The Unmarked Graveyard: Live at WNYC

Radio Diaries

#True Stories #Radio Diaries & Radiotopia #Radio Diaries #Year Old #Society #Documentaries #Storytelling

50:30

Episode Notes [00:00] The Importance of Questioning [01:21] Introduction to Curated Questions [02:20] Meet Kevin Kelly [03:56] Kevin Kelly's Mentor: Stewart Brand [05:33] The Role of Questions in Intellectual Traditions [06:47] Disequilibrium and Growth [10:21] Embodied Questions and Exploration [11:11] Balancing Exploration and Exploitation [11:50] The Inefficiency of Questioning [15:53] The Abundance Mindset [18:39] The Inevitable and Quality Questions [19:26] Hill Climbing vs. Hill Making [22:28] The Challenge of Innovation [24:13] The Beauty of Engineering and Innovation [24:34] Navigating the Frontier of New Technologies [25:33] The Role of AI in Question Formulation [26:43] Challenges in Advancing AI Capabilities [29:11] The Long Now Foundation and the 10,000 Year Clock [29:56] Transmitting Values Over Time [31:03] Ethics in AI and Self-Driving Cars [33:26] The Art of Questioning [34:04] Photography: Capturing vs. Creating [36:12] The Inefficiency of Exploration [38:36] Daily Practice and Long-Term Success [40:17] The Importance of Quantity for Quality [43:22] Final Thoughts and Encouragement on Questioning [46:24] Summary Takeaways Resources Mentioned Wired Magazine Whole Earth Review WELL Hackers Conference What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly Cool Tools Project Long Now Foundation Stewart Brand Socratic Method Koan René Descartes Conde Nast Vouge Olivetti Typewriter Trolley Problem Terry Gross Lex Friedman Tim Ferriss KK.org Kevin2Kelly on Instagram Recomendo Newsletter Excellent Advice for Living Beauty Pill Producer Ben Ford Questions Asked When did you first understand the power of questions? Can I do that? Can that be something that you can learn? How did questions function differently between Eastern versus Western intellectual traditions? What role do you think embodied questions those we explore through doing rather than thinking play in developing wisdom? What's on the other side of the hill? What happens if you go to the end? What's the origin of this? How should one think about the exploratory in one's life? Is there anything that you would add to your list of 15 statements that define what makes a quality question? Is there a qualitative difference between the questions humans are asking and the questions our AI systems are beginning to formulate? What do you think would help them get there? Any idea on a forcing function on how we get them [LLMs] to ask the better questions so that they might improve in that direction? What were some novel questions that broke your brain at the time in thinking about this 10,000-year clock or beyond? What's it good for? What would you use it for? What else could you do over the long term for 10,000 years? How do you transmit values over time? How do you evolve values that need to change, and how do you make a difference? How do even know what you don't want to change? What do you want to continue? What's the most essential aspects of our civilization that we don't want to go away? What are the rules? What is the system? How do you pass things along in time and not change the ones you don't wanna change, and make sure you change the ones that are more adaptable so they can adapt? What do you think about questioning itself as an art form? How has being a photographer influenced the way you question reality, visually compared to verbally? Are you a photographer that takes photos or makes photos? What will happen? What will happen next? What are your right now questions that you are wrestling with or working with in your life? Can someone else do what I'm trying to do here? Am I more me in doing my art or more me in doing the writing? Do you have any other thoughts or encouragement about questions that we haven't explored? What makes a good question? How do you ask a good question? What questions do you dwell on to be in purposeful imbalance? What is your practice in embracing the inefficient nature of questions to achieve breakthroughs? What are the new hills you can build and frontiers you can explore? How can you use your curiosity and humanity to pursue questions that trend toward the fringes?…

about a year ago 1:01:24

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We bring you a lot of stories each year, but we don’t often get to share the work behind them. We recently held an event at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York City, where our subjects and producers reflected on the challenges, and joys, of telling these untold stories. For the last podcast of the year, we’re bringing you that live show: a behind the scenes look at The Unmarked Graveyard.

We want to bring you as many stories next year as we did this year — and we can’t do that without your help! Please consider making a contribution to support our work by going to radiodiaries.org.

