Aspen Ideas to Go

As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and pervasive, how will it affect our work, our lives, and our ability to connect? Brené Brown , research professor and best-selling author says she hears a lot of experts trying to soothe people’s anxiety about the pace of technological change by offering platitudes like, What makes us human will ensure our relevance . This is dangerous because, as...

The teachings offered by ancient religious texts are timeless and full of wisdom for today’s world. When hope can be difficult to find in contemporary society, sacred traditions sometimes fill the gap, with help from the interpretations of scholars. In this talk from the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, Princeton historian and professor of religion Elaine Pagels unpacks the truths at the center of her l...

Leaders who truly inspire and get the best out of people are few and far between. How do they learn to gain trust and rally a group to action? Steve Kerr has been coaching the Golden State Warriors NBA team for 11 years, four of which have been champion seasons. He joins Maryland Governor Wes Moore , who became the first Black person to hold that office after combat in the Army and a career fighti...

Over the last 50 years or so, the divide between winners and losers in the United States has been deepening, says author and philosopher Michael Sandel . In the era of globalization, inequalities in income and wealth have widened and changed attitudes around success. “Those who landed on top have come to believe that their success was their own doing–a measure of merit. By implication, those who s...

For those who knew her, Lilly Ledbetter was humble, smart, and determined. For the rest of us, she is a symbol of unequal treatment of women in the workplace. A landmark law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, bears her name and was the result of years of tireless activism. She sued her employer, Goodyear Tire, after she discovered her pay was as much as $2,000 less a month than her male counterpar...

What does it look like to hope in the face of tough times and undeniable challenges? The speakers in today’s talk might describe true hope as more than a passive platitude, but something closer to a muscle that needs exercise. Krista Tippett, the creator and host of the public radio show “On Being,” reunites with young adult author and MacArthur grantee Jason Reynolds to continue their multi-year...

Volatile political and economic conditions make projections about building future wealth difficult in today’s world. This discussion with economic and investment experts spans from the bird’s eye view to the kitchen table, shedding some light on the blend of factors that move our money. David Rubenstein , the co-founder of the Carlyle Group joins consultant and NYU economics professor emeritus Nou...

Public exhaustion with top-down decisions about our built environment spurred American progressivists to work successfully over the past several decades to democratize development processes. Community voices can now be heard, but has the pendulum swung too far in the other direction? With many cities facing housing crises and urban infrastructure decay, solutions can be slow-going. In this talk, a...

Young people today report feeling sad, anxious, hopeless, and lonely. The youth mental health crisis in the United States has grown in recent years but the adults in kids’ lives can help–with the right tools. Lisa Damour is a best-selling author and psychologist who specializes in the development of teenagers. She joins Sema Sgaier , co-founder and CEO of Surgo Health, and Christopher Pepper , co-...

What are the solutions to slowing the harmful effects of climate change? Could a plausible one be to block some sun to cool the planet? It may sound far-fetched but scientists are studying solar radiation management as one potential tool in the toolbox. But–it’s a controversial one. Could it be our emergency escape hatch, or a devastating Pandora’s Box? Two environmental pioneers discuss dimming t...

Growing up in New Jersey without any connections to media, it wasn’t obvious that Jonathan Capehart would become the successful journalist and commentator he is today. But the MS NOW co-host was focused and driven, and kept asking questions until he landed where he wanted to be. He tells the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival audience how he got from one world to another, and how as a Black gay man he’s of...

For those searching for a good life (and who isn’t), psychologist and author Shigehiro Oishi says there’s more to it than happiness and meaning. In his book, “Life in Three Dimensions,” he explains how psychological richness brings joy. In a psychologically rich life, one prioritizes curiosity and exploration and embraces uncertainty and challenge. He tells Allison Aubrey , correspondent for NPR,...

Societal changes and world events have converged to create our current loneliness epidemic. Despite being in constant contact in some ways, we’ve become extremely isolated in others. But by taking thoughtful action, we might be able to reverse that trend. Today’s talk from the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival brings together experts approaching this problem from vastly different perspectives. Marc Dunkel...

Humans have had plenty of time to think about it, but still rarely agree on what it means to live a good life. What actually motivates us toward particular actions, and is that the same as what should motivate us? If we don’t already have guiding principles, where can we find them? This lively panel discussion from the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival features two philosophers and a writer who approach t...

The nature of war is changing quickly. In hot spots around the world, the battlefield is increasingly tech-driven. It’s clear in the Russian-Ukraine conflict where drone expertise has become an essential tool. “The frontlines are incredibly lethal. The moment the Russians show themselves, hundreds of suicide drones can be launched to take them out,” says United States General David Petraeus who co...

Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, has a long list of accolades. He has nine NBA championship rings–five as a player and four as a coach. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he coached the U-S team to a gold medal and, as a player, he holds the title of the NBA’s all-time three-point percentage leader. Rather than basking in glory, Kerr is known for deflecting praise and elevating those...

As younger generations encounter tough job and housing markets and many Americans feel left behind, it’s become more popular to question the utility of the capitalistic system. Can this tide really lift all boats? In this talk from the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, three experts in business, economics and anthropology meet to dissect how we got to this point, and what can be done to forge a new path...

Fertility may be more about the daily choices we make rather than factors like delayed maternal age, says fertility physician Dr. Natalie Crawford . Markers of metabolic health, such as chronic inflammation, affect women’s egg quality. Crawford, who experienced four failed pregnancies before having her children, began studying the link between inflammation and infertility. Taking charge of your fe...

As fewer and fewer Americans attend traditional houses of worship, the role religion plays in our society is shifting. People will always hunger for spiritual fulfillment and seek value systems, though, so where will they go to meet those needs? Secular life often still draws from deep religious traditions, and faith leaders are in the best position to offer advice about mixing the two worlds. The...

We all have the ability to be more compassionate, which is scientifically proven to make us healthier, happier, and more connected. It almost sounds like a miracle cure – and it doesn’t even cost anything. So what gets in the way and how do we break down those barriers? Lonnie Ali is the co-founder of the Muhammed Ali Center, which created the Muhammed Ali Index and produced the 2025 Compassion Re...

It’s tough to prepare for a future that’s impossible to see, but also critical. How are today’s younger generations balancing the need to save money while responding to current economic uncertainty? What does financial security and preparedness look like for older Americans approaching the end of their careers? Penny Pennington , the head of the financial services company Edward Jones joins Vivian...

As humans, we have a deep desire to know we’re needed and that our community values who we are and our contributions. Jennifer Wallace is the author of the forthcoming book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose . “Mattering is like gravity,” she says, “When we feel it, we feel anchored. We show up to the world in positive ways, we want to connect, we want to engage and con...

Gül Dölen is a pioneering neuroscientist in the emerging field of psychedelics. She’s studied how psychedelics may assist in treating trauma, addiction, depression, and even Parkinson’s. A key piece of her research has involved critical periods –when the brain is capable of rapid and deep learning. Psychedelics may be a master key for unlocking these critical periods and curing diseases of the bra...

The jobs artificial intelligence could replace and the blunders it makes tend to steal all the headlines. But are there also ways we could use AI to actually make us better people? And how would we even define or assess that? At the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, three experts on the human side of this technology discuss what AI is capable of, how it’s limited and how it could be harnessed for self-im...

Theoretical physicist Brian Greene says science gives him a sense of meaning and purpose because it uncovers how reality is shaped. “When you use physics to understand reality’s deepest workings,” he says, “you feel a kind of cosmic communion by virtue of seeing beneath the surface.” As co-founder of the World Science Festival and a prolific author, Greene has made a career of bringing accessible...