354: Mistakes Were Made
In this episode, "Mistakes Were Made," host Ira Glass explores the uneasy art of apologies, from political non‑apologies to a parent’s struggle to teach genuine remorse to teenage daughters, and then pivots to a historical tale of King David’s forced repentance. The conversation weaves personal anecdotes with biblical storytelling to illustrate how acknowledging wrongdoing can be both performative and transformative. Guest Sam Schaaf recounts the early, amateur‑driven cryonics movement of the 1960s, highlighting founder Bob Nelson’s well‑meaning but often reckless decisions to freeze the first human subjects despite limited expertise and funding. The episode underscores how earnest intentions can clash with practical realities, leading to lasting consequences.
884: The Idiot
In this episode, journalist M. Gessen recounts the tangled family saga of his cousin Alan, who repeatedly abducted his five‑year‑old son O from his mother Priscilla, first fleeing to the U.S. and later being arrested in Canada. Gessen describes his...