Keep Talking: