Worklife with Adam Grant

If you’ve ever wondered what “skibidi rizz” means or why kids are so obsessed with the number 67, Adam Aleksic wrote a book on it. Aleksic, better known at @etymologynerd online, is a 24-year-old linguist known for his enlightening and entertaining videos on the origin of words. In this episode, the two Adams discuss Aleksic’s new book Algospeak and the ways in which the internet is shaping the way we communicate both on and offline. Aleksic sheds light on the origins of the seemingly meaningless “brainrot” memes popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha internet users, and reveals the complex and (sometimes) profound insights they have to offer about culture, the transmission of ideas and information, and how our access to language can change the way we see the world.

Host & Guest
Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)
Adam Aleksic (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @etymologynerd | Website: https://www.etymologynerd.com/)

Links
Algospeak by Adam Aleksic (https://www.amazon.com/Algospeak-Social-Transforming-Future-Language/dp/0593804074)

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For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts
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Ken Burns is a documentary filmmaker who has produced works about Mark Twain, Jackie Robinson, the American Buffalo, the Civil War, and now, in his latest work, the American Revolution. In this second part of their conversation, Adam and Ken move to more personal topics: Ken’s experience with fatherhood, the role of grief and loss in his work, and his hatred of careerism. Adam pitches some new ideas for upcoming documentaries, and Ken reflects on a time when the word “enthusiastic” was used against him.

Host & Guest
Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)
Ken Burns (Website: https://kenburns.com/)

Links
https://www.facebook.com/kenburnspbs
https://www.youtube.com/user/kenburnspbs
https://kenburns.com/films/the-american-revolution/

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For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts
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Ken Burns has won countless awards for his documentary films on Mark Twain, Jackie Robinson, the American buffalo, baseball, the Civil War—and his latest takes on the American Revolution. In this two-part episode, Adam and Ken discuss the importance of origin stories and how they help us to construct a collective identity and narrative about ourselves. Ken reflects on his research about George Washington and the nuance required to tell stories about complicated, contradictory people throughout history, and he and Adam unpack why we’re so hesitant to recognize the flaws in our heroes. They also explore what makes a great leader and the building blocks of a compelling story.

Host & Guest
Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)
Ken Burns (Website: https://kenburns.com/)

Links
https://www.facebook.com/kenburnspbs
https://www.youtube.com/user/kenburnspbs
https://kenburns.com/films/the-american-revolution/

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For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts
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Alain de Botton is a philosopher, bestselling author, and cofounder of The School of Life, known for his fearless engagement with the complexity of human existence. In this special episode, Adam co-hosts alongside former guest RaQuel Hopkins, a therapist, social media star, and fan of Alain’s work. They discuss the roots of and remedies for status anxiety. They also discuss the loneliness and dissatisfaction that many people experience in the quest for happiness and examine how we’ve lost the plot on therapy.

Host & Guest
Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)
Alain de Botton (Website: https://www.alaindebotton.com/)
RaQuel Hopkins (Instagram: @raquel_the_capacity_expert)

Link
Follow The School of Life (Instagram: @theschooloflifelondon | Youtube: @theschooloflifetv | Website: https://www.theschooloflife.com/)

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For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts
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Shannon Hale is the author of more than 50 books for all ages, including the Princess Academy series and her graphic novel memoirs. In this episode, Adam and his daughter Joanna (a longtime fan of Shannon’s books) talk to Shannon about the powerful lessons books teach us about empathy, and take a closer look at how stories can either reinforce or dismantle the gender stereotypes kids learn early on. The three lament the decline in leisure reading, and brainstorm ways to nurture new readers and keep students interested in books.

Host & Guest
Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)
Shannon Hale (Instagram: @squeetus | Website: https://shannonhale.com/)

Follow TED!
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Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts
For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.