Episode 2: Musings with Michael Schur

Musing with Michael (Mike) Schur is a bit like playing chess with Garry Kasparov. No matter what conversational move you make, he has a counter that will likely stun you. No wonder his book is called How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question… In this episode, host Charlie Bresler is musing with Michael Schur. Creator of the critically acclaimed NBC comedy The Good Place, co-creator on Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn 99, and Rutherford Falls, writer on The Office and Saturday Night Live, Michael has a long history of being both very smart and very funny. Events in young adulthood led him to read philosophy as a way of understanding himself and those around him. In particular, a seemingly very minor incident that got a bit out of control caused Michael to question the morality of what he was doing.  Fortunately for all of us, this spiraling minor incident ultimately led to the television show The Good Place, a show that tackles the question of how we judge if a life has been “good” or “bad.”  Moral dilemmas also produced the book How to Be Perfect. In his book, Michael talks about the principle of umbuntu, a concept in many parts of Africa that is described as the philosophy of “I am because you are.”  “Our happiness depends on the happiness of others and vice versa,” he explains. And in many ways, he says, it’s almost the opposite of one of the central precepts here in the west: “I think therefore I am.” It’s not a commonly known idea here in the west, but, says Michael, it might be an antidote to some of the selfishness that individualism often leads to. We strongly recommend you read or listen to How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question. You can find out more about Michael Schur on IMDb: Michael Schur––IMDb. We also hope you’ll share, rate, and review this podcast so others can find us more easily. Then learn more about The Life You Can Save on our website: thelifeyoucansave.org

Om Podcasten

We are excited to launch a new season for “Musings….” This season we have changed the title to reflect a shift in our focus. The new title is “Musings on Wellbeing.” Why the change? At a time of increased polarization in the United States and Europe, as well as threats to peace in the Middle East and Africa, the time is right to dive deeply into the concept of wellbeing. After all, isn’t that what we all seek for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our planet? Together with host Charlie Bresler, guests will explore a variety of perspectives on the theme of wellbeing. Hopefully, these interviews will provoke listeners to do their own exploration: What is your pathway to personal wellbeing? How, as a society, can we create a pathway that promotes the wellbeing of all our citizens? In a world that too often makes us feel powerless, Charlie and guests are helping us identify steps (quite literally) to take to increase personal and societal wellbeing. Charlie Bresler, Ph.D. is a clinical and social psychologist who, after a career as a graduate professor of psychology, ventured into the world of business and philanthropy. He is the former president of a large international retail company and co-founder of The Life You Can Save.