Best D I Why The Crafting Podcast Podcasts (2025)

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This Old Town: Craft A Captivating Starting Town For Your D&D Adventure! 47:37

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18h ago47:37

47:37

We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave return to the conversation started in Episode 174 and begin to build out the town that will be the start of most adventures in our Boomtown Campaign Setting. Make sure to Join the Conversation…

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Safety, Burnout, and the High-Achievement Mask! | Garrett Wood #56

8h ago

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"The closer you become with these people while you're wearing that mask, the more distant you actually feel from the people around you." - Garrett Wood In this episode of Curated Questions, host Ken Woodward engages in a deep conversation with Garrett Wood, a national board-certified health and wellness coach and certified clinical hypnotherapist. …

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The Locked Door: How Avoided Questions Hold the Key to Transformation! | Ken Woodward #55 35:27

7d ago35:27

35:27

Episode Notes 00:00 The Possibility Of Your Avoided Question 01:21 Welcome to Curated Questions 01:59 Tangled Wings' Impact 04:31 The Question That Changes Questions 07:43 When Your Brain Says "Nope" (A Friendly Science Tour) 12:06 The Locked Door Model (Your Map to the Question) 15:11 A Personal Interlude (When I Found My Door) 16:10 From Boardroo…

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If I Was the Priest: How Do Clerics Work in Your D&D Campaign? 47:33

15d ago47:33

47:33

We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave finish out the discussion of how magic will work in our crowdsourced “Boomtown” campaign setting by asking “Where does divine magic come from?” Make sure to Join the Conversation! 1:40 “Where …

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The Permission Paradox & Why Questions Matter More Than Approval! | Jill Reilly #54 1:17:54

14d ago1:17:54

1:17:54

"The most fundamental relationship in any change process is the one that you have with yourself. It's the questions that you ask yourself first and foremost that are the game changers." - Jill Reilly In this episode of Curated Questions, host Ken Woodward is in conversation with global citizen and author Jill Reilly to explore the power of question…

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Impactful Questions: Am I My Brother's Keeper? Ken Woodward | Ken Woodward #53 45:06

21d ago45:06

45:06

"Am I my brother's keeper? Is answered in the daily work of showing up, being challenged, getting it wrong, being corrected, and showing up again." - Ken Woodward In this solo episode, Ken Woodward explores one of humanity's oldest and most challenging questions: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Born from Cain's evasion after murdering Abel, this questi…

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Why D&D Towns Matter: Transform Your Town Design With a Simple Secret 48:08

1M ago48:08

48:08

We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave begin to ask the most basic question when building a town: why is the town there? In our D&D Tombstone idea, we realize the short answer is money. And what drives that money? Magic. Make sure …

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Why Asking the Right Questions Beats Having Quick Answers! | Amy Radin #52 1:34:53

28d ago1:34:53

1:34:53

"Asking the right questions the right way at the right time can often be more of a determinant of your success than being the person to raise their hand and come up with the answer." - Amy Radin Amy Radin is a pioneer in corporate innovation and strategic questioning. Amy shares her journey from the influence of her father's corner drugstore to bec…

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Mental Models, Cognitive Frameworks, and the Questions That Disrupt Them! | Dave McGurk #51 1:27:11

1M ago1:27:11

1:27:11

"If we start talking about developing people, you have to ask those deep questions." - Dave McGurk Dave is a transformational leader who bridges military precision with cutting-edge organizational development. As Founder and CEO of Veridian Perspective and Vice President at Apogee Global RMS, Dave brings over 20 years of executive leadership experi…

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: Revitalize Your Imagination: 3WD is Back for Real Time D&D World Creation! 41:45

1M ago41:45

41:45

Following on the heels of our last episode, we drive down deeper into our continued exploration of real-time worldbuilding armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss how magic might work in this new world, how the environment helps to create the setting, and stumble into an idea for a setting that has u…

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How To Take Care Of Your Body (As A Writer) 30:19

