The Sapio Files: Recent Episodes
The Sapio Files
Sapiophile (n.)- one who is attracted to intelligence. Join us, fellow fun loving lovers of knowledge, as we dig into your favorite topics with our very own nerdy diatribes, words of wisdom, and takes on life as millennials (with the occasional bursting into song) Welcome to the Sapio Files!
Throughout life, you are bound to hear some of the same cliche pieces of advice over and over. But are cliches so common for a good reason, or are they mostly just outdated advice? This episode, we are analyzing some of the most popular cliches and giving you our hot takes on which ones hold up, which ones need to be taken only in a specific context, and which ones are reductive, unhelpful, or just need to be retired.
We're back this week with our guest host, Caleb, and we're ready to dig into dating over the years. From jousting for a woman's hand, to regency era, to arranged marriages, to free love, all the way through dating app drama, we break down how something so universal as looking for a partner has shifted over time.
Join us this week as we share our top picks for our favorite movies that give us ALL THE FEELS. We're not just talking about movies that make us happy or make us cry. We are choosing our favorite scenes that make us really feel a multitude of emotions and share why they are so meaningful to us.
Spoiler Alerts are in effect, so if you hear us mention a movie that you don't want to know about, jump ahead a few minutes.
Those who know us know that we love analyzing personality types and literature. So when we found the chart for the 9 moral alignments, we thought that would be another fun framework to explore. This week, we are talking about the moral alignments and what they mean to us and to our favorite characters. Confession time: When we decided we wanted to record this episode, we soon discovered that we knew very little about the origin of this alignment system, or even the fact that it originated in Dungeons and Dragons. So naturally, we reached out to a friend with more experience in the system's origins to fill in the gaps! This week, join us and our fantastic guest host, Caleb, as we explore the 9 moral alignments!
We're back with another one of our classic episodes. Some fictional characters are widely accepted as beloved or heroic. Some are accepted as unquestionable villains. But today, we are here to shake up what you think you know about your favorite characters. Which characters are overrated? Which fictional couples deserve more respect? Whose story should have ended differently or more controversially? Join us for our hot takes on fictional characters this week. Of course, spoiler alerts are in effect, so if you don't want to know what happened in any of these stories, use the time stamps below to skip ahead of a section:
2:10-7:26: Lord of the Rings
7:27-13:50: Friends
13:51-21:07:How I Met Your Mother
21:08-26:15: Pretty Little Liars
26:16- 49:58: Harry Potter
(mini segue within Harry Potter section- 46:19-49:07: Divergent)
49:59- 1:04:14: One Tree Hill
(mini segue within One Tree Hill section- 54:21-55:25 Downton Abbey)
1:04:15-1:09:03: Disney Classics (specifically Sleeping Beauty and Little Mermaid)
This month marks a milestone for Chelsea-- who finally released her own original music for the first time. If you've been following us from the beginning, you'll know that this was a long time coming. As Caela is a published writer herself, this week is a celebration of something they both love to do-- write!
Join us as we talk about the nuances of different types of writing, self-expression, and artistic mediums. What should a writer be aware of? How do the styles of writing dictate expectations? When is it okay to break a rule? And what can a novice writer do to get started? Join us to find out!
How to find our writing:
Chelsea's music- https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/chelseavarga/chasing-thunderstorms
Caela's novel- https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Elses-Shoes-Caela-Provost/dp/1539848396
Caela's travel blog- https://www.findinghomeacrossnorthamerica.org/
We're back after our long hiatus and summer break!! In the time since we last recorded an episode, Chelsea got engaged! And as maid of honor, this is big news for Caela as well! So in order to kick things back off in a festive way, we are talking all about wedding traditions this week. We share many of the most popular wedding traditions and break down some of the surprising origin stories behind them. Join us for this fun look at weddings and find out just how many of your favorite wedding traditions actually have to do with evil spirits (It's a surprising amount).
Welcome back! This week, Caela, Chelsea, and frequent guest host, Jake, are all in the same room for the first time in 16 months! To celebrate, we are listening to some of our favorite movie scores and trying to answer the question: Why does the music make us feel that way? Join us as Caela shares her favorite instrumental music and Jake and Chelsea attempt to use music theory and other musical knowledge to explain what's REALLY happening when we hear an epic movie score. Join us for this exciting musical analysis episode. You may just learn to hear your favorite movie scores in a brand new way!
Advertisers once focused all their energy on commercials, print ads, and media. But today's consumers cannot be easily reached by these methods. Today, it is all about the influencers-- social media users and minor celebrities who have curated a following online. But what exactly is an influencer? Why do these people have so much power? How can the influencer culture change the way business is done across many fields? Join us as we dive into influencers and the way they're changing the world. We're giving you our takes on different types of influencers and some of our favorites this week!
In today's social and political climate, people have trouble agreeing on not only their opinions, but also on the basic facts that make up the basis of those opinions. Why, in a world where so much information is available to us, is it so hard to know the truth? This week, we are diving into misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, "fake news", gaslighting, the role algorithms play in delivering incorrect information, and why this can happen to even the smartest among us. How can we be sure that what we know to be true is actually the truth? Join us this week to find out!
This week, we are taking a trip back to our childhood! Join us as we go through some popular TV shows of the 1990s and early 2000s to determine which ones hold up today, and which are problematic when seen through adult eyes. We decide which of the fashion, game, and pop culture trends we loved, hated, would want to bring back, or are happy to leave in the past. And we take a look into how the changing trends reflect the changing times, for better and for worse.
It's our third anniversary! Thank you for being such an important part of our listener family! With more than 100 episodes to choose from, where should a new listener begin? Last year we gave you recaps of each prior episode on episode 74. This year, we are continuing that tradition by recapping everything we've discussed since then! While it's been a crazy year for the world, it has been a great year for our show! Join us as we test our memories, recap the last year on our show, and choose our favorite moments!
