Meaning Lab

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#107: How a really good travel writer approaches her experiences abroad—and at home (feat. Erika Fatland)
Comfort, discomfort, curiosity, and surprise: Erika Fatland goes through them all in her effort to understand other people and where they live.
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Cody Kommers
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The biggest recent improvement I've made for an increased sense of meaning
Better sleep.
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Cody Kommers
1
#106: Rituals matter more than you think (feat. Dimitris Xygalatas)
A recent book by cognitive anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas shows how rituals are a crucial part of a meaningful life—even for us moderns.
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Cody Kommers
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Meaning is post-hoc.
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6
Meaning is not an unmitigated good
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3
How to read a novel as a theory of behavior
 • Cody Kommers
8
The Off-Policy Theory of Happiness
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3
The biggest recent improvement I've made for an increased sense of meaning
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1
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Yes, we're all storytellers. But not good ones.
Let's face it: your life story could use a little spicing up.
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Cody Kommers
2
Meaning is not an unmitigated good
It's the things we love most which can also most hurt us.
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Cody Kommers
3
How to read a novel as a theory of behavior
Stories can model the one thing computation never can: experience
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Cody Kommers
8
#105: What can psychology tell us about meaning? (feat. Paul Bloom)
Empirical evidence suggests people report some pursuits as more meaningful than others. Paul argues these pursuits are intrinsically meaningfully. I'm…
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Cody Kommers
#104: Palentine's Day (feat. Robin Dunbar)
When time is limited, friendships are often what we let go. That's a huge problem.
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Cody Kommers
Meaning is interpretative.
That's why scientists don't know how to study it.
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Cody Kommers
#103: Tired, scared, and busy: why can't we all just get along? (feat. Mónica Guzmán)
Mónica Guzmán is a gift to world. We should all be listening to her.
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Cody Kommers
Meaning Lab
Meaning Lab
A cognitive science perspective on meaning in work, life, and relationships.
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Favorite writing
As with a Harvest"Maybe you even killed her with your own hands in the church."
The Nightmare of One's ChoiceCongo, Anthony Bourdain, & The Heart of Darkness
Conversations with FriendsRachel Cusk, the articulation of one's worldview, and who counts as normal.
Favorite podcasts
People Don't Often Change Their Minds on Big Topics. Why?feat. David McRaney
Anxiety and the Hard Work of Being Humanfeat. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary
How Technology Shapes Our Tastes — in Music and Morefeat. Nick Seaver
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