Episode 221: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada tackle one of the most enduring moral questions — how wealth, privilege and authority shape our understanding of fairness.

Kyte argues that many of society’s moral blind spots emerge not from ignorance, but from a state of comfort. “When we’re insulated by prosperity,” he says, “we lose the capacity to recognize suffering — and once that happens, our idea of justice starts to shift.”

The conversation begins with the lingering unease around the Jeffrey Epstein case. Rada notes that the story continues to capture public attention years after Epstein’s death, not because of its lurid details but because it still feels unresolved. Why, they ask, does accountability so often end where power begins?

From there, the discussion widens — tracing the roots of moral perception from ancient philosophy to modern politics. Kyte describes how early Christian thinkers introduced the then-radical idea that all people possess inherent dignity, a belief that ultimately challenged institutions built on exploitation and hierarchy. That framework, he says, remains essential if society hopes to confront modern injustices such as human trafficking, forced labor and homelessness.

Rada presses on the practical side of justice: even when we recognize wrongdoing, why is it so difficult to act? The hosts explore examples close to home, from underfunded public defenders to social systems that keep citizens separated by class. Each instance, they argue, reveals how distance — social, economic and emotional — allows inequity to flourish unnoticed.

The episode also connects with Kyte’s ongoing public lecture series, “The Search for Meaning.”

Episode 220: For decades, the phrase “follow your dream” has been stitched into graduation speeches, greeting cards and social-media pep talks. But what if that familiar advice is doing more harm than good?

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada challenge one of America’s most cherished bits of wisdom. Drawing inspiration from a syndicated column by journalist Dick Meyer, the pair consider whether the pursuit of a singular passion has left too many people anxious, disillusioned or convinced that ordinary success isn’t enough.

Kyte argues that telling every young person to chase a dream sets them up for frustration.

“Most people don’t have one burning passion at 18,” he said, noting that interests shift and mature over time. Far better, he suggests, to focus on becoming useful, developing skills and finding work that contributes to others’ well-being.

Rada shares his own early ambitions — becoming a baseball announcer or a TV meteorologist — and how those seemingly unattainable dreams eventually resurfaced in unexpected ways.

The hosts also examine the modern pressure on college students to declare majors and find direction early, even as industries change faster than ever. They discuss the idea of a “growth mindset,” coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, which emphasizes adaptability and resilience over fixed talent or destiny. Both agree that in a world reshaped by technology and automation, curiosity may be the most important skill of all.

By the episode’s end, Rada and Kyte reach a thoughtful conclusion: Purpose isn’t a finish line but a moving target. Staying curious, taking on new challenges and investing in relationships often lead to deeper satisfaction than chasing the perfect career ever could.

Episode 219: In the latest episode of The Ethical Life podcast, hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada take on one of humanity’s oldest — and least discussed — questions: What is the soul? This episode is part of Kyte’s lecture series, The Search for Meaning.

It’s a timely conversation, released just after All Souls’ Day, yet Kyte points out that few people actually think about what the day commemorates. Instead, Halloween tends to dominate the season’s attention.

Still, belief in something beyond the physical remains nearly universal. Citing a recent Pew Research Center survey, Kyte notes that more than 80 percent of Americans say humans have souls — a rare point of agreement in a divided nation. But if nearly everyone believes, why is the topic so absent from everyday life?

Rada and Kyte explore that paradox. When people stop viewing themselves as souls, Kyte argues, they begin to see themselves only as bodies — and bodies, he says, “are intrinsically pleasure-seeking.” The result is a culture obsessed with comfort and consumption, rather than meaning. Seeing ourselves as souls, he adds, reminds us that fulfillment comes not from pleasure but from purpose.

The conversation moves from theology to psychology, touching on Sigmund Freud’s fascination with the soul despite his atheism. Freud saw the concept as vital language for describing the wholeness of human experience — including the unconscious mind, which can surface unexpectedly through what we now call Freudian slips.

Listeners will also hear Kyte reflect on stories of near-death experiences reported across cultures and history. These moments, he said, can’t be dismissed easily. “When you find a phenomenon that’s widely reported across cultures, it’s not simply a cultural product,” he said.

Rada presses Kyte on whether the mystery itself — not knowing what happens after death — might actually serve us. Kyte thinks it does. “It doesn’t really help us to know exactly what life after death is like,” he said. “What matters is how we live now.”

Read more: Rick's Kyte's column about souls