2M ago30:19

30:19

“We first make our habits—and then our habits make us.” — John Dryden In this episode of The Green Writer Show, S. D. Smith and Brett Harris continue last week’s theme by zooming in on the non-writing habits that power your writing life—especially caring for your body. From “The Jane Austen Method” (long country walks, anyone?) to strength and bala…

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Why "Who Do I Say I Am?" Changes Everything! | Mike Hilson #50 1:25:57

1M ago1:25:57

1:25:57

"Who am I? Was never gonna turn out well. Who do I say I am? Had a chance." - Mike Hilson Host Ken Woodward welcomes Pastor Mike Hilson, senior pastor of New Life Church. They delve deep into how questions shape identity, leadership, and personal growth. Mike shares his journey, from wrestling with self-identity as a child to leading a thriving net…

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Non-Writing Habits (That Make You A Better Writer) 19:43

2M ago19:43

19:43

“You are what you continually do. Excellence, therefore, is a habit.” — Aristotle In this episode of The Green Writer Show, S. D. Smith and Brett Harris unpack why habits—especially the non-writing ones—are the quiet engine behind a fruitful writing life. Instead of chasing big bursts of motivation, they make the case for small, sustainable rituals…

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The Key to Helping Others Find Their Own Questions! | Naomi Campbell #49 1:24:16

2M ago1:24:16

1:24:16

"Questions are an extremely sophisticated thinking skill that everyone can use and practice all the time." - Naomi Campbell In this episode, host Ken Woodward is in conversation with Naomi Campbell, Director of the Right Question Institute (RQI) Legal Empowerment Program. They delve into the transformative power of teaching people to ask questions,…

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Join the Ultimate D&D Experience: Real-Time World Building! 43:14

2M ago43:14

43:14

Worldbuilding. It’s one of the most talked about aspects of running TTRPGs, as it is the sandbox into which you will throw your party to adventure in. We’ve talked about tips and tricks in past episodes and articles, and have come down on both sides of the debate surrounding how much to do with a focus totally on your specific table and party. Howe…

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These 5 Tricks Will Transform Your Writing 28:59

2M ago28:59

28:59

The best writing makes the author disappear. In this episode Brett and Sam dive into FIVE writing craft tips, showing you how to hook readers and let your story do the shining. But along the way tensions boil over and there’s a Dope Quotation Usurpation and a TOD Takeover! Don’t miss the drama! In this episode you’ll learn: - Why you should raise t…

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The Curated Questions Origin Story: When It All Began! | Ken Woodward #48 27:30

2M ago27:30

27:30

In this solo episode, host Ken Woodward delves into the origin and development of the 'Curated Questions' project, which began in 2018. Ken shares his personal journey of curiosity, inspiration from Tim Ferriss' podcast, and the influences that led to the creation of his blog and subsequent podcast. Highlighting notable milestones and influential i…

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Writing Is Holy Work (Here’s Why) 27:04

2M ago27:04

27:04

“If a man is a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted…” — Martin Luther King Jr. In this episode Brett and Sam unpack a robust, Christian vision of calling: God delights in all good work. From bridges that don’t collapse to stories that ring true, Christians shine the light of Christ not only by what we say but by how …

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How Questions Create Instant Trust in Any Conversation! | Maury Rogow #47 1:43:50

2M ago1:43:50

1:43:50

"You were the most interested person in the room, and you're gonna get love." - Maury Rogow Maury Rogow is all about storytelling. He is the CEO of the Rip Media Group and creator of the Story2Sales methodology that's generated over $150 million in trackable revenue for clients. I appreciate the tag line, "Your brand will thrive or die, based on th…

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Help – I Don’t Have Time For Everything! 25:15

2M ago25:15

25:15

“Life is long if you know how to use it.” — Seneca the Younger In this episode, S. D. Smith and Brett Harris wrestle with how young writers (and really anyone) should think about time, calling, and pursuing multiple passions. The pressure is real: “Pick one thing for life” vs. “Do it all at once.” But both approaches miss the truth. You don’t have …

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Why the Right Question Feels Like an Invitation | Dr. Matt Lampe #46 1:35:11

