Our Field of Dreams: Reimagining the Future with Karen Cerulo, Janet Ruane & Michael Clinton
Original Air Date Wednesday, November 2, 2022
From the famous ‘I have a dream’ speech by Martin Luther King to referring to America as the land of dreams, society often guides us toward creating a dream, or aspiration, to attain. Studies show that those dreams may change over time due to age, race, gender, and societal factors.
To get the low down on higher intentions, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with three authors about what we dream of and why we have longer to acquire our aspirations. Co-authors Karen Cerulo and Janet Ruane share the findings from their book, Dreams of a Lifetime: How We Imagine Our Future and discuss how dreams differ based on a person’s lot in life. Former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, Michael Clinton shares statistics gleaned from his research while writing his inspirational book, Roar: into the second half of your life (before it’s too late). Michael contends that life after 50 is the perfect time to expand our horizons and nurture and develop what is important to us.
Karen Cerulo & Janet Ruane — The Field of Dreams:
- Karen and Janet discuss the various factors that influence our dreams including social status, gender, race, and more. [2:54]
- Why Karen and Janet decided to do a study about dreams. [6:40]
- The difference between dreams, aspirations, and hope and why dreaming is essential. [10:47]
- From children to seniors, dreams change as we gain knowledge and experience. [20:09]
- The correlation between dreaming and human happiness. [26:05]
Professor Karen A. Cerulo of Rutgers University and Professor Janet M. Ruane (Roo-ON) of Montclair State University specialize in cultural sociology and social inequality. Their work has been widely quoted in the press, including venues such as Le Monde, Mycentraljersey.com, The New York Daily News, The New Republic, The New York Times, North Jersey.com, Psychology Today, The Post Courier, The Scientific American, Slate Magazine, The Times of India, and USA Today.
Book: Dreams of a Lifetime: How We Imagine Our Future
Michael Clinton — Reimagining the Future:
- Culture and traditional media promote the idea that we should be winding down after 50. Michael contends we should be winding up. [34:48]
- Michael describes some of the benefits of aging and stand-out stories from his book, Roar: into the second half of your life (before it’s too late). [36:46]
- Mid-life is a great time to discover our authenticity and to make different choices. [40:47]
- Looking at the statistics: A high percentage of the US population is 50+. [48:19]
- Michael prefers the word ‘refire’ over retire and why aging at home is the new normal. [51:24]
Michael Clinton is the former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines and is currently a special media advisor to the Hearst Corporation’s CEO. An author, photographer, avid traveler, and adventurer, he believes that everyone should strive to live the fullest life possible, especially in the second half. He holds two master’s degrees.
Book: Roar: into the second half of your life (before it’s too late)
Roar by Michael Clinton
@maclinton on Twitter
ROAR by Michael Clinton on Facebook
@roarmichaelclinton on Instagram
This episode of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio about our field of dreams and the future is sponsored by:
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Are We Happy Yet? Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life — A boot camp manual for greater emotional fitness. Happiness waits for no one and sometimes we all need support. What is getting in the way of your happiness right now?
H–Factor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day.
“If time and money weren’t an issue I’d like to sing like Christina Aguilera.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Adversity can be a very fertile ground for nourishing dreams.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“The pilot light of the human spirit, how do we ignite it in ourselves and others?” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet “Dreams are a very different beast. They tell us something about a person's core identity.” — Karen Cerulo on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Dreams are more like a fantasy; they don’t necessarily have to be grounded in reality.” — Karen Cerulo on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“The other finding that was revealing was the number of folks who said, if they could pass their dreams on to children or to loved ones.” — Janet Ruane on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“We were stuck, in particular, about the difference in the dreams between third graders and fourth graders.” Janet Ruane on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“There are a number of people in our study who suggested that they went to their dreams when they wanted to feel happier.” — Karen Cerulo on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“We have been taught that we are supposed to wind down by our culture, by government policies, by corporations.” @maclinton on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“If you are 50 and healthy you have a really good shot of living to be 90.” @maclinton on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“We take the extraneous things out of our lives and we nurture and develop the things we want to do with our time and the people we want to be with.” @maclinton on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“We have to be thinking about our second and third careers, not the way we thought about our first career but as a passion that will give us fulfillment.” @maclinton on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“34% of the US population is over 50 and every day 10, 000 Americans turn 65.” @maclinton on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet“Aging at home is the new normal.” @maclinton on @HHTalkRadio Click To Tweet
CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY
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