Every episode
Design, music, photography, and the arts — 18 episodes and counting.
Thinking, Fast and Slow: The Two Systems Running Your Life
In this episode of Better World with Design, we unpack Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow through the lens of two competing systems in your mind: System 1 (fa…
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The Wax Child: The Witch Trial That Started With a Rumor (Olga Ravn)
In this episode of Better World With Design, we dive into Olga Ravn’s The Wax Child—a haunting historical novel narrated by a beeswax figure created in 1615 Denmark…
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Tom Lake Review: Why Ann Patchett’s Novel Feels Shallow (and Overpraised)
In this episode of Better World With Design, I give a cleareyed review of Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. I break down why the novel reads to me as a polished but shallow…
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The Better World with Design Book Review: If We Were Villains
Join us as we dissect M.L. Rio's dark academia thriller If We Were Villains — not just as a story, but as a case study in craft, morality, and the seductive danger o…
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Working with My 20-Year-Old Self: Birth of The Answer Engine
In this episode, I explore what happens when you let your younger self speak without interference—when you refuse to edit, improve, or apologize for who you were. Dr…
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The Birth of Acid House: A Sonic Revolution
Settle in for a deep dive into one of electronic music's most transformative moments. This episode explores the birth and evolution of acid house—a genre that altere…
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Welcome to 2026: A Year of Intentional Purpose
Join Gary Crossey as he kicks off 2026 with a deep dive into Better World With Design's new direction. This episode explores the decision to center marginalized voic…
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Queer Phenomenology: Orientations, Objects, Others - Sara Ahmed
In this episode of Better World with Design, host Gary Crossey explores Sara Ahmed's groundbreaking work Queer Phenomenology: Orientations, Objects, Others. This den…
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Willem de Kooning: The $160 Million Art Heist and the Artist Who Broke All the Rules
Join us for a fascinating deep dive into the life and legacy of Willem de Kooning, the DutchAmerican painter who redefined Abstract Expressionism and broke all the r…
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The Selfish Giant — Oscar Wilde Audiobook and Reflection
When a giant walls off his garden, winter settles in for good—until one small act of welcome changes everything. In this immersive reading of Oscar Wilde's "The Self…
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Deep Dive - Porridge Radio's Clouds in the Sky They Will Always Be There for Me
In this episode of Better World with Design, host Gary Crossey takes you on an indepth journey through Porridge Radio's 2024 album "Clouds in the Sky They Will Alway…
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Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich - How Pharmaceuticals Fueled Nazi Germany
In this episode, Gary Crossey examines Norman Ohler's "Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich," which reveals the widespread drug use in Nazi Germany during World War II.…
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Uncovering Frances Glessner Lee's Forensic Revolution
This episode of "Better World with Design" examines Bruce Goldfarb's "18 Tiny Deaths" and reveals how Frances Glessner Lee's innovative dioramas revolutionized crime…
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The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde - Complete Reading with Opening & Closing Commentary
Join Gary Crossey for a complete reading of Oscar Wilde's beloved supernatural comedy "The Canterville Ghost." This episode features: Opening Commentary Personal r…
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Small Things Like These - Finding Moral Courage in Claire Keegan's Novella
POWERFUL AND HAUNTING: In this podcast, Gary Crossey takes you inside Claire Keegan's masterful novella "Small Things Like These," where one man's moral choice chall…
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Deep Dive into Lola Young's 'd£aler'
Join host Gary Crossey for an indepth analysis of Lola Young's haunting track "dealer." In this episode, we explore the song's raw emotional landscape, examining the…
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Design Wisdom: Montaigne's Guide to Intellectual Humility in a Digital Age
Join host Gary Crossey as he explores timeless philosophical ideas and applies them to modern life. Each episode unpacks complex ideas from history's greatest thinke…
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Mixes Of A Lost World: The Cure's Remix LP — Hits, Misses, & Unexpected Transformations
Join me on a candid, trackbytrack journey through The Cure's brand new 2025 remix album, 'Mixes Of A Lost World.' In this episode, I share my honest, fandriven revie…
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