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Gen X and Gen Z live together, but we occupy different worlds. As the generational gap widens and conventional wisdom on parenting and education fails, is it even possible to understand one another? In this unique son-and-father podcast, Aidan and Ash ElDifrawi hash out a new contract between generations, forcing them to violate comfort zones on today’s most charged topics: social media and screen time, bullying and loneliness, inequality and privilege, sex and drugs, education and etiquette ...
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Father’s Day Special: Top 10 Movies That Connect Us
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Can movies help bridge the generational divide? Absolutely! In this Father's Day special episode, the guys debate which movies bridge the generational divide. Their search went beyond just feel good stories or inspirational biopics, but movies that help generations connect in important and meaningful ways. Aidan and Ash each propose their movie pic…
In the first of this two-part series, Aidan and Ash navigate the most controversial topic in America: Political Correctness. In part one, they argue there are five problems that underpin the growing divisiveness in America resulting from political correctness. After defining each problem, Ash and Aidan draw straws and debate the pros and cons of po…
My father recently had a tragic loss in his life. His older brother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. As his son, I wanted to find a way to bring him some comfort in his greatest time of sorrow. This episode is my gift to him with the hope it brings him even the smallest amount of peace, solace, and love…
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The CAS: Interview with Heath Einstein, Dean of Admission at Texas Christian University
1:08:40
1:08:40
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1:08:40
Aidan and Ash wrap up the first installment of the College Admission Series (CAS) on a high note as they welcome on Heath Einstein, Dean of Admission at Texas Christian University (TCU). Mr. Einstein is in his tenth year at TCU, having spent the prior eight years as a college counselor at the most prestigious independent schools in New York and Tex…
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The CAS: Interview with Jonathan Burdick, Vice Provost for Enrollment at Cornell University
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1:15:40
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Aidan and Ash discuss "everything admissions" with Jonathan Burdick, a 35-year veteran in the field, and one of the most innovative and knowledgeable enrollment leaders in the country. Mr. Burdick leads Cornell's 15 colleges and school offices of admissions, financial aid, and registrar. Under his watch, Cornell has expanded opportunities for all s…
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The CAS: Interview with Rick Clark, Director of Undergraduate Admission, Georgia Tech
1:03:48
1:03:48
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1:03:48
Join Aidan and Ash in a lively and information-packed interview with Rick Clark, Georgia Tech's Director of Admission. Under his leadership, the Institute has exceeded every goal including advancing the academic class profile while driving geographic, gender, and ethnic diversity. Mr. Clark is also the co-author of the book, The Truth About College…
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The CAS: Interview with Christoph Guttentag, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Duke University
2:12:31
2:12:31
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2:12:31
In this extensive and candid interview, Aidan and Ash spend time with the brilliant and dynamic leader of Duke's undergraduate admissions, Christoph Guttentag. Mr. Guttentag has been with Duke for 29 years, and served as the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions since 2006. During his tenure, the Duke student body has seen significant increases in diver…
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The CAS: Interview with Lauren Lieberman, Director of College Counseling
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56:55
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56:55
Aidan and Ash interview Lauren Lieberman, currently the Director of College Counseling at Shady Side Academy and former Assistant Director of Admissions at The University of Chicago. Lauren has spent two decades deep in the trenches, helping thousands of families navigate the college admissions process. As a result, Lauren is a highly respected fig…
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The College Admission Series (CAS): Introduction
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The college admissions process has become increasingly filled with uncertainty and stress for millions of families. In this multi-part series, Aidan and Ash interview the admission leaders of several renowned universities in an effort to demystify the admissions process so families can navigate through it in a healthy and rewarding manner. This epi…
Social Media is no longer just a "thing teens are into" - it's become the primary portal into Gen Z's lives, and the metaverse in which they experience every aspect of their world. Aidan and Ash explore the dangers and wonders of these social networks, including how parents and teens should approach them differently, in a candid interview with Carr…
In this immensely emotional and raw episode, Ash and Aidan openly and honestly tackle a topic that's caused turmoil in their own household, and is a daily dinner table topic for millions of families - Grades. Ash and Aidan candidly share their struggles and failures in hopes that other families can benefit from their experiences. In doing so, they …
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Bonus Sports Episode: Tom Brady - Man or Machine?
