Shows
Words That Make Us16. Words That Make Us: HomeIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Home”. Listen to them discuss what constitutes a home and the feelings that come up around the concept of home. Which nationalities and gender tend to own their homes? How can you Feng Shui your home to protect its Qi/Chi? What do stoics say about homes? There are some varied songs and poems by Rumi, Gibran, Mahmoud Darwish, Clive Gregson, Curly Putman and much more!
On Home by Khalil Gibran
https://poets.org/poem/children-1
2024-12-041h 28Words That Make Us15. Words That Make Us: SicknessSeason 2, episode 15:
In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Sickness”. This promises to be an episode of fun discussions, varied readings of pain and hilarity, and a few statistics to boot! They discuss questions such as: why do men not go to the doctor’s? Can prayer really relieve pain? What poems, depressing and funny alike, have they found for you? And what are some funny stories doctors have told about patients? Also, what would Marcus Aurelius say about sickness if he was alive today?
Me...
2024-11-121h 14Words That Make Us14. Words That Make Us: CakeIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Cake”. Listen to them as they discuss their cake eating and baking preferences all while discussing “Let them eat cake!” and why baking shows became so popular. Would you call the sweet little baked goodness Jaffa cake or biscuits? Why does it matter? And of course, here is some poetry in there for you!
No one said “Let them eat cake”!
https://www.britannica.com/story/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake
Betty Crocker cake mix story
https://cantre...
2024-10-291h 21Words That Make Us13. Words That Make Us: BetrayalIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Betrayal”. Listen to them as they discuss the different types of betrayal whether in relationships, in a relation to one’s country of oneself. They discuss statistics about cheating from different countries as well as how it is regarded in stoicism, the Quran and the Bible. There is poetry from different eras and perspectives too!
Countries with highest infidelity rate:
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/infidelity-rates-by-country
Is it emotional cheating?
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/emotional-cheating
...
2024-10-011h 31Words That Make Us12. Words That Make Us: SarcasmIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Sarcasm”, or should we say wit? Humour? Verbal irony? Listen to them as they discuss the nuances in these terms all while reading poetry, research and some (soft) science and statistics.
Culture and Social Status
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0163853X.2023.2252695#abstract
A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick by Jonthan Swift
https...
2024-09-171h 24Words That Make Us11. Words That Make Us: TreesIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Trees”. Listen to them as they discuss the fascinating mechanisms trees use to grow and survive. What are the oldest trees in the world? Which countries have the most trees and which countries are planting and cutting down trees? How do trees appear in religion, culture and literature? All these questions (and many more) will be answered.
When Autumn Came - Faiz Ahmed Faiz 1911-1984
https://poets.org/poem/when-autumn-came
Be by Nizar Qabbani
2024-09-101h 24Words That Make Us10. Words That make Us: PatienceIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Patience”. Listen to them as they discern one type of patience from another. Can one be stoically patient in one context and impatient in another? Is patience always a virtue? What can we do when we feel impatient? What have poets from different cultural backgrounds got to say about patience?
Dictionary Definition
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/patience
The Patience of Job
https://www.gotquestions.org/patience-of-Job.html
Types of pa...
2024-09-031h 17Words That Make Us9. Words That Make Us: LightIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Light”. Listen to them as they discuss how light is perceived in different cultures. What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and how does it affect us? How did ancient peoples explain the sun and other light-related phenomena? Some great poetry awaits you!
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
Silver by Walter de la Mare
https://allpoetry.com/poem/8494557-Silver-by-Walter-de-la-Mare
The light triad
https://www.simp...
2024-08-271h 22Words That Make Us8. Words That Make Us: DoubtIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Doubt”. Listen to them as they discuss the useful and not-so-useful manifestations of doubt. They discuss Impostor Syndrome and why it might be more prevalent in females than in males and talk about ways to alleviate self-doubt and its negative impacts. They have some powerful poetry for you too.
How to overcome self-doubt:
https://eugenetherapy.com/article/overcome-self-doubt/#:~:text=However%2C%20when%20it%20becomes%20debilitating,self%2Ddoubt%20later%20in%20life.
Descartes on doubt:
htt...
2024-08-201h 18Words That Make Us7. Words That Make Us: WaterAfter a short summer break, Rama and Tony are back with you with a new episode on this episode of the topic of “Water”. Listen to them as they discuss the different effects of water on us as humans. They discuss the many ways water has been used in different analogies attempting to describe the human experience. How does water feature in Christianity and Islam? What do stoics and mystics say about it? And of course, how does water feature in Shakespeare’s writing, especially Hamlet? How much water are we using for our different purposes and how does water...
