Something You Should Know - SYSK Choice: Proven Ways to Be Instantly Happier & The Magic of Math

Episode Date: June 20, 2020

You probably think you are a good driver. But what do other people think about your driving? Listen to take this simple driving test to see whether or not you do things that really annoy other drivers. https://www.thrillist.com/cars/nation/14-ways-people-drive-like-dicks-most-annoying-driving-habits Did you know that pessimistic and unhappy people are more likely to look down at the ground when they walk? And that happy people tend to look up? This is one of the really interesting and unusual finding about happy people I discuss with David Niven, researcher and author of the book 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People (https://amzn.to/2C5oPHr). Listen as David offers some really interesting ways to be happier and explains what it means to be a happy person. First impressions are important and they happen faster than you think. Listen as I explain how important first impressions are and how to make a good one. You will love math a little bit more when you listen to my conversation with Arthur Benjamin. Arthur finds and explains the magic in math and explains why math is so important to learn and understand. Arthur is a professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California and he is author of the book The Magic of Math (https://amzn.to/3d6GriW). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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You can now make the first move or not. With opening moves, you simply choose a question to be automatically sent to your matches. Then sit back and let your matches start the chat. Download Bumble and try it for yourself. Today on Something You Should Know, we start with a little driving test to see what other drivers think of your driving. Then the proven and practical secrets to leading a much happier life. You know the general notion that happy people have some kind of magical existence where they float between chocolate sundaes and other delights. And in reality, you know, happy people get stuck in traffic,

but they're better at not letting those frustrations block out everything else. Also, how to make a really good first impression on someone. And magical things about math you never knew, like pi, for example. It's an irrational number, which means its decimals never repeat. At some point, your birthday will show up in the digits of pi.

Sometimes we like math not just because we can apply it, but because it is kind of beautiful. Think of it like music. All this today on Something You Should Know. People who listen to Something You Should Know are curious about the world, looking to hear new ideas and perspectives. So I want to tell you about a podcast that is full of new ideas and perspectives, and one I've started listening to called Intelligence Squared.

It's the podcast where great minds meet. Listen in for some great talks on science, tech, politics, creativity, wellness, and a lot more. A couple of recent examples, Mustafa Suleiman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, discussing the future of technology. That's pretty cool. And writer, podcaster and filmmaker John Ronson discussing the rise of conspiracies and culture wars.

Intelligence Squared is the kind of podcast that gets you thinking a little more openly about the important conversations going on today. Being curious, you're probably just the type of person Intelligence Squared is meant for. Check out Intelligence Squared

wherever you get your podcasts. Something you should know. Fascinating intel. The world's top experts. And practical advice you can use in your life. Today, Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers.

You know, I like to think of myself as a pretty good driver. I've only had one ticket in my entire life. And that was when I was 19. And I've only been in, I think, in one car. Was it just one? Yeah, I think one car crash. I also was 19 at the time. So that year, that year I was not a particularly good driver. But since then, I've clearly stepped up my game because I haven't had a ticket or an accident since. And the truth is, most of us think we're good drivers. But the fact is that you and I may be doing things without even knowing it that make other drivers think we're not such good drivers. For example, crowding the car in front of you on an uphill stop sign or stoplight. This is annoying because between the time the driver in front of you takes his foot off the brake

and moves it to the gas pedal, his car may start rolling backwards a little bit. And if he has a manual transmission, it almost surely will start to roll back. And you look like a jerk if you stop too close behind him. And your jerkiness rating doubles even more if you then honk at the guy for rolling back when the light changes because he's getting too close to your car, which was your fault in the first place. Here's another one, and this one really drives me crazy, is when people yield the right-of-way when it's their turn to go. Sure, you're being nice to let people go in front of you, but it throws off the rhythm, it creates confusion and anger, so when it's your time to go, go. Also, revving your engine at a traffic light.

