
    How to turn climate anxiety into action (w/ Luisa Neubauer) (re-release)

    Amidst the multiple devastating fires in Los Angeles, where Chris lives, extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns are occurring across the globe, making our everyday lives all the more unpredictable. Today we are re-airing this episode from the very first season of How to Be a Better Human. It's a conversation with Luisa Neubauer, a climate activist, author, and leader of the "Fridays For Future" school strike movement. She draws on her experience at the front lines of activism to strategically reframe the climate crisis and identify the unique ways we can make systemic change.


    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts.

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    20 January 2025, 11:00 am
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