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Something You Should Know

The Science of Changing Your Personality & What Really Happens to Your Trash

20 Mar 2025

Description

Some people just seem to have more luck. Things seem to go their way. When you look closer, those lucky people often have some interesting traits in common. If you want to become luckier in life, listen to the beginning of this episode. https://www.popsci.com/luck-real/ Are you stuck being who you are – or can you change your personality – or at least parts of it? The evidence is clear that not only is personality change possible but also, the people who do make changes are generally happy they did. Joining me to discuss the science of personality change and how to implement it is Olga Khazan. She is a staff writer for The Atlantic and has also written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and other publications. She is author of the book ME BUT BETTER: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (https://amzn.to/3DJhcGT). After the truck comes and picks up your trash, where does it all go? It’s hard to answer because it can go to a lot of different places. And your recyclables, particularly the plastic – that can end up on the other side of the world. In fact, plastic has become a big problem because it isn’t as recyclable as people think. The journey your trash takes is a fascinating one and one worth understanding. Here to explain it is Alexander Clapp. He is a journalist and author of the book Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash (https://amzn.to/4kSv3vh). What can a person’s handshake tell you about their physical health? More than you think. Listen as I reveal the relationship between a person’s handshake and their risk of dementia and stroke. https://www.prevention.com/health/a20431307/weak-handshake-linked-to-stroke-risk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Transcription

Full Episode

2.857 - 15.962 Mike Carruthers

Today on Something You Should Know, the interesting things lucky people have in common. Then, there are strategies to change your personality. And do the people who make the change like the change?

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16.743 - 29.708 Olga Khazan

Yes, people who did change their personality traits in the desired direction tend to be happy with the results. So, you know, you might be surprised by how good it feels to act against your nature sometimes.

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30.521 - 40.004 Mike Carruthers

Also, what your handshake might reveal about your risk of illness. And what happens to all the plastic you think you're recycling?

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40.585 - 55.35 Alexander Clapp

Most plastic can only be recycled three, perhaps four times. So the act of recycling plastic is never actually preventing final disposal. It's actually just delaying it. But a lot of it, the fate is to get burned in a field or just dumped in a river.

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56.07 - 58.611 Mike Carruthers

All this today on Something You Should Know.

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92.122 - 103.677 Narrator

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.

105.453 - 130.969 Mike Carruthers

Why is it that some people are just luckier than others? That's the topic we're starting this episode with today. Hi and welcome to Something You Should Know. How lucky you are probably depends in large part on how you define luck. But we know that people who consider themselves lucky do have some interesting characteristics. Anxious people tend to be more unlucky.

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