Now, you know, this is a guy thing, I guess, but really, no one's impressed. It's not Daytona, it's just a neighborhood street, and everyone who hears you revving your engine at the stoplight really just thinks you're a moron. Not using your turn signal. What is so hard about letting people know what you intend to do? So use your turn signal when you're changing lanes or turning. It's really easy. Just don't do it too late or too early. Because, you know, when you signal four blocks before you really intend to turn,

nobody really knows what you're doing. Here's the last one. Creeping forward at a red light. And we've all done this, but why? Do we really think that those extra inches will somehow pay off later when the light turns green? And really, people are just laughing at you. And that is something you should know. So who doesn't want to be happy? We all want to be happy, but does happiness come by chance, or is it deliberate? Do happy people make a conscious effort to be happy, or are they just

that way? And what about the science? Happiness has been studied a lot. And perhaps there are some things we can take from that science and apply to our own lives to be happier. For years, David Niven has studied the research and published several books about this, including 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People, 100 Simple Secrets of Happy Families, and several other books as well. And what he does is he translates the scientific findings into practical actions that we can all take to be happier.

Welcome, David. Thanks very much, Mike. It's a pleasure to be here. So I think everyone has heard that happy people tend to be optimistic, that they have strong relationships. But beyond that, what are the other things? What are the things that maybe we've missed that happy people do? We have a general, you know, tendency to exaggerate the importance of what's happening immediately around us. And so, you know, everybody falls victim to, oh man, I'm stuck in traffic. This is the worst thing that's ever

happened kind of thinking. And the folks who are on a kind of a healthier, happier plane are able to sort of step back from that a little bit and put that into perspective and not let those little frustrations that absolutely everybody encounters, not let them stand for the day, not let them dominate their thinking. You know, that's one of the things that, you know, I think shocks people when I talk about, you know, happiness research is, you know, the general notion that happy people have some kind of magical existence where they float between, you know, chocolate sundaes and other delights. And in reality, happy people get stuck in traffic and happy people have some unpleasant

co-workers and happy people have all the same kinds of frustrations, but they're better at not letting those frustrations block out everything else. They're better at being able to put things in just the tiniest bit of perspective to say that, you know, even if traffic is really frustrating, it's not more important than the other 23 and a half hours of your day. And we all know people like that, but do you think, or does the science say that those people are wired that way, or that's a deliberate thing that they try to do? Well, I think there's kind of a combination here. I think that as we get smarter about the building blocks of a good life, that

people can see the path to that. You know, I think some people are blessed to be wired that way, and they can happily go about, you know, sort of shaking off the frustrations. And then, you know, a lot of us can learn to approach things that way. And I'll give you a perfect example of this. You know, breaking a routine, no matter how trivial, no matter how small, breaking a routine, you know, contributes to a positive outlook and a more creative approach to what you're doing. So what does that mean? Well, if you eat the same sandwich at lunch five days in a row, break the routine. If you go to work the exact same way every day, break the routine.

Go a slightly different way. If this is the stuff that you wear to work every Monday, break the routine and wear a different way. If, you know, if, if these are your, you know, this is the, the stuff that you wear to work, you know, every Monday, break the routine and wear a different shirt, you know, little things like that, that anybody could learn and put into practice and all of a sudden contribute to a slightly more, you know, positive approach to what they're doing. And so I think, I think the bottom line answer is it's both. It's, there's some people who happened upon this, you know, by, you know, by nature. And There's some people who happened upon this by nature, and there's some people who happen upon a better approach to life by reading books, by listening to your show, by thinking through what they could do very easily

that would make their lives just a little better. There's so much talk about the need for relationships, human contact, all of that. But why is that? What is it that people get from that that makes them happy? What people, everybody needs, including the introverts, what everybody needs is the human reinforcement. They need a sense of themselves relative to other humans that, you know, that puts them in something of a positive light. So what does that mean? Well, I give you my favorite example of something tiny that will contribute to a positive outlook and is inherently human.

