Episode 162: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada explore the importance of self-awareness and how to strike a balance between adapting to external circumstances and staying true to one's core values.

Kyte emphasizes the challenge of developing an accurate self-identity, noting the powerful influence of self-deception. He suggests that being part of a community with honest, caring friends can help recalibrate one's self-perception.

The discussion delves into the potential negative impact of social media on self-identity, particularly for younger people, and the need to filter out random online opinions in favor of feedback from trusted individuals. The conversation also examines the role of introspection and self-knowledge, drawing on Sigmund Freud's metaphor of the iceberg to illustrate the conscious and unconscious aspects of the mind.

Generational differences in the workplace are also explored, with Kyte explaining how cultural phenomena within certain professions can lead to harsh treatment of newcomers. The experts discuss the sensitivity of younger generations, which they attribute to the decline in robust interpersonal relationships and the impact of social media.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

How to reinvent your self-Identity and live your best life, by Nida Leardprasopsuk, Forbes

In defense of soft, weak Zoomers, by Matt Yglesias, Slow Boring

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 161: The traditional bookstore is undergoing a resurgence, transforming into vibrant community hubs that defy predictions of their demise in the digital age. This turnaround comes after many had forecast the "complete demise" of bookstores in the face of competition from e-commerce and digital books.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada attribute this sucess to three key factors: serving as community gathering spaces, curating unique local collections and hosting events that bring readers together.

"Bookstores are ideal places to define and pass on local culture," Kyte said. "They can present something unique about the culture and history of a region better than any other physical place."

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Some surprising good news: Bookstores are booming and becoming more diverse, by Alexandra Alter and Elizabeth A. Harris, The New York Times

Pearl Street Books, La Crosse, Wis.

Barnes & Noble, Rochester, Minn.

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."

Episode 160: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the ongoing issue of traffic safety and road design in the United States.

Despite advancements in vehicle safety, over 42,000 people died in traffic crashes in 2022. The hosts argue that the U.S. has a higher rate of traffic fatalities compared to other wealthy nations, and this is partly due to cultural attitudes and a lack of political will to implement stronger safety regulations and road design improvements.

They discuss how features like roundabouts, narrower lanes and traffic calming measures can significantly improve road safety, but often face resistance from the public. The hosts also note that aggressive and distracted driving behaviors have worsened in recent years, and suggest automated speed enforcement could help address this.

Looking to the future, the hosts are optimistic that the rise of autonomous vehicles could have a positive impact on overall driving behavior, as self-driving cars would follow traffic laws and set a new standard for safe driving. However, they also raise ethical questions about public acceptance of autonomous vehicle technology, even if it proves to be statistically safer than human drivers.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

Why are American drivers so deadly, by Matthew Shaer, The New York Times Magazine

Addressing America's traffic death crisis, by Matthew Yglesias, Slow Boring

Will you keep driving when autonomous vehicles are safer than humans?, by Demetria Gallegos, The Wall Street Journal

2025 Chevy El Camino RS comes back to digitally hunt Ford's Maverick and the Santa Cruz, by Aurel Niculescu, Auto Evolution

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)."