2M ago1:35:11

1:35:11

"The meaning of your communication is the result you are getting." - Dr. Matt Lampe With a Doctorate from Alliant International University's California School of Professional Psychology, Matt has dedicated his career to transforming how organizations approach change, leadership development, and workplace agility. He is currently leading enterprise-…

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Too Much: Overcome D&D Idea Overload and Unleash Your Creativity 43:24

3M ago43:24

43:24

Movies. TV series. Books. Other DMs running games. There are a multitude of sources that provide fodder for our imagination in developing cool ideas that we want to play with in our own games. But how many ideas are TOO MANY ideas? Can you have too many ideas? In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to answer a listener question from our “C…

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Writing Is Hard – But You Can Do Hard Things 23:17

3M ago23:17

23:17

“The work of creation is slow, laborious, and dull.” – Roger Scruton Why does the creative life feel like such a struggle sometimes? And how can you keep going when the work feels slow and discouraging? In this episode, S. D. Smith and Brett Harris talk about why all meaningful accomplishments require effort — and why that’s actually good news for …

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The Power of Asking "What Do I Do Now?" Instead of "Why Me?" | Dr. Latorial Faison #45 2:05:57

3M ago2:05:57

2:05:57

"When I even think that I wanna give up, I can't because people like this put their life on the line so that I could have better opportunities." - Dr. Latorial Faison Dr. Latorial Faison is an HBCU and Virginia State University Professor, Poet, Author, Independent Scholar & Senior Military Spouse. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Virginia …

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Should You Copy Your Favorite Authors? 23:42

3M ago23:42

23:42

“Good artists borrow, great artists steal.” — Pablo Picasso Is copying bad? What about fanfiction? In this episode, S. D. Smith and Brett Harris explore why young writers should absolutely imitate their favorite authors — and how doing so leads to originality in the long run. You’ll hear: Why copying is actually a powerful learning tool How fanfict…

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What Machines Can’t Imitate - On Questions, Doubt, and the Discipline of Curiosity | AI Alan Turing #44 48:30

3M ago48:30

48:30

"I suspect beauty comes when a question both sharpens and enlarges your vision." - AI Alan Turing In this special episode, we step back to a cold December night in 1951 and into the warm, wood-paneled room of The Britons Protection, a historic Manchester pub. Across the table sits Alan Turing, the mathematician, wartime codebreaker, and one of the …

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Hey There, Cthulhu! Building The Immersion and The Horror in Your TTRPGs 57:10

3M ago57:10

57:10

Our last episode was the preamble. Last week’s article discussed some of what we learned from playing with new people. But, in this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down with the newest addition to our gaming group, Elizabeth, to delve deep into what went into running the Call of Cthulhu one-shot, playing with brand new people, and how to build a…

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This Beats Talent Every Time 26:26

3M ago26:26

26:26

What if talent is overrated? In this episode of The Green Writer Show, bestselling authors S. D. Smith (The Green Ember) and Brett Harris (Do Hard Things, The Young Writer’s Workshop) explore why consistent habits beat raw talent every time. With wisdom from ancient generals, Aristotle, and even the tortoise and the hare, they make the case that di…

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The Scholar Who Sees Literature in Sneakers, Hip-Hop, and Gaming | Dr. Jemayne King #43 1:39:08

3M ago1:39:08

1:39:08

"Sneaker culture literature is no different than any other form of literature." - Dr. Jemayne King Jemayne, is creative, insightful, and VERY intentional. He is the founder of Sole Food Brand LLC, sole is spelled S.O.L.E which you will come to appreciate, and among many things, his company celebrates HBCUs (or Historically Black Colleges and Univer…

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How To Make Your Readers Cry 16:55

3M ago16:55

16:55

Making your readers cry. 😭 That’s the dream, right? In this episode of The Green Writer Show, bestselling authors S. D. Smith (The Green Ember) and Brett Harris (The Young Writer’s Workshop) unpack a powerful Frank Capra quote that will change the way you think about storytelling. You’ll learn: - Why “show, don’t tell” is the gateway to emotional i…

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How Struggle Shapes Great Writing 23:49