Do something. It could be as minor as holding the door open the next time you're walking into a convenience store. Do something kind for someone. And everyone, I don't care how introverted you are, everyone gets this little ping of pleasure from this notion that even in that tiny little act, it's a reinforcing notion that I'm a good person. Look at that. Look what I've just done for somebody. And, you know, that's the kind of thing where you say relationships come in all different shapes and sizes. Families do. Personal lives do. But everybody has that need for that little bit of

reinforcing human contact. And that's why, you know, research is really not uniform on there's one thing that everybody needs except this. You know, they need that human reinforcement, no matter which way you access it. And holding the door open is just one little thing that, you know, happens to apply and work for absolutely everybody. Talk a bit about families and what the secrets are for families to get along with each other and be happy as opposed to individuals? Well, you know, again, in the family dynamic, what, you know, the research is, you know, is very clear on the incredible value of seeing something that's larger than yourself and,

you know, not being stymied by a winner-take-all, me-versus-them mentality. The key to a fulfilling family life is that capacity to put yourself into that context. And so when you think about people who are arguing with each other, one of the things that research finds is step away from that argument for a few weeks or months, and a lot of people will forget what the actual subject was, what, you know, what got us started on that argument. But everybody will remember the feelings that came up during the argument, the feelings that, you know, that you experienced if somebody was telling you how wrong you were, or you were saying how wrong they were.

So the point of that is, you know, to be able to step back and see winning the argument is actually not all that productive. And thinking about the larger purpose of what you're doing is quite productive. And so, you know, that very first step, you know, regardless of whether it's a love relationship or a parenting relationship or what, you know, that very first step is the biggest one. Isn't that interesting? And everyone has experienced that, that when you recall that you had an argument with someone in your family, you often don't remember what it was about. You just remember how mad you were or upset you were. Or, you know, how terrible you felt or how terrible you made them feel. And that kind of feeling can last forever. And it really does put into perspective, you know, relatively speaking, who took the garbage out is not that

important. But, you know, who made someone feel loved or who made somebody feel unwelcome is everything. And so, you know, that kind of understanding to be able to step back and even as you're frustrated to be able to see, you know, something bigger and something more important than the moment. And again, it comes back to that capacity to see something bigger than the moment, whether, you know, whether you're stuck in traffic or whether you're having an argument about whose turn it is to take out the trash. It is a true source of power and stability

to be able to see something bigger. My guest is David Niven. He is the author of 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People, 100 Simple Secrets of Great Relationships, and other books about happiness. Hi, I'm Jennifer, a co-founder of the Go Kid Go Network. At Go Kid Go, putting kids first is at the heart of every show that we produce. That's why we're so excited to introduce a brand new show to our network called The Search for the Silver Lightning,

a fantasy adventure series about a spirited young girl named Isla who time travels to the mythical land of Camelot. The Search for the Silver Lightning all about the importance of kindness, friendship, honesty, and positivity. Join me and an all-star cast of actors, including Liam Neeson, Emily Blunt, Kristen Bell, Chris Hemsworth, among many others, in welcoming the Search for the Silver Lining podcast to the Go Kid Go Network by listening today. Look for the Search for the Silver Lining on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Since I host a podcast, it's pretty common for me to be asked to recommend a podcast. And I tell people, if you like something you should know, you're going to like The Jordan Harbinger Show. Every episode is a conversation with a fascinating guest.

Of course, a lot of podcasts are conversations with guests, but Jordan does it better than most. Recently, he had a fascinating conversation with a British woman who was recruited and radicalized by ISIS and went to prison for three years. She now works to raise awareness on this issue. It's a great conversation. And he spoke with Dr. Sarah Hill about how taking birth control not only prevents pregnancy, it can influence a woman's partner preferences, career choices, and overall behavior due to the hormonal changes it causes.

Apple named The Jordan Harbinger Show one of the best podcasts a few years back, and in a nutshell, the show is aimed at making you a better, more informed, critical thinker. Check out The Jordan Harbinger Show. There's so much for you in this podcast. The Jordan Harbinger Show. There's so much for you in this podcast. The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. So, David, in all the research you've done on all of this through all of these books,

what are a few things that you found most surprising that the science says? Well, I'll give you an example from a more recent book called It's Not About the Shark, which is about solving problems. The gist of the research on this is kind of fascinating. If you start out focused on a problem that you're trying to solve, if you start out with a laser focus on the problem itself, you're less likely to be able to come up with a solution than if you start out thinking about, what could I do about this situation? What could I do to make this better? So if you start out unfocused on what's wrong,

