The Randomness of Everything with Mark Rank

The Randomness of Everything with Mark Rank

From Everything Happens with Kate Bowler by Everything Happens Studios

March 10, 2026 · 49 min · Season 16 · Episode 5

About this episode

Kate Bowler discusses the impact of chance on success and failure with sociologist Mark Rank.

We live in a world that wants life to be fair. Work hard, make good choices, believe the right things—and things should turn out okay. But what happens when they don’t? In this live conversation, Kate talks with sociologist Mark Rank, author of The Random Factor, about the role of chance in our lives. From the lottery of birth to the timing of a missed phone call, Mark’s research shows how much of what we call success—or failure—comes down to forces we never chose. SHOW NOTES: Mark Rank, The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us Mark Rank – Washington University in St. Louis Christian Tomasetti et al., research on random mutations and cancer risk (Johns Hopkins) Every Cure (founded by David Fajgenbaum) Tour dates & tickets: katebowler.com/joyfulanyway Watch the live conversation on YouTube Join Kate Bowler on Substack for the season of Lent: katebowler.substack.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Kate Bowler

Guest: Mark Rank

Topics covered

  • chance
  • success
  • failure
  • sociology
  • life choices

Keywords

  • randomness
  • luck
  • sociology
  • life outcomes

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The Random Factor

Books & works: The Randomness of Everything, The Random Factor, The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us

Places: St. Louis

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