Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Speaks His Piece
Rarely does a former Supreme Court justice reveal what’s on their mind like Stephen Breyer. Listen to what this wise man says about the tug of war between constitutional originalism and contextualism, political partisanship on the court, structural reforms such as term limits, the invaluable lesson he learned from Senator Ted Kennedy, and more.
Highlight on Politics: 5 of the World’s Sharpest Minds in Politics
Election fever is heating up, and no matter how you plan on voting, these 3 Takeaways excerpts provide valuable insight into our political challenges, plus thoughts on how to resolve them. Guests include Yale Law School Professor Amy Chua; former political consultant and presidential advisor Karl Rove; White House advisor to four U.S. presidents David Gergen; political commentator and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will; and journalist extraordinaire Fareed Zakaria.
Norway’s Former Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs: Are Chaos and Upheaval the New Norm?
The world is on a wild ride — two wars, massive immigration, fractured political parties. Are chaos and upheaval the new normal? Norway’s former Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ine Eriksen Søreide, shares her wise perspective on the threat of Russia, the critical role of the U.S., coping with immigration and more.
Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet: Leading with Integrity, Truth, and Empathy
Authentic political leadership is in short supply these days. There’s no better person on the topic than the first female President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet. Elected to office twice, she achieved remarkable reforms and had a stunning approval rating of 84%. Here, she talks about the need to tell the truth, defend democracy, be empathetic, and more.
Highlight on Law & Justice: Six Experts Share Powerful Ideas on Crime and Punishment
With an election coming up, crime and punishment are a hot topic. Listen to this specially curated episode of 3 Takeaways as some of the sharpest minds on the subject share their insight. Guests include top legal reform expert, Christina Swarns; former Harvard Law School Dean, Martha Minow; Judge Jed Rakoff; founder of the Innocence Project, Barry Scheck; former New York City Police Commissioner, Bill Bratton; and Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security.
A Bold, Fresh, Stunning Look At The U.S. Constitution
A.J. Jacobs spent an entire year living as America’s Founding Fathers did 200 years ago. Really. He learned they envisioned a very different balance of power than exists in Washington today. How out of whack are things? How should the Constitution be interpreted? Is there too much free speech? Don’t miss this remarkable conversation.
Former Oxford University Head and Terrorism Expert - Finally, A Knowing, Clear-Eyed Look At Terrorism
Terrorism is roiling the Middle East and is a fact of life in many places around the world. How should civilized societies respond? What is an effective approach? Dame Louise Richardson, an Irish expert on the topic, has some surprising and insightful answers. The topic is timely and affects us all. Don’t miss this very necessary conversation.
The Battle for Your Brain: The Emerging World of Neurotechnology, Brain Hacking and Thought Control (repost)
Brain sensors embedded in watches. Earbuds that decode our brainwaves. Neurotechnology that reads our emotions and thoughts, and can be used to manipulate them. It sounds like science fiction, but it’s science fact. Don’t miss this chilling and cautionary talk with Duke professor Nita Farahany, author of The Battle for Your Brain.
Top Takeaways of 2023
3 Takeaways brings you conversations with people who are changing the world. The world’s foremost thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, scientists and other newsmakers share three key insights to help you understand the world in new ways that can benefit your life and career. In this special year-end episode, we present the most powerful and compelling takeaways of 2023.
Can you guess which takeaway is from each guest before we tell you who it is? The guests include former Director of the CIA, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CEO of Chevron, former Foreign Minister of Israel and other amazing guests.
A Legal Reform Expert Discusses The Horrors Of Our Criminal Justice System And How To Improve It
It’s no secret the U.S. criminal justice system is failing people of color. But the issue is bigger and more horrific than people think. Here, Christina Swarns, a top criminal legal reform expert, discusses wrongful convictions, false confessions, plea deals, the critical role of DNA — and most important, what can be done to improve the system.
Christina Swarns is Executive Director of the Innocence Project which gets wrongfully convicted people out of jail.
A Former Israeli Foreign Minister Discusses The War With Hamas And What It May, And May Not, Achieve
As war rages between Israel and Hamas, former Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami shares some remarkable insights about the encirclement of Israel by well-armed Iranian proxies; the possibility the war will spread; the rise of antisemitism in America and Europe; and a possible path to peace. Don’t miss this important conversation.
What’s Really Happening Along Our Mexican Border, From A Plain-Spoken Texas Congressman
According to U.S. Congressman Tony Gonzales, whose district runs along the majority of Texas’ border with Mexico, the border is “essentially open and anyone can cross.”
Here, with blunt honesty, he talks about the scope of the problem, its horrifying impact, how little is being done to address it, and our desperate need for genuine solutions.
Why The Use Of Group Identity To Pursue Social Justice May Fail To Achieve Its Noble Goals
The attempt across much of America to achieve social justice by advantaging people based on their identity is noble and well-intended. It’s also misguided and destined to fail. So says Yascha Mounk, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Listen as he explains the need for a shared humanity.
Classified: The Complex and Bizarre World of Government-Imposed Racial Classification. Listen, and Learn.
At a time when government-imposed racial and ethnic classifications are increasingly used to determine peoples’ rights, it’s important for them to make sense. According to law professor and author David Bernstein, they definitely do not. They’re absurd, have negative consequences, and are widely manipulated by “identity entrepreneurs.”
Which are the 10 Most Powerful and Compelling Takeaways of 2022? Listen and Find Out.
3 Takeaways features revealing conversations with the world’s foremost thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, scientists and other newsmakers, who each share three takeaways they consider vital. In this special year-end episode, we present the 10 most powerful and compelling takeaways of 2022.
Can you guess which takeaway is from each guest? The guests include:
Former Prime Minster of Australia
Former Chief of MI6
Founder of the world's largest hedge fund
7 other amazing guests
Former Senator Phil Gramm Explodes the Myth of American Inequality in an Eye-Opening Conversation
According to former Senator Phil Gramm, inequality in the U.S. is grossly overstated largely because it fails to take into account massive government aid to low income earners. The implications of this are huge, especially given the current debate about remaking capitalism. Don’t miss this important conversation.
The U.S. and the Holocaust: What did America Know and Do During the Greatest Atrocity of Our Time with Ken Burns' Co-Directors
What was America’s response to the Holocaust? What did we know and not know, do and not do, as the catastrophe unfolded? These questions resonate today, when the refugee crisis, immigration and antisemitism are making headlines. Don’t miss this powerful conversation with the co-directors of the new Ken Burns documentary film The U.S. and the Holocaust, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein.
The Person You Mean To Be and A More Just Future with Social Scientist Dolly Chugh
It’s counter-intuitive but true: letting go of being a good person is key to becoming a better one, and often times it starts with acknowledging our unconscious bias. Social scientist and best-selling author Dolly Chugh offers phenomenal insight that can benefit us both at home and in the workplace.
From Hawk to Dove, Negotiating Peace after War: Former Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos
President Santos received the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing Colombia's more than 50 year civil war to an end. His unique and humble leadership style allowed him to pivot from being a hawk to a dove on war, and this change is mirrored in his transition from climate change denier to climate change fighter. These 180 degree pivots are unprecedented for a world leader.
He describes the almost impossible challenges he faced ending a civil war with millions of victims, and delves into how he was ultimately able to broker peace. He led the war as a war hero and negotiated peace as president. His monumental accomplishments are inspired by the heartbreaking stories of victims.
Justice, Punishment and Forgiveness: When Should Law Forgive?
Former Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow argues for greater forgiveness by the law and the justice system. Using examples from around the world, she shares how forgiveness can lower crime and reduce incarceration.
She warns about the highly punitive American justice system which forgives bankruptcy but not misdemeanors.
The very same kind of crime in the United States and in Sweden or in Finland, will produce in the United States perhaps a 20 years' sentence, and in one of those Scandinavian countries, maybe 5 to 10 years. The US is far more punitive, and Martha argues there is no evidence that that produces lower rates of crime. In fact, the US has higher rates of crime.
What‘s the right balance between forgiveness and punishment? It's not an easy question. A justice system needs to hold people accountable for their crimes and be fair, treating people the same, but when should the law forgive and allow for fresh beginnings? Martha Minow is the perfect person to ask. She’s written a book titled When Should Law Forgive?