Awe is the Antidote with Dacher Keltner: Why Wonder is Our Best Defense Against Power Corruption

How does power change our brains, and what can we do about it? In this episode, emotion scientist Dr. Dacher Keltner from UC Berkeley reveals the shocking neuroscience behind power corruption and why awe might be our best defense against toxic leadership. We learn about:

The Power Paradox: Why we gain power through social intelligence but lose it once we have it

How power literally rewires your brain and shuts down empathy

Simple daily practices that activate oxytocin and reduce anxiety

Why authoritarian tactics ultimately fail and what sustainable power looks like

How one minute of daily awe can change your life

Why online life increases hate and reduces human connection by 5-10x

Practical strategies for maintaining ethical leadership in toxic environments

Dr. Keltner is one of the world’s foremost emotion scientists. He is a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the director of the Greater Good Science Center. He has over 200 scientific publications and six books, including Born to Be Good, The Compassionate Instinct and The Power Paradox. He has written for many popular outlets, from The New York Times to Slate. He was also the scientific advisor behind Pixar’s Inside Out, is involved with the education of health care providers and judges and has consulted extensively for Google, Apple, and Pinterest on issues related to emotion and well-being.

You can follow him www.dacherkeltner.com and @greatergoodmag

You can follow this podcast @toomuchwithdlh and Denise @deniselovehewett

Email hello@deniselovehewett.com for any suggestions or to submit questions for advice.