you're never going to get past it. And this started as a research project. They showed engineers a challenge. And these were folks who were getting ready to go out into the world and design all kinds of products. And they said, we's how other engineers have failed at this. Here's where they've gone wrong and haven't been able to solve this. And the second group, they said, build a bike rack for the car. We want you to make it as best as you possibly can. And they didn't tell them anything about how other people had struggled. They didn't say how this was hard. And it turns out the second group came up with vastly more ideas and better ideas for the bike rack. And the difference was the second group was trying to come up with vastly more ideas and better ideas for the bike rack. And the difference was the second group was trying to come up with the best idea possible. And the first group was trying

to solve the problem. And so that applies regardless of whether we're talking about personal lives or professional lives. You start by working toward what you want, not working against what you don't want. If you can think through where do you actually want to be rather than how do I solve this thing I don't want, you're going to be more creative and more passionate. You're going to come up with better ideas, and you're going to take this farther. So, I mean, that as a kind of a starting block for whatever it is you're encountering in life, I think, is surprising to a lot of people, because I think our tendency is, you know, if there's a problem, then I'm going to put all my effort into that problem. I'm going to focus on that and nothing else in the world. And that's actually the worst way to solve anything. And yet that is the

problem-solving way to fix what's wrong. Right. And the bigger the problem, the harder you work at it. And so, you know, the more important this thing is, the worse it is. And this could be a problem at work. This could be a problem at home. You know, the worse it is, the more you just, you know, you redouble your efforts. And the next thing you know, you block out the sun with regard to what you would do. And, you know, it's not about the sharks.

It starts with an anecdote about Steven Spielberg making the film Jaws. And it was his first major movie. And it was incredibly critical to, you know, his professional future. If this failed, he was going to be a failure. And he had spent most of the film's budget on a mechanical shark. And the mechanical shark for Jaws didn't work. It puffed up so that it looked like a giant sea marshmallow. It didn't move when they told it to move. It couldn't menace swimmers because it was just a dud. And so he was looking at a whole host of unattractive options. He could try and build another shark, but there was no money for it. He could try and fix the shark, but he didn't have

time because the movie production had already begun. If he had focused on, I have a broken shark, how am I going to fix it? Jaws would never have been made. And instead he focused on, how could I make this movie as good as possible? And he hit upon the idea of, for the most part, don't show the shark. Give people the chance to imagine the shark is coming for them. Let them fill it in. And so that's where he came up with that idea of the camera being half above and half below the water and using that music to suggest the shark is coming.

And that idea is the whole magic of the movie. That's what it's remembered for. And that's why it became a classic. And it was only possible because he didn't focus in on, what am I going to do with a broken shark? Instead, he focused in on, how do I make the best movie possible? And that's really the approach, whatever it is you're up against, that actually produces great ideas. What else? Because that's a home run right there. I mean, that's a game changer.

But a couple more of those kind of little insights would really be cool. Sure, sure, sure. You know, here's a good one. Optimists literally walking down the street spend less time looking down, and pessimists spend more time looking down. And so here's a little thing, but it affects everything that you see and nothing, you know, nothing of any great hope and wonder. If you're looking up, the sky is, you know, the sky is welcoming you. The world is welcoming you. You know, little things like this, you know, that you do every day, that you do all day long, are reinforcing positive or negative feelings. And regardless of, you know, everything else that's going on, all the things that are outside of your control,

you know, I think we underestimate sometimes the value of the things that are perfectly in our control. And so, you know, I would very much encourage folks, you know, to understand that, you know, that, yes, there's going to be frustrations, but there are little things each day that you can do. You hold open that door, take a look up at the sky and not just down at your shoes that are going to reinforce, you know, positive feelings that you have about everything and open yourself up to positive experiences and not leave you, you know, kind of closed off from things. And that sounds good, but is there real science behind that?

There is. There's real science behind it. And that's why I say, you know, some of these things, and, you know, I mentioned earlier that the don't wear the same clothes to work every Monday. There's real science behind this. We've, you know, the host of studies that have been done in this area where a group will be encouraged to do, you know, to do one of these things, change their routine. And then the scientists bring them in and give them a little test, give them a little, you know, like one of those word puzzle tests or creativity tests. And the folks whose routine has been changed do better on these tests. There's real science behind it. You know, I'll give you one of my favorite examples of the shocking power of doing something a little bit more pleasant.

