Dr Aaron Kaplan

06/02/2026

The Apocalypse Is Older Than Zombies: Why End-of-the-World Stories Still Matter

Post-apocalyptic fiction can look, at first glance, like pure entertainment: zombies shambling through abandoned cities, asteroids hurtling toward Earth, viruses wiping out civilization, or survivors fighting over canned food in the ruins. But the genre has always been about more than spectacle. In a conversation I had with Dr. Kevin Pelletier, an English professor at the University of Richmond and author of…...

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06/02/2026

The Psychology of Feeling Young: Time, Age, and the Importance of Staying Engaged

Most of us carry around two ages. There is the official one, the number attached to our birthday, driver’s license, and increasingly rude medical forms. Then there is the age we actually feel. In a recent conversation I had with Dr. Art Markman, we explored this strange gap between chronological age and subjective age, and why so many adults look in the mirror and think, “Wait, when did that happen?” Feeling younger than we are is not necessarily denial....

Most of us carry around two ages. There is the official one, the number attached to our birthday, driver’s license, and increasingly rude medical forms. Then there is the age we actually feel. In a recent conversation I had with Dr. Art Markman, we explored this strange gap between chronological a...

05/26/2026

Episode 93: The Puritans, the Apocalypse, and Zombies: How American History Shaped Stories About the End of the World, with Dr. Kevin Pelletier

In this episode of MindTricks Radio, I spoke with Dr. Kevin Pelletier, an associate professor of English at the University of Richmond, about apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic literature—where the tradition comes from, why it has endured for centuries, and why stories about the end of the world continue to speak so powerfully to the human imagination.

We talk about the deep roots of apocalyptic thinking in early American Puritan writing, its connection to religion, morality, abolitionism, and fear of divine judgment, and how those older traditions gradually evolved into modern stories about pandemics, nuclear war, zombies, climate catastrophe, and social collapse. Dr. Pelletier explains why apocalyptic fiction is rarely just about destruction. At its best, it uses catastrophe to reveal what matters most in ordinary life: love, fear, mortality, community, meaning, and the fragile structures that hold civilization together.

One of the things I especially enjoyed about this conversation is that Dr. Pelletier approaches these questions from the perspective of literature and intellectual history rather than psychology alone. I always find it stimulating to speak with people from different disciplines because there is often tremendous overlap in the ideas, but each field brings its own language, emphasis, and angle of vision. In this case, our conversation moved naturally between literature, religion, psychology, history, and existential meaning.

This was a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation about Puritan sermons, Edgar Allan Poe, Station Eleven, The Walking Dead, World War Z, COVID-19, and the enduring question of why human beings are so drawn to imagining the end. Dr. Pelletier brings warmth, depth, and literary insight to a genre that is often mistaken for mere entertainment, but that may actually help us think more deeply about fear, survival, morality, and what makes life worth living.

Podcast Episode · Mind Tricks Radio · May 26 · 1h 3m

05/20/2026

I'm excited to announce that my *Goodreads giveaway* is now **LIVE** for my post-apocalyptic novel *When Earth Blinked*. I'll be giving away a few copies of my book through the giveaway.

It's free to enter. Just follow this link for details: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/440731-when-earth-blinked?ref=giv_enter_cta

Set in an overgrown, post-apocalyptic Hawai‘i, the story follows a neurodivergent mathematician searching for survival, meaning, and an elusive Mars colonization program.

Good luck!

05/17/2026

Episode 92: Is Age Just a Number? The Subjective Experience of Age and Time, with Dr. Art Markman

In this episode of MindTricks Radio, I spoke with Dr. Art Markman about the subjectivity of age and time—why we often feel younger than the number on our birth certificate, why time seems to speed up as we get older, and what psychology can tell us about making life feel fuller, longer, and more meaningful.

We talk about the difference between chronological age and subjective age, the strange experience of looking in the mirror and seeing someone older than we feel inside, and how staying physically active, socially engaged, and open to new experiences can help people maintain a sense of vitality. Dr. Markman also explains why childhood and travel can feel so expansive, while routine-heavy adult years can seem to disappear in a blur.

This was a lively, thoughtful, and surprisingly practical conversation about aging, memory, novelty, regret, and the importance of saying yes to life. Dr. Markman brings warmth, humor, and deep cognitive science expertise to a topic that touches everyone: how we experience the passing of time, and how we might live in a way that makes that time feel richer.

Podcast Episode · Mind Tricks Radio · May 17 · 46m

05/17/2026

Why Are We So Drawn to the End of the World?

My recent conversation with Dr. Mathias Clasen on Mind Tricks Radio podcast got me thinking about one of the strangest pleasures in fiction: our fascination with the end of the world. I’ve been especially interested in this topic lately because of the publication of my own post-apocalyptic novel, When Earth Blinked, which is set in Hawaiʻi after a global catastrophe....

My recent conversation with Dr. Mathias Clasen on Mind Tricks Radio podcast got me thinking about one of the strangest pleasures in fiction: our fascination with the end of the world. I’ve been especially interested in this topic lately because of the publication of my own post-apocalyptic novel, ...

05/11/2026

Episode 91: Imagining the End of the World -- The Psychological Appeal for Post-Apocalyptic Fiction, with Dr. Mathias Clasen

In this episode of MindTricks Radio, I sit down with Dr. Mathias Clasen, associate professor of literature and media and co-director of the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University in Denmark, to explore why people are so drawn to frightening stories — especially stories about the end of the world.

Our conversation dives into the strange appeal of post-apocalyptic fiction, from its “blank slate” fantasy of starting over to its darker confrontation with loneliness, survival, morality, and meaning. Dr. Clasen explains how these stories tap into the human imagination, our tendency toward worst-case thinking, and our deep ambivalence about civilization: we depend on society, but we also fantasize about escaping its rules, pressures, and artificial constraints.

We also discuss the psychology of fear, including how horror and apocalyptic fiction may function almost like emotional rehearsal. Drawing from his research on scary entertainment, haunted attractions, and pandemic-era resilience, Dr. Clasen makes the case that frightening fiction does more than scare us — it may help us practice coping with anxiety, uncertainty, and crisis.

At my request, Dr. Clasen also generously provided a list of some of his favorite post-apocalyptic works of literature. For listeners interested in exploring the genre further, here is his list:

George R. Stewart, Earth Abides (1949)
John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids (1951)
Richard Matheson, I Am Legend (1954)
John Christopher, The Death of Grass (1956)
Nevil Shute, On the Beach (1957)
Pat Frank, Alas, Babylon (1959)
Walter M. Miller Jr., A Canticle for Leibowitz (1960)
John Christopher, Empty World (1977)
Stephen King, The Stand (1978/1990)
David Brin, The Postman (1985)
Robert R. McCammon, Swan Song (1987)
Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven (2014)
Max Brooks, World War Z (2006)
Joe Hill, The Fireman (2016)

Podcast Episode · Mind Tricks Radio · May 11 · 53m

05/06/2026

Perfectionism, Part II: When “Doing Your Best” Doesn’t Feel Good

Perfectionism has a sneaky way of disguising itself as ambition. It sounds noble: I just have high standards. I want to do things well. I don’t want to settle. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with striving. Wanting to improve, grow, learn, compete, create, or perform at a high level can be energizing and deeply meaningful. But perfectionism is different. It is not just the desire to do well....

Perfectionism has a sneaky way of disguising itself as ambition. It sounds noble: I just have high standards. I want to do things well. I don’t want to settle. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with striving. Wanting to improve, grow, learn, compete, create, or perform at a high level can be e...

05/04/2026

Episode 90: Perfectionism -- Part 2, Beyond the Basics, with Dr. Liza Wacker

In this episode of MindTricks Radio, I caught up with Dr. Liza Wacker to continue our conversation about perfectionism—what it is, where it comes from, and why it can quietly create so much stress, anxiety, burnout, and self-doubt.

We talk about the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism, how perfectionism shows up in relationships, parenting, work, athletics, creativity, procrastination, reassurance-seeking, and social media. Dr. Wacker also explains why perfectionism is usually less about “doing your best” and more about tying your self-worth to whether you meet impossible standards.

I enjoyed a warm, practical, and thoughtful conversation with Dr. Wacker about learning to make mistakes, loosen unrealistic expectations, and choose wholeness over flawlessness. Dr. Wacker brings a lot of wisdom and clarity to a topic that many people struggle with—but may not always recognize in themselves.

Podcast Episode · Mind Tricks Radio · May 4 · 58m