ORGanon
100 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsFour voices, four perspectives, endless conversation. This weekly podcast sits you at our table and takes on a number of research-backed topics of social importance. Public health, education, social justice, relationships, the modern workplace setting, you name it; if it’s been researched, we’ll be talking about it! Each week, we look into a research question of particular interest and navigate through the complexities as we try to answer these questions and provide our bottom-line perspectives. Through our discussions, inquiry and ideas, we aim to influence our listeners to initiate conversations on pressing social issues.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Episode 133: Teaching College Students as a Minority: A Conversation about Leading Lectures as a Latino/a
September 30, 2019 04:00 - 39 minutes - 33.9 MBAccording to an article found on the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2016, approximately 75 of every 100 full-time faculty members are Caucasian, about 5 are Black, and fewer are Hispanic. On this episode, we are joined by Vanessa Gutierrez, a newly minted adjunct faculty member involved in sociological and research themes, in an engaging conversation about teaching, mentoring and contributing to students’ academic experience
Episode 132: Privacy, Social Media and Freedoms Lost: A Conversation about Apps, Fine Prints and the Cost of Posting Selfies in the Age of Information
August 12, 2019 16:00 - 33 minutes - 29.1 MBMost of us are guilty of it. Following the acts of well known celebrities, we installed an app on our phones called “FaceApp”, which uses a headshot to create an image of what you may appear to look like when you’re much, much older. Following the rapid popularity of the app, privacy concerns started to arise, particularly some hazy areas in its privacy settings that raised some red flags. On this episode, we discuss the app and other concerns that may reside amongst the apps in our phones. G...
Episode 131: Got the Daycare Drop-off Blues? You’re Not Alone! A Conversation about Our Experience with Day 1 Drop Off at Daycare (And Tips for Mothers AND Fathers on How to Decide)
July 22, 2019 04:00 - 32 minutes - 28.3 MBAccording to a post by the Center for American Progress, “23.4% of children under the age of five are in some form of organized child care arrangement, which includes day care centers, nurseries, and preschools. This includes one-third of those with an employed mother and more than one-quarter of those whose mothers are not employed but are in school”. In our personal research, we found countless blogs and vlogs on how challenging it for mothers to leave their children at daycare for the firs...
Episode 130: A Conversation about Lost Wallets, Honesty, Ethical Behavior and Theft
July 08, 2019 04:00 - 30 minutes - 25.1 MBAccording to a study depicted on NPR on June 20th, researchers conducted an experiment where they dropped 17,000 wallets in 40 different countries, containing varying amounts of cash, contact information and other personal effects. As it turns out, while most of us would think that the wallets would be long gone, the researchers discovered that most wallets, especially those containing cash, were handed over to the authorities. On this episode, we discuss our ideas on why people were leaning ...
Episode 129: Cards and Careers: Exploring Tarot and Life Choices
June 24, 2019 04:00 - 46 minutes - 38.3 MBTarot cards have been used for centuries, for people seeking answers and seeking spiritual guidance. Some believe in it, while others don’t. On this episode, we explore why people seek Tarot readings, and who knows -- maybe we’ll get some answers to some of the tough questions we have, for life in general and in our careers!
Episode 128: Famileagues? A Conversation about Drawing the Line Between Colleagues and Friends in Management and in the Workplace
June 10, 2019 04:00 - 37 minutes - 32.2 MBThere are multiple management styles in today's environment which try to explore how we can best teach and grow our teams. On this episode, we discuss the concept of treating your team like "family", in the sense that you'll do whatever you need to make them feel supported. What are the pros/cons of this model? How is this feasible in a competitive hiring marketplace where you usually have about 30 minutes to vet a candidate?
Episode 127: When to Quit and When to Stay: A Conversation about Relationships, Work and Life Decisions
May 28, 2019 15:15 - 49 minutes - 41.9 MBOftentimes, the most difficult times in our lives is the decision to quit and walk away from something that is not working or stick with it and persevere. According to the author of The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) Seth Godin, “Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt…People settle. They settle for less than they are capable of.” Today, we explore the topic of when to quit a job, a relationship, or a major commitment, and when to stick with...
