Best Kip Clark Podcasts (2026)

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Episode 274: "How Many Listeners Do You Have?" 4:45

Play Pause

4y ago4:45

4:45

It’s a familiar question to many podcasters, but this ask often strikes a particularly vulnerable chord in our comparative and competitive culture. Implied within it is a number worth caring about, a baseline of significance. Unfortunately, this is a belief we typically level at our fellow human beings.…

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Episode 273: TV as Rich Media 23:17

4+ y ago23:17

23:17

In the many decades since the advent of television, TV shows have prompted all sorts of commentary and critique. Some audiences rave over shows that others never quite get into. Parents perpetually worry about their children’s TV consumption and generational, once-in-a-lifetime events glue many to the silver screen. But, perhaps because of their re…

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Episode 272: Between These Eyes of Ink VII 11:09

4+ y ago11:09

11:09

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our seventh episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore the idea that “Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things”. What are the implications of this idea in a modern, highly-opinionated world…

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Episode 271: Our Seventh Anniversary 13:56

4+ y ago13:56

13:56

In spite of the unexpected shifts in recent years, this week nonetheless marks the seventh anniversary of the podcast. It’s a strange time but also quite hopeful. While this is formally Kathleen’s final episode as a co-host, I remain optimistic about how future conversations will further illuminate our grand map of what it means to be a human being…

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Episode 270: "Thoughts and Prayers" 25:40

5y ago25:40

25:40

When tragedy befalls us or our communities, we’re rarely equipped to handle the sorrow, confusion or emotional gravity of the circumstances. In the modern era, this difficulty meeting the most agonizing moments has been illuminated by the utterances of “thoughts and prayers”. Often in response to great losses and acts of violence, the phrase has co…

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Episode 269: "The Extinction of the Middle Child" 23:14

5y ago23:14

23:14

What impact does birth order have on your personality, your life and your abilities? According to some, a great deal. In particular, middle children of history are regarded for their innovation, their shrewd diplomacy and their creativity. But with changing attitudes and preferences in America, families are having fewer children and this demographi…

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Episode 268: "Citizens Need to Know Numbers" 25:41

5y ago25:41

25:41

Making sense of our world is a profoundly human experience. Some default to artistic pursuits while others take up fulfilling hobbies and yet others still defer to the sciences. When it comes to data, however, those of us without solid understanding can be easily misled or confused. This issue was the subject of an article from Aeon, which we discu…

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Episode 267: Our Sixth Anniversary 7:09

5+ y ago7:09

7:09

Six years ago today, in a radically different world needing very much the same things, Hector and I embarked on a discursive journey to explore the human experience and our relationship(s) to it. Though I write this in a challenging moment, I’m optimistic about learning to be done and am grateful to have made the journey with Hector, Caroline, Kath…

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Episode 266: Never Nothing 4:35

5+ y ago4:35

4:35

In a period where so much has slowed down or ground to a halt, previous definitions and metrics feel strange and irrelevant. Beyond the application of our past perspectives, it seems only natural to conclude that where there was once something, so radical a series of losses must leave nothing. Where there once was someone, doing a series of tasks a…

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Episode 265: A Lonely Grandma's Plea 17:36

5+ y ago17:36

17:36

How would we each respond to a call for help? Some might say they’d leap to the aid of their fellow person, while others would request more information about the hypothetical. In the era of the internet, given vast distances and anonymity, these circumstances are more complicated than ever before. And over the 2019 holiday season, and elder woman n…

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Episode 264: The Untitled Tomes of Silence 3:00

5+ y ago3:00

3:00

Straightforward as it is, human silence (especially between or among others) carries a great deal of meaning. Or, perhaps more precisely, a great many possible meanings. Could those of us that are choosing not to voice or express our sentiments prevent or minimize confusion by explaining our silence? Is it always possible? These have been recent mu…

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Episode 263: Start Writing 4:03

5+ y ago4:03

4:03

It’s often said that history is written by the victors. I would at that it is remembered and offered to future readers by those present and observing. And where victorious parties have a necessarily skewed vision, the most powerful and accurate histories will incorporate every possible perspective and story. To that end, I implore you to start writ…

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Episode 262: For Non-Gamers — Battle Themes 9:08

5+ y ago9:08

9:08

While music has been consumed since time immemorial, video games are a much less popular medium by comparison. In this entry of an ongoing series meant for non-gamers, we wanted to explore how music is used in video games to great effect. And - in the circumstances of a global pandemic - what insights we might find within the music of video games. …

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Episode 261: How We Speak So We Won't Have to Talk 15:20

5+ y ago15:20

15:20

Reflections on how we speak when conversation is necessary, but not all that we need.By Kip Clark

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Episode 260: "Where Did You Get That Idea?" 16:20

6y ago16:20

16:20

By Kip Clark and Kathleen Duffy

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Episode 259: Bosses vs. Leaders 23:33

6y ago23:33

23:33

By Kip Clark and Jason Cerf

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Episode 258: "My So-Karen Life" 19:14

6y ago19:14

19:14

By Kip Clark and Kathleen Duffy

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Episode 257: "Their Loss" 14:51

6y ago14:51

14:51

By Kip Clark and Kathleen Duffy

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Episode 256: "Anthony Bourdain and the Power of Telling the Truth" 17:20

6y ago17:20

17:20

By Kip Clark and Kathleen Duffy

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Episode 255: "If Work Dominated Every Moment of Life..." 25:25

6y ago25:25

25:25

By Kip Clark and Leland Holcomb

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Episode 254: Pity vs. Compassion 14:18

6y ago14:18

14:18

By Kip Clark and Kathleen Duffy

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Episode 253: "Don't Ask Me How I'm Doing" 26:22

6y ago26:22

26:22

By Kip Clark and Bruce Kohl

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Episode 252: Ode to an OS 4:11

6y ago4:11

4:11

By Kip Clark

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Episode 251: Artificial Intelligence and Moral Technology 30:55

6y ago30:55

30:55

By Kip Clark and Matt DiBiase

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Episode 250: A Pale Blue Launch III 34:38

6y ago34:38

34:38

By Kip Clark and Chuck Clark

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Episode 249: "Why I Have Coffee with People Who Send Me Hate Mail" 30:10

6y ago30:10

30:10

By Kip Clark and Lee Ann Song

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Episode 248: "I Can See Right Through You" 14:59

6y ago14:59

14:59

In our posturing and jockeying to project an image of ourselves to others, are facades and efforts are sometimes clearly perceived. In these moments, our authenticity is questioned and social conflicts can emerge. But what does this idea, captured in the remark “I can see right through you,” reflect about our nature? Are we so used to falsehoods th…

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Episode 247: More Baths and Fewer Showers 15:47

6y ago15:47

15:47

With the advent of modern plumbing, many depictions of bathrooms now feature standing showers. At a bare minimum, it’s common to have a bathtub with an added shower nozzle. Could the distinction between bathing and showering offer a practical metaphor for different approaches to the dirt and disorder of existence? What associations do we have with …

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Episode 246: The Questions They Let You Ask 21:22

6y ago21:22

21:22

Curiosity has long been a defining trait of our show and of the human species. Probing questions and persistent explorations are crucial in every field from astronomy to history. But between individuals, the trait isn’t always so welcome. This week, we welcome Dan Farina to explore the questions our culture tends (or tends not) to permit. Why are s…

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Episode 245: "Is the Digital Age Making Us Petty?" 15:27

6y ago15:27

15:27

As mobile technologies have proliferated in the 21st century, our technological toolkits have expanded in kind. Specifically speaking, apps like Venmo have allowed for quick and easy transfers of money electronically. But as writers and researchers at Harvard Business School asked in an April 2019 article, “Is the Digital Age Making Us Petty?” This…

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Episode 244: Philosophies of Improv and Stand-up Comedy 32:45

6y ago32:45

32:45

As long as we’ve told stories and communicated with one another, humanity has employed comedy to great and widespread effect, to the delight of many audiences. But what about the perspectives and viewpoints that they offer? How do comedians approach ideas and thought in ways that the everyday person might not naturally? This week, we welcome Vally …

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Episode 243: The Indoor Species 19:13

6y ago19:13

19:13

According to a 2018 report by the EPA, the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. Belonging just as much to the natural, unkempt world as any other species, what does this statistic/idea say about our culture and its relationship to the indoors? What do indoor spaces lack or sacrifice when compared to the vast and unconquered outdoors? …

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Episode 242: A Pale Blue Launch II 33:48

6y ago33:48

33:48

What would you send into outer space to commemorate Earth and humanity, to a potential audience of alien life? This week, we continue an interview series to tackle that question. In each entry, we’ll interview someone about the five objects - with a stipulation - they would place in a space capsule to launch into the starry beyond. For our second e…

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Episode 241: "Excited to Speak" 12:35

6y ago12:35

12:35

While speech and discussion are central pillars in our species’ history and evolution, not all conversations are created equal. This week, Kathleen shares a compliment she once gave a friend who made her “excited to talk”. Examining the phrase, what does it reveal about the relationship between closeness and what we share or say? What would its opp…

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Episode 240: No Longer Epistolary 15:25

6y ago15:25

15:25

As communication technologies have evolved over the millennia of human history, we’ve adopted new methods of communicating with one another. And with the emergence of the new, we see older approaches reserved for more traditional or antiquated practices. So how do we approach letter-writing, a method which was once the only means of long-distance c…

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Episode 239: Between These Eyes of Ink VI 13:37

6y ago13:37

13:37

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our sixth episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore the idea that “Forgiveness means letting go of the hope for a better past”. How does this quotation distort typical perceptions of forgiveness and time? In…

