In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Football”. This episode was recorded during the European Championship and it spurred a conversation about why men are generally more enthusiastic about football than women. How is women’s football doing in terms of equality, support and funding? What is the Moh…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Hair”! Join them as they discuss what different hairstyles might say about us, hair loss, wig history and growing market. Should hair be covered? Shampooed? Cut? They read you poetry too! Alain de Botton on boldness and hairstyles: https://www.theschooloflife.c…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Cats”. Listen to them as they discuss their experiences with cats. Rama reads some research about the health benefits of having cats, while Tony counters by reading statistics and other science about cat owners. How do different cultures see cats, especially bl…

In this new season of The Words That Make Us, Rama and Tony attempt to shorten the episodes. Listen to them as they discuss the topic of "Shoes". They tell you a little about the history and trends in shoes. Which shoe brand generates the most profit and what are elevator shoes? What does your choice of shoes say about you? There's a story and some…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Food”. Listen to them discuss the foods of their childhoods and respective countries. What are some statistics about meat and other foods around the world? How is food seen in stoicism, Islam and Christianity? How is the food industry evolving to keep up with m…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Holidays”. Listen to them as they discuss the different types of holidays and holiday makers. Which are the most visited countries? Which countries make the most revenue from travel? What is “Paris Syndrome”? What are some poems about travel and the feelings it…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “dreams”. Listen to them as they discuss the meaning of dreams and why women dream differently (and more) than men. How do dreams appear in Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sufism? What are the most recurring dreams? Of course expect some poetry too. The story …

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Teachers”. Listen to them as they discuss their experiences with teaching both as students and teachers. They read a range of humorous poems and share some research about teaching. My Teacher Wasn't Half As Nice As Yours Seems To Be by Roald Dahl https://www.po…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Laughter”. Listen to them as they discuss the different kinds of laughter and they affect both the laugher and those around them. Is it the best medicine? What do the stoics say about it? Are all jokes universal and appropriate across time and space? What is a …

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “guilt”. Listen to them as they discuss the differences between guilt, regret, shame and remorse. What is collective guilt and what purpose does it serve? What is survivor guilt? Do different races, genders and people in general feel less or more guilt than othe…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “change”. Listen to them as they discuss the reasons why humans might embrace or resist change and how change in individuals and institutions can be implemented. Of course they bring to you what religion says about change and how stoicism regards it. You can als…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Music”. Listen to them as they discuss why music is powerful, where the oldest piece of music came from and why music is banned by some regimes. They also share their favourite songs and read to you poems about the power and beauty of music. Enjoy! Quote on mus…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Grief”. Listen to them as they discuss what human beings might grieve and their personal experiences with it. They read some heart-warming texts to you and tell you about some traditions around grief around the world. For Grief by John O’Donohue https://www.aye…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Beauty”. Listen to them as they explain what the word means to them and what they consider beautiful. Why do humans gravitate toward shiny objects? What makes them deem something or someone beautiful? Of course, there’s poetry too! Why humans like shiny things …

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Jealousy”. Is there a difference between jealousy and envy? What nuances might there be between these words in English vs. other languages and cultures? Why is the colour green associated with jealousy? Can jealousy be used for good or is it always a toxic, neg…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Attraction”. What does it mean to be attracted to someone? Can you control who you are attracted to? What has our childhood got to do with who we are attracted to? What do some animals do to attract a mate? Scientifically, what are the three elements of a happy…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Authenticity”. Listen to them as they discuss the connotations of the word in the contexts of business, relationships and as individuals. Words of the year https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/word-of-the-year The Man in the Glass by Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr. …

CORRECTION: Paulo Coelho does NOT come from Spain. He comes from Brazil. In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Luck”. Listen to them as they discuss the connotations of the word “luck” and debate its existence. Of course they have some poetry for you too. If you would like to check out some of the …

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama discuss the topic of “Wealth”. Listen to them as they discuss the connotations of the word “wealth” and its synonyms. Tony, being the mathematics and business teacher, puts into perspective what it really means to be wealthy today. They read you verses from the Bible and t…

In this episode of the “Words That Make Us” podcast, Rama and Tony explore the premise of “Reputation”. They kick off by reading a poem by Emily Dickenson about being a nobody. They discuss their different understandings of the term “reputation”. Is reputation the same as fame? Is it synonymous with “ego”? What role do different societies play in s…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama discuss the topic of “Failure”. Listen to them as they define different aspects and connotations of failure, discuss who has the biggest effect on whether children succeed or fail, and why we feel shame when we fail. If you want to check out some of the readings on this ep…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama discuss the topic of “AGEING”. They discuss how different people, genders and cultures (including the Blue Zones) experience ageing. They explore the Japanese concept of Ikigai and how everyone can adopt it. Expect to learn another (less inspiring) Japanese term–Kodokushi.…

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama continue talking about “SILENCE”. Prepare to hear about hormones, silence in relationships, melancholic silence, poetry by Khalil Gibran and poetry by Charlotte Brontë, whose poem leads them down a rabbit hole about music and toxic masculinity! You will like the last poem;…

In this first episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama explore the topic of "SILENCE". They read you poems from different eras and backgrounds, discuss how Sufis regard silence in comparison to how it is regarded in Stoicism, all while reflecting on their own views on the different types of silence. If you have any ideas…