Hobbies have kept us all sane this past year. This week, we are excited to welcome back our guest host Mike Walsh (previously heard in our Life Lessons From Sports Episode) to talk about one of his favorite hobbies-- home brewing beer. Mike is here to share how he got involved in home brewing and what goes into this process-- the creativity behind inventing recipes, equipment needed, how beer is made, how to cultivate hobbies like this, and what you need to know to get started!
Imagine this scenario: You're standing next to a railroad track and you see a runaway train with no ability to stop. Up ahead, you see that five workers are stuck on the track and will be killed by the train. You have a lever you can pull that will switch the train to a side track, but on that track, there is one worker who will be killed if you pull the lever. What do you do? This classic ethical dilemma, officially known as "The Trolley Problem", was our starting point for this week's discussion. What would you do in a no-win situation? What schools of thought in the realm of moral philosophy could help you solve this dilemma? What do our decisions in these situations reveal about our priorities, morals, and beliefs? How is this scenario becoming more relevant with the dawn of new technology? Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on ethical dilemmas, morality, philosophy, and creative problem-solving this week on The Sapio Files!
When we read a favorite book or watch a favorite show, the experience is more than simply entertaining. For many of us, we feel as though we are watching our best friend. But why is it that we create such strong bonds with fictional characters? How can these one-sided relationships help and hurt us? This week, we're digging into the psychology behind why we bond to fictional characters and what that says about us.
Welcome to our 100th episode! We are so happy to have been able to bring you fun and interesting content over the last hundred episodes, and we thank you for being a part of our listener family! At the end of every episode, we remind you all to stay curious. So, we thought it was only fair to practice what we preach. For our 100th episode celebration this week, we bring you 100 things we are curious about!
Thank you for joining us over these last hundred episodes, and we look forward to more!
Happy February! With Valentine's Day coming up, we thought we'd take a look at some of the most common interpretations of soulmates in literature and mythology. What is a soulmate? How is it different from a twin flame, kindred spirit, karmic soulmate, or life partner? Where do these ideas come from? Join us for this fun look at love and relationships from a unique perspective. And be sure to tune in next week for our 100th episode celebration!!
We're three weeks into the new year. Have you started struggling with your resolution yet? New Year's Resolutions are a popular tradition that people use to look forward to better times and find ways to improve themselves. Why then, do many of us not make it past January before giving up? Why are they so difficult to keep? This week, we're digging into the most common and popular New Year's Resolutions and the struggles with each of them. Join us for new inspiration, strategies for success, and ways to frame resolutions so that they are not only valuable, but achievable. Happy 2021!
2020 is almost over! We made it!! To say that it's been a crazy year would be the understatement of the century. This year has been so wild that in preparing this review, we found we forgot about major news events that happened just a few months ago. This week, we are breaking apart the major events of this wildly unprecedented year and the big lessons and takeaways this year provided. Happy (well-deserved) New Year, sapiophiles!!! We will be back in 2021!
This year, more than any year before, we find ourselves with a lot on our plates. How can we balance all that this year has thrown at us and still maintain health and sanity? This week, we are unpacking the "juggling balls" theory of priorities-- and analyzing our own priorities to determine which tasks are rubber balls that will bounce back if dropped, which are metal balls that will make a lot of noise and be hard to pick back up, and which are glass balls that will shatter.
Happy Thanksgiving! In most years, Thanksgiving weekend is a time when we have a big friendsgiving party and welcome in the holiday season. Like so many other aspects of "Normal life", 2020 has made that impossible this year. So, we thought we'd take our party online and include all of you! This week, we are joined by three friends to help us celebrate and discuss our favorite parts of thanksgiving, memories from the past year, gratitude, favorite books and TV shows that got us through the year, wishes and goals for 2021, shoutouts to so many of our friends, and a whole lot more!
On a special edition of our show this week, we are talking to frequent guest host, Jake Sachs, about an exciting new project he's recently released! Join us for an exclusive interview about the making of his new album, "Continue", from the original concept all the way to production and release! Get a behind-the-scenes look at the music and the inspiration behind it. "Continue" is available now on all the streaming services! Download it here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jakesachs/continue-2
Happy Halloween, Sapiophiles! For your Halloween-themed dose of dark and creepy tales this week, we're taking you on a haunting journey through the original Grimm's Fairy Tales. These are not your children's fairytale stories. Join us as we dive into the original versions of some of the most popular tales, and break down their gruesome, haunting, violent, problematic, and gory roots. It's a chilling episode you won't want to miss!
For more haunting tales, check out the brand new radio play from our friends at interACT Audio Productions, "Ghostlights": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1536338758
There are few scenarios scarier than being a healthy, active twenty-something woman and hearing the words, "you have cancer". This week, we're talking to blogger and "accidental rare disease advocate" Christina Kosyla- who, as a young, active theatre teacher, actress, and yoga instructor, discovered that she had developed desmoid-type fibromatosis-- an incredibly rare soft tissue sarcoma that few have heard of, and even fewer have been able to diagnose. She's here this week to talk to us about her fascinating journey that has resulted from this diagnosis, how she's managed to stay strong and positive, how the global pandemic affects those with chronic health conditions such as hers, the universality of some of her struggles, why she calls those with her condition "the unicorn squad", and a whole lot more.
For more on Christina's story, follow her blog at http://girlmeetscancer.com
The covid-19 pandemic has made 2020 feel like it's thousands of years long. Maybe that's because in the recorded history of the world, it is only the 17th full-scale pandemic on record. This week, we're taking a look back at these pandemics and the lessons we can learn from them. What common themes exist across history in these pandemics? Find out this week.
We think we know what will make us happy. That's why we do things like focus on the positive, give ourselves as much choice as possible, and focus our energies on becoming like those people who have the lives we want. And most of the time, we're totally wrong. This week, we are breaking down common misconceptions about what will make us happy. Based on the online course called "The Science of Well-Being" and the accompanying podcast "The Happiness Lab" from Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos, we are diving into the ways that humans find happiness and why it isn't what you think. Find out why positive thinking can lead to negative outcomes, why we don't actually want as many choices as we think we do, and much more.
Find out more:
https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/id1474245040
How much do you really know about the common expressions you speak? Do you know where they originated? Do you know why they were used? This week, we break apart common expressions and their origins... and find that many of them have completely different meanings from the ones we know today.
It's been six months, and while restrictions have loosened a bit, many of us are still living the quarantine life. How does this affect our relationships with partners, friends, families, and colleagues? This week, we talk about the unique challenges we're facing in this time in history and what we can do about it. How can we keep physical distancing from becoming true social distancing? How can we leverage the technology we have to find creative ways to reconnect? Join us as we share our thoughts on this universal topic.
In every corner of our lives, we see and hear societal expectations of what a healthy or attractive body should look like. We are bombarded with images in the media and on our friends' social media feeds that tell us that our worth should be tied to the number on the scale. Every fad diet claims to have the solution that will "finally give you the body you always wanted"... and almost none of these "ideal bodies" are sustainable or even healthy for the vast majority of us. The diet industry has done a shockingly great job at creating an entire society of self-conscious, insecure people who have been trained to hate their bodies. This week, we are digging into the psychological effects of diet culture, unpacking some of the most dangerous misconceptions about health and weight loss, and giving you our favorite self-care suggestions for breaking the constant battle with our minds. Find out why there is no "correct" healthy diet for everyone, where the BMI scale came from and why it is, frankly, b**sht, how to listen to your body to figure out what it actually needs, our favorite influencers and media sources to help us practice self-love and body compassion, and a whole lot more.
For years, people have thought of IQ as the ultimate measure of intelligence. But real intelligence is more complicated than that. In fact, IQ tests only touch on three measures of intelligence. This week, we're dissecting Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory and finding out the many ways in which humans display intellect.
We love music! This week, we are using that love to play a song association game and give you some recommendations! What songs come to mind when you think of a sleepy afternoon? An exciting first date? A tough time in life? Join us as we try to come up with songs for each of these (and more) occasions and share some of our favorites with you!
If you've been following us for awhile, you already know that we LOVE personality tests! But while these tests provide lots of fun and insights, what do they really mean from a psychological perspective? This week, we are joined by Psychology Professor Katrina Graham, who helps us analyze these tests through a scientific lens and clues us into some of the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Find out what we need to watch out for and how to use and interpret these results in the way they are meant. Plus, we take a look at how certain abnormal psychology conditions can affect the ways in which we act.
As women in our early thirties, we find ourselves frequently coming face-to-face with societal expectations. But where do these expectations come from? How do they affect us today? This week, we're pulling apart these stereotypes-- from the idea that a single woman in her thirties is somehow "less than" for not rushing towards marriage and kids, to gender norms that make men hesitate before showing love to their friends, to the contradicting simultaneous phenomena of slut shaming and virgin shaming. How do we interpret these expectations in our own lives? Join us this week to find out!
Welcome back for part two of our flirting episode! We are once again joined by Jake and David as we break down even more of the flirting discussion. Join us as we dig into friend zone, flirting with preexisting friends, specific flirting behaviors that we've found useful, and what NOT to do.
Why do we flirt? How do we flirt? Why is flirting such a universal concept, yet one with so many styles and different purposes? This week, we are joined by Jake and David- two of our favorite repeat guest hosts- as we break apart the psychology of flirting, strategies, behaviors, gender norms, expectations, types of flirting, favorite moves, and more. It's a fun and enlightening conversation for singles and couples alike! And because there are soooo many fun angles to take with this topic, be sure to join us again next week for part two of the flirting discussion!
You can speak English well. You can write English well. But do you have any idea WHY you need to say or write things in a particular way? Don't worry... most people don't. But as a team of a Published Author and a Reading Specialist, we've got you covered. This week, we are breaking apart some of the most common grammatical faux pas and misconceptions that we see. Find out why there are TWO grammatically correct answers to "How are you?", why the oxford comma is so important, why word choice can actually change the implications of what you're saying, and how to determine which of two seemingly alike words is actually the correct choice for your sentence. PLUS, using English rules of phonetic structure, word origins, and spelling, we settle once and for all the ever-present argument of how to pronounce GIF. Join us this week for a fun dive into language. You might be surprised with what you learn!
Black Lives Matter is more than a trendy hashtag. Black Lives Matter is a reaction to some very real challenges the black community faces today and the events in our world that bring into focus how much work still needs to be done. So, if reposting a hashtag is not enough, how can we all become better allies? This week, we are taking the first step and passing the mic. We are joined by three fantastic and intelligent guest hosts with unique perspectives on how current events are affecting people of color, what misconceptions are out there, how education can help make a change, and what they want you to know about becoming better allies.
For more on this topic, also check out our Black History Month episode and our privilege episode.
To lighten the mood this week and take a break, we thought we'd challenge each other to a "How well do you know me" game. Join us to find out how we did and learn some fun facts about us!
Be sure to tune in next week for a very important and timely episode.
If you've been listening to us awhile, you already know that we love fictional characters. This week, we take a look at fictional characters that have helped us define who we are. Join us as we each share five fictional characters we relate to and see aspects of ourselves in. And as a bonus, we analyze these character personalities for underlying themes that clue us into truths about ourselves.
Being that our Myers-Briggs and Enneagram episodes have been fan favorites, we thought it was time for another personality assessment episode! We started this week ready to analyze the Big Five personality test. We quickly found, however, that we weren't fans of this test. And in true Caela and Chelsea fashion, being lovers of young adult fiction, we decided to take a detour into the worlds of Harry Potter and Divergent. Join us for our analysis of the Big Five test, our thoughts on the Hogwarts houses, and our Divergent faction picks. Plus, we throw it back to our previous personality episodes and choose our favorite personality metrics of all!
It's been months, and so many of us around the world are still stuck inside. But this forced life change doesn't just have to mark time. What truths does it force us to unearth? How has it brought into focus the things that really matter? How can we use what we have learned in quarantine to make the rest of our lives more meaningful and the world outside our homes a better place? This week, we're doing some soul searching and really unpacking what we've discovered about ourselves in this time.
We've shared our favorite books before, but now more than ever, it seems time to share our favorite shows! With the world on lockdown, many people are looking for enjoyable ways to pass the days. So this week, we have broken down popular TV shows by streaming service, and we give you our personal recommendations for binge-able entertainment you can find on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime. Find your new favorite show here!
We're taking a trip to Mt. Olympus this week as we unpack the Greek Gods and Goddesses! We're breaking apart the family tree, strengths and weaknesses, personalities, myths, and our own favorites among the bunch. Jake is back again this week for our discussion. Join us to find out all about your favorites and help us pick our "god squad" of our best friends and zombie apocalypse teams!
It's been two years since we first launched The Sapio Files! In that time, we've brought you 72 episodes, 11 guest hosts (4 multi-episode guests), recordings from at least three countries and many states, and lots of fun! In the past two years, we've discussed culture, psychology, history, literature, music, science, math, identity, human relationships, personal development, ethics, altruism, mental health, social constructs, thought experiments, personality metrics, and a whole lot more. Where can a new listener begin? This week, we bring you 72 recaps in 94 minutes! Join us as we test our memory of each conversation we've had over the past two years and get some fun ideas of which episodes to check out or revisit next! As our guest host said, this episode is "nerdy word soup and it's worth every bite!" We're super excited for year three! Thanks for being a part of our listener family!
This week, we thought we'd lighten the mood by playing a fun game of Would You Rather. What we discovered, however, was that this game brought up some deep discussion topics- from morality to values to deeply-held beliefs. Join us on our journey from the light and fluffy to more deeply understanding our minds this week on The Sapio Files.
Be sure to check back next week for a very special episode!
When your brain creates the memories that stay with you after some time, what senses does it use? Do we remember most of what we see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Touch? The answer may surprise you. This week, we are taking a look at how our brains process the information around us and use this information to determine what we remember and why. Take a sensory trip with us!
Join us this week for a look at the psychology of colors! What does your favorite color say about you? Why do we associate certain colors with certain emotions? How can people use colors to alter the way they are seen? Our recurring guest host, Jake, is back this week to add a new perspective and to chat with us about colors and their associations!
Quick! Describe yourself in five words! Most likely, the words you just chose reflect the way that you see yourself and one or more of the identities that you connect with. How do we develop our identities? Is it as simple as which box you check on a demographics survey? Is it based on the work you do and activities you enjoy? Join us this week for a discussion on the ways that we identify ourselves and important things to remember when thinking about the ways that you create your identity.
In the past month, the world has become a place that many of us don't even recognize. With the risk of contracting COVID-19 on the rise, finances tanking, and most of life essentially cancelled, it's no wonder that our mental health is taking a hit. This week, we're discussing this unprecedented issue that brought the world to a standstill. How can we protect not only our physical heath, but our mental health and sanity in this time of illness, social distancing, and quarantines? Join us for this important discussion.
Happy Friday the 13th! It's our 66th episode, and if you're superstitious, those two numbers might make you worry. But have no fear, because this week, we're breaking apart popular superstitions and their origins! Join us as we demystify the most mysterious superstitions and give you our takes on which, if any, we should worry about. Why do we tell actors to break a leg? Why are some people still afraid of black cats? Find out with us!
You may know your love language, and know how to love the people in your life the way they want you to. But do you know how to love when things go wrong? This week, we are digging into the five apology languages with a brand new special guest! How can you be sure that your apologies matter to those you love? We discuss apologies, forgiveness, and moving forward when things get hard this week. Find out your apology language with us!
February is Black History Month! To help us celebrate, we are joined by guest host Kayla Stewart this week! Join us for timely and important conversations...as we dig into the history of the race, the progress that has been made, systemic vs. outright racism, the misconceptions that people have, what life is like today for a modern black woman in America, and what still needs to be done. What can YOU do to best celebrate and act as an ally this (and every) month? Find out here!
Happy Valentine's Day, Sapiophiles! This week, we are taking a look at love and numbers- how can numbers help us increase our odds of finding and maintaining love? Join us as we analyze mathematician Hannah Fry's book The Mathematics of Love, and her Ted Talk of the same name. We share our favorite parts of her theories, and share our own takes on how to find and keep love in your life.
Find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/The-Mathematics-of-Love/dp/B00RM4HAFK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TQ2DG5EG9VWT&keywords=the+mathematics+of+love&qid=1581561430&sprefix=The+matbhem%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
As promised in our last episode, we are digging into the timeless debate of Fate vs. Free will this week. How do we see elements of both of these in the world? In fiction? In our own lives? What bigger questions does this debate call to mind? What does it fully mean to believe in one over the other? Is there a possibility of combining the two? It's one of our classic rambling philosophical discussions this week, and we can't wait to share it all with you!
Happy 2020, Sapiophiles! We're back for a new decade of episodes! As it has been an entire decade since we finished college, we thought we'd take a look back at how the things we read, learned, and discussed in school affected us. This week, we are breaking down the books we read (or should have read) in High School. What themes pop up often, and how effective are they when filtered through the teenage mind? Is the standard "high school reading list" the best way to impart these lessons? How might we change the curriculum? How do the lessons in these books take on new meanings as we get older? Join us as we dive into literature and the teenage mind, share our favorite quotes and themes, and think back to our early reading experiences! And don't worry if you haven't read all these books... this is accessible and understandable for you as well!
As a new decade approaches, we are taking a look back at the past ten years! How has the world changed this decade? This week, we're taking you through some of the most significant events of the decade on both a large and small scale. Find out the "buzzword" of each year in history, AND find out what words and themes we see in our own experiences of the 2010s. Happy New Year! We'll be back in the twenties!
December is here, and that means that the Holiday season is everywhere. After some positive feedback from our free association episode back in September, we decided to challenge ourselves and choose a December, winter, Christmas, or other Holiday-related word for each letter of the alphabet. These words led to some fun free associations- from existential thoughts, to kangaroos, to breaking into song! Join us on our exploration of intelligent, creative, and often completely random holiday fun!
It's the time of year to give thanks and spread cheer! So... What do you do if you aren't feeling so grateful or cheery? This week, we are taking a look at gratitude. What can we do to foster it in our everyday lives? How does the season impact us psychologically? How can creating more gratitude in our lives help us to help others all year round? What is important for us to remember when giving back? Find out this week!
At 18, we are made to feel like we should know what we're doing. And... spoiler alert! None of us do. Back in the lovely year of 2006, 18 year old Caela and Chelsea first met... and a LOT has happened since. This week, we take a look back at our young adult selves, and dive into what we wish we knew then. It's a reflective and thought-provoking episode in which you get to find out about our younger selves and take a look back at yours.
Happy Halloween, Sapiophiles!! Do you believe in ghosts? This week, we are breaking apart the many beliefs on ghosts and spirits in religion, fiction, and personal accounts. Find out about the differences between the many types of ghosts, learn about our favorite ghost stories, and discover our personal experiences with ghosts, spirits, and energy (spoiler alert: GHOST CAT!). Plus, one of our previous guest hosts stops in later in the episode to weigh in! It's a spooktacular episode that you don't want to miss!!
This week, Caela and Chelsea unpack some favorite quotes from books, movies, music, tv shows, and famous people. Why do we love these quotes? How do they connect to our lives? What can we learn from analyzing these words? Join us for some quotable moments this week!
"October is a time when trees reveal the colors that have been there all along. People have Octobers too".
Join us this week as we break apart this quote. What kinds of internal "colors" do we hide? How can recognizing these layers of ourselves help us in our lives? Can our "colors" change over time? What are the benefits of the masks we wear-- and what are the drawbacks? It's an introspective, analytical, nerdy, and seasonal episode that you don't want to miss!
We all listen to music. Some of us even play music. But have you ever thought about what it takes for your favorite songs to make their way to your radio stations, iPods, or other music players? This week, we are joined by a special guest host-- musician and audio engineer Jake Sachs-- as he breaks down all the steps involved in creating music... from songwriting all the way through final production. You don't want to miss it!
For more information on Jake's work or music production in general, check out:
https://www.jakesachssounds.com
https://soundcloud.com/jake-sachs
https://www.youtube.com/user/Keimatsu
What comes to mind first when you hear a specific word? For psychologists and for many people, these associations that our brain automatically makes can reveal hidden feelings, values, priorities, and personality traits. So, we thought that we'd take this psychological concept, and create a fun game to get to know ourselves and our friends a little better. Join us and play along as we choose random words from the books we're reading, share our minds' first associations with those words, and discuss what those thoughts might say about us!
Welcome back, Sapiophiles! We are back from our hiatus and ready to dive back into exciting content! This month, Caela spent some time in Guatemala, building houses and helping support impoverished families. This week, she is ready to share those experiences with you! Join us for a fascinating and humbling discussion about poverty, privilege, giving back, and how cultural differences put our lives into perspective. Plus, we reveal our favorite ways to give back and personal goals for doing more in the upcoming year! Learn more about Caela's featured charity here: http://www.fromhousestohomes.org
Hello Sapiophiles! We had so much content on political correctness; we decided to bring you a part two!! This episode, we dig into the ways in which political correctness has changed over time and the historical context of some of the more polarizing PC topics. Join us this week for a fresh take on a familiar topic!
Political Correctness is everywhere. People have opinions on what words we use, what references we can make, and even how we can react to different situations. So this week, we're breaking apart the political correctness discussion! In what ways are some of the "politically correct" ideas beneficial to our society? In what ways do they hinder it? Join us for a discussion on some of the biggest societal movements towards political correctness, the acceptable and unacceptable phrases in this context, and our thoughts on the connotations of each of these topics.
Check back later in the week for part two of this episode, all about political correctness and historical context.
Back by popular demand, it's another personality analytics episode! Last fall, our MBTI personality type episode got tons of positive feedback, so we thought we'd bring you another path to self discovery- the Enneagram test! This personality test determines nine distinct "types" based on our driving forces, passions, goals, and fears. Join us as we discover our own types, dig into the distinct personalities of the nine types, and offer helpful suggestions for capitalizing on your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses, no matter your type!
Happy Fourth of July! This week, we're digging into why we celebrate Independence Day on the fourth and some history that led to the creation of our country! But it's not just a history lesson- we discuss our favorite Fourth of July traditions and where they come from, memorable people from the time of the American Revolution, and how the current landscape of American politics could take a page out of our Founding Fathers' book. Enjoy your fireworks, picnics, parades, and campfires this year, as you remember why we have this fun summer holiday. Happy Independence Day, sapiophiles!!
Happy Summer, Sapiophiles! One of our favorite parts about summer is lounging by the pool/ beach/ lake/ picnic/ insert your favorite summer activity... with a great book! It's been a year since our first summer reading list episode, so this year, we thought we'd share our thoughts on what we've read since then! We break down our favorites from the past year AND share some of our bucket list books for this summer! Happy Reading!
Find all the books we mentioned here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14MLqVHWz-xKpPaHYJlZCNG0iXwKmI6VJ/view?usp=sharing
After a brief break, we are back this week and ready to dig into that ever-growing phenomenon of artificial intelligence. While AI may sound like a science fiction concept, it grows more real every day. In what ways do we depend on artificial intelligence? How intelligent is it really? What do your phone, computer, or social media accounts actually know about you? How can we navigate this world of artificial intelligence? This week, we break down the types of artificial intelligence, the technology that exists today, how to find out what your computer knows, and the potential realities behind our favorite fictional AI stories. Plus, we share our own discoveries of what Facebook knows (or thinks it knows) about us!
May is mental health awareness month, and while most of us think of mental health exclusively as various disorders that alter reality for those living with them, mental health affects us all. One of the most prevalent ways that our mental health is compromised is through the psychological ramifications of excessive social media use. But what does that mean? What exactly is social media doing to our minds? How does this apply to those who have never experienced mental health struggles before? Should we all just delete our accounts? How can we protect ourselves and use social media in a positive way? This week, we are joined by our dear friend JoJo, as we break down the effects of social media on the mind, share our research on how social media has affected the population, and give some advice for protecting your mental health while using social media in the most positive way possible. So, close out those social media apps and tune in this week... you don't want to miss it!
When you think of heroism, what comes to mind? For many, this word brings up images of superheroes saving the day. But how can we recognize and become heroes in everyday life? This week, we are joined by a brand new guest host, here to talk with us about the constructs of superheroes as they are portrayed in movies, the good and bad that we can take from these movies, stories of real world heroes, and how we can take the tiny steps to become more heroic in our lives. You don't want to miss it!
We all have fears. But what is fear exactly? This week, we look at the neurology and physiology of fear in the human body. What actually happens in the brain and body when faced with frightening stimuli? How can we navigate frightening situations? What are the differences between fear, phobia, panic, and anxiety; and why is it important not to confuse them? We're ready to take a look at some of the most common fears, evolutionary purpose of fear, and how to overcome your fears. Don't be afraid to join us this week!
It's been a whole year, sapiophiles!! Thanks for being a part of our listener community! As we head into year two, we take a look back at how much can change in a year. How have we personally changed this year? What are the phases of human development that cause us to see drastic changes over time? How can we bring about positive changes in life? Join us for our anniversary episode this week!
This week on The Sapio Files, we are talking leadership! What makes someone a great leader? What are the different styles of leadership and how can we determine which style works best for us? What do improv games, acting class, and sports teams have to do with developing leadership skills? Find out this week as we take a look at leadership from many angles, suggest fun ways to grow as leaders, and examine our own leadership styles!
Be sure to join us again for our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY episode next time!
Did you know that it only takes 50 milliseconds for your brain to develop an opinion on something new? This week, we take a look at the science of snap judgments and the implications of making them too quickly. How is our subconscious at work? What can we do to become more aware of these instant opinions and subconscious biases that lead to them? What happens the 30% of the time that our snap judgments lead us astray? Join us as we answer all of these questions, PLUS confront our own subconscious biases, this week!
We hope you all enjoyed your St. Patrick's Day last weekend! This week, we take a closer look at the popular holiday. Who was St. Patrick? What are the holiday's religious and cultural roots? How has the holiday morphed over the years? What does it teach us about Irish culture and where does it mislead us? Where do we get our traditions from? What's the deal with leprechauns and other folklore, and how did they become part of this holiday? We dig into all these questions and more this week!
It's the episode of your dreams! This week, we are digging into that crazy phenomenon that happens while we sleep-- our dreams. Why do we dream? How can we analyze our dreams? What did some of the most famous psychologists of the past have to say about dreams-- and what do we find problematic about their ideas?Join us this week as we discuss the science of dreaming, types of dreams, psychological schools of thought on dreaming, dream imagery analysis, and our own interpretations of dreams this week!
Last week, when discussing the reactions she had to Dr. Seuss during her childhood, Caela referred to herself as "The Queen of Unpopular Opinions". So, naturally, we thought we'd give her a platform to share some more of these unpopular opinions! This week, we discuss our quirks, pet peeves, and opinions that are just unpopular (or perhaps very popular, depending on your view). Join us as we discuss popular foods, activities, and entertainment that we just don't get; favorites that surprise people; and, of course, Caela's infamous Frosty the Snowman rant!
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!" - Dr. Seuss
Happy Read Across America Week, Sapiophiles! This week is a nation-wide celebration of children's literature, focusing on one of the foremost children's authors of the 20th century, Dr. Seuss. So, we thought it only fitting to take some of our favorite Dr. Seuss works and other children's books, and break down the lessons we've learned from them. Join us as we discuss our favorite Dr. Seuss books, how the themes in these books can be applicable to life as a child or as an adult, and what you might have missed your first time reading them. Plus, we give you a rundown of some of our other favorites in children's literature!
With Valentine's Day having just passed, love is on everyone's mind. But what is love? Why is it that everyone seems to define it differently? Why does one simple word have so many diverse meanings? What can we do to expand our capacity for all types of love? This week, we are exploring the six greek words for love and the ways in which those six types of love differ. Plus, our suggestions for looking beyond the obvious romantic love to find love in unexpected places!
We're back and we're coming to you from Canada this week!!
Have you ever noticed that even the most intelligent people tend to fall into the camps of "math person" or "language person"? This week, your very literary hosts are joined by a fantastically math-minded guest host, ready to tell all about the actual relevance of math in the world and the different ways in which we can interpret life through a mathematical or literary lens. Find out why it's so important to have friends with different intellectual strengths. Whether you were a math person or a language person in school, this episode is eye-opening and helps answer some of the questions we've all had along the way.
This week, we lighten it up as we talk about guilty pleasures! What makes them "guilty"? Why do people feel the need to justify the things that make them happy? We take a look at some of the most common guilty pleasures and what makes them so enjoyable. Plus, we share all of our own favorite guilty pleasures!
It's a privilege to be back this week, talking about... privilege! In what ways have we been given privilege? Why is privilege often invisible to those who have it? We are breaking down the privilege conversation this week as we discuss why privilege is a tough topic for many people, ways we can change the narrative to make the discussion more inclusive, types of privilege in today's society, what many people do not notice about privilege, the many privileges that we've been given, and our thoughts on how we (and you!) can own and use our privileges to make the world a little better every day!
Happy New Year! We are excited to be back for 2019, and we're kicking things off with a guest host-- joining us to talk about lessons we can take from sports and apply to our everyday lives. How have sports impacted each of us? Why are they so ubiquitous--constantly growing in popularity in all corners of the world? How can they provide lessons for us in life-- even for those who have never played a sport? Why are sports cliches so prevalent and why are they so effective? What sports movies have touched us? Find out this week on The Sapio Files!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Sapiophiles! It's that time of year! This week, we dig into all of our favorite winter holidays and traditions! Find out the origins and traditions of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule (Winter Solstice), and Diwali--- PLUS, a deep dive into Christmas from all angles. What are the religious roots? How do they apply today? Where did the secular traditions originate? How can we get in the spirit? What's the deal with Santa Claus? How do people all over the world celebrate? Find out what Christmas means to us this week as we share some of our personal favorite traditions! Have a happy and blessed holiday season, and we'll be back with more episodes in 2019!!
Last week, we took a look at 120 years of history. This week, we examine the question: What if you could actually travel back to any of those points in time? In honor of the #timelessmovie, premiering on NBC this week, we analyze the sci-fi concept of time travel. Get ready to nerd out on the three primary models of time travel used in fiction, the problems, complications, ethical dilemmas, and paradoxes that could result from these models, the scientific basis of time travel, advancements in physics and the possibilities of time travel becoming a reality, and our favorite time travel books and movies!
It has long been said that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. This week, we take you on a journey of the last 120 years in half as many minutes! What moments in the past most strongly impacted our world? What events shaped the styles and cultures of different eras? What historical eras are most similar to the current social and political climate? Find out as we give you a crash course in US (and world) history since 1900, analyze our favorite cultures, styles, and trends of the past, discuss the impact of different events in history, and give you our takes on where our society is now and what we can learn from the past. Plus, find out what decades we'd most like to visit in our hypothetical time machines!
Let us know what past eras most impacted you and join us again next week to talk about the science of time and the multiple theories of time travel!
Find us at sapiofilespodcast@gmail.com
Happy December, Sapiophiles! Are you an elf who lives for the snow and the Christmas trees, or does winter make want to curl up and hibernate? Whatever your nature is this time of year, we share our favorite tips for keeping your energy up and staying active in the winter. Whether you're out on the ski slopes every morning or seasonal depression hits you hard, there's something here for everyone to have their happiest, healthiest, most active winter yet!
Happy Thanksgiving, Sapiophiles!! This week, we take a look into Thanksgiving-- why we celebrate, what we often forget, and reasons why we should all remember to be grateful-- no matter your current circumstances. We break down the unfortunate paradox of Black Friday encroaching on Thanksgiving, and give you a look into consumerism in America. While you're enjoying your turkey, celebrate with us and share your gratitude!
Check out Caela's favorite way to give back here: http://www.fromhousestohomes.org/
Hello, Sapiophiles! This week, we take a look at our favorite words--- words with interesting meanings, sounds and uses. How do the words we say affect the way people perceive us? Join us for a whole array of linguistic adventures and expand your vocabulary!!
It's been six months! Welcome to Season Two of the Sapio Files!!
We told you we'd give you our takes on life as millennials, and we're ready to deliver. Why do people have such strong opinions on our generation? What are some misconceptions that people have? What is a millennial, and what do we want you to know about us? In what ways to people confuse us with our younger friends, the iGens? Find out our takes on being part of this generation here!
Happy Halloween, Sapiophiles! Halloween is seen as one of the lighter and sillier holidays in our culture, but it actually has a surprisingly rich history. Join Caela and Chelsea as they nerd out on the history of Halloween-- including its roots in the Catholic Church, Medieval Festivals, Irish Traditions, Mexican Celebrations, New Years Celebrations, Harvest Festivals, and folklore. Find out why we dress in costumes, why death imagery is so prevalent, why we say "trick or treat", and other fun facts about this exciting holiday! Happy Halloween!
You've heard us talk books before... but why is it that certain characters in fiction touch us more than others? What's the common thread? This week, we reveal our picks for the most powerful and inspirational fictional characters that have affected our lives. Whether these characters shaped our youth or simply taught us valuable life lessons, each one is worth a closer look.
What's your type? According to psychologists Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs- Myers, people can be divided into sixteen personality types that help them embrace their best qualities and minimize their worst. Join us this week as we reveal our types, break apart the unique personalities of each type, and give some fun facts that tell us more about all the personalities! Join us this week on the Sapio Files!
Find your type: www.16personalities.com
Fall is here!!! Whether you love fall or hate it, it has somehow become a polarizing season in our culture. Why is it that we refer to women who love the stereotypical things about fall as "basic b**"? What would be a more appropriate way to refer to the fall traditions? What can you do if fall feels like an omen for winter depression? And finally, what are our favorite things about the season and ways that you can enjoy every moment? Find out this week on The Sapio Files!
Some of our favorite fall products: A portion of the proceeds goes towards supporting our show
Pumpkin spice coffee: https://amzn.to/2IvPUD2 Pumpkin spice t shirt: https://amzn.to/2OnyI85 Fall leaves candle: https://amzn.to/2NSZGFc Apple Pumpkin Candle: https://amzn.to/2Ir3cRc Fall Harvest Candle Set: https://amzn.to/2RcuJty Mulled Cider Candle: https://amzn.to/2R9SFO5 Wrap Shawl/ Scarf: https://amzn.to/2xPlk34 Fall Boots: https://amzn.to/2Ot8sJC Flavors of Fall Cookbook: https://amzn.to/2OuoRgV
Are you right brained or left brained? What does that even mean? Do we really favor one side over the other? This week, we break down the way that your brain processes information, the two entities that exist within your head, traditionally right and left brained activities and careers, and what happens when the connection between the hemispheres is severed. Join us for another fun and interesting episode this week!
Check out "A Whole New Mind", on the power of the right brain: https://amzn.to/2NRtFgP
A portion of the proceeds from sales through this affiliate link support our show
Ahhh... the friend zone. Does it really exist? Is it merely an excuse for heartbroken people? How can we define the friend zone? What can you do if you find yourself in that place? We tackle all these difficult questions this week on the show. Find out how we define the friend zone, how the term has been misused, advice for those who find themselves in the friend zone, and our favorite fictional friendzoned couples!