3M ago23:49

23:49

“Great hearts can only be made by great troubles.” — Charles Spurgeon In this emotional episode of The Green Writer, bestselling authors S. D. Smith (The Green Ember) and Brett Harris (The Young Writer’s Workshop) go deep. They open up about: - The pain behind their most powerful writing 💔 - Why your hardest seasons might shape your best work - How…

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Do We Really Need Another C. S. Lewis? 24:54

3M ago24:54

24:54

Welcome to the very first episode of The Green Writer Show! 🎉 Bestselling authors S. D. Smith (The Green Ember) and Brett Harris (The Young Writer’s Workshop) team up to launch a podcast for young writers with big dreams. In this kickoff episode, the duo: 🧠 Drop a dope quote from C. S. Lewis 📚 Talk about when Brett ran out of books to read (he was …

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Want Connection? Skip The Small Talk | Ashley Kirsner #42 1:40:41

3M ago1:40:41

1:40:41

"It is much safer to be vulnerable than you might think." - Ashley Kirsner Ashley is the founder and director of Skip the Small Talk, and believes in the efficacy of high-quality person-to-person interaction for improving psychological health. She has conducted research with professors at prestigious organizations such as Cornell University, the Ha…

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People Get Ready: Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Character Backstory? 42:51

4M ago42:51

42:51

Backstory. Character development. It’s one of the most discussed topics in the TTRPG space. And the 3 Wise DMs were faced with the question when a friend offered to run a Call of Cthulhu one-shot for our group. This was followed by a Google Doc with twenty in-depth questions as to the character’s background, motivations, loves, and fears. For a one…

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Welcome to The Green Writer Show: A Podcast for Young Writers 1:56

4M ago1:56

1:56

Meet your new favorite writing podcast. In this trailer episode of The Green Writer Show, bestselling authors S. D. Smith (The Green Ember) and Brett Harris (Do Hard Things, The Young Writer’s Workshop) share: - Why they started this podcast for young writers - What kinds of topics they'll cover - How YOU can shape future episodes with your questio…

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The Question of Beauty: A Photographer's Pursuit | Robert Sturman #41 1:23:54

4M ago1:23:54

1:23:54

"I realized that paying attention is a form of a question." - Robert Sturman Robert Sturman is a seeker and visual storyteller. Driven by an unshakeable belief that beauty exists everywhere. He has pursued this vision as an Official Artist of the Grammy Awards and the FIFA World Cup, and as a globally recognized photographer who captures the healin…

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Reviving Benjamin Franklin's Junto: How Questions Built America | Ken Woodward #40 24:31

4M ago24:31

24:31

"They were the leather apron crowd, average guys intent on having extraordinary conversations." - Ken Woodward In this episode of Curated Questions, host Ken Woodward uncovers a forgotten antidote to our fractured discourse: Benjamin Franklin's Junto. In 1727 Philadelphia, a 21-year-old printer gathered tradesmen—the 'leather apron crowd'—for Frida…

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Help! Our Best Tips For When the Forever DM becomes the Player 43:40

4M ago43:40

43:40

You’ve been the DM for a long time (maybe even Forever!) and one of your players has finally said those magic words: “I think I wanna run a game.” So, with all your wisdom, all your experience, all your skills – how do you help the new DM along in the game so that they have a good time and the table has a good time? So that they want to get back in…

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How Asking 'What Was That Like' Creates Extraordinary Connection | Scott Johnson #39 1:35:40

4M ago1:35:40

1:35:40

"I brought these people together and now they're engaging with each other and enriching each other's lives." - Scott Johnson Scott is a curious listener and natural connector. He started The Computer Tutor in 1999 and then expanded to include a compendium podcast, which he hosted for several hundred episodes. Driven by an insatiable desire to under…

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How Do You Build a Life That Honors All Your Talents? | Ernest Ponraj #38 1:10:12

4M ago1:10:12

1:10:12

"That's where things started with my idea and vision for this space." - Ernest Ponraj Dr. Ernest Ponraj, a native of Montgomery County, Maryland, pursued his undergraduate studies at Pacific Union College in California before earning his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Loma Linda University in 2008. After obtaining his DDS license, he returned to …