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Episode 238: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff V 25:09

6y ago25:09

25:09

This week, we return to the tradition of reacting to a book of insights entitled "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff". In particular, we look at chapters encouraging us to become less aggressive drivers, to tell others that we love them, to develop our compassion and to surrender to the fact that life isn’t fair. How do these chapters and their particular…

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Episode 237: Who Paid 99 Cents? 16:24

6+ y ago16:24

16:24

Can we ever quantify the innate curiosity so many of us share? Perhaps unintentionally, the company Thinko did just this in October 2018 when they launched WhoPaid99Cents.com. The function of the site, in beautiful clarity, is simply to record and display who chose to pay 99 cents for access to a list of others who had done the same. Several articl…

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Episode 236: Our Fifth Anniversary 10:43

6+ y ago10:43

10:43

Five years ago, Hector and I set out to have sincere conversations about the human experience and the countless avenues of curiosity. Week after week, various folks and myself have done our best to make you reflect, challenge conventional thinking and invite discussion. Across various co-hosts and guests, I hope we’ve done something to illuminate e…

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Episode 235: Thordis and Tom 34:40

6+ y ago34:40

34:40

***The following episode deals with issues of sexual violence.***Over twenty years ago, Thordis Elva of Iceland shared a teenage romance with Tom Stranger, an exchange student visiting from Australia. After a school dance in 1996, when she was 16 and he was 18, he raped her. After parting ways and independently examining their own feelings and resp…

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Episode 234: "Catching Up" 19:47

6+ y ago19:47

19:47

As our lives grow more complex and our social ties accommodate different schedules, timezones and obligations, a common refrain for friends (especially in adulthood) is to find the time to “catch up”. This week we welcome Leland Holcomb to explore the phrase and the ideas behind it. In what ways does it acknowledge the sometimes chaotic pace of soc…

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Episode 233: How We Nourish Creativity 27:54

6+ y ago27:54

27:54

Creative individuals have been supported in many ways across humanity’s storied history. They’re relied upon generous benefactors, municipal commissions and in modern times, crowd-funding such as Patreon. Some might argue about the value of creative work in our society, but in the belief that they should be supported, how do we nourish that creativ…

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Episode 232: ...And Perhaps Our Things Own Us 26:44

6+ y ago26:44

26:44

As many of us are encouraged to purchase, acquire and own items and objects around them, how do our possessions affect us? What is our relationship to them and what rationale do we give to keep them around? This week, we welcome Ayelet Ronen to discuss the ways in which our ownership of things may actually work in the reverse: that to an extent, th…

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Episode 231: Rejection, Overheard 26:56

6+ y ago26:56

26:56

Of the many great, palpable fears that connect us as human beings, the fear of rejection is high among them. But how often do we have the strange experience of learning why we were rejected? This week, we welcome Ian Cooper to explore and review these ideas as their described by popular YouTuber, Hank Green. Do we ultimately want to know these humb…

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Episode 230: The Wager 3:46

6+ y ago3:46

3:46

I’ve missed the show since February and these months since have been invaluable in reflecting and recalibrating how I approach it. Here are my thoughts, coming out of that period.By Kip Clark

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Pause 3:34

7y ago3:34

3:34

Today marks a unique day for the podcast. With a few exceptions, the show has been weekly for the last four and a half years and I’ve decided to take a break for a few months. The choice was a difficult one to make, because I’ve taken great pride in putting out a consistent and thoroughly-edited show. But as with anything we pour time and effort in…

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Episode 229: Between These Eyes of Ink V 18:38

7y ago18:38

18:38

This week, we return to "Between These Eyes of Ink," a series which dissects and considers quotations and the insights they contain. For our fifth episode, we welcome Sam Whipple to help explore Plato’s thoughts on how politicians rely upon good guesswork. Do societies expect complete understanding from our leaders? Do we foist it onto them so that…

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Episode 228: To Be Truthful 18:22

7y ago18:22

18:22

Truth represents a foundational element in human life. Whether religious, personal, psychological or scientific, many of us live our lives in pursuit of or relationship to truths around us. We try to define, contain and create them. But what does it mean to live in a truthful way? Is it as simple as expressing truthful thoughts to others? This week…

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Episode 227: The Fear of Failure 13:46

7y ago13:46

13:46

We are each motivated by a bevy of ideas, instincts and influences around us. Some of us have dreams of changing the world while others want to attempt the impossible and still others hope for happiness and humility first and foremost. But what about the downfalls that we avoid in both thought and action? This week, we welcome Eric Cunningham to ex…

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Episode 226: The Struggles of Rural America 29:58

7y ago29:58

29:58

Recent years have illuminated many of the divides and differences within American society and culture. In particular, as citizens around the world are predicted to congregate in cities in coming decades, rural populations are worthy of consideration and conversation. This week, we welcome Gabe Brison-Trezise to discuss some of the difficulties faci…