Episode 126: Violence May Sometimes be the Answer… A Conversation about Pacifism and Violence
May 06, 2019 04:00 - 38 minutes - 33.3 MBAccording to a blog found on RE Factor Tactical, a company founded by veterans which sells tactical products and provides special operations with solutions for unconventional battlefield issues, violence can, and has historically been, the answer to major conflicts. In their blog, they state: “Those who say “violence is never the answer”, most likely never stared death in the face or encountered some of the greatest evil that plagues our society. In reality, violence often solves some of lif...
Episode 125: A Casual Conversation with Carl about Retirement, Millennial Wealth, and a Few Savings Tips!
April 30, 2019 00:06 - 23 minutes - 19.7 MBAccording to a recent article found on LinkedIn, many millennials believe that they will have been able to save $1 million by the time they hit 40, but the reality is that millennials’ 2016 salaries are actually 25% lower than those who were the same age in 2007. On this episode, Carl reflects on a recent trip to Key West, an interesting approach to saving and spending in a two-income household, a simple to remember savings strategy, and a very quick overview of a few retirement options many ...
Episode 124: That Other Job You Don’t Get Paid For! A Discussion about Working Parents in the US
April 22, 2019 04:00 - 42 minutes - 35.2 MBAccording to a 2015 article found on the FlexJobs website, 75% of employees reported not having enough time for their children, 40% of mothers were the sole source of income for the household and most parents (almost three quarters) reported that after having a baby, they prefer to work fulltime again once the child is school-aged. These stats aren’t just limited to heterosexual couples, as of the approximately 700,000 same-sex couples, over 16% are raising children, according to the Williams...
Episode 123: Let’s Split It! Disparate Public Opinions on How to Use Federal Funds
April 15, 2019 15:41 - 38 minutes - 28.2 MBWhen it comes to decisions about how to spend federal funds, there is almost always vast differences in opinions on what the country should prioritize. According to a recent survey of U.S. adults by the PEW Research Center, about 72% favored increasing spending on education while 28% suggested decreasing assistance to the needy across the world and 23% suggested decreasing spending to help those who are unemployed. On this episode, we explore the use of tax revenue across a number of public i...
Episode 122: Let's Get it On... Or Not!: A Conversation about Declining Trends in Sex amongst Americans
April 11, 2019 04:44 - 38 minutes - 31.3 MBFor the first time in three decades, nearly 1 in 4 Americans have not had sex in the past year! As it turns out, according to an article found in the Salt Lake Tribune, age is a major predictor - those who were more likely to abstain from sex were older than 60 or under 30! On this episode we discuss some of the potential reasons for this trend.
Episode 121: Are Millennials Unreliable? Or Are they Holding Employers Accountable?
April 01, 2019 18:18 - 36 minutes - 30.6 MBAccording to a recent Gallup poll, Millennials are the least engaged generation in the workforce, are more likely to job hop, and it is predicted that the US economy loses on average $30.5B from Millennial-related turnover. According to a recent Deloitte Study, a majority of Millennials from around the world felt that companies don’t behave ethically and that most companies have no ambitions beyond wanting to make more money. On this episode, we explore the underlying social contexts respons...
Episode 120: The Grass is Greener, Over There!: A Conversation about the Trends in Wanting to Live Elsewhere
March 25, 2019 04:00 - 25 minutes - 21.1 MBAccording to survey results we found on the PEW Research Center’s website, “nearly half (46%) of the public would rather live in a different type of community from the one they’re living in now — a sentiment that is most prevalent among city dwellers.” This prompts us to explore the question - why are we prone to the desire to live elsewhere? Does periodic travel satisfy our deep, nomadic roots? Or are we simply constantly in pursuit of new experiences?
Episode 119: The Declining Trend of Working Men Without a College Degree
March 18, 2019 04:00 - 21 minutes - 18 MBAccording to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the number of working men without a college degree has been on the decline (from 95% in 1960s to 85% in 2015), leading some economists to worry. Ariel Binder and John Bound of The University of Michigan has a new theory as to why: the shifting family dynamics, women taking on leadership roles, among the few reasons. Today we discuss on their research.
