“Terrence McNally consistently goes for the long ball.”
Robert Wright, The Moral Animal; The Politics of God.
“…Grounds for hope, rays of light, and a damn fine hour of radio.”
Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence; Ecological Intelligence.
Free Forum explores the lives, work and ideas of individuals I suspect hold pieces of the puzzle of a world that just might work. We look at new, innovative and provocative approaches to business, environment, health, science, politics, media, and culture – all based on the fact that I believe we can do better and I want to find out how. Guests include Michael Lewis, Atul Gawande, Temple Grandin, Nicholas Kristof, Cornel West, Arianna Huffington, Craig Venter, and Father Greg Boyle. Recorded from 1996-2014, Progressive Voices streams the most memorable interviews weekly. Podcast are, of course, available any time.
You can browse podcasts below, search by name of guest in the Search window at the top of the site, or check the alphabetical list of guests here.
- MELANIE CHALLENGER-HOW TO BE ANIMAL: What It Means to Be Human
I’m not an environmentalist, but rather someone who works to move society toward a healthy relationship with the rest of nature. The notion that we are separate makes no sense to me. So I was drawn to this week’s guest, MELANIE CHALLENGER, who writes on the relationship of humans to the living world. She does field research – including in the Arctic and Antarctica, is an award-winning poet, has written librettos for classical choral pieces, has an opera in the works, and is Vice-President of UK’s RSPCA. Her books include HOW TO BE ANIMAL: What It Means to Be Human. You can learn more at melaniechallenger.com
Continue reading → - DEBORAH TANNEN (2002) – ARGUMENT CULTURE and I ONLY SAY THIS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU
DEBORAH TANNEN, best known for YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND: Women and Men in Conversation, 4 years on the NYTimes bestseller list, 8 months at #1. This conversation is about 2 later books: First, I ONLY SAY THIS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU on why we have so much trouble communicating within families – could be helpful with Thanksgiving coming up. The second, THE ARGUMENT CULTURE focuses on public discourse. Way back in 2002, she made the point that our society had become overwhelmingly adversarial, with consequences not only in our ability to solve problems but also in our personal relationships. We have all been the victims of how that has played out in the two decades since.
Continue reading → - ANDREW ROSS SORKIN-1929-Are we headed for another crash?
The stock market keeps rising, driven almost entirely by the “magnificent seven” tech giants. No one tries to deny we’re fueling AI and crypto bubbles. Great time to talk with author, producer, and New York Times journalist, ANDREW ROSS SORKIN, about his new best-seller, 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at LiveTalsLA. Sorkin’s last words recently on 60 Minutes: “We will have a crash. I just can’t tell you when, and I can’t tell you how deep.” You can learn more at andrewrosssorkin.com.
Continue reading → - 1) THOMAS FRANK(2004)-WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? 2) PAUL LOEB(2010)-SOUL OF A CITIZEN
Following the largest single day of protest in American history, here’s first, my 2004 conversation with THOMAS FRANK about his ground-breaking classic, WHAT’ S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? Frank examines the GOP’s success building unnatural alliances between Midwest and Wall Street, workers and bosses, populists and right-wingers. In the second half, you’ll hear my 2010 conversation with PAUL LOEB about his book SOUL OF A CITIZEN: Living with Conviction in a Challenging Time, full of moving stories of ordinary Americans finding unexpected fulfillment in social and political involvement.
Continue reading → - Retired Army Colonel IKE WILSON-Trump’s Use & Abuse of the Military
Trump has ordered troops to LA, DC, Chicago, and Portland. Americans are on the brink of using lethal force against other Americans. Our military are killing people at sea in the Caribbean with no constitutional basis.
I turn to retired U.S. Army Colonel, IKE WILSON, for an expert take on Trump’s actions. What’s legal? How will the military respond? How does this play out? In addition to years in the field and teaching at West Point, Columbia, Yale, Arizona State University, and the National War College, Wilson is former Director of the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, and led the Commander’s Initiatives Group at U.S. Central Command. He writes Compound Security, Unlocked on Substack and hosts The Civic Brief podcast.
Wilson, Ike 10-08-2025 transcript
Continue reading → - Defending nature with their lives-MARTIN GOODMAN-The Extraordinary Story of India’s Bishnoi
These are dark times in the United States, and due to this country’s power and influence, dark times for the planet. This show is about a world that just might work – so we talk a lot about problems and crises as we look for solutions. I’m always on the lookout for good news and inspirations. MARTIN GOODMAN has written a book, MY HEAD FOR A TREE, about the Bishnoi, an Indian religion whose 3+ million members are willing to sacrifice their lives to save and protect nature, whether it be wildlife or trees. By the way, once it’s clear you’re willing to take such measures, you can achieve a lot without having to actually take them.
Martin Goodman-10-03-2025-Transcript
Continue reading → - ROBERT WRIGHT (2017)-WHY BUDDHISM IS TRUE-Can mindfulness help us deal with Trump?
Here’s my 2017 conversation with ROBERT WRIGHT on his best-seller WHY BUDDHISM IS TRUE. Wright has been asking big questions for nearly four decades in books like THE MORAL ANIMAL, NON-ZERO, and THE EVOLUTION OF GOD. On Substack, he’s persuasively critical of much of what happens in Washington under either party. Why in the fall of Trump’s first year, first term, did he put out WHY BUDDHISM IS TRUE: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment? We talk evolutionary psychology, cognitive delusions, tribalism, and Trump. We asked then, what can mindfulness offer people trying to make sense and justice of contemporary politics? Almost exactly 8 years later, the question now, how can mindfulness help us deal with a dictator?
Continue reading → - MICHAEL ANSARA-THE HARD WORK OF HOPE-a memoir of a lifetime of activismIn 1969, my senior year at Harvard, anti-war activists took over University Hall and their brutal removal by state troopers led to a month-long strike. Today’s guest, longtime activist and organizer, MICHAEL ANSARA, was chair of the strike committee. We’ll talk about his new memoir, THE HARD WORK OF HOPE, the parallels between the late ‘60s and the current day, and lessons learned that might help this time around. You can learn more at michaelansara.org
Continue reading → - ROBERT JAY LIFTON (2020)-LOSING REALITY-Lifton died last week at 99
Here’s my 2020 conversation with psychiatrist & author ROBERT JAY LIFTON whose work led him into some of history’s darkest corners – Hiroshima survivors, Nazi doctors, torture at Abu Ghraib. I turned to him as the pandemic raged and the BLM protests were in full bloom. We talk about his book LOSING REALITY: On Cults, Cultism, and the Mindset of Political and Religious Zealotry. Lifton wrote the foreword to The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists & Mental Health Experts Assess a President. He died September 4th at the age of 99. Learn more at robertjaylifton.com
Continue reading → - HERE COMES THE SUN-BILL McKIBBEN-co-founder 350.org, ThirdAct.org
I talk with BILL McKIBBEN (The New Yorker), co-founder of both the global climate campaign, 350.org, and, in 2021, ThirdAct for folks 60 & above. In these dark times, his new book, HERE COMES THE SUN offers hope – not with happy talk but with a clear declaration of facts: Solar and wind are no longer alternative fuels. They are the cheapest as well as the cleanest. (So cheapest also in external costs, health, for example.) Experience has taught Bill that winning on the science and now the economics is not enough. It will take the power of the people to fight the power of the fossil fuel industry. In the book – and in our conversation – Bill offers marching orders for action. billmckibben.com, thirdact.org
McKibben-08-28-2025-Transcript
Continue reading →
