The Ethical Life

Episode 204: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada explore why so much of what we call “constructive criticism” fails — and what it takes to make it truly effective.

Many of us dread the annual performance review, and with good reason. As Kyte points out, a well-run workplace shouldn’t save observations and advice for one stressful meeting a year.

“Good coaching is constant,” he says. “If you have a good manager, you already know what’s working and what needs improvement, because it’s an ongoing conversation.” Feedback, he explains, should be specific, timely and delivered in the spirit of helping someone grow — not just checking a box.

The hosts also draw lessons from outside the office. Rada shares a story of baseball great Chipper Jones, who was challenged early in his career by coach Don Baylor to correct flaws in his swing. Jones said he appreciated the directness because it showed someone cared enough to help him improve. That’s the mark of effective feedback — being clear, constructive and genuinely invested in the other person’s success.

Of course, not all feedback lands well. Many people simply seek confirmation rather than honest critique. As journalist Jason Feifer has written, it’s crucial to tailor your approach based on where someone is in their process — whether they need a collaborator, a reactor or a refiner.

The episode also tackles some tricky ethical questions: Does feedback always need to be gentle? Should it sometimes hurt? How do you know when to stop offering advice, especially if someone repeatedly ignores it? The hosts provide guidance on how to adjust your approach according to the person, the context and your intended outcome.

Episode 202: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada agree that smartphones and apps can make life more efficient, but they also worry these tools are making it harder to think deeply, reflect and create.

The hosts discuss how the constant stream of notifications, tasks and digital distractions — what some experts call “sludge” — leaves little room for quiet thought or meaningful engagement.

“More and more, we’re finding it harder to focus, be present and make room for long-term thinking,” Rada said.

Kyte points out how this pace of change, accelerated by artificial intelligence and personalized apps, can feel overwhelming. “It’s like things are just happening to us now,” he said. “And no one’s really talking about what the benefits even are anymore.”

The episode weaves together research findings, personal stories and cultural observations. The hosts reflect on how even simple actions — like turning off notifications or going for a walk without headphones — can restore some mental space and foster creative thinking.

Kyte recalls how boredom as a child often sparked imaginative games and projects. Today, he argues, kids and adults alike rarely feel bored, reaching for screens instead. “Boredom is a great impetus to creativity,” he said. “When you’re not bored, you lack the incentive to invent or explore.”

Rada also notes how the digital habits that once felt generational have become universal. In airports, waiting rooms and even family dinners, everyone — from toddlers to retirees — seems glued to a device.

Episode 198: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada are off this week, so we looked back through our show archives and are sharing four of our favorite ethical dilemmas from the past few months.

Topics include whether to reimburse someone for the cost of gas, what to do if you think someone at your gym doesn't belong there and how important it is not to spoil the ending of a popular TV show.

Episode 197: It’s easy to complain about what’s wrong with the country. It’s much harder to suggest meaningful solutions — especially when those solutions are bound to be unpopular.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada take a different approach. Instead of lamenting what’s broken, they each offer three ideas they believe would make life in America better. The catch? Most people don’t seem to want them.

Among the six proposals discussed are calls for ambitious housing reforms, a nationwide ban on cellphones in K-12 schools and the introduction of religious education into public school curricula. Kyte argues that American students are missing a crucial understanding of how religion shapes history, culture and personal identity — knowledge he says is essential to navigating the modern world.

Rada’s own list includes a push for year-round school calendars, a politically fraught but practical shift aimed at minimizing learning loss and offering teachers more balanced breaks throughout the year. He also calls for an end to single-family zoning, which he sees as a key driver of unaffordable housing and urban sprawl.

The two also take on one of the third rails of American politics: Social Security. Kyte proposes gradually raising the retirement age and means-testing benefits.

The episode closes with a conversation about public service. Rada argues that elected officials and their staff are vastly underpaid, leading to a lack of expertise in government and an overreliance on special interests to shape legislation.

“This might be our least popular suggestion,” Rada said. “But it’s hard to get smart policy when the people writing it are stretched thin and planning their exit strategy.”

Episode 196: The Amish are often portrayed as paragons of simplicity, faith and hard work — living peacefully in the countryside, growing food without chemicals and raising barns as a community. In an era of rapid change and digital burnout, their lifestyle can seem idyllic, even enviable.

But are we overlooking serious ethical concerns in favor of nostalgia?

Hosts Scott Rada and Rick Kyte explore why Americans tend to romanticize the Amish while ignoring the costs experienced by many within those communities. The conversation begins with a moment of contrast: a social media post condemning a retailer’s retreat from diversity initiatives followed immediately by another celebrating Amish businesses as wholesome alternatives. That tension — between modern values and traditional practices — drives the discussion forward.

Together, the hosts dive into issues often absent from mainstream depictions of Amish life: restricted educational access, lack of medical care, gender inequality and the practice of shunning those who choose to leave. At the same time, they acknowledge the benefits that come with strong social ties and belonging — qualities that many modern communities struggle to maintain.

Throughout the discussion, Rada challenges whether we give the Amish a pass simply because their lifestyle appears peaceful or quaint, while Kyte urges listeners to consider what broader society might learn from their sense of purpose and interdependence. It’s a back-and-forth that wrestles with fairness, freedom and the limits of tolerance.

