Beyond Profit: The Human Cost of Capitalism — with Dr. David McNally

Historian Dr. David McNally joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to explore the deep relationship between capitalism, slavery, and community — and why the path forward may depend on reclaiming our capacity for cooperation and hope.

Together, they trace how capitalism evolved from feudal systems, how slavery became its brutal engine, and how modern life still reflects those same dynamics of exploitation and insecurity. They discuss the moral cost of wealth built on oppression, the erosion of academic freedom, and the possibilities for new forms of collective ownership and economic justice.

Through it all, McNally reminds us that hope is more powerful than anger and fear, and that history shows our greatest progress comes when people act together in community.

Guest:

Dr. David McNally — Cullen Distinguished Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston, and author of Slavery and Capitalism, Blood and Money, and Monsters of the Market.

Key Topics:

How capitalism emerged from feudalism through the expulsion of peasants from common lands

Why slavery was not a premodern system but central to modern global capitalism

The immense wealth generated by enslaved labor

The psychological and moral consequences of exploitation

Living paycheck to paycheck as a modern form of economic bondage

How fear and insecurity maintain systems of control

The importance of academic freedom and independent thought

Collective action as the most powerful form of resistance

Reviving the commons and exploring alternatives to capitalism

Why hope remains the foundation of social transformation

Timestamps:

00:00 — The Importance of Community and Connection02:22 — Understanding Capitalism and Its Historical Context07:20 — The Shift from Feudalism to Capitalism13:00 — Slavery in the Context of Capitalism20:11 — The Moral Dilemma of Enslavement24:07 — The Wealth Generated by Slavery24:47 — Exploring Alternatives to Capitalism29:00 — The Monopoly Game of Capitalism30:53 — The Power of Collective Action34:56 — Living Paycheck to Paycheck: A Modern Form of Slavery40:45 — The Assault on Academic Freedom50:19 — Freedom Dreams and Cultural Resistance

The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson

Psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to explore how compassion, community, and love can rewire the human brain — and why our survival as a species may depend on it. Together, they discuss the “two wolves within us,” how positive neuroplasticity turns fleeting moments of kindness into lasting change, and what it takes to heal both personally and collectively in a divided world.

Guest: Dr. Rick Hanson – Psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and author of Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, and Buddha’s Brain

Key Topics:

The duality of human nature: love vs. hate

How to “feed the wolf of love” through daily practice

Positive neuroplasticity and the science of emotional rewiring

Building compassion in polarized times

Why community is essential to mental health

How wealth inequality and power distort human connection

The link between poverty and psychological suffering

Simple daily tools for calm, resilience, and empathy

The surprising role of playfulness in healing

Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction: Humanity’s tribal nature and the need for connection02:15 — Meet Dr. Rick Hanson03:44 — The parable of the two wolves06:42 — Feeding the wolf of love vs. the wolf of hate08:07 — The power of brain science and compassion10:03 — Physical health as the foundation for mental well-being13:18 — The father-son dynamic and emotional intelligence17:04 — Keeping your “dad hat” on in relationships20:33 — How to stay in touch with the wolf of love under pressure21:33 — The longing for a better world22:05 — Rick’s top psychological tools for well-being24:38 — Getting on your own side25:38 — Taking in the good and letting it land29:18 — Linking positive experiences to old wounds34:35 — Why painful memories persist36:12 — How the media exploits our negativity bias38:33 — Vulnerability to manipulation and fear42:33 — Wealth concentration and its social consequences46:10 — From individual healing to collective action47:58 — Poverty as the biggest factor in mental health50:04 — Lessons from other nations’ social models53:14 — Why one in three adults in America isn’t registered to vote55:08 — The limits of traditional psychotherapy59:36 — What separates high responders from low responders01:02:21 — Repetition, practice, and rewiring behavior01:05:21 — Breathing as the foundation of change01:10:22 — Stop whining, start climbing: love as action

Links & Resources:

🌐 Website — rickhanson.net📘 Books — Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, Buddha’s Brain🎧 Podcast — Being Well with Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson

The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson

Psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to explore how compassion, community, and love can rewire the human brain — and why our survival as a species may depend on it. Together, they discuss the “two wolves within us,” how positive neuroplasticity turns fleeting moments of kindness into lasting change, and what it takes to heal both personally and collectively in a divided world.

Guest: Dr. Rick Hanson – Psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and author of Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, and Buddha’s Brain

Key Topics:

The duality of human nature: love vs. hate

How to “feed the wolf of love” through daily practice

Positive neuroplasticity and the science of emotional rewiring

Building compassion in polarized times

Why community is essential to mental health

How wealth inequality and power distort human connection

The link between poverty and psychological suffering

Simple daily tools for calm, resilience, and empathy

The surprising role of playfulness in healing

Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction: Humanity’s tribal nature and the need for connection02:15 — Meet Dr. Rick Hanson03:44 — The parable of the two wolves06:42 — Feeding the wolf of love vs. the wolf of hate08:07 — The power of brain science and compassion10:03 — Physical health as the foundation for mental well-being13:18 — The father-son dynamic and emotional intelligence17:04 — Keeping your “dad hat” on in relationships20:33 — How to stay in touch with the wolf of love under pressure21:33 — The longing for a better world22:05 — Rick’s top psychological tools for well-being24:38 — Getting on your own side25:38 — Taking in the good and letting it land29:18 — Linking positive experiences to old wounds34:35 — Why painful memories persist36:12 — How the media exploits our negativity bias38:33 — Vulnerability to manipulation and fear42:33 — Wealth concentration and its social consequences46:10 — From individual healing to collective action47:58 — Poverty as the biggest factor in mental health50:04 — Lessons from other nations’ social models53:14 — Why one in three adults in America isn’t registered to vote55:08 — The limits of traditional psychotherapy59:36 — What separates high responders from low responders01:02:21 — Repetition, practice, and rewiring behavior01:05:21 — Breathing as the foundation of change01:10:22 — Stop whining, start climbing: love as action

Links & Resources:

🌐 Website — rickhanson.net📘 Books — Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, Buddha’s Brain🎧 Podcast — Being Well with Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson