About 60 percent of Americans don’t yet have a written will in place. People spend a lifetime working hard, saving money, building assets, but often never think about what would happen in case they suddenly passed away. Viewpoints speaks with life planning expert, Abby Schneiderman, about the importance of organizing your life both on paper and online.
21-13 Segment 1: Siri, Self-Driving Cars and Disinformation on Social Media: The Ups & Downs of Artificial Intelligence
AI software is everywhere these days. It’s built into cars, tech, robotics and used in numerous fields from stock portfolio management to pharmaceuticals. But, what does the future of artificial intelligence hold as this technology expands? How will current problems be exacerbated? AI expert and New York Times journalist, Cade Metz joins Viewpoints this week.
21-08 Segment 2: A Newsfeed Overload
How often do you skim a headline and feel like that’s all you need to know? Or gather your daily news from a Twitter or Facebook feed? Economist & journalist Tim Harford joins Viewpoints this week to share the impacts of sensationalized or one-sided information and how we can all become more inquisitive consumers of content.
20-28 Segment 2: The Business Of Lab-Grown Meat
Millions of Americans have embraced plant-based meat like the Impossible Burger, but how do you feel about real meat that’s grown in a petri dish in a lab? If the taste, texture and smell exactly resembled meat that was traditionally farmed outside, would you eat it? Lab-grown, cell-cultured chicken, beef and pork is set to hit the mass market in just a few years. What’s the science and process behind this new technology?
20-27 Segment 2: Is Instagram The New Online Diary For Generation Z?
While some of us still prefer pen and paper, many younger people are shifting to everything digital. And it’s not just for to-do lists or communication, but also using platforms like Instagram, Twitter or Facebook as a daily, reflective ‘online diary’. However, sometimes this vulnerability in such a public setting can lead down a slippery slope. We discuss the pros and cons of candidly sharing your life on social media.
20-10 Segment 1: From Glossier To Warby Parker: Startups That Are Redefining The Retail Game
If you take a look at some of the newer brands that are shaking up retail – from Dollar Shave Club to Casper mattresses – all of these ideas are based off traditional products rather than new inventions. How are some of these startups outperforming the big-name, traditional brands that have ruled the consumer market for decades?
20-04 Segment 1: Finding Joy Again Through Small Changes
When life gets tough, or busy, or just complicated, it can be hard to find gratitude in the little things. We speak with two authors about the importance of taking small steps each day to bring back positivity and refocus in your life. This could mean something as simple as taking 15 minutes to do some deep-breathing, reading or catch up with a friend by phone.
20-03 Segment 2: Why Are Young People Struggling More Than Previous Generations?
Roughly 15 percent of 25 to 35-year-old’s are back living with their parents, according to a 2018 study by Pew Research Center – and this number is only on the rise. Higher rent, cost of living and student debt are all contributing factors, however, there are some young adults stuck in an unmotivated, directionless state often labeled as “failure to launch.” We break down the term and what parents can do to nudge their young adults along.
20-01 Segment 2: The Pitfalls Of Social Media As An Athlete
Being a college or professional athlete is hard enough. Throw on top of that the constant commentary online and it can sometimes be impossible to look away from what people are saying. Two football players offer up their thoughts on the pros and cons of social media and how to stay focused and positive on and off the field.
19-52 Segment 2: Harry Potter: More Than Just A Wizarding Tale
The Harry Potter series is one of the most beloved stories of all time, unlocking a world of wizarding magic, adventure and intrigue to millions of young readers. We discuss how its unconventional storyline and character development can shift thinking and teach real life lessons to young and old readers alike.
19-46 Segment 1: Young Adults & Animals: The Similarities They Share In Development
Being a teenager is tough these days – but being a parent to a teenager can be even be tougher sometimes. Over the last five years, two researchers, who are parents themselves, traveled across the world to observe several different animal species and their socialization out in the wild. The focus? To possibly better understand our own adolescence and evolutionary needs.
Culture Crash 19-45: How Technology Has Changed Sports-Watching
It used to be that you’d tune into a basketball game or tennis match with whoever was in the room. Now, social media and the internet allow us to watch, analyze data and connect in real-time commentary with people from around the world.
19-43 Segment 2: A Shift in Sweden: Similarities and Differences to the U.S.
International influence is pervasive in today’s interconnected, social media-driven world. Swedish author Elisabeth Åsbrink joins Viewpoints to discuss how her home country of Sweden has changed in recent years, and the perception of the country versus the reality of what’s happening within its borders.
19-40 Segment 1: The Summer of Spiked Seltzer
If you were at a beach or barbecue this summer, there was probably a box of White Claw, Truly or Bon & Viv spiked seltzers somewhere in the vicinity. These canned, around 100-calorie alcoholic beverages have been the hottest drink craze of 2019 and beverage industry experts predict that the hype isn’t going to end anytime soon. Viewpoints spoke with Jim Koch, the founder of Samuel Adams and Boston Beer Company (which produces Truly Spiked Seltzer), along with two other industry experts to get the inside scoop on why hard seltzers are just so popular among all types of consumers.
19-40 Segment 2: Raising A Reader: The Importance of Books in Today’s Digital Age
These days physical books have a lot of competition. From TV to smartphone use, it can be hard to switch it all off and dive into a new book. That’s why it’s so important to start a routine of reading and storytime from the get-go with your child. We discuss how children’s books have changed over the years and how to go about finding the best books for each age and interest.
19-38 Segment 2: The Boom of Fast-Food & It’s Deep-Rooted Ties to American Culture
Most of us point to McDonald’s as the founding of fast food as we know it. But the American staple actually began nearly a hundred years ago with two chains, White Castle and A&W. We speak with Adam Chandler, journalist and author of Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America’s Fast-Food Kingdom about the events that fed into the rapid rise of the fast-food industry and how different chains are fighting to stay present and on-trend in today’s competitive restaurant landscape.
19-37 Segment 1: The Lasting Prevalence of Skin Whitening
In the U.S., most women are always hoping to achieve a healthy glow or bronzed tan. But in much of the world and in many ethnic cultures, having lighter skin is widely preferred and is viewed as a status symbol of beauty and wealth. To achieve this look, millions of women use black-market whitening creams, pills and even IV drips filled with a myriad of ingredients. We speak with three experts about why the beauty regimen of skin whitening is still so widely upheld and some of the harmful side effects caused by these beauty products.
Culture Crash 19-36: Fall Film Lineup
Autumn is right around the corner, and with the changing of seasons comes several new movie releases that look promising.
19-35 Segment 1: One Scrub Does Not Fit All: Male Nurses & The Future of the Profession
Around 10 percent of nurses today are men. As aging Americans place a greater strain on the healthcare system, the nursing industry faces a growing shortage and is responding by finding new ways to recruit nurses early on. We dispel some of the myths around the profession and some of the new medical technology in the works aimed at improving efficiency and patient care.
19-35 Segment 2: Saving The Child Bully: Why We So Quickly Condemn ‘Troubled Children’
It's back-to-school season, and while schools have put in place comprehensive anti-bullying campaigns, we seldom focus on making sure child bullies themselves get the help they need to deal with the problems that are causing them to act out in the first place. We still punish troubled kids with detentions, suspensions and from there it escalates onward. Many seem to never get the proper help and get stuck in a perpetual cycle of trouble throughout life. Many end up in poverty, incarceration or even dead. How do we change our mindset and these systemic practices in order to stop these children from falling through the cracks?
