Retired cognitive science and linguistics professor George Lakoff appeared in a previous episode, explaining how your brain reacts to political rhetoric. He’s back this week with tips on how to break through to family members this holiday, even if you don’t share the same worldview. 

Also, we talk a lot about avocado toast on this show. Like, a lot. So we wanted to know: What was the avocado toast — the trendy, divisive foodstuff — of the Victorian era? Culinary historian Heather Arndt Anderson shares the story of an unlikely food trend.