The Human Condition with Lisa Gregory

Dr. Cheryl Hopson is a dedicated teacher and a committed advocate for those marginalized by society. But at her very heart she is a poet. Hopson, also a essayist and the author of two books, "Fragile" and "Black Notes," takes her own life experiences, some heart wrenching, as well as her observations of the world around her and creates beautiful prose. On this episode of The Human Condition with Lisa Gregory, Hopson, an assistant professor of English and African American Studies at Western Kentucky University, talks about her life as a queer black woman and a feminist. She also talks about her love for creating the written word and what it means to her and what she hopes it means to others.

Justice was only four months old when he was killed by his mother's boyfriend in January 2007. The much-loved baby boy with his deep blue eyes and hearty laugh left behind a devastated family. Despite their overwhelming grief, the family was determined to do something good in honor of baby Justice and his memory. For years they worked desperately to change Maryland's law to increase the maximum sentence for the conviction of child abuse leading to death. Justice's Law, which passed in 2016 and was part of a criminal justice reform bill, increased the law to 40 years to life. They also established a fundraising effort with the annual Rock Me Don't Shake Me concert which benefits mothers and children. On this episode of The Human Condition with Lisa Gregory we talk to Justice's mother, Ashley Rutherford, and his grandparents, Dee and Nink Myers, about their "biggie boy" as they lovingly called him and how they turned loss and pain into hope. All in the name of Justice.

From the ancient Egyptians to surprisingly even the Amish, we humans are driven by the appearance of having more and doing better than those around us. The middle class of modern day is especially drawn to the idea of keeping up or surpassing the Joneses. So, why are we so enamored with the idea of more and better? And, what impact is it having on our society? On this final episode of a three-part series exploring the research of Jeffrey Podoshen, a professor of marketing at Franklin and Marshall College, he talks about the allure of material things and the role marketing plays in convincing us that our value as human beings can be gauged by the material items we acquire. Even to our own detriment.

When one thinks of vacations, images of beaches and Disney World come to mind. But there are those who seek a darker path. Dark tourism, as it is called, is a growing industry. It caters to those interested in sites where great calamities, historical atrocities and horrific crimes have taken place, such as Auschwitz and Pompeii and even the Manson and Jack the Ripper murders. Jeffrey Podoshen, a professor of marketing at Franklin and Marshall College, has done extensive research on dark tourism. On this episode of The Human Condition with Lisa Gregory, part two of a three-part series discussing Podoshen's research, he talks about why so many are intrigued by these darker places. He also talks about where we draw the line between selfies at Auschwitz and commemorating and respecting these places and embracing the lessons for humanity that many of them hold.

As a journalist I wrote an article about Chris Nusbaum a few years ago. As is Chris' way with those he meets, we soon became friends and he took me on a journey that has helped me better understand and appreciate the blind community.