Episode 118: Democracy or Cohen-cidence? A Conversation about the Cohen Testimony
March 11, 2019 02:09 - 26 minutes - 22.2 MBMichael Cohen, President Trump’s former personal lawyer, recently testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee about his involvement in the 2016 election and hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, among other proof which incriminates President Trump. Cohen’s testimony also has us all wondering: is our democratic republic is failing (so much that it has enabled a bad actor like Cohen to exploit our democratic system and defraud the American public)? Or is it a clear indication that wh...
Episode 117: Please Proceed to the Nearest Brexit
March 04, 2019 17:41 - 19 minutes - 16 MBTwo years have passed since Britain voted on Brexit, but the split has proved more difficult than originally promised. Pro-Brexit arguments ranged from more rational immigration policies to the EU strangling the UK with burdensome regulations. However, big businessmen and current residents are now worried for their immediate implications with possible tariff and border changes. Ology Research Group weighs in on the parallels between Britain and the United States and how "emotionally charged p...
Episode 116: Ever Heard of...Flip-Phone Parenting?
February 25, 2019 05:00 - 25 minutes - 22.3 MBParents nowadays have to battle technology and are trying “flip-phone parenting” to emphasize self-care. As we're kicking off the year and the Letamendi's are welcoming a beautiful baby girl into the world, we're going to discuss a few parenting trends, as depicted in an article we found on Everydayfamily.com.
Episode 115: A Conversation about National Emergencies
February 18, 2019 23:49 - 30 minutes - 26 MBThis month, President Trump declared a national emergency, which will allow him to move forward with building a wall along the southern border. Other recent (and still active) declarations of national emergencies include blocking property of people threatening peace, security or the stability of Yemen, declaration of national emergency by reason of certain terrorist attacks, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. On this episode, we’ll discuss the precedent setting of this national...
Episode 114: Capitalism, Neoliberalism and Millennial Burnout
February 11, 2019 05:00 - 36 minutes - 31.1 MBAccording to author Malcolm Harris, author of Kids These Days: Human Capital and the Making of Millennials, Millennials (those born between 1980-2000), are bearing the brunt of the economic damage brought by the late-twentieth-century capitalism. He states, “If Millennials are different, it’s not because we’re more or less evolved than our parents or grandparents, it’s because they’ve changed the world in ways that have produced people like us.” He argues that this is also a reason why millen...
Episode 113: Boosting Employee Morale and Happiness in the Workplace
February 04, 2019 20:07 - 30 minutes - 26.1 MBAccording to a 2015 article titled Happiness and Productivity: Understanding the Happy-Productive Worker, happier employees exerted higher levels of effort and more productivity than those who were not. This represents just one of many studies regarding employee morale, which shows that employee happiness, while not considered in many office environments, has a positive impact on output, job satisfaction retention, and cohesion amongst employees. On this episode, we discuss approaches to incr...
Episode 112: Ology’s Research in Progress Series: Bullies, Victims and Propensity Towards Harming Behaviors
January 28, 2019 17:53 - 28 minutes - 24.6 MBBullying in grade school is a well-researched topic. There are tons of campaigns aimed at reducing bullying at schools, creating a safe and welcoming environment, and ensuring that the adverse consequences of bullying are avoided. On this episode, Kacey and Carl talk about an interesting project the team at Ology is currently working on, which will be presented through the New York State Public Health Association’s Best Practices & Innovations Webinar Series on November 20th of this year. In ...
Episode 111: The Importance of Mentorship
January 22, 2019 00:30 - 39 minutes - 33.4 MBAccording to the website YouthMentor.org, 1 in 4 public school children drop out before finishing high school, and African-American and Hispanic students have a 65% likelihood of finishing high school on time. The website also states that 76% of at-risk youth who had a mentor aspire to enroll in college, have lower rates of depression symptoms, are 52% less likely to skip school, 46% less likely to use illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking. On this episode, we want to take a mom...
Episode 110: YouTube, Children and Tech
January 14, 2019 05:00 - 31 minutes - 26.8 MBLong gone are the days where children can only flip through channels to watch cartoons! On this episode, we discuss the growing trend of children watching their cartoons on YouTube, and some helpful considerations for parents, and for Carl and Jazmin, whose baby will probably also get pulled into YouTube too!
