The Ethical Life

Episode 104: In a country that today seems to put less of a value on reverence and tradition, hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada debate whether the Pledge of Allegiance remains an effective way to express the best values of being an American. Links to stories discussed during the podcast: Here's why we should say the Pledge of Allegiance , by Richard Kyte Is the Pledge of Allegiance just an empty,...

Episode 103:  You don’t have to look far to see the ravages of climate change. In recent weeks, one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history killed scores of people in Hawaii, and July was the hottest month ever recorded. Host Richard Kyte and Scott Rada talk about how we must do two things at once — try to somehow slow the warming while also being better prepared for the effects still to come....

Episode 102: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada are off this week, so we looked back though our show archives and are sharing four of our favorite ethical dilemmas from the past year. Topics include whether to help a stranger experiencing emotional distress and what to say if the table next to you at a restaurant has unruly children? About the hosts:   Scott Rada  is social media manager with Lee E...

Artificial intelligence and how we deploy it is likely the top ethical dilemma the world is facing, and recent actor and writers strikes in Hollywood have put the issue in a bright spotlight. Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss how worried we should be about computers taking over more of what we watch and read, and whether live performances and sports will benefit. Links to stories discussed durin...

Episode 100:  There are debates happening in all parts of our country about homelessness, and according to the  National Alliance to End Homelessness , things have been getting worse. Since 2017, homelessness has risen by 6 percent nationwide, and although nearly everyone wants to reverse this trend, there is little agreement about how to accomplish that. Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss...

Episode 99:  We often hear people talk about the past in glowing ways. The people of the past, many think, behaved better, were more trustworthy and had a better set of ethical standards. But you don’t have to look too closely at our history to see that past generations were much less welcoming of people who were different than them — often in pretty horrific ways. Host Richard Kyte and Scott Rada...

Episode 98: There has been more talk recently about the importance of third places. For those who are unfamiliar, the term was coined by author Ray Oldenburg in his book “The Great Good Place.” First places, he writes, are where we live, and second places are where we work. The third place is somewhere where we want to be — and it’s often a place where we connect with others in the community.  Hos...

Episode 97: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada are off this week, so we looked back though our show archives and are sharing four of our favorite ethical dilemmas from the past year. Topics include local politics, DNA tests and gender identity.  About the hosts:   Scott Rada  is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the  D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in...

Episode 96: If you follow local government, whether in big cities or small towns, you’ll undoubtably hear debates about parking. There is often little agreement about how to pay for parking, how much to require and where to put it. The recent book by Henry Graber, “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World,” is taking a critical look at our country’s obsession with parking. The hosts discuss...

Episode 95: As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 245th birthday, many Americans seem to have a distorted view of what it means to be patriotic or don’t consider themselves to be patriotic at all. When asked, many people — of all political persuasions — say we’re doing so many things wrong in this country, we don’t have a reason to celebrate . Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada talk about why pat...

Episode 94: Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have exploded on the scene in the past few years. After the 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, many companies and organizations decided it was time — perhaps past time — to confront racism and inequality head on. This led to the creation of an entire industry, which critics have called the DEI Industrial Com...

Episode 93: Someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds. There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. These statistics from Alzheimer’s Disease International are sobering, but few of us think much about how we can reduce our risk. A recent study shows that bein...

Episode 92:  The performers we see on stage, in film and on television are much more diverse than they were just a few decades ago. But this welcome change doesn’t mean there aren’t still many questions about casting choices. Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the ethics behind casting choices and whether color-blind casting makes sense when staging a performance. Links to stories discussed...

Episode 91:  Nearly everyone, it seems, has a smartphone with them at all times.  It’s hard to overstate how truly incredible it is that we can carry around nearly all of the world’s knowledge in our pockets, but we shouldn’t be surprised that such devices can lead to distraction and sometimes addiction. Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss whether our lives are actually better today because...

Episode 90:  If you aren’t sure that nearly everything has become political, let’s talk for a moment about our yards. It used to be that some homeowners paid great attention to having a perfectly manicured lawn, while others took a much more casual approach. But — pardon the pun — a growing trend across many cities is  No Mow May , an initiative that encourages people to leave their lawns untouche...

Episode 89: It’s summertime, and for many families, that means it’s time to plan a vacation. But there are two important variables — where to go and how much to spend. From budget roadtrips across Montana to costly trips to Walt Disney World, Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss why some getaways are worth the money. They also share some of their all-time favorite destinations.  Links to stories di...

Episode 88: A recent column by Charles Fain Lehman says our criminal justice system should do more to make us safe. He says we should increase spending for more police officers, a more efficient court system and better prisons would make us safer.  Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss which tactics prevent crimes from happening in the first place and whether the punishments we use properly de...

Episode 87: Americans have a distinct set of values that differs from citizens of most if not all other countries. But for those of us who have lived here all of our lives, we probably don’t think enough about those differences. The University of Portland put together a list it calls American Values and Assumptions . The information for the list was adapted from Gary Althen's book “American Ways:...

Episode 86: In both sports and politics, we have winners and we have losers. What we don’t always have are gracious winners and losers. There were two recent examples. There was much debate about the interaction between star basketball players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark during the NCAA women’s championship. And after he lost by 11 points in the most expensive state supreme court race in U.S. hi...

Episode 85: Last week, ProPublica reported that Justice Clarence Thomas has for more than two decades accepted luxury trips from Republican mega donor Harlan Crow.  The day after the report, Thomas described Crow and his wife, Kathy, as "among our dearest friends," and said in a statement that he was advised by colleagues that "this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did...

Episode 84:  What first looked like a pandemic blip for our nation’s colleges has turned into a crisis. According to a recent story by Collin Binkley of The Associated Press , undergraduate college enrollment dropped 8% from 2019 to 2022, with declines even after returning to in-person classes. In fact, the enrollment drop rate since 2018 is the steepest on record. Richard Kyte and Scott Rada disc...

Episode 83: At its core, "woke" is a term that refers to being aware of social injustices and inequalities, particularly related to gender, race and ethnicity. The word originated in African American Vernacular English in the 1940s, but it gained renewed popularity in the 2010s as a term used to describe a heightened awareness and understanding of systemic racism and social justice issues. However...

Episode 82: It was at this time three years ago when all of us learned a lot more about pandemics. As the coronavirus surged across the world, many felt overwhelmed with the avalanche of information about the virus. Each day, news reports showed an escalation of cases and more deaths. We know a lot more about COVID today. And because of vaccines and previous infections, most people are much better...

Episode 81: If, as some people believe, there has never been a better time to be living in America, why do so many people — especially young people — feel so depressed about their lives and their futures. Hosts Rick Kyte and Scott Rada discuss this dichotomy and how catastrophizing plays a role in the lack of optimism many people feel about their lives. Links to stories discussed during the podcas...

Episode 80: America is aging, and that is putting the spotlight again on how much we spend on Medicare and Social Security, two popular programs that are not in great fiscal shape.  Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss possible fixes, along with what actually seems to be stopping us from addressing this problem. Links to stories discussed during the podcast: 7 changes Americans are willing to...