Libsyn Directory

06 A Civilization That Flies

Release Date: 10/05/2023

08 A Conversation with Rennie MacKay Quinn (wife of author Daniel Quinn)

Human Nature Odyssey

In this very special episode, author Daniel Quinn’s wife Rennie Mackay Quinn joins us for her first ever interview: sharing untold stories, new insights, and reflections on her life and journey with her beloved late husband & Daniel Quinn.

07 After 'Ishmael' by Daniel Quinn

Human Nature Odyssey

In this climactic culmination of the Ishmael series, we ask the question : how do we transform an entire society?

06 A Civilization That Flies

Human Nature Odyssey

Is it possible to build a civilization that flies? (metaphorically speaking of course)

05 Adam, Eve, and the Agricultural Revolution

Human Nature Odyssey

Who first told the story of the Garden of Eden? Could it have been a way to explain the unfolding Agricultural Revolution from the perspective of the people who were there?

04 Takers and Leavers

Human Nature Odyssey

In this episode we take a step back from Ishmael to better view the philosophical context it was written in.

03 Imaginary Games for Grown Ups

Human Nature Odyssey

Ishmael theorizes our culture is held captive by a story, a mythology we take for granted, act out every day, and is leading to the destruction of the world. So in this episode we tell this story out loud, from beginning, to middle, to end.

02 Your Call To Adventure

Human Nature Odyssey

Why can’t we seem to stop destroying the world? Like seriously though?

01 Self-Help Guide for Society

Human Nature Odyssey

We’re all on our own quest to live more meaningful, healthy, and fruitful lives.

Human Nature Odyssey Trailer

Human Nature Odyssey

You are living the latest chapter in a 10,000 year story. Join storyteller Alex Leff on a search for better ways to understand and more clearly experience the incredible, terrifying, and ridiculous world we live in.

More Episodes

Is it possible to build a civilization that flies? (metaphorically speaking of course)

How did we eventually learn to fly? It wasn’t by defying gravity and disobeying aerodynamics but by learning how to work with them.

Daniel Quinn, in his novel Ishmael, argues there are laws of nature that we have to learn to live within, rather than resist, if we are to continue as a society. In this episode we explore what this “Law of Life” could be.

This is an episode of short stories, cinematic sound effects, and wacky voices. Strap in for liftoff.

Citations

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (1992)

Scientific American (2020)

Thank you to Maddy and Austin for their voice acting. You can listen to Madima's music on Spotify here.

"Vadim Krakhmal - Journey To The Toucan Isle" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license Music promoted by BreakingCopyright

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

1. Amazon: Celestial Soda Pop

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B000QQXURI

2. iTunes: