#67 Matthew Pridgen: When Cognitive Dissonance Breaks Open

"You can only live with so much cognitive dissonance in your life." - Matthew Pridgen

Matthew Pridgen joins Ken Woodward for a raw, wide-ranging conversation about how questions can crack open denial and move us toward truth, repentance, and reconciliation.

Matthew shares his dramatic journey from addiction and a near-fatal suicide attempt to a decades-long pursuit of faith, justice, and historical honesty. His pivotal moment was when an eight-year-old girl asked, “Why did you take my church down?” after a tent revival in Charleston’s historically Black East Side, which became the question that launched his racial awakening.

Together, they explore how American “mythology” hides the realities of slavery, Jim Crow, and modern dog whistles, and how the Black church has sustained a prophetic witness against oppression.

The episode highlights the personal cost of cognitive dissonance, the freedom of living without lies, and a central challenge for today: are Christians willing to abandon Christian nationalism and follow Jesus’ actual teachings?

This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.

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Keep questioning!

#43 Dr. Jemayne King: The Scholar Who Sees Literature in Sneakers, Hip-Hop, and Gaming

"It is much safer to be vulnerable than you might think." - Ashley Kirsner

Ashley is the founder and director of Skip the Small Talk, and believes in the efficacy of high-quality person-to-person interaction for improving psychological health. She has conducted research with professors at prestigious organizations such as Cornell University, the Harvard Decision Science Lab, and the Harvard Business School, on social and clinical psychology topics ranging from decision-making and implicit biases to facial expressions in borderline personality disorder patients.

Ashley gained hands-on therapeutic experience as a suicide hotline phone responder and as a peer counselor at Cornell. Ashley received her B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University and turned down acceptances to doctorate programs in order to devote her time to Skip the Small Talk. She received a fellowship from the Harvard Divinity School for individuals who have demonstrated a social impact in the domain of creating meaningful communities. Skip The Small Talk events are regularly held internationally, as well as an online options.

In this engaging episode of 'Curated Questions,' host Ken Woodward sits down with Ashley Kirsner, the founder and director of 'Skip the Small Talk.' They explore the transformative power of meaningful conversations, the science behind vulnerability, and the surprising benefits of structured social interactions.

Ashley shares her experiences from the suicide hotline, her inspiration for starting 'Skip the Small Talk,' and how intentional question design can foster deeper human connections. The conversation also delves into the physiological benefits of social interactions, ethical considerations in community building, and the importance of creating safe spaces for vulnerability. Tune in to learn how these insights can help you build stronger, more authentic relationships in your own life.

This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.

Keep questioning!

#40 Ken Woodward: Reviving Franklin's Junto: How Questions Built America

In this episode of Curated Questions, host Ken Woodward uncovers a forgotten antidote to our fractured discourse: Benjamin Franklin's Junto. In 1727 Philadelphia, a 21-year-old printer gathered tradesmen—the 'leather apron crowd'—for Friday night discussions that would revolutionize American civic life. This wasn't just a social club; it was a systematic experiment in collective wisdom that led to the creation of America's first volunteer fire company, lending library, public hospital, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Ken explores Franklin's 24 carefully crafted questions that transformed ordinary workers into civic leaders, revealing how debates conducted 'without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory' built both personal character and community institutions. Through themes of personal development, community awareness, civic engagement, and mutual support, the Junto proved that structured curiosity could turn individual ambition into collective flourishing.

Drawing from Franklin's original rules, including banning words like 'certainly' and fining members who spoke too definitively, Ken explains how the Junto combined three elements that modern groups often keep separate: personal growth, civic action, and genuine friendship. The episode includes a vulnerable reflection on intellectual loneliness and ends with a direct challenge: Start this Friday. Find three curious people. Ask one of Franklin's questions. See what happens.

#15 Kwame Sarfo-Mensah: The Vocabulary of Identity & Creating Culturally Affirming Classrooms

Kwame explores the concept of identity, including personal and social identities, and how these can affect one's experience in the world. The conversation delves into the challenges of addressing identity in educational settings and the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Kwame shares his experiences and insights on the power of questions in navigating contract negotiations, understanding student backgrounds, and self-growth. The dialogue also touches on unlearning ingrained biases and recognizing privileges. The discussion concludes by reflecting on the role of questions in fostering a more inclusive and understanding society.