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The Human Element with Joe Massey
The Human Element is an investigation into the patterns of our past and the potential of our future. We bridge the gap between the four fundamental pillars to understand the core of who we are:
• HISTORY: The context for understanding today.
• SCIENCE: The blueprint of our identity.
• EXPERIENCE: The frontier of human capability.
• PHILOSOPHY: The connective tissue between the other pillars and humanity.
From the ruins of Ancient Egypt to the cutting edge of CRISPR and the minds of elite performers—we interview world-class experts to uncover the "Golden Threads" that connect us all.
The Human Element with Joe Massey
#19 - Micah Kunkle: The Ancient Greek Formula for Persuasion (That Still Works)
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Micah Kunkle has debated some of the internet's most polarizing voices on Jubilee's Surrounded — and somehow stayed calm doing it. In this episode, we unpack the lost art of civil discourse: why debate culture has gotten crueler, how to argue without losing yourself, and what separates people who actually change minds from people just chasing clips.
We also go back over 2,000 years to Aristotle's framework for persuasion — logos, ethos, and pathos — and why the ancient Greeks already figured out what most of today's internet debaters still get wrong. Turns out the formula for actually convincing someone hasn't changed; we've just forgotten it.
We talk about the psychology of staying composed under pressure, why empathy might be the most underrated debate skill, and practical steps anyone can take to get better at real conversation — not performance.
If you've ever felt your voice shake mid-argument, or wondered why online disagreement feels so much uglier than it used to, this one's for you.
Follow Micah: @micahkunkle (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok)
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