Alan Alda: Stay Curious

03/05/24 • 52 min

We don’t usually have repeat guests on this podcast... except we’re making an exception for the wonderful and wise Alan Alda. Alan Alda, of course, is an award-winning actor, writer, director, and podcast host. You probably know and love him as Hawkeye on M*A*S*H or Senator Arnie Vinick on The West Wing. He is endlessly curious on just about every topic—which makes him the perfect person to talk to about empathy, learning across differences (and disagreement), and how we might age into new hobbies and careers.

In this conversation, Alan and Kate discuss:

Tricks for staying curious as we age
How to talk to someone you disagree with
How Alan hopes to destigmatize Parkinson’s Disease
The difference between empathy and compassion and how to practice these important skills

Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here.

Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this conversation, Alan and Kate discuss:

Tricks for staying curious as we age
How to talk to someone you disagree with
How Alan hopes to destigmatize Parkinson’s Disease
The difference between empathy and compassion and how to practice these important skills

Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here.

Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

Richard Grant: Finding a Pocket of Happiness

When we are in deep grief, we can anticipate some of the horrible parts—the sleeplessness, the denial, the loneliness. But what about the moments of surprising lightness and joy? Moments that don’t erase the pain, but make it a bit more bearable. Academy Award-nominated actor Richard E. Grant practices finding these pockets of happiness while grieving his beloved wife.

In this conversation, Kate and Richard talk about:

the gritty side of caregiving
how to support people in grief (even when it makes you uncomfortable)
the importance of knowing and being known

Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here.

Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Episode

Maggie Jackson: The Wisdom of Uncertainty

These are uncertain times for so many of us.

But, according to writer Maggie Jackson, perhaps there is deep wisdom to be uncovered too—surprising gifts of curiosity, creative thinking, open-mindedness, and ways forward through the (often) unpredictabilities of life.

In this conversation, Kate and Maggie Discuss:

How uncertainty might foster creativity, resilience, and mutual understanding
Why we avoid ambiguity and a few small steps to help us become more comfortable with not knowing
How the practices of imagination and perspective-taking can help us see the potential in others
Why focusing on outcomes can close you off from picking up new information, nuance, or other peoples' perspectives
Why experiences contrary to our beliefs take longer, sometimes even weeks, to process

Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts.

Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.