The Monkey Mind Lab

The Monkey Mind Lab is a space for playful, thoughtful conversations that explore big ideas in accessible ways. The podcast is meant to satisfy (and celebrate!) curiosity — each episode offers bite-sized explorations of the kind of questions that spark minds, connect disciplines, and occasionally leave us more delightfully puzzled than when we started. Why “The Monkey Mind” you may ask? Drawing its origins from Buddhist philosophy, the “monkey mind” is a metaphor for our restless, wandering thoughts — always jumping from branch to branch, idea to idea. At The Monkey Mind Lab, we don’t try to quiet that side — we embrace it. We follow its curiosity. Each episode is meant to feed that part of you that’s always asking, “What if?” and “Why?”. Because sometimes, the best ideas come from a little bit of mental mischief!

The Monkey Mind Lab is a education podcast hosted by Abhir Suri, with 9 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Abhir Suri hosts The Monkey Mind Lab, a education show with 9 episodes published.

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  Episode #2

  What Does It Mean to be Educated in Today's World? (ft. Dr Ian Baucom)

  Jun 19, 202636 minS2

  <p>In an age defined by artificial intelligence, rapid technological change, and growing global interconnectedness, some of the most fundamental questions about learning are being asked anew. What is the purpose of a college education? Can education still shape the future of a society? What forms of intelligence matter most? In this episode of The Monkey Mind Lab, Dr Ian Baucom, President of Middlebury College, explores why education is about far more than degrees, why human judgment still matters in the age of AI, and how the most transformative learning often happens through conversations, communities, and encounters with people different...

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  Episode #1

  Can the Dead rule the Living? (ft. Dr James Fitzsimmons)

  Mar 20, 20261h 8mS2

  <p>When does death really occur? What happens after we die, and who gets to decide? Is death simply an end, or has it always been something far more political? In this episode of The Monkey Mind Lab, archaeologist Dr James Fitzsimmons takes us deep into the ancient Maya world, where death was not an end, but a tool used to legitimise power, construct identity, and anchor entire political systems. We explore how burial practices, ancestor worship, and ritual memory blur the line between the sacred and the strategic, all the while asking: is remembering ever neutral? And if the...

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  Episode #6

  If you decolonise the mind, what happens to the culture it carries? (ft. Dr Amit Prakash)

  Jul 19, 202549 minS1

  <p>What does it mean to “decolonise” culture? Is it about removing statues, burning books and rewriting history, or something deeper - like changing how we think, speak, and see ourselves? Colonialism didn’t just shape borders, it shaped minds, identities, and entire cultures. But when we actively dismantle colonial frameworks from our thinking, what happens to the culture that was formed within them? Can we truly reclaim traditions, languages, and identities, or have they been permanently transformed? In the Season 1 finale, Dr Prakash brings listeners into the intellectual and emotional struggle to reclaim culture after empire, asking what’s possible...

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  Episode #5

  Can the Arts Be a Form of Resistance? Spotlight on Latin-American Literature (ft. Gloria Estela González Zenteno)

  Jun 23, 202555 minS1

  <p>Can storytelling, poetry, and performance challenge power and spark change? When words fail, can art speak louder? In this episode, award-winning author Gloria Estela González Zenteno explores how the arts, whether through storytelling, performance, or visual expression, can become a powerful voice against oppression. Focusing on Latin America’s rich tradition of creative activism, we discuss how artists use their craft not only to reflect reality but to challenge and transform it.</p>

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  Episode #4

  Is Oratory the Liberal Art that will save the Liberal Arts? (ft. Dana Yeaton)

  Jun 8, 202545 minS1

  <p>In a time when the value of a liberal arts education is constantly questioned, could the ancient art of oratory be its saving grace? Playwright and educator Dana Yeaton joins us to explore how speaking—and listening—might just be the most essential skills for our modern moment. From the power and psychological impacts of presenting in front of an audience to the evolutionary need for stories, and practical applications of storytelling in modern education and societal contexts, we ask: what does it really mean to have a voice? Tune in to discover why mastering the art of speech migh...

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