Aspen Ideas
Thought-provoking conversations from the Aspen Ideas Festival. Presented by the Aspen Institute and the Aspen Journal of Ideas. Visit us at aspen.us/journal
The Child Stress Epidemic
What it means and how to end itOne in five children in the United States is growing up in what we call “the context of adversity” — a stressful environment characterized by poverty, chaos, or exposure to violence — and this context has profound effects on their neurological development. There is a connection between adversity and academic underperformance, a biological one that education reform efforts to date have failed to unpack and address successfully.
Dr. Pamela CantorSep 22, 2015
In some parts of the United States, health statistics resemble those in developing countries; New…
That was ten years ago, so this is a time of reflection for everyone from the city. The hurricane took the lives of over 1,800 people…Orleans was one of those places when the storm hit. Louisiana consistently came either 49th or 50th in health rankings of the country, and New Orleans was usually one of its most unhealthy counties. There was a lack of access to care, a lack of health insurance coverage, and a broad unavailability of healthy foods or green spaces. In short, we were set up for failure. We had very few resources, and a high burden of chronic and acute diseases like asthma.
Karen DeSalvoAug 25, 2015
Changing Minds
How digital technologies are transforming our brainsAdapting to the environment is our evolutionary mandate as human beings. Whether you’re born in 5th century Athens, the Brazilian rainforest, or downtown Aspen, you will become a person that is equipped to navigate and thrive in that time and place. This is thanks to something called brain plasticity. Even if you’re a clone, you’re going to have a unique pattern of brain cell connections, because these connections are incessantly upgraded, strengthened, and shaped by your interactions with the…
Susan GreenfieldAug 24, 2015
I like to think of math as the new civics.
I saw the consequences of this failure while working in politics. Before I founded my company, Knewton, I was on the Kerry campaign doing…To be a good citizen in the future, you will increasingly need to be literate in math. Everyone is capable of it. If you consider the incredible things the human brain can learn about, facial recognition and social complexity, math is a breeze. We are just not teaching it very well. ¶ I saw the consequences of this failure while working in politics. Before I founded my company, Knewton, I was on the Kerry campaign doing opposition research.
Jose FerreiraAug 11, 2015
The Revolution Begins With Math
A conversation between Dr. Michael Crow and Jose FerreiraWhen it comes to education, we are still, in some ways, creatures of the Stone Age. We follow learning methodologies that have proven successful to humanity over eons — gathering in small spaces with some kind of master at the front of the cave, chalking what he thinks is important on the walls, separating those who are good at it from those who aren’t fast enough. Unfortunately, that model only rewards a very narrow spectrum of talent.
Michael CrowAug 11, 2015
First of all, it should be said that all of this started with an appropriate and wonderful…
Harvard addressed the problem by changing its procedures totally. It created a Title IX office. The Title IX officer was supposed to advise…mobilization of women, who were tired of hearing stories about victims approaching their schools and being told not to bother, because it would hurt the institution. In 2011, the Department of Education threatened to defund universities if they didn’t do something about their sexual misconduct procedures. As a result, Title IX offices were beefed up around the country. Their principal concern was protecting the universities from losing funds.
nancy gertnerAug 11, 2015
The Law and Campus Rape
A conversation between Caitlin Flanagan and Judge Nancy GertnerJudge Gertner, you and twenty-eight of your fellow Harvard Law faculty members signed an open letter objecting to Harvard’s new sexual misconduct policies. The letter stated that the adopted procedures lacked the most basic elements of fairness, were overwhelmingly stacked against the accused, and were thus “inconsistent with many of the most basic principles” you teach. How is the new policy inconsistent with these principles?
Caitlin FlanaganAug 11, 2015
The Betrayal of Child Abuse
A coming-of-age storyLawrence — that’s not his real name — was a cousin of mine. We grew up in a Louisiana town of about 1,000 people, and though it wasn’t customary to talk about sexuality, everyone assumed that Lawrence was gay. He was one of two people in town, both of whom were my cousins, who fit that description. But Lawrence didn’t try to hide who he was. He lived outside of the rules, and rather boldly so, in a place where there was almost no support for him, at a time when that was incredibly dangerous.
Charles M. BlowAug 11, 2015
Thinking Better About Philanthropy
A Q&A with Kevin Delaney and Biz Stone on The Fast Pace of Tech: Doing Good, Driving ChangeI can’t speak to that, because I didn’t read his thing, but I do generally think people think about and do philanthropy wrong. Their hearts are in the right place, but what people tend to think they should do is wait until they’re comfortable, and they’ve got their lives in order, and then write a check for something. But I really think that there’s a compound impact to altruism and philanthropy. The earlier you get started at any level, the more impact you’re going to have over the course of…
Biz StoneAug 11, 2015
What’s Wrong With Philanthropy?
A Q&A with Kevin Delaney and Biz Stone on The Fast Pace of Tech: Doing Good, Driving Change[Question from an audience member]: Sean Parker wrote about the problems with philanthropy, and urged hackers to “hack philanthropy.” I wondered what you thought about some of the things that he said about what’s wrong with philanthropy, and how technology can do good?
Kevin DelaneyAug 11, 2015