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54:28
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Join Aidan and Ash as they take a break from debating the heady issues facing our generations, and tackle an even more important question - is Tom Brady the undisputed GOAT? During this extensive interview with his father, who's been studying Brady and the Patriots for decades, Aidan discovers that perhaps we’ve been looking at the Brady debate all…
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Mom’s Perspective: An Interview With the Founders of Your Teen Media
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1:00:41
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1:00:41
Is there anything harder than raising a teenager in today's world? Ash and Aidan welcome the two co-founders of Your Teen Media, a leading platform for information and advice on raising teenagers. Stephanie Silverman and Susan Borison, who've raised several teens themselves, are as insightful as they are candid and fun, which made for a lively and …
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Think For Yourself, Part 2: Overcoming Our Biases Through Critical Thinking
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1:02:14
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In Part 1, Aidan and Ash explored the rampant spread of misinformation causing divisiveness and an erosion of trust in the world. In Part 2, they propose a way to reverse this trend, and explore how we might overcome the cause of the divisiveness - our biases and motivated reasoning - by bringing back rational dialogue and critical thinking. How? A…
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Think For Yourself, Part 1: Battling Misinformation With Guest Dr. Alex Lickerman, M.D.
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1:04:00
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1:04:00
In this two-part episode, Ash and Aidan discuss the biggest threat to Gen-Z: the erosion of critical thinking due to the digital world. They debate what's been called an "epidemic of cognitive contagion" with no end in sight. The boys explore the three biggest culprits to this epidemic: Motivated Reasoning, Tribalism, and the rampant spread of Misi…
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The Content War: Parenting in an R-Rated World
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59:08
With practically unlimited access to a world of unfiltered content, real or fiction, do parents need to fundamentally rethink how they monitor and control their children's access to content? Do they have to start over with well-established content rating systems to account for this new reality? Join Aidan and Ash as they unravel this thorny topic, …
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Do Not Disturb: On Parents, Teens, and Privacy
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57:23
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Should I be reading my teenager's texts? Why are so many children opposed to apps that monitor their location? Aidan and Ash explore a topic that's becoming increasingly challenging to navigate in the new digital age - setting appropriate boundaries when it comes to adolescent privacy “invasion.” In addition to sharing some eye-opening research, th…
The boys welcome their first expert guest, Mark Lush, as they tackle the topic that makes the world go round - money. Aidan and Ash explore what it means to have a healthy relationship with money and whether their generations share a common perspective. Should Gen X tell their children to follow their passion or that money will buy them happiness? …
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Left to Their Own Devices (and Screen Time)
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46:07
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46:07
Put that phone away! Or don't? Device usage and screen time often becomes the most contested topic between kids and parents. Aidan and Ash dive into the research and compare the findings with the realities in their own household. Hear them debate the best age to give your child a smartphone, the appropriate amount of daily screen time, the potentia…
Is Gen X ruining youth sports for Gen Z? Aidan and Ash discuss how youth sports might be the topic that most exemplifies the growing generational divide. In this emotional and extensive episode, father and son open up to each other on a topic in which they both have many regrets and unresolved conflict. Aidan shares how the pressure he felt to perf…
It's the topic that's near and dear to Aidan's heart: Swearing. Is swearing that big a deal? Find out what the research says, what his dad and other parents think, and what Aidan's friends tell him. Hear the surprising psychological benefits of swearing and when it might actually be a good thing, why it’s still considered taboo, and how swearing ca…
Welcome to Hold Me Back. It's Gen Z's time, but are previous generations holding them back? In this pilot episode, meet Aidan (son) and Ash (dad) as they hammer out a new social contract between their generations, and uncover a path toward greater harmony and a more hopeful future. Hear why a divide exists between Gen Z and previous generations as …
