The Armen Show Podcast

Optimization is the driving principle of our modern world. We now can manufacture, transport, and organize things more cheaply and faster than ever. Optimized models underlie everything from airline schedules to dating site matches. We strive for efficiency in our daily lives, obsessed with productivity and optimal performance. How did a mathematical concept take on…

Here are the 8 things I cover in this episode, from my experience through running the show: http://media.blubrry.com/thearmenshow/www.armenshirvanian.com/podcast/episodes/tas412.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

The long history of China’s relationship between stability, diversity, and prosperity, and how its current leadership threatens this delicate balance Chinese society has been shaped by the interplay of the EAST—exams, autocracy, stability, and technology—from ancient times through the present. Beginning with the Sui dynasty’s introduction of the civil service exam, known as Keju, in 587 CE—and…

Jessica Carew Kraft, journalist and author of “Why We Need To Be Wild: One Woman’s Quest For Ancient Human Answers To 21st Century Problems”, joins myself, Armen Shirvanian, and co-host Rebecca Faith Lawson on episode 410 of the show, where we discuss her book, rewilding, reconnecting with nature, how we survived in the past, and…

“The effort to destroy facts and make America ungovernable didn’t come out of nowhere. It is the culmination of seventy years of strategic denialism. In On Disinformation, Lee McIntyre shows how the war on facts began, and how ordinary citizens can fight back against the scourge of disinformation that is now threatening the very fabric of…

A “problem of twelve” arises when a small number of institutions acquire the means to exert outsized influence over the politics and economy of a nation. The Big Four index funds of Vanguard, State Street, Fidelity, and BlackRock control more than twenty percent of the votes of S&P 500 companies—a concentration of power that’s unprecedented…

When it comes to the dating landscape, you want to know what is happening and why it is happening. What causes attraction, and what makes for great relationships? What do internet shows on these topics say, and what messages are worth listening to? We cover this on episode 407 with returning guest Macken Murphy and…

“In the scientific literature, I found confirmation of what I was hearing. In recent years, about one-in-two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness. And that was before the national lockdown cut off so many of us from friends, loved ones, and support systems, exacerbating loneliness and isolation Loneliness is far more than just a bad…

The social internet landscape continues to change rapidly, and a lot of people’s time is involved in the various applications in use. Recently, Threads came out from Meta, while TikTok continues to grab lots of attention and Instagram is one of the most default applications for people meeting each other. Within these applications, there are…

There’s an unspoken assumption when you go to see a doctor: the doctor knows your medical story and is making decisions based on that story. But the reality frequently falls short. Medical records vanish when we switch doctors. Critical details of life-saving treatment plans get lost in muddled electronic charts. The doctors we see change…

In this episode, we cover the topic of the big change in social media of the past decade, from a socially-based graph of our connections that is about familiarity, to an interest-based graph of our connections that is meant for discovery of novel creators and individuals. With guest cohost Rebecca Faith Lawson, we go into…

Livestream on your unique nature Reuploaded here after being streamed as episode 402 http://media.blubrry.com/thearmenshow/www.armenshirvanian.com/podcast/episodes/tas402theonlyyouisyou.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

Hello and welcome to episode 401 with Jeff Lawson, theologian and elder at Faith Sarasota. This talk covered a range of life messages, and was an in-person one that went into a few topics of understanding and growth. Jeff’s passion is to utilize his gifts that facilitate an atmosphere that seeks to promote the goal…

We have made it into the 400s here on the show. On this one here, I do a brief recap of the past 100 episodes, picking out a few that were notable along the way, and give a little preview of things I would like to include in the 400s. This episode has a new…

What does it take to do creative experimentation, and what can you get out of it? How does one build and work on their focus and motivation? What is required to build a newsletter, and what is in the Stretch Letter newsletter. Charlotte Grysolle joins on the show from Belgium in episode 399 to cover…

Embrace the future of creativity with “The Artificially Intelligent Creative,” a groundbreaking guide that will redefine the way you approach your creative projects. This comprehensive book will introduce you to the incredible potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and reveal how you can harness its power to revolutionize your artistic endeavors. It was written by Srinivas…

Welcome to episode 397 of the show with Faith LeMasters, representing for sustainable fashion, and who has recently released a first issue of L’Avenir De La Mode Magazine. From the magazine description: “After interviewing with multiple designers and creatives, I realized there was a great need for designers, artists, and industry professionals to have a…

Welcome to episode number 396 of the show, with the return of guest John De Froscia, originally of episode 6 early on in the program. In the past, we had spoken of history and travel, and while that comes into this episode, we discuss more about relationships, how society is at this time, and a…

A world-renowned scientist and recipient of the National Medal of Science in 2011, Dr. Leroy Hood co-founded the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in 2000, served as its first President from 2000-2017 and is a Professor and Chief Strategy Officer. In 2016, ISB affiliated with Providence where Dr. Hood now serves as Emeritus Science Advisor.…

How is speech and ability to perform action affected by aging? On episode 394, Dr. Helen Nuttall of Lancaster University joins us to discuss effects of aging on speech, how our minds work in different capacities, and some of her research in the field. Dr. Nuttall is a Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience and a BBSRC…