Episode 109: Bidding Farewell to 2018… from the Eastern Hemisphere! China, to be Exact! A Conversation about Debunking Biases by Traveling
January 07, 2019 05:00 - 36 minutes - 31.2 MBOften times, we are taught a certain narrative about what life is like in other countries. On this episode, we discuss Kacey’s observations from his recent trip to China, and Jazmin and Carl’s trip to Russia just a few years back, where something interesting happened -- development of a new perception!
Episode 108: Holiday Travel
December 31, 2018 05:00 - 22 minutes - 18.8 MBAccording to AAA, about one third of Americans (112.5 million) are expected to travel during the 2018 holiday season! On this episode, we discuss the trend and hypothesize why this trend exists, despite all the hassle, expenses and discomforts associated with travel.
Episode 107: Gift Giving: It’s the Thought That Counts...Or Is It?
December 24, 2018 05:00 - 25 minutes - 21.7 MBAs we enter into the holiday season (aka peak retail season), it’s common for us to give gifts to one another, as a gesture of appreciation, or for workplace secret santas. On this episode, we explore the concept of gift giving during the holidays, and reasons for purchasing gifts for others. Is gift giving meaningful, or useless?
Episode 106: Where’s My Package! A Conversation about Stolen Packages and the Holiday Season
December 17, 2018 05:00 - 26 minutes - 22.4 MBAccording to Blink, a company which provides motion-detection home security systems, the likelihood of having a package stolen may depend on where you live! California had a per-capita package theft rate of .62%, .19% in New York, .66% in Florida, and a whopping 26% in North Dakota! On this episode, we’ll talk about these rates and the risks associated with leaving packages on our doorsteps!
Episode 105: It’s 2018, Has Holiday Retail Behavior Changed?
December 10, 2018 05:00 - 32 minutes - 27.6 MBIn looking at 10 years’ worth of retail sales, it appears to have been consistent, with the exception of 2008-2009, where storefront retail seems to have taken a dip. This year, we have noticed the closure of several stores, and increased in sales for Amazon. On this episode, we discuss our observations and projections of retails sales for the 2018 holiday season.
Episode 104: Do Drug Policies (Really) Decrease Substance Abuse?
December 03, 2018 05:00 - 25 minutes - 21.8 MBReflecting on historical drug policies aimed at reducing or even eliminating drug use has led us to wonder -- have those policies been effective? Did they actually result in reduction of drug abuse, or did consumption increase? Should we legislate a life-choice decision, and a crime a crime without victim?
Episode 103: Digitizing Africa: A Conversation with Lisa Nwoye, Founder of Project Digital Africa
November 27, 2018 17:30 - 46 minutes - 39.4 MBProject Digital Africa is an organization with a mission to create awareness and provide people living in Africa with the opportunity to have access to unlimited resources, training, certifications, software, devices, and gadgets in the digital and tech industry. On this episode, we are joined by Lisa Nwoye, the Founder and President of the organization, to have a conversation about the importance of her work, grassroots efforts and access to tech!
Episode 102: Midterm Elections… Do Our Voices Count?
November 19, 2018 05:00 - 23 minutes - 18.9 MBOn the 6th of November, over 1,200 candidates ran for seats in the House and Senate. On this episode, we come together to answer the question - does it matter?
Episode 101: Soulmates: Fact of Fiction?
November 12, 2018 17:00 - 21 minutes - 17.3 MBAccording to the website The Science of People, 73% of Americans and 79% of people younger than 45 believe in soulmates. On this episode, we explore the topics of soulmates, love, bonding and relationships, all to answer the question: are soulmates real, or surreal?
Episode 100: Our 100th Episode! Reflections and Ambitions of the team at Ology
November 05, 2018 05:00 - 48 minutes - 41 MBOn this episode, the team at Ology Research Group and the ORGanon Podcast celebrates its 100th episode, which means we’ve committed to having 100 conversations about contemporary social issues. We reflect on our experience thus far, and plan ahead for episode 101 and beyond!
