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Beyond the Loss: Life and Identity After a Child Dies
Over time, the conversations we choose to have begin to reflect what matters most.
If you’ve been part of this podcast, you’ve heard me speak about human development, systems thinking, and the ways we make meaning of our lives and work. That work continues—and remains at the core of my coaching and professional practice.
What has changed is the space where I am choosing to have a different kind of conversation.
After the death of my son, Michael, I felt called to create a more personal place—one that speaks directly to the experience of loss, and to the questions that emerge when life no longer looks the way it once did.
That space is now Beyond the Loss.
This podcast is for parents who have lost a child, and for those who support them. It is not about fixing grief or finding closure, but about understanding how we continue to live, to make meaning, and to become—after loss.
If you are looking for my current podcast,
you will now find me there.
I invite you to join me on Beyond the Loss.
You are welcome.
Beyond the Loss: Life and Identity After a Child Dies
Episode 219: Fixing a Broken Civilization with Andrew Schmookler
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When we transitioned away from the hunter-gatherer lifestyles of our ancestors, we began a process of extricating ourselves from the niche in which we evolved biologically. Today we welcome back return guest Dr. Andrew Shmookler, to explain why it is only a matter of time before our civilization destroys itself unless we drastically change our current mode of operating.
In this conversation, we cover some of his big ideas around some of the most noteworthy crises that are having catastrophic consequences across the world, and take an honest look at the evolution of civilization that got us here. From climate change to Donald Trump to social media, no stone is left unturned here today.
Our systems are broken, and from a political, economic, and environmental standpoint, we need to do things differently in order to make them whole again. And we need to do those things with urgency.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- Introducing today’s guest, Harvard University graduate, prize-winning author, and former Democratic candidate Dr. Andrew Shmookler.
- Andrew’s definition of a civilization, and the problem that arises within civilizations over time.
- Crises being experienced in the world today.
- Why the climate crisis has been able to reach such a catastrophic point.
- How our economic and political systems need to change.
- A brief exploration of the evolution of our species.
- The failure of the American left to respond adequately to the opposition.
- Factors that Andrew believes have contributed to the trend of increasing fascism across the globe.
- Examples that highlight the brokenness of our systems.
- The disconnect between political leaders and the values that their supporters claim to hold dear.
- The dangerous power of the media.
- Evil that has made its way into our world.
Transcript: Here
Additional Resources:
A Better Human Story: http://abetterhumanstory.org/
The Parable of the Tribes: https://www.amazon.com/Parable-Tribes-Problem-Social-Evolution
Links Mentioned:
The Other Side of Potential Episode 205 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-205
The Other Side of Potential Episode 205 on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/
Sharon Spano:
Website: sharonspano.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SharonSpanoPHD
Instagram: instagram.com/drsharonspano/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sharonspano/
Book: thetimemoneybook.com
Contact: sharon@sharonspano.com
Twitter: twitter.com/SharonSpano
The Other Side of Potential Podcast: sharonspano.com/podcast/