Episode 194: For generations, the American Dream has been portrayed as a promise of success — a good job, a home to call your own and a better life for your family. But in 2025, that dream looks very different depending on where you live and who you ask.

Hosts Scott Rada and Rick Kyte explore how lifestyle choices have become a new front in America’s ongoing cultural divide.

“Some people picture success as owning a big truck and a home with plenty of space,” Rada said. “Others see it as living in a walkable neighborhood with fewer material possessions and a smaller environmental footprint. Both claim the label of the American Dream — but they’re often in direct conflict when it comes to public policy.”

The episode looks at how zoning laws, housing shortages and infrastructure debates have turned personal preferences into political battles. Rada and Kyte discuss a growing movement called the “Abundance Agenda,” which argues that America should focus on building more — more homes, more transit, more energy — to create opportunities for everyone. However, they also warn of the risks associated with prioritizing economic growth as the sole objective.

“We’ve built systems that reward some dreams while shutting out others,” Kyte said. “And often, the people making these decisions aren’t the ones feeling the consequences.”

The episode also highlights recent political messaging that encourages Americans to settle for less, such as higher prices or fewer product choices, in the name of national interest. Kyte and Rada debate whether that kind of sacrifice is a noble calling or a political distraction.

In the end, the hosts agree that America’s real challenge may not be choosing between big trucks or bike lanes, but learning how to make space for both.

“Our democracy works best when people are willing to compromise and respect different paths to a meaningful life,” Kyte said. “The question is whether we’re still willing to do that.”

Episode 192: Hosts Scott Rada and Richard Kyte delve into the critical role of curiosity in modern life, examining how individuals can maintain a sense of wonder and learning throughout their personal and professional journeys.

The discussion highlights how children naturally embody curiosity, constantly exploring and questioning the world around them. However, as people age, this innate sense of wonder often diminishes, replaced by routine and narrow professional focus.

Kyte emphasizes the importance of asking questions and challenging existing beliefs. He notes that many educational systems prioritize test scores and information retention over genuine understanding and intellectual exploration.

The podcast explores several key challenges to maintaining curiosity, including:

• The tendency to seek information that confirms existing beliefs
• The increasing political polarization that narrows perspectives
• Professional environments that reward specialization over broad learning

The hosts think curiosity is closely linked to humility, suggesting that truly curious individuals must be willing to admit what they don't know and remain open to changing their understanding.

They also critique modern educational and professional systems that often discourage questioning and prioritize narrow expertise. The podcast suggests that individuals should actively work to maintain their sense of wonder, continually seeking new knowledge and perspectives.

Episode 191: In an era where arguments often erupt into shouting matches or retreat into silence, hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada explore how we can disagree better — and why it matters more than ever.

Drawing on insights from philosophy, journalism, childhood play and even sports fandom, the conversation unfolds into a thoughtful examination of how disagreement has shifted in our culture. The hosts argue that we’ve increasingly lost sight of what disagreement is meant to do: open our minds, sharpen our thinking and strengthen our democratic institutions. Instead, disagreement has become a contest to be won, often reduced to emotionally charged sound bites or dismissed entirely.

Kyte recounts a scene of children negotiating the rules of a flag football game, using it as a metaphor for the character-building that underpins both democracy and self-governance. He connects these playground moments to the deterioration of civic norms, highlighting our increasing acceptance of executive overreach and our mistrust of those enforcing rules, ranging from referees to elected officials.

The hosts also reflect on their experiences navigating disagreements at work, in relationships and even online. They differentiate between healthy disagreement and toxic confrontation, emphasizing the importance of humility, curiosity, and mutual respect. 

They caution, too, that constructive disagreement isn’t always appropriate. Silence or solidarity may be more ethical than critique in moments of grief, stress or unity. But avoiding all disagreement, they warn, risks eroding creativity, growth, and understanding — not just in politics or the workplace, but in our everyday lives.

Ultimately, this episode is a call to reclaim disagreement as a civic skill. It’s not just about speaking up — it’s about listening well, staying engaged and valuing the process of understanding even when consensus is elusive.

Episode 186: Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the delicate balance between pleasure-seeking and meaning-making in our fast-paced, technology-driven world.

"Are we chasing quick pleasure at the cost of deeper meaning?" Rada asks at the start of the discussion. Kyte explains that these two orientations toward life often exist on a continuum — pleasure-seeking is passive and short-term, while meaning-making is active and long-term.

The hosts note that society seems to have tilted heavily toward the pleasure-seeking side in recent decades, fueled by advances in technology and brain science that allow companies to engineer highly addictive digital experiences and products. From social media and online gaming to streaming television and convenient but unhealthy food, these stimuli provide instant gratification that can come at the expense of more meaningful pursuits.

"Pleasure-seeking is always shorter term because it is immediate gratification, while meaning-making is more long-term and goal-oriented," Kyte says. He worries this shift has led people to prioritize controlled, predictable digital interactions over the unpredictability of real-life relationships and activities.

The hosts acknowledge the personal responsibility people have in finding a healthier balance. They suggest taking up hobbies, joining community groups and setting aside time for reading — activities that restore energy rather than deplete it. However, they also believe there is a role for public policy, especially when it comes to protecting children.