Episode description:

Do most of us, no matter our circumstances, generally land at about an 8 (out of 10) on the proverbial happiness scale? Does the human tendency to ruminate and reflect lead us toward or away from that happiness? What sort of person should we aim to be, particularly if something overwhelming and life-changing is going to happen?

In this final, retrospective episode of “The Upside of Down,” Dan and fellow social psychologist Paul Bloom examine the critical features that lead some people to give up when faced with extreme challenges, and others to persist. They also discuss why Dan chose to take on this project altogether, and how it could be an essential step toward deeply understanding the mechanisms of resilience.

Guest: Paul Bloom

Professor Emeritus of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University and Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto