What Makes Us Human? with Uriel Abulof

The multi-talented Ari Honarvar is a Musical Ambassador of Peace who dances with refugees and leads workshops on Resilience Through Joy. A former refugee from Iran, she is the author of A Girl Called Rumi and founder of Rumi With a View, “dedicated to building bridges between the arts, social justice, and well-being.” In conversation with Roger Kimmel Smith, she outlines her “arranged friendships” idea and other creative responses to the challenges of social isolation and fragmented communities.

The astounding “color commentary” in Barbara West’s writing bursts forth from her efferverscent personality, some sources of which—the Christian pacifist tradition in which she was raised, her humanistic education, Buddhist meditation practice, and nursing career—receive insightful examination in this conversation with her old friend Roger Kimmel Smith.

Parents of transgender children face an increasingly hostile environment in many U.S. states. We speak to one couple from Texas who chose to relocate in the northeast. Plus an update on The Humanist Being.

Dr. Anna Kelles represents the 125th Assembly district of central New York state as a Democrat. Her public health background and Ph.D. in nutritional epidemiology give her a powerful, humanistic perspective on public policy. Interview conducted by Roger Kimmel Smith.

Co-hosts Chris West and Roger Kimmel Smith converse with Aidan King, a member of The Humanist Being’s steering group, about the challenges of building humanist community and overcoming the cognitive dissonance of a fundamentalist upbringing. [Image: Aidan King, “No More Heart Emojis”]

Is polyamory a harbinger of the long-awaited sexual evolution? The Humanist Being co-founder Vincent Downing has launched a Polyamory Education Project, and in this episode Vincent discusses the project’s genesis and goals with his partner Pup Treble, an NYC-based musician and sex educator. More info can be found at thehumanistbeing.org.

Uriel Abulof has a knack for framing wonderful questions. The Israeli-born political philosopher teaches at Princeton, Cornell, and Tel Aviv University, and offers an online course called HOPE, or Human Odyssey to Political Existentialism. His blog is called “Sapienism: Living Up to Our Humanity.” Abulof and interviewer Roger Kimmel Smith plunge into a heady discussion of “what sets us apart and brings us together” as humans.

The third season of When Humanists Attack!! opens with a fascinating exploration of modern Greek history, culture, and music. Roger Kimmel Smith interviews Gail Holst-Warhaft, the author of books on the hashish-fueled rebetika music genre and the nisiotika music of the Aegean islands, as well as a biography of Zorba the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.

Chris, Vin and Roger React to "Mass Psychosis" video. Are we all doomed?!? Is it too late?!? How do we topple the totalitarians? These questions and more answered tonight in our reaction to the video "Mass Psychosis" from After Skool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09maaUaRT4M

WHA!!! Co-Host Roger Kimmel Smith sits down to discuss global peace, justice and resistance with Matt Meyer of the International Peace and Justice Association.