Michael Schur on every moral question ever

Michael Schur on every moral question ever

Author: TED August 18, 2022 Duration: 49:24

Michael Scott, Leslie Knope, Detective Jake Peralta–television producer and writer Michael Schur has created some of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters on shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good Place. Still, his shows and his philosophy are not just about laughs. Today on The TED Interview, Michael Schur talks about the craft of writing the TV comedy, why he is obsessed with philosophy and ethics, and what he’s learned from both the fictional and the real workplace about how humans behave, grow, and love. Michael’s New York Times-bestselling book “How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question” is out now.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Head of TED Chris Anderson pulls up a chair for extended conversations with some of the world's most compelling minds on The TED Interview. This isn't a quick soundbite; it's a deeper exploration of the ideas that define our time, where guests have the room to unpack the nuances of their groundbreaking work. You'll hear the stories behind their discoveries, the challenges in their exploration, and thoughtful defenses of their perspectives when questioned. The discussions naturally span society, culture, and personal journeys, reflecting the wide-ranging curiosity of the TED stage. Each episode of this podcast offers a rare, unhurried look at how influential thinkers connect dots and see the world differently. The current season focuses on the theme of what makes generosity spread, examining the mechanisms and impact of contagious goodwill. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a substantive, revealing dialogue that goes far beyond a standard talk, providing both insight into fascinating ideas and the people who develop them.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The TED Interview
Podcast Episodes
Jennifer Egan on storytelling in a data-hooked world [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:18
Jennifer Egan is a journalist and writer whose novel “A Visit from the Goon Squad” won both the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. Using a unique format—including a whole chapter…
Garry Kasparov on chess, technology and democracy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:37
Garry Kasparov is one of the greatest chess players of all time. He was one of the youngest world champions ever, and had a 20-year streak as the world’s top-rated player. But even though he is known as a champion, he is…
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein connects history to the stars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:31
The way Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a theoretical physicist, sees it, Harriet Tubman is the Great American Astronomer. Using the North Star, with no formal training, Harriet Tubman led hundreds of enslaved people to freedo…
How to predict the future with Jane McGonigal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:49
Future forecaster and game designer Jane McGonigal ran a social simulation game in 2008 that had players dealing with the effects of a respiratory pandemic set to happen in the next decade. She wasn’t literally predictin…
Steven Johnson wants to know how enlightenment happens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:39
It’s official, the TED Interview has a new host! In Chris’s last episode as head of the show, he interviews his successor, bestselling science and technology author Steven Johnson. Two self-described intellectual soulmat…
Unlocking the mysteries of our brain | David Eagleman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:27
The way that our brain perceives the world is profoundly informed by our senses–so what would happen if we could heighten them—or even create a whole NEW sense? In one of his last episodes as host of the show, Chris Ande…
What’s on Elon Musk’s mind? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:01
What will it take to build a future worth being excited about? Elon Musk believes we already have the tools that will help us create one, but we must take bold action to get there. In conversation with head of TED Chris…
The limitless potential of human knowledge | David Deutsch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:47
In an ever expanding world, it can be easy to think of our lives as insignificant. But according to David Deutsch, we all possess one skill that gives each of us infinite reach: our ability to attain knowledge. In the fi…
The science and ethics of rewriting our DNA | Jennifer Doudna [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:13
Biochemist Jennifer Doudna won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering CRISPR, a revolutionary biotech tool that can edit DNA with unprecedented precision and ease. But how exactly does CRISPR work, and what con…
Can planting trees really stop climate change? | Thomas Crowther [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:45
From governments to airlines to your favorite eco-friendly clothing brand, tree-planting campaigns are everywhere. Reforesting the planet has become one of the quickest, easiest and most ubiquitous ways to reduce our car…