Episode 99: ...Pop, BOOM!... Goes the Student Loan Bubble!
October 29, 2018 04:00 - 56 minutes - 48.4 MBAccording to the Federal Reserve Bank, American students amassed $1.5 trillion in student loans through the second quarter of 2018, marking the second-largest consumer debt segment in the country after mortgages...and the number just keeps growing! On this episode, we discuss this social, economic, and psychological phenomenon.
Episode 98: Racism: Our Personal Experiences
October 22, 2018 04:00 - 39 minutes - 33.8 MBRacism is defined as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. We all have, to some degree, experienced some level of racism. On this episode, we wanted to have a heart to heart conversation about our personal experiences with racism.
Episode 97: The HIGHlight of our Week: A Conversation about the Growing Acceptance of Cannabis with Will & Francis from ACELAB
October 15, 2018 15:57 - 58 minutes - 49.7 MBAccording to the PEW Research Center, approximately 61% of Americans favor legalization of marijuana, a huge increase from attitudes in the late 60s when about 12% of Americans favored legalization and most preferred keeping it illegal. These days, we’re noticing many states moving forward with progressive laws to decriminalize marijuana and even allow selling products containing cannabis and recreational marijuana for private consumption. On today’s episode, we’re joined by Will and Francis,...
Episode 96: Shifting from Impossible to Probable: A Conversation with Dr. Kambiz Shekdar, Biotech Inventor and Founder of the Research Foundation to Cure AIDS
October 08, 2018 04:00 - 42 minutes - 33.4 MBAt various points in the history of medical science, there were diseases that were deemed incurable. Some of these perceived “incurable” diseases, which cures were found for in the 20th century include diphtheria, malaria, measles, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, polio, tetanus, typhoid fever, yellow fever, and smallpox. Breakthroughs in biomedical research led to vaccinations and medications that are common today, and can cure these illnesses. On this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Kambiz She...
Episode 95: Growing Up Latinx, Gay, Disabled and Poor: A Conversation about Intersectionality with Mark Travis Rivera, Activist, Choreographer and Author of the book Drafts
October 01, 2018 04:00 - 50 minutes - 43.3 MBAccording to Merriam-Webster, intersectionality is defined as the complex, cumulative manner in which the effects of different forms of discrimination combine, overlap, or intersect. On today’s episode, we’re joined by Mark Travis Rivera, Artistic Director and Founder of the Marked Dance Project and author of the book Drafts, to have a about intersectionality and discrimination. Mark Travis Rivera certainly understands discrimination. A Latino with cerebral palsy raised in an inner-city envir...
Episode 94: Does Success Result in Happiness? Research Suggests the Opposite! A Conversation about Contentment and Satisfaction in Life and in the Workplace Setting
September 24, 2018 15:46 - 50 minutes - 42.7 MBAccording to a recent article in the Toastmaster magazine written by Lauren Parsons, there is scientific research “suggests that success does not lead to happiness but that the opposite is true. Happiness has a profound effect on brain function and significantly increases individual performance, leading to greater success”. On this episode, we discuss recommendations on how to be happy, and therefore, achieve success, and how to overcome barriers to having more optimistic days in the workplac...
Episode 93: Motivations Behind Exercising: NOT Always “to be Healthy!” A Discussion about Appearance, Social Pressure and Working Out
September 17, 2018 04:00 - 37 minutes - 31.6 MBRegular exercise is considered to be a good old-fashioned, preventive practice that helps people “be healthy” and prevent many conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other conditions. On this episode, we want to take a moment and answer the question - why do people really work out? It can’t always be just to be healthy, especially given many social pressures to appear a certain way, and evidence that sheds light on the fact that overweight people and short people ge...
Episode 92: Debate Time! Should College be Mandatory?
September 10, 2018 04:00 - 47 minutes - 40.4 MBOn this episode, we wanted to take a moment and test our debate skills and answer the question - should college be mandatory? Is there sufficient sociological, economic and personal evidence to suggest that we should all be required to attend college?
