So you've changed. Will it stick?

What makes us change – or not change? Change happens to all of us – but what actually happens to us when we change, and how does that change stick? Sometimes there isn't a clear answer, but Benoit Denizet-Lewis, associate professor at Emerson College and author of the book You've Changed: the Promise and Price of Self Transformation, tried to find out what makes change happen. He followed bullies who became Buddhists, gay atheists who became straight evangelicals, political party switchers, people in personality disorder therapy, and prisoners seeking parole. Brittany is joined by Benoit to find out how change happens to us – and how we understand personal transformation in our culture. (00:00) What makes change happen to us? (02:29) When your friend changes - and you don't recognize them anymore (05:47) Can we intentionally change our core personalities? (11:38) How social media shapes our understanding of change (18:17) Parole hearings and the performance of change in the prison system (21:11) Should we spend time trying to change ourselves, or trying to change the world? For more episodes about how we change or how to make it happen, check out: This is your summer of self-love Free will and the cult of "high agency" How to survive a millennial midlife crisis Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus. Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. NPR Privacy Policy