A group of researchers created a medical file for a patient, and it described an array of symptoms and conditions. They gave the file to practicing physicians, and they said, okay, diagnose this person. And half the physicians, they gave them the file and those instructions. Half the physicians, they gave them the file and a chocolate bar. And so literally, it was describing the same patient with the same conditions, and the chocolate bar doctors did better on the task. The chocolate bar doctors were more likely

to successfully diagnose the patient. So what does that mean? A little bit of joy, a little momentary bit of joy in these highly trained professionals' lives. And all of a sudden, they were better at what they're doing. And that's why I say we have great, great science on the power of these little actions that make you a little bit more open to positive outcomes, that make you a little bit more open to trying harder, that make you just a little bit more, you know, open to trying harder, that make you just a little bit more open to enjoying what you're doing, and it can change everything. Well, it is interesting how we sort of squeeze the joy out of life in many ways,

and yet putting it back in has real benefits besides just, you know, feeling good. You know, that's why I say these ideas along the lines of breaking out of routines or breaking out of things that kind of close you off, you know, there is an enormous power in that, you know, in seeing yourself not simply as, you know, a widget, you know, as another cog in some larger machine, but really taking some human moments into this. And on one level, it sounds kind of frightening that, well, my doctor's going to do a better job figuring out what's wrong with me if he or she has a chocolate bar before they see me. But on the other hand,

that is really just testimony to the power of human feeling and that caring for the whole of ourselves is actually every bit as important, every bit as critical as all the other things that we think of as the essence of providing and protecting for lives, that, you know, providing and protecting for that joy and that human connection is every bit as critical as, you know, as food and shelter. So it seems like the message is, yeah, happiness takes a little work, but it's just a little work, and that with a little effort, we could all be a lot happier. David Niven has been my guest. He is a researcher and author of several books on happiness, including 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People and 100 Simple Secrets of Happy Families.

And the other book he mentioned in our discussion, It's Not About the Shark. There's a link to his page on Amazon that has all of his books about happiness and the shark and everything else. And that's in the show notes for this episode. Thanks for being here, David. My pleasure. Hey, everyone. Join me, Megan Rinks. And me, Melissa Demonts, for Don't Blame Me, But Am I Wrong? Each week, we deliver four fun-filled shows. In Don't Blame Me, we tackle

our listeners' dilemmas with hilariously honest advice. Then we have But Am I Wrong?, which is for the listeners that didn't take our advice. Plus, we share our hot takes on current events. Then tune in to see you next Tuesday for our Lister poll results from But Am I Wrong? And finally, wrap up your week with Fisting Friday, where we catch up and talk all things pop culture. Listen to Don't Blame Me,

But Am I Wrong? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Do you love Disney? Then you are going to love our hit podcast, Disney Countdown. I'm Megan, the Magical Millennial.

And I'm the Dapper Danielle. On every episode of our fun and family-friendly show, we count down our top 10 lists of all things Disney. There is nothing we don't cover. We are famous for rabbit holes, Disney-themed games, and fun facts you didn't know you needed, but you definitely need in your life. So if you're looking for a healthy dose of Disney magic, check out Disney Countdown wherever you get your podcasts.

Remember math in school? It was not my strong subject, I'll tell you that. I liked it. I just didn't get it. My brain just didn't work that way. But anyway, it left me, and I suspect a lot of other people, with a less than warm and fuzzy feeling about math in general. And how many times have I said, and maybe you've said back then, I'm never going to need to know this stuff. Well, maybe we missed something. Maybe math is more important and more fun than we realized back then. Here to make the case is Arthur Benjamin, a professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and author of the book, The Magic of Math. And so, Professor, you obviously are one of those people who feels differently about math than I did in school.

