Tom Shadyac is a successful Hollywood comedy director who found the traditional trappings of success were not the key to happiness. He traded a mansion and private jets for a mobile home and a bicycle. After a bicycle accident nearly killed him, he decided it was time to tell a different kind of story. His documentary, I Am, featured interviews with Desmond Tutu, Noam Chomsky, David Suzuki, and others about what’s wrong with the world and what we can do about it. He also wrote the book, Life’s Operating Manual, which is a lot like it sounds. In part one of this two-episode conversation, Shadyac discusses human nature, the definition of success, and our cultural story, with a few references to Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump along the way. Tom Shadyac Films: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective The Nutty Professor Liar, Liar Patch Adams Bruce Almighty Evan Almighty I Am NOTE: We’re bringing you encore episodes from the 2nd season of Conversation Earth while we make plans for the future. Please support the continuation of Conversation Earth with a tax-deductible donation at http://www.tinyurl.com/ceseason3 Learn more and subscribe to our weekly updates at http://www.conversationearth.org