This week on The Sapio Files, we take a look at diversity in movies by breaking down our favorites according to three tests: The Bechel Test (analyzing representation of women in films), The DuVernay Test (people of color) and the Vitto Russo Test (Perceptions of the LGBTQ community). Do your favorites pass? Are these fair metrics for measuring films? Find out this week!
How did our education set us up for success? How did it fail us? This week, we answer that all important question: Why do we have to learn this? We break down what our education did right, what the real lessons are, and what we wish we learned in school. It's all here this week!
This week, Caela and Chelsea tackle that polarizing term-- Feminism. What does it mean to us as women? How can we help make society aware of the gender norms that affect not only us, but the men in our lives? In what ways do gender politics actually work in reverse-- creating disadvantages for men? What steps still need to be taken? It's all here this week on the Sapio Files!!
Edit: We apologize for the technical difficulties that caused the poor audio quality in this episode. However, a full transcript of this episode is now available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JhHhNN8DC1IG_N_1Jx-fTCpZdVPSsTIz/view?usp=sharing
...or on our buzzsprout website!
Happy Reading!
Are you stressed? If you're like most people, the answer is a resounding YES! This week, Chelsea and Caela break down the science of stress and offer advice for ways to naturally combat stress. Relax with us!
Looking for a stress relief product we mentioned? Find them in the links below: Purchases you make through these links support the podcast as part of the Amazon Affiliates Program
escue Remedy Tablets: https://amzn.to/2Ik1OiZ
Lavender Essential Oil: https://amzn.to/2OefmlE
Essential Oil Set: https://amzn.to/2N2AS8t
Adrenal Edge Formula: https://amzn.to/2DxlrWj
Probiotics: https://amzn.to/2DzF4Nq
Vervain Flower Essence: https://amzn.to/2DACIxJ
St. John's Wort: https://amzn.to/2R3a3UU
Ayurvedic Mood Support Supplements: https://amzn.to/2DGCxRo
Honey Lavender Stress Relief Tea: https://amzn.to/2zwSi9u
Meditation Music: https://amzn.to/2xFFcpj
Food and Mood Book: https://amzn.to/2IiXoZJ
Stress relief candle: https://amzn.to/2Ir2PpM
Wonder Sleep Pillow: https://amzn.to/2P1HntM
This week, Marissa is back, guest star JoJo is back, and we are ready to dig into the psychology of participation trophies!
This week, we analyze Robin Dunbar's 150 friends theory, debate the question of how many friends humans can truly connect with, and add insight into how you can improve your ability to make and maintain friendships as an adult.
Check out this book on Robin Dunbar's Number: https://amzn.to/2OXQxrd
A portion of the proceeds supports our podcast
Chelsea is flying solo today... but has no shortage of suggestions to make your beach reading time the best it can be! Check out these suggestions of favorite beach reads for all readers, how to engage your teen or child reader on the beach, and a sneak peak of Caela's novel, Someone Else's Shoes!!
Looking for a book we mentioned? Find them all, plus our associate links to buy them, here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IzK0Ji098_oNPW7rO6QJe5DxhGmbd479vWDRMR-747o/edit?usp=sharing
Find Someone Else's Shoes here: https://amzn.to/2DuxIdZ
Check out this deleted content from our pride month episode last week. Our special guest Kayla-with-a-K helps you ask the right questions to learn more about those who are different from you by sharing some personal anecdotes of the worst ones.
We'll be back next week with an all new full- length episode!!
June is LGBTQAA Pride Month! Join as as we talk to three members of this community about the importance of the celebrations, what challenges they face, and what they want YOU, their straight allies, to know. You don't want to miss it!!
Caela joins the conversation from Ireland this week, as we discuss stepping outside of your comfort zone, taking a leap of faith, and defeating the paralysis that comes from imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and anxiety.
How do the cultures in different regions compare? What can they teach us? What are some of the misconceptions and stereotypes we hold about people in different areas? How can we learn from them? Join us as Chelsea (and guest star Caitlin) speak live from St. Augustine, Florida and discuss the cultures and personality traits of different regions of the country and world!
While we're working on the next full length episode, check out this "deleted scene" from episode 6, all about movies!
How do you best give and receive love? Join us as we discuss Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages and how we can use this knowledge to improve our relationships!
Welcome back this week as we discuss the art and science of music! How can music affect our emotions? What is the science and structure behind our favorite songs? Find out all that and more (plus a free music lesson)!
Looking for one of the songs we mentioned? Find all of those songs plus more of our favorites on our youtube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiTz8MBLWHyqPsQ9pypT3qFyQ_rjP-eOc&disable_polymer=true
To join the conversation, suggest a topic, or just tell us something about you, email us at sapiofilespodcast@gmail.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @thesapiofiles, rate and review us on the iTunes store, or leave us a comment wherever you listen to this show!
This week on the Sapio Files, let's talk literature! We dig into adaptations, story structure, themes in literature, book recommendations and more! It's like a book club with your best friends!
Did we mention a book that you'd like to read? Find all of these titles on our reading list here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1un7nk69nfD69H6GbK5fzPA7jZv6bss7A/view?usp=sharing
https://amzn.to/2DuxIdZ
To leave us a comment, join the conversation, or suggest a topic, find us on Facebook: The Sapio Files, Twitter @thesapiofiles, Instagram @thesapiofiles, or email us at sapiofilespodcast@gmail.com
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Psychology guru/ bartender/ all around fabulous and brilliant JoJo guest hosts to weigh in on these critical issues.
Want to find out more or support Mental Health Awareness? Consider checking out these nonprofits: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/ https://www.nami.org/ https://projectsemicolon.com/ http://www.allianceofhope.org/ http://www.sptsusa.org/ https://thisismybrave.org/ https://afsp.org/ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
This week, welcome back to our girls' night as we dig into Harry Potter! What can the series teach us about life and love?
This week: Meet the hosts as we discuss generational differences, live tv musicals, childhood and imagination, astrological signs and their prescribed personality types, and turning thirty!