Big Think

Don't chase happiness. Become antifragile | Tal Ben-Shahar: Full Interview

12 set 2025

Become a Big Think member to unlock expert classes, premium print issues, exclusive events and more: https://bigthink.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=yt_desc Become a Big Think member and watch Tal Ben-Shahar’s full class: https://bigthink.com/my-classes/building-your-antifragile-systems-the-spire-model/building-your-antifragile-systems/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=yt_desc “There's research showing that people who are curious, who ask questions, are not just happier, they're not just more successful, they also live longer.” Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1 Up next, Antifragility: How to use suffering to get stronger ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISjRSek5Xbs Success, status, and achievements promise to deliver happiness, but often come up empty when realized. Tal Ben-Shahar’s own experience with this personal dissatisfaction drove him to study the science and philosophy of wellbeing. Ben-Shahar outlines how anti-fragility and post-traumatic growth reframe hardship as opportunity and how happiness can be found through connection, purpose, and clarity instead. 00:00:00 Happiness studies 00:00:20 The paradox of chasing happiness 00:00:56 Two questions about happiness 00:02:39 The science of happiness in difficult times 00:03:41 Why isn’t there a field that studies happiness? 00:06:57 What is anti-fragility? 00:08:24 PTSD vs PTG 00:14:25 SPIRE: the 5 dimensions of well-being 00:15:23 Why not include financial wellness in SPIRE? 00:16:19 Exercising your spirit, body, and mind 00:17:17 3 archetypes of work 00:24:26 Physical wellbeing and the mind-body connection 00:27:09 3 levels of recovery 00:32:20 Time off and wellness 00:37:10 Curiosity and engaging deeply with others 00:40:37 The importance of relational and emotional health 00:41:06 The #1 condition to increase anti-fragility: The quality of our relationships 00:46:31 Generosity in connections 00:47:49 Sustainable generosity 00:48:21 Is the pursuit of happiness selfish? 00:51:13 The 2 kinds of people who do not experience difficult emotions 00:52:44 The importance of gratitude 55:37 Gratitude and growth 00:57:47 Learning to fail Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/full-interview/anti-fragile-happiness/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think: ►Become a Big Think Member Get exclusive content, early, ad-free access to new releases, and more. https://www.youtube.com/@bigthink/membership/ ►Subscribe to Big Think on Substack Explore content that enlightens, inspires, and transforms. https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/subscribe/ ►Get Big Think+ for Business Engage learners like never before with high-impact video microlearning from the biggest thinkers in the world. https://bigthink.com/plus/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Tal Ben-Shahar: Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar is an internationally renowned teacher and author in the fields of happiness and leadership. After graduating from Harvard with a BA in Philosophy and Psychology and a PhD in Organizational Behavior, Tal taught two of the most popular courses in Harvard’s history: Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership. He then taught Happiness Studies at Columbia University. A prolific writer, Tal's books have appeared on best-sellers lists around the world and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Tal Ben-Shahar consults and lectures to executives in multinational corporations, educational institutions, and the general public. Topics include leadership, education, ethics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting and mindfulness. Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar is the co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy, as well as the creator and instructor of the Certificate in Happiness Studies and the Happier School programs. Tal is an avid sportsman and a certified yoga instructor whose work bridges Eastern and Western traditions, ancient wisdom and modern technology, science and art.

Inside the mind of a white-collar criminal | Kelly Richmond Pope

11 set 2025

“Fraud is a trillion dollar problem, about $5 trillion today with that number increasingly rising annually.” Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1 Up next, The 4 financial statements every smart person should understand | Full Interview ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7KyehyBxH0 We often think of fraud as the work of greedy masterminds, but the reality can be far more complex. Forensic accounting expert Kelly Richmond Pope, explains how ordinary people can be perpetrators, under the right conditions. Drawing from years of interviews with white-collar criminals, whistleblowers, and victims, Pope introduces a framework that challenges our common assumptions about who can commit this crime. 00:00 How fraud happens 01:05 Understanding why good people do bad things 01:55 The Fraud Triangle 03:04 Is fraud a victimless crime? 06:29 The different perpetrators of fraud 09:36 Infamous fraud perpetrators 13:41 Why are we addicted to stories of fraud? 14:35 Righteous perpetrators 22:53 Accidental perpetrators Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/fraud-triangle/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think: ►Become a Big Think Member Get exclusive content, early, ad-free access to new releases, and more. https://www.youtube.com/@bigthink/membership/ ►Subscribe to Big Think on Substack Explore content that enlightens, inspires, and transforms. https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/subscribe/ ►Get Big Think+ for Business Engage learners like never before with high-impact video microlearning from the biggest thinkers in the world. https://bigthink.com/plus/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Kelly Richmond Pope: Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope is the Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Accounting at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. Pope is a nationally recognized expert in risk, forensic accounting, and white-collar crime research, and an award-winning educator, researcher, author, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. She’s the author of Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories, and Secrets from the Trillion Dollar Fraud Industry (Harvard Business Review Press, March 2023). Pope teaches managerial and forensic accounting both at the undergraduate and graduate level.