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246 episodes

Radio Diaries

The Unmarked Graveyard: Live at WNYC

Radio Diaries

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published about a year ago

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246 episodes

#True Stories #Radio Diaries & Radiotopia #Radio Diaries #Year Old #Society #Documentaries #Storytelling

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Radio Diaries

1
Prisoners of War 19:51

19 days ago19:51

19:51

It's been 50 years since the end of the Vietnam war. In honor of the anniversary, we're revisiting a story about a notorious American military prison on the outskirts of Saigon, called Long Binh Jail. LBJ wasn’t for captured enemy fighters—it was for American soldiers. These were men who had broken military law. And there were a lot of them. As the unpopular war dragged on, discipline frayed and soldiers started to rebel. By the summer of 1968, over half the men in Long Binh Jail were locked up on AWOL charges. Some were there for more serious crimes, others for small stuff, like refusing to get a haircut. The stockade had become extremely overcrowded. Originally built to house 400 inmates, it became crammed with over 700 men, more than half African American. On August 29th, 1968, the situation erupted. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
March of the Bonus Army 16:18

5 weeks ago16:18

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Author James Baldwin once wrote, "I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." On this episode, we go back to 1932 when a group of World War I veterans set up an encampment in Washington, D.C., and vowed to stay until their voices were heard. It was a remarkable chapter in American history, and a demonstration of the power of citizens to come together for a cause. This is the story of the Bonus Army. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
The Girls of the Leesburg Stockade 16:14

7 weeks ago16:14

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On July 19, 1963, at least 15 Black girls were arrested while marching to protest segregation in Americus, Georgia. After spending a night in jail, they were transferred to the one-room Leesburg Stockade and imprisoned for the next 45 days. Only twenty miles away, the girls' parents had no knowledge of their location. A month into their confinement, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) heard rumors of the girls' detention and sent photographer Danny Lyon, who took pictures of them through barred windows. Within days, these photographs appeared in publications around the country. As the girls' ordeal gained national attention, they were released without charges. This is the story of the 'Stolen Girls.' ***** To see more photos by Danny Lyon, visit bleakbeauty.com and Instagram . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

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Guest Spotlight: Signal Hill 37:20

9 weeks ago37:20

37:20

This week we're featuring a story from a brand new audio magazine we've been listening to called Signal Hill . "Pie Down Here" features oral history interviews with farmworkers and Communist Party members who organized a sharecroppers' union in Alabama during the Great Depression. The interviews were recorded by historian Robin Kelley for his book, Hammer and Hoe . You can learn more about Signal Hill and check out the rest of their first issue—eight original stories—at signalhill.fm . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Making Waves: The Woman Who Warned The World 12:30

11 weeks ago12:30

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In 1939, Time Magazine called Dorothy Thompson a woman who “thinks, talks and sleeps world problems — and scares men half to death.” They weren’t wrong. Thompson was a foreign correspondent in Germany in the years leading up to World War 2, and she broadcast to millions of listeners around the world. She became known for her bold commentaries on the rise of Hitler. The Nazis even created a “Dorothy Thompson Emergency Squad” to monitor her work. She was an eloquent and opinionated advocate for the principles of democracy. But by the end of the war, those strong opinions put her career in jeopardy. This is the story of the woman who tried to warn the world. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Making Waves: The Original Angry Talker 12:32

12 weeks ago12:32

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These days, we’re used to media that thrives on conflict and amplifies the most outrageous voices in the room. It's something we often trace back to shock jocks, like Howard Stern, and in-your-face talk show hosts like Tucker Carlson and Rush Limbaugh. But before all those guys, there was Joe Pyne. At the height of his career in the 1960s, the New York Times called him “The ranking nuisance of broadcasting.” Today, episode two of our series Making Waves: The Original Angry Talker. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Making Waves: The Happy-Am-I Preacher 18:08

13 weeks ago18:08

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In 1934, the Washington Post called Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux, the “best known colored man in America.” He was known as the Happy-Am-I Preacher. His Sunday services were broadcast to over 25 million listeners on CBS radio. Black America saw Michaux as a leader for racial harmony and progress. But during the civil rights movement, his reputation took an unlikely turn. This is episode 1 of our new miniseries Making Waves, three profiles of people who pushed the boundaries of radio. They used the microphone in different ways: one to warn, one to rile, one to preach. What they had in common is they were all controversial, they spoke to huge audiences in their time, and today, they’re largely forgotten. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Sealab: A Home on the Ocean Floor 20:41

18 weeks ago20:41

20:41

From ancient myths of sea monsters lurking below to Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, the ocean has long been both a source of fear and fascination. For Captain George Bond, a Navy medical officer in the 1960s, the deep sea was humanity’s next frontier. Undersea agriculture, deep sea mining, and human colonies on the ocean floor made up his dream for the future. Today we bring you the story of the U.S. Navy’s little-known experiment building homes on the ocean floor. They called it, Sealab. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Guest Spotlight: The Memory Palace with Nate DiMeo 13:45

19 weeks ago13:45

13:45

Happy 2025! We have a slate of new stories coming soon, but we want to start the year by shouting out fellow podcaster (and friend of the show) Nate DiMeo of The Memory Palace. He just put out his first book, The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past . So to celebrate, we're featuring one of our favorite episodes from The Memory Palace, "These Words, Forever." Joe also sat down with Nate to chat about his book, storytelling and the dream of having a device that could allow you to hear anything. Find Nate's book The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past NOW online or at your local bookstore. Check out The Memory Palace wherever you get your podcasts, or on radiotopia.fm. If you liked this episode, follow us on X and Instagram @radiodiaries. Hear more episodes on our feed and at radiodiaries.org. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Teen Contender 21:08

21 weeks ago21:08

21:08

If you follow boxing, you've heard of Claressa Shields. At the 2012 Olympics, she became the first American woman to win gold in boxing. She repeated the feat 4 years later, becoming the first American boxer — woman or otherwise — to win consecutive medals. Now, she's the subject of a new movie called The Fire Inside, tracing her journey to Olympic stardom. Claressa Shields' story was one of our earliest at Radio Diaries. We gave her a tape recorder and asked her to document her journey leading up to the 2012 Olympics. She was sixteen at the time. Today, we revisit the story of Claressa Shields — before the world knew who she was. The Fire Inside comes out exclusively in theaters on Christmas Day. If you liked this story, follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram @radiodiaries! See more stories in our feed and on our website, radiodiaries.org. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
Last Witness: The Kerner Commission 12:45

24 weeks ago12:45

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Former Oklahoma senator Fred Harris died recently, at 94 years old. In 1967, Fred Harris and 10 senators came together and released the Kerner Report, a 1400-page explanation of the causes of the protests that filled American cities that summer. It was an instant — and unlikely — bestseller, selling over half a million copies in just three weeks, getting shoutouts by celebrities like Marlon Brando, and sparking debates on news programs throughout the country. The book talked about white racism at a time when that phrase was mostly used by Black activists, not white politicians. Fred Harris was the last surviving member of the Kerner Commission. If you liked this episode, follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram @radiodiaries. Visit our website at radiodiaries.org. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
A Guitar, A Cello and the Day that Changed Music 17:15

26 weeks ago17:15

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November 23, 1936 was a good day for recorded music. Two men, an ocean apart, sat before a microphone and began to play. One, Pablo Casals, was a cello prodigy who had performed for the Queen of Spain. The other, Robert Johnson, played guitar and was a regular in the juke joints of the Mississippi Delta. These recordings would change music history. This episode originally aired on NPR in 2011. **** Right now is Radiotopia's Annual Fall Fundraiser! If just 1% of our listeners donated, we would hit our goal TODAY. Donate today at radiotopia.fm./donate. Thanks so much for your support. Liked what you heard? Follow us on Instagram , X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook @radiodiaries. To see photos and hear our Casals/Johnson mashup in full, visit us at radiodiaries.org. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
The John Birch Society 15:18

30 weeks ago15:18

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In today’s political climate, conspiracy theories are commonplace. But they’re nothing new. In fact, back in the 1960s, there was one organization that built a movement around them. The John Birch Society was started by a small group of wealthy businessmen including Robert Welch and Fred Koch. It expanded, with chapters of like-minded Americans meeting in private living rooms and finished basements across the country, fueled by conspiracy theories that caused a schism in presidential politics. While the Birch Society’s influence has waned, its impact is still felt today. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

1
American Migrant 15:59

32 weeks ago15:59

15:59

During the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, millions of desperate Americans abandoned their homes, farms and businesses. It was one of the largest migrations in US history. In the 1940s, Pat Rush’s family were farm laborers, exhausted by trying to make ends meet. So they left Arkansas and followed the hundreds of thousands who had traveled Route 66 to California. There, the federal government had built resettlement camps to help deal with the influx. Migrant stories have two parts: the leaving of an old life, and the building of a new one. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

Radio Diaries

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The Longest Game 44:13

35 weeks ago44:13