What's your fascination with math? Well, I've always loved numbers and math for my entire life, really. But unfortunately, I've seen a trend where we spend more and more time in the classroom talking about fewer and fewer topics. And I think, unfortunately, we've left out a lot of the fun and beautiful topics in mathematics, and that's what my book is about. I want you to learn the math that's important, but I also want you to love the math, which is not always the same as the math that's being shown to us in school. Yeah, well, few people, I think, would think back to their school days

and think math was fun, although some do, but it just, you know, math is one of those things that people get through and complain they'll never need it later in life. And so talk about the magic. And so the magic, well, let me just do it. We're going to talk about it. Let me do an example for you. There you go. So think of a number between 20 and 100. Since we're on the air, say 20 to 50, okay? And whatever number you're thinking of, add the digits together. So if you thought of 42, then 4 plus 2 is 6. Now take that total and subtract it from your original number. Okay? So now you should be thinking of a two-digit number that even you didn't know you'd be

thinking about. And I want you to add the digits of that number together. And if my magic powers are working right now, you should be thinking of the number nine. Yep. Why does that always work? Exactly. Well, first of all, I got you to ask me why does it work, which is, you know, a magician wants to hear the audience say, wow, how'd you do it? A mathematician or a mathematician wants you to say, wow, that was cool. Yeah, how did you do that? Why does that work? And the basis for this magic here, and I have a whole chapter on it, is based on the magic of the number nine. And it goes back to the fact that you learned in elementary school that the multiples of 9, 9, 18, 27,

they all have the property that their digits add to 9. 1 plus 8 is 9, 2 plus 7 is 9. And there's all kinds of math that can be done using this fact. It's called casting out 9s, and it's a lot of fun. Give me another magical trick. All right. Let's see. Okay, here's what I want. I want you to think of a birth date, like maybe your own birthday or somebody you know, including the year. What year are you thinking of? 1959. 1959. In what month? April. April what?

12th. 12th. That was a Sunday, believe it or not. And that's, again, it's based on the fact that the calendar is mathematical. I mean, math surrounds us every day, every date. And with just a little bit of practice, you can do amazing things, not just in your head, but also, you know, applying math to everyday problems, whether it be algebra, geometry, trigonometry. The book even goes up to calculus. But I also want you to learn, you know, the fun side of math, the mysteries of the number pi, the Fibonacci numbers, the magic of infinity. That's the last chapter, by the way, because you can't go beyond infinity.

No, you can't. So what is pi, by the way, and why do we need it, and what's the point? Go ahead and explain pi. Yeah, so anytime you see a circle, then you are really seeing pi. If you measure all around the circle, let's say the rim of a glass, and you take a tape measure and you put it all around the rim of the glass, that's called the circumference.

And if you divide by the distance across the glass, that's called the diameter. And no matter how big or small that circle, the circumference divided by the diameter is always this mysterious number, pi, a little bit over 3, 3.14159, etc. And it's a number that mathematicians have studied for thousands of years, and we still find it showing up in unexpected places. But why do we care? So what? Why do we care? Well, two reasons. One is it certainly shows up in all branches of mathematics. I mean, if you look at, say, not just when you're dealing with circles and glasses and circumferences, but also you look at the bell curve that describes all kinds of distributions that show up in the natural sciences. That's based on the number pi.

It shows up in probability. It shows up in geometry. But also it's just kind of a mysterious number, right? It's an irrational number, which means it's decimals never repeat. At some point, your birthday will show up in the digits of pi, which is kind of beautiful and surprising. And yet, there's also an answer to that is sometimes we like math not just because we can apply it, but because it is kind of beautiful. Think of it like music. You know, sure, music has its applications. It can affect our moods and emotions, but it's just sometimes

just pretty and enjoyable to listen to. And once those light bulbs get turned on, once you understand the why behind the math, then it becomes very addictive, and math can be just as fun and as exciting as any art form. So respond to what my son tells me all the time, that I'll never need to know this stuff later, and give me an example of why that's not true. Okay. Well, what grade is your son in? What's he learning right now? He's in fifth grade, and they're doing simple algebra.

Ah, well, I mean, there in fifth grade, you're learning about fractions, percentages, decimals, which probably seems very abstract to him now, but you, as working adult use decimals, fractions, I mean, to understand money, to understand discounts, to understand market share, all those things. I mean, it's, you know, and yet to a fifth grader, it seems mysterious. When am I ever going to use this? And then the next level up, he's just starting to learn algebra. In algebra, you learn the whole idea of abstraction, the idea of letting a variable represent an unknown quantity. Well, if you're going to do something like, say, program computers, you have to be able to deal with that kind of abstraction.

