You know when you call a customer service number and you hear, “Your call is very important to us…”? What that usually says to me is – “Get comfortable, this is going to take a while.” Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to make your customer service experience shorter and less frustrating? Listen as I begin this episode with some solid advice. frustrating experience. So, this episode begins by discussing how to make that experience a little bit smoother. https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-call-customer-service/ Can you ever really know pleasure if you don’t experience pain? Do humans actually want and need pain? Pain is a fascinating topic, as you will hear from my guest Leigh Cowart. She has purposely put herself through some very painful experiences such as, being a ballerina to eating the world’s hottest chili pepper. Listen as she discusses her research on pain and explains why some of us actually seek out pain. And yes, it turns out we all likely need some pain in our lives. Leigh is a journalist and author of the book, Hurts So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose (https://amzn.to/3lHYF0F) While humans can be selfish, we also have to cooperate with each other because we simply can’t do everything for ourselves. The ways in which humans cooperate turn out to be very complicated because while we cooperative we also compete with each other. We can be very compassionate and cooperative with some people but not others. Evolutionary biologist Nichola Raihani has examined how our ability and desire to cooperate with each other (or not) has helped guide the development of modern civilization. Listen as she explains this fascinating topic. Nichola is a professor of evolution and behavior at University College in London and author of the book The Social Instinct: How Cooperation Shaped the World (https://amzn.to/2XwTKr8).   Do women apologize more than men? Actually, yes but why is that? Listen as I explore some interesting findings on why men and women tend to apologize differently. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46381418_Why_Women_Apologize_More_Than_Men_Gender_Differences_in_Thresholds_for_Perceiving_Offensive_Behavior PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Try HelloFresh. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Anxious thoughts? Give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Go to: https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices