How to Be a Better Human

A-1. Killer-diller. Outta sight. All that and a bag of chips. This slaps! From the 1940s to the early 2020s, these words and phrases are all generational slang that means the same thing—“excellent.” In this episode, Chris speaks with linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic on how technology and algorithms are changing language. They also discuss which age-group is experimenting the most with language, how social media is transforming how the deaf community communicates, and whether going completely offline does more harm than good.

Featured guest
Follow Adam Aleksic on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and at etymologynerd.com/
Subscribe to Adam's Substack, The Etymology Nerd
Buy Adam's book Algospeak

Connect with the team
Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was looking for certainty when there was no certainty to be found. If Simone’s words resonate with you, then this episode is for YOU. Simone Stolzoff is a journalist who writes about the uncertainty of life. In his conversation with Chris, he observes why people are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty, the harm caused when we take AI output as definitive answers, and what you can do to expand your capacity to hold uncertainty in your life.

Featured guest
Follow Simone Stolzoff on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and at simonestolzoff.com/
Buy Simone's books How to Not Know and The Good Enough Job

Connect with the team
Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard to not feel stress at the state of the world today, so how can you cope with stressors without letting them completely overwhelm you? Clinical psychologist Jenny Taitz spends most of her days helping clients navigate through their stress. She shares why she uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, in her therapy work, whether a cold plunge can help you snap out of your messy ruminations, and why doing a few tasks each day to practice for pleasure and mastery can help improve your mood.

Featured guest
Follow Dr. Jenny Taitz on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://www.drjennytaitz.com/
Buy Dr. Taitz's book Stress Resets

Connect with the team
Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your hardest emotional challenges could be solved by talking to a stranger? A person who has gone through the exact same situation or something very similar. That’s the premise of Proxy, a podcast that investigates your niche emotional conundrums with host Yowei Shaw. In this episode, Yowei and Chris talk about the power of knowing you’re not the only person going through something, however specific. Whether it’s losing your job, a friend breakup, or an alternate version of your life that you can’t let go of, Yowei has a method to make it all make more sense.

Featured guest
Follow Yowei Shaw on Instagram, Patreon, and at yoweishaw.com/
Listen to Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Connect with the team
Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Graham has had a high-powered career at a ton of extremely successful companies—and now she’s joining TED as the new host of the podcast WorkLife with Molly Graham. So what does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? Chris and Molly discuss career transitions, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

Featured guest
Follow Molly Graham on Instagram, LinkedIn, and on Substack
Learn more about Molly's Glue Club!
Listen to WorkLife with Molly Graham
Watch Molly's TED Talk

Connect with the team
Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.