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Walking 2,085 Miles Through America's Hard History | Ken Woodward #37 35:05

4M ago35:05

35:05

"Albeit on wobbly legs, I chose courage." - Ken Woodward Curated Questions host, Ken Woodward recounts his transformative journey of questioning deeply held beliefs about patriotism and social justice, influenced by significant moments, readings, and personal encounters. This introspective episode delves into his midlife reevaluation of American hi…

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Master of Puppets – What To Do When The DM Has To Control A Player Character 45:13

5M ago45:13

45:13

Possession. Dominate. Alignment shifts. There are a multitude of times where the rules make the DM take control of one of the player characters in the game. But, is that a good thing? In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss an issue that came up in DM Chris' Tales of the Yawning Portal campaign that he's running for 2 new players…

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When Every Conversation Holds Possibility | Jeff Wetzler #36 51:00

5M ago51:00

51:00

"That is the question. What can I learn from this person?" - Jeff Wetzler Jeff is a learner and teacher. Blending a unique set of leadership experiences in business and education, he has pursued this quest as a management consultant to the world’s top corporations, as a learning facilitator for leaders around the world, as Chief Learning Officer at…

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When You Show Up for Yourself, Your World Changes | Shelbie Morgan #35 1:02:44

5M ago1:02:44

1:02:44

"I had a lot of small victories, but it wasn't until I showed up as me completely that my world began to change." - Shelbie Morgan Shelbie Morgan is a force for good. Good purpose, good energy, good vibes, and good financial literacy. For several years, Shelbie worked in corporate marketing and social media, with her last corporate role in human re…

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Unlock Your Inner Spy: Dive Into Top Secret's Espionage RPG Adventure! 45:05

5M ago45:05

45:05

Top Secret: New World Order. That’s right, for DM Dave’s Birthday Game (of which we are quickly becoming well-versed), DM Chris ran our gaming group through the update to the TSR classic espionage RPG, Top Secret from TSR, Inc. by Merle Rasmussen. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to review the system, and discuss what they liked and …

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From FBI Interrogations to Corporate Conversations | MK Palmore #34 1:20:06

5M ago1:20:06

1:20:06

"The secret to interviewing is knowing when to shut up and listen." - MK Palmore M.K. Palmore's story begins where many transformational leaders find their compass—in service to something greater than themselves. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., during a time when the city carried the sobering title of "murder capital" of the United States, the…

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From Cowboy Dreams to Coaching Life Transitions | Tony Kennedy #33 43:34

5M ago43:34

43:34

"What are we going to do afterwards?" - Tony Kennedy Tony Kennedy began his collegiate football career by earning a Division I scholarship at Virginia Tech (1988-1992). In 1993, Tony signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, fulfilling a childhood dream. Although he finished his professional career in 1994, he has remained active in the colle…

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Why Curiosity Converts Better Than Commission | Patrick Dubois #32 1:31:04

6M ago1:31:04

1:31:04

"We want to learn from our mistakes. And remember, it's a miss-take, so we can do it again." - Patrick Dubois Patrick Dubois has over 30 years of experience in corporate sales and leadership for the veterinary and pet spaces. In 2024, he launched his own consultancy, Sales Growth Today, as a conduit to share his expertise through coaching, seminars…

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Your Virtual DM: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enjoy Solo TTRPGs 43:21

6M ago43:21

43:21

Artificial Intelligence is a polarizing topic these days. From Skynet-style flights of fancy to the very real implications for content creators, it’s an evolving technology that isn’t going away anytime soon. But free from worrying about profiting off of others’ work, using AI at the game table can help provide you with a set of tools and a pair of…

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Kevin Kelly: The Future Belongs to the Question-Makers | Kevin Kelly #31 50:30

6M ago50:30

50:30

"In any vibrant, ongoing discipline, questioning has to be at the heart of it, or there's no growth." - Kevin Kelly Kevin Kelly is one of the most original voices in technology and culture. Kevin's career is a journey through the heart of innovation. He helped launch Wired magazine, shaping our understanding of the digital revolution. Before that, …