Launching November 6, our new three-part podcast series explores what happens when science, personal beliefs and relationships collide.
Ever found yourself arguing with someone you love and wondering how on earth you could see the same issue so differently?
Maybe it's a family member whose political beliefs are the complete opposite of yours. Maybe it's your partner questioning something you thought was an indisputable scientific fact. Or maybe it's a complete stranger whose worldview makes absolutely no sense to you.
We've all had disagreements. Some are easily forgotten, while others challenge everything we believe. And sometimes, they threaten the relationships that matter most to us.
But what if understanding someone's story could help us understand their point of view, even when we don't agree?
That's the question at the heart of At Odds, our new three-part podcast series launching November 6.
Through six true, personal stories, we're exploring the messy, complicated and sometimes surprising ways our beliefs clash with those of the people around us. From family conflicts and opposing worldviews to disagreements between romantic partners, these stories reveal what happens when we find ourselves on opposite sides of an argument.
And, of course, because this is The Story Collider, there's plenty of science along the way.
Three episodes. Six stories. A whole lot of disagreement.
Episode 1: Family — November 6
They say you can't choose your family. But what happens when the people who raised you have a fundamentally different understanding of the world?
In our first episode, two storytellers navigate the complicated intersection of family loyalty, personal beliefs and scientific evidence. One recounts growing up with a mother involved in a cult, while the other grapples with her mother's alternative beliefs and their conflict with scientific understanding.
When you love someone but can't agree on what's true, how do you maintain that relationship? And is finding common ground always possible?
Episode 2: Strangers — November 13
It's easy to dismiss someone whose beliefs couldn't be further from your own. Especially when that person is a complete stranger.
But what happens when you're suddenly confronted with someone who challenges everything you think you know?
From an unexpected encounter between a vegan and a cowboy to conflicting understandings of truth shaped by life under a dictatorship in Panama, these stories explore what happens when people with opposing worldviews cross paths.
Can a single encounter with a stranger change how you see the world? Or at least change how you see them?
Episode 3: Partners — November 20
Relationships are all about compromise. But some disagreements are harder to navigate than others.
What happens when the person you love challenges your understanding of the world? And how do you decide which disagreements matter and which ones you can let go?
Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe shares her experience navigating differences over climate change with her husband, while another storyteller explores how something as seemingly insignificant as onions can reveal the complexities of compromise in a relationship.
Because sometimes the biggest disagreements happen with the people closest to us. And sometimes, they're about what's for dinner.
Can we disagree without growing apart?
These days, it can feel like everyone is arguing about something. From politics and climate change to the latest scientific discovery, there's no shortage of issues dividing us.
And with social media making it easier than ever to surround ourselves with people who share our beliefs, it's tempting to avoid conversations with anyone who sees things differently.
But disagreements aren't always something we can simply walk away from. Especially when they involve the people we love.
Behind every strongly held belief is a person with their own experiences, fears, relationships and reasons for seeing the world the way they do. And while science can help us understand the world around us, it doesn't necessarily tell us how to navigate relationships with people who interpret that world differently.
That's where storytelling comes in.
At Odds isn't about proving who's right or wrong, convincing anyone to change their mind or pretending that every disagreement has an easy solution.
Instead, we're interested in what happens when we listen to people whose perspectives challenge our own. What can their experiences teach us? Can understanding someone's story help us understand their beliefs? And is it possible to maintain a relationship even when finding common ground seems impossible?
We don't promise to have all the answers. But we do have six stories that might make you think differently about the next disagreement you find yourself in.
The first episode of At Odds launches November 6, with new episodes released weekly on The Story Collider podcast.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and join us as we explore what it really means to be at odds.