2024-08-131h 11Words That Make Us6. Words That Make Us: StationeryIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Stationery”. Listen to them as they discuss what stationery items mean to them as teachers. There are some interesting facts and statistics about stationery that might surprise you. What are the most stolen items of stationery? Tony also reads you poetry about stationery which we hope you enjoy!
Stealing stationery from work
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180524-the-psychology-of-stealing-office-supplies
https://yougov.co.uk/economy/articles/21708-what-are-britons-stealing-work
https://www.furniture-work.co.uk/blog/post...
2024-07-231h 13Words That Make Us5. Words That Make Us: LyingIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Lying”. Listen to them as they discuss the different types of lies people tell and why we lie. Which nations lie more than others? Which gender? Should one always be honest and what are the most common lies people tell?
Which country lies the most
https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/the-most-dishonest-country-is
https://nypost.com/2015/11/16/the-most-dishonest-country-is/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6875219/Australia-ranks-list-dishonest-countries.html
Why Children/teenagers lie or want to lie
2024-07-161h 11Words That Make Us4. Words That Make Us: FootballIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Football”. This episode was recorded during the European Championship and it spurred a conversation about why men are generally more enthusiastic about football than women. How is women’s football doing in terms of equality, support and funding? What is the Mohammad Salah effect. They discuss their findings on the history of the game and some interesting facts. There’s poetry, too!
Why more men are interested in football than women:
https://time.com/4322947/men-women-sports-evolution/
Psycholo...
2024-07-091h 10Words That Make Us3. Words That Make Us: HairIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Hair”! Join them as they discuss what different hairstyles might say about us, hair loss, wig history and growing market. Should hair be covered? Shampooed? Cut? They read you poetry too!
Alain de Botton on boldness and hairstyles:
https://www.theschooloflife.com/article/why-we-think-so-much-about-our-hair/
For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/for-anne-gregory/
Wigs:
The Truth About Where Hair Extensions Come From | Shady | Refinery29
2024-07-021h 18Words That Make Us2. Words That Make Us: CatsIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Cats”. Listen to them as they discuss their experiences with cats. Rama reads some research about the health benefits of having cats, while Tony counters by reading statistics and other science about cat owners. How do different cultures see cats, especially black ones? Which countries have the most cats and which countries are restricting cat owning? Some interesting poetry about cats features in today’s episode as well!
The physical and mental health benefits of having cats:
https...
2024-06-251h 01Words That Make Us1. Words that Make Us: ShoesIn this new season of The Words That Make Us, Rama and Tony attempt to shorten the episodes. Listen to them as they discuss the topic of "Shoes". They tell you a little about the history and trends in shoes. Which shoe brand generates the most profit and what are elevator shoes? What does your choice of shoes say about you? There's a story and some poetry about shoes in there too.
Interesting facts and the earliest shoes:
https://shuzes.co.uk/blogs/news/10-facts-about-shoes-you-didnt-know
Cultural Significance of Shoes
h...
2024-06-181h 06Words That Make Us20. Words That Make Us: FoodIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Food”. Listen to them discuss the foods of their childhoods and respective countries. What are some statistics about meat and other foods around the world? How is food seen in stoicism, Islam and Christianity? How is the food industry evolving to keep up with modern trends? They also share with you some poems about food.
Trigger warning: If you find the topic of eating disorders triggering, be sure to skip the poem “The Diet” by Carol Ann Duffy.
On Eating a...
2024-06-111h 14Words That Make Us19. Words That Make Us: Holidays
In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Holidays”. Listen to them as they discuss the different types of holidays and holiday makers. Which are the most visited countries? Which countries make the most revenue from travel? What is “Paris Syndrome”? What are some poems about travel and the feelings it conjures.
Country tourism revenue and statistics:
https://ourworldindata.org/tourism
Paris Syndrome:
https://qz.com/emails/quartz-obsession/1850677468/paris-syndrome-troubles-in-tourism#:~:text=Symptoms%20include%20dizziness%2C%20anxiety%2C%20vomiting,in%20Paris%2C%20in%20the...
2024-06-041h 21Words That Make Us18. Words That Make Us: DreamsIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “dreams”. Listen to them as they discuss the meaning of dreams and why women dream differently (and more) than men. How do dreams appear in Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sufism? What are the most recurring dreams? Of course expect some poetry too.
The story of Prophet Yusuf in the Quran:
https://www.al-islam.org/enlightening-commentary-light-holy-quran-vol-7/section-6-kings-dream-yusufs-interpretation
What are dreams and what do they mean?
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dreams-and-dreaming
What is dayd...
2024-05-281h 12Words That Make Us17. Words That Make Us: TeachersIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Teachers”. Listen to them as they discuss their experiences with teaching both as students and teachers. They read a range of humorous poems and share some research about teaching.
My Teacher Wasn't Half As Nice As Yours Seems To Be by Roald Dahl
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-teacher-wasn-t-half-as-nice-as-yours-seems-to-be/
Napoleon BY MIROSLAV HOLUB
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51047/napoleon
Stoicism on teaching
https://www.alphabetpublishingbooks.com/stoicism-relevant-teachers/
The Lesso...
2024-05-211h 24Words That Make Us16. Words That Make Us: LaughterIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Laughter”. Listen to them as they discuss the different kinds of laughter and they affect both the laugher and those around them. Is it the best medicine? What do the stoics say about it? Are all jokes universal and appropriate across time and space? What is a laughing epidemic? Listen to the episode to find out and hopefully catch a few laughs.
Your Laughter by Pablo Neruda
https://allpoetry.com/Your-Laughter
10 types of laug...
2024-05-141h 12Words That Make Us15. Words That Make Us: GuiltIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “guilt”. Listen to them as they discuss the differences between guilt, regret, shame and remorse. What is collective guilt and what purpose does it serve? What is survivor guilt? Do different races, genders and people in general feel less or more guilt than others? Should they? There’s some great poetry, too!
Do women feel more guilt than men?
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna35788411
WHITE BOY PRIVILEGE BY Royce Mann
https://edition.cnn.com/20...
2024-05-071h 12Words That Make Us14. Words That Make Us: ChangeIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “change”. Listen to them as they discuss the reasons why humans might embrace or resist change and how change in individuals and institutions can be implemented. Of course they bring to you what religion says about change and how stoicism regards it. You can also expect lots of poetry that explores the topic. Enjoy!
Choosing Strategies for Change by John P. Kotter and Leonard A. Schlesinger
https://hbr.org/2008/07/choosing-strategies-for-change
Journey by Rupi Kaur
2024-04-301h 15Words That Make Us13. Words That Make Us: MusicIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Music”. Listen to them as they discuss why music is powerful, where the oldest piece of music came from and why music is banned by some regimes. They also share their favourite songs and read to you poems about the power and beauty of music. Enjoy!
Quote on music in a car:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/222581-i-love-the-way-music-inside-a-car-makes-you
Music is a vicious cancer:
https://theweek.com/culture-life/music/why-chechnya-has-banned-music-that-is-too-fast-or-too-slow
The...
2024-04-231h 17Words That Make Us12. Words That Make Us: GriefIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Grief”. Listen to them as they discuss what human beings might grieve and their personal experiences with it. They read some heart-warming texts to you and tell you about some traditions around grief around the world.
For Grief by John O’Donohue
https://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/2015/12/john-odonohue-for-grief.html
In Lieu of Flowers by Shawna Lemay
https://transactionswithbeauty.com/home/10poemsforloss
The case against the five stages of grief
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-h...
2024-04-161h 15Words That Make Us11. Words That Make Us: BeautyIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Beauty”. Listen to them as they explain what the word means to them and what they consider beautiful. Why do humans gravitate toward shiny objects? What makes them deem something or someone beautiful? Of course, there’s poetry too!
Why humans like shiny things (theory):
https://www.thecut.com/2014/01/maybe-we-love-shiny-things-because-were-thirsty.html
What makes things beautiful, novelty or familiarity?
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/science-of-choice/202110/how-beautiful-things-make-our-lives-better
Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summ...
2024-04-091h 26Words That Make Us10. Words That Make Us: JealousyIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Jealousy”. Is there a difference between jealousy and envy? What nuances might there be between these words in English vs. other languages and cultures? Why is the colour green associated with jealousy? Can jealousy be used for good or is it always a toxic, negative feeling? How jealous are you and how does jealousy manifest for you?
The green-eyed monster:
https://poets.org/poem/othello-act-iii-scene-iii-o-beware-my-lord-jealousy
Othello Syndrome
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femai...
2024-04-021h 15Words That Make Us9. Words That Make Us: AttractionIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Attraction”. What does it mean to be attracted to someone? Can you control who you are attracted to? What has our childhood got to do with who we are attracted to? What do some animals do to attract a mate? Scientifically, what are the three elements of a happy relationship? Listen and find out more.
Definition from WebMD:
https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/what-types-attraction
Bowerbirds:
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?c...
2024-03-261h 10Words That Make Us8. Words That Make Us: AuthenticityIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Authenticity”. Listen to them as they discuss the connotations of the word in the contexts of business, relationships and as individuals.
Words of the year
https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/word-of-the-year
The Man in the Glass by Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.
http://www.inspirationpeak.com/cgi-bin/poetry.cgi?record=155
On Self-knowledge by Khalil Gibran
https://poets.org/poem/self-knowledge
Authentic leadership
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kath...
2024-03-191h 16Words That Make Us7. Words That Make Us : LuckCORRECTION: Paulo Coelho does NOT come from Spain. He comes from Brazil.
In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Luck”. Listen to them as they discuss the connotations of the word “luck” and debate its existence. Of course they have some poetry for you too.
If you would like to check out some of the readings on this episode, you may find them here:
Are some people born lucky?
https://www.furman.edu/news/are-some-people-born-lucky-a-ut-psychologist-argues-inequalitys-genetic-roots/#:~:text=She%20writes%20that%20some%20people,a%20great...
2024-03-121h 09Words That Make Us6. Words That Make Us: WealthIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama discuss the topic of “Wealth”. Listen to them as they discuss the connotations of the word “wealth” and its synonyms. Tony, being the mathematics and business teacher, puts into perspective what it really means to be wealthy today. They read you verses from the Bible and the Quran about the topic and touch upon how wealth is seen in Sufism and stoicism. Of course they have some poetry for you too.
If you want to check out some of the readings on this epis...
2024-03-051h 19Words That Make Us5. Words That Make Us: ReputationIn this episode of the “Words That Make Us” podcast, Rama and Tony explore the premise of “Reputation”. They kick off by reading a poem by Emily Dickenson about being a nobody. They discuss their different understandings of the term “reputation”. Is reputation the same as fame? Is it synonymous with “ego”? What role do different societies play in shaping one’s reputation and good standing? What does religion say about slander? Is public shaming ever acceptable?
Monica Lewinsky’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/monica_lewinsky_the_price_of_shame/transcript
I’m Nobody!
2024-02-271h 07Words That Make Us4. Words That Make Us: FailureIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama discuss the topic of “Failure”. Listen to them as they define different aspects and connotations of failure, discuss who has the biggest effect on whether children succeed or fail, and why we feel shame when we fail.
If you want to check out some of the readings on this episode you might find them here:
Defeat by Khalil Gibran:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/58713/defeat-56d23d566b4c3
Waiting for love by Avicii:
http...
2024-02-201h 21Words That Make Us3. Words That Make Us: AgeingIn this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama discuss the topic of “AGEING”. They discuss how different people, genders and cultures (including the Blue Zones) experience ageing. They explore the Japanese concept of Ikigai and how everyone can adopt it. Expect to learn another (less inspiring) Japanese term–Kodokushi. The conversation takes a brief dark detour but ends on a high.
Kaitlin Moran’s article on being middle-aged:
https://www.redonline.co.uk/red-women/blogs/a34159053/caitlin-moran-middle-aged/
What Makes a Good Life? https://www...
2024-02-021h 22Words That Make Us2. Words That Make Us: Silence (part 2)In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama continue talking about “SILENCE”. Prepare to hear about hormones, silence in relationships, melancholic silence, poetry by Khalil Gibran and poetry by Charlotte Brontë, whose poem leads them down a rabbit hole about music and toxic masculinity! You will like the last poem; it wraps everything up very neatly.
If you want to check out some of the things mentioned in this episode, try these links.
An attempt to explain the verse from the Quran: https://sunnahonline.com/library/women...
2024-02-0154 minWords That Make Us1. Words That Make Us: SilenceIn this first episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, listen to Tony and Rama explore the topic of "SILENCE". They read you poems from different eras and backgrounds, discuss how Sufis regard silence in comparison to how it is regarded in Stoicism, all while reflecting on their own views on the different types of silence.
If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at:
wordsthatmakeus@gmail.com
2024-01-3049 min