You have to be ready for any kind of input that the user gives you, and you learn about this idea of abstraction through algebra. Now, I admit, you may go through life and never have to solve the quadratic equation. I mean, you'll need it in your calculus class and other math classes. But, you know, as a working adult, you probably don't need to know that. But the thing is that math teaches you and trains you how to think logically, carefully, critically, and even creatively. Can you give me an example? Because, you know, the nine thing is fun and figuring out what day of the year, day of the week, a certain day was, but something practical that people use math for or could use math for if they knew how to do it?

I would say things like being able to estimate, say, what your mortgage payment will be if somebody tells you what the interest rate is or how many payments, how long is it going to take for me to be able to pay off this loan. You know, whenever you take calculated risks every day, you know, what time should I leave for the airport? I mean, that's a question that is practical, and yet, you know, you don't want to leave too early,

but you don't want to risk missing the plane. And, you know, the better you understand math, the better you actually can do the calculations to make sensible life decisions. And so the idea that, you know, we'll never use it again, as you said, it helps you become a better thinker, too, by learning math. Right, and that's right. I don't know of anything that trains you to think more logically than learning mathematics. But I also agree that you and your son have a valid question that you should ask the teachers,

which is, when am I going to use this? And if the answer is you're going to use this only in a future math class, then I say save it for the future math class. Show me stuff that's interesting right now. And in my experience as a math professor, I find that students respond to two things. They respond to relevance and elegance. Either show them math that's real, that they can use for problems

that they're interested in now or that they might be interested in later, or show them math be interested in later, or show them math that's simply beautiful, just fun. I mean, that magic trick that I showed you at the beginning, you're not going to build bridges out of that, but it's just something cool that excites the mind. And I think that every math that we teach should be either relevant or elegant. If it's not, then save it for later when it will be relevant.

Well, great. Well, I like math maybe a little more than I used to. It'll still never be my favorite subject, but I do like it a little more after listening to you. That's Arthur Benjamin. He's a professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and author of the book, The Magic of Math. There's a link to his book in the show notes for this episode. Everybody knows that first impressions are important, but they may be more important than you realize. For instance, people can decide on your trustworthiness in as little as one-tenth of a second. In some research, a group of people was given 100 milliseconds to rate the attractiveness, competence, likability, aggressiveness, and trustworthiness of actors' faces.

Then they gave another group of people as long as they wanted to rate the same thing, the same people. And the results were very similar. It seems that clothes matter in making a first impression. In a survey, people wearing name-brand clothes, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger to be precise, those people were seen as having higher status and were perceived as wealthier than people wearing non-designer clothes when they approached 80 shoppers in a mall.

If you look at someone in the eye when you meet them, you're perceived to be smarter. And how you hold yourself can express how religious you are. One study at the University of California at Berkeley found that 123 undergrads could accurately assess how religious 113 people were simply by looking at full-body photographs of those individuals. Those who appeared to be smiling, energetic, relaxed, and neat were judged to be more religious, and in fact, usually were. And that is something you should know. That's the podcast today. I'm Mike Kerr Brothers. Thanks for listening to Something You Should Know.

Welcome to the small town of Chinook, where faith runs deep and secrets run deeper. In this new thriller, religion and crime collide when a gruesome murder rocks the isolated Montana community. Everyone is quick to point their fingers at a drug-addicted teenager, but local deputy Ruth Vogel isn't convinced. She suspects connections to a powerful religious group. Enter federal agent V.B. Loro, who has been investigating a local church for possible criminal activity. The pair form an unlikely partnership to catch the killer, unearthing

secrets that leave Ruth torn between her duty to the law, her religious convictions, and her very own family. But something more sinister than murder is afoot, and someone is watching Ruth. Chinook, starring Kelly Marie Tran and Sanaa Lathan. Listen to Chinook wherever you get your podcasts. the divine plagues and uncover the blasphemous truth that ours is not a loving God and we are not its favored children. The Heresies of Randolph-Bantwine, wherever podcasts are available.