Episode 91: A Glass of Wine a Day...NOT what the Doctor Ordered? Contradictions about “Safe” Alcohol Consumption
September 03, 2018 18:06 - 41 minutes - 35.1 MBHave you ever heard anyone say that a glass of wine is good for the heart? Well, according to an article published on the Lancet on August 23rd, 2018, which looked at global patterns of alcohol consumption states, “...the safest level of drinking is none. This level is in conflict with most health guidelines, which espouse health benefits associated with consuming up to two drinks per day”. On this episode, we wanted to have a conversation about social drinking, binge drinking, not drinking a...
Episode 90: Revisiting the Concept of the 40 Hour Workweek
August 27, 2018 04:00 - 53 minutes - 45.7 MBHave you ever wondered why workweeks are usually 40-hours? In 1890, the government tracked worker’s hours and found that manufacturing laborers worked about 100 hours a week! In 1916, congress passed the Adamson Act, which established an 8 hour workday for railroad workers. Ten years later, Ford Motor Companies implemented a 5-day, 40 hour workweek. An amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act went into effect in October of 1940, which limited the workweek to 40 hours, down from 44 hours when...
Episode 89: Tattoos in the Workplace
August 20, 2018 04:00 - 38 minutes - 32.4 MBA hospital-based study had over 1,000 adult patients interact with several physicians who had fake piercings and tattoos. The patients were asked about the physician’s competence, professionalism, caring attitude, approachability, trustworthiness and reliability. All five qualities were rated highly over 75 percent of the time, regardless of whether patients were treated by a doctor with tattoos or piercings. This study led us to propose the question - are visible tattoos simply becoming a no...
Episode 88: Determining Your Dating Desirability and Attractiveness... with an Algorithm?
August 13, 2018 04:00 - 42 seconds - 37.2 MBAccording to an article published in Science Advances, sociologist Elizabeth Bruch, Ph.D., and Mark Newman, Ph.D., a physics professor, collected DMs received by online daters across four cities to determine level of desirability. On this episode, we discuss trends in online dating, usage of data to identify social patterns and of course - social implications and new knowledge that can come from this!
Episode 87: Who Wants to (and Doesn’t Want to) Go to Church? A Conversation About Trends and Traits among the Faithful and the Faithless
August 06, 2018 04:00 - 42 minutes - 36 MBAccording to an article published by the Pew Research Center, most people who attend religious services state that they attend church, synagogue or mosque to feel closer to God. Those who don’t attend religious services tend to be younger, more educated and democratic. Moreover, about 37% of survey respondents indicated that they don’t attend religious services, but they practice faith in other ways. On this episode, we explore some of the perceptions and traits of those who are churchgoers,...
Episode 86: Speak Up! The Importance of Public Speaking Skills in your Personal and Professional Life
July 30, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 29.4 MBAccording to a study by sociologist Andrew Zekeri (Zekeri, 2004), oral communication skills were the number one skill college graduates found useful in the business world. Nonetheless, there are many other surveys out there that confirm that public speaking, and not many other things - including death - is one of people’s biggest fears. An article published by the Washington Post illustrated that fear of public speaking is America's biggest phobia (approximately 25%). Other fears included clo...
Episode 85: Polygamy and Multiple Partners: A Discussion about Contemporary Trends in Relationships
July 23, 2018 04:00 - 31 minutes - 26.5 MBContemporarily, many people have perceived polygamy to be something repulsive, sinful, immoral and inappropriate. According to an article published in Psychology Today, there seems to be trends alluding to the opposite - more and more people are being open about having multiple partners. Are we going “backwards” when it comes to the concept of what constitutes romantic relationships? Or, are we becoming more liberal?
Episode 84: The Importance of Fathers in the Family – A Conversation with Dr. Antonio Harrison
July 16, 2018 04:00 - 41 minutes - 35 MBAccording to an article published on the Huffington Post, children who have good relationships with their fathers and feel loved by them, tend to have fewer behavioral problems, and appear to engage in alcohol and drug abuse far less. Conversely, when fathers are less engaged, children are more likely to dropout of school earlier and exhibit behavioral and substance abuse issues. We have noticed that presently, there is a gap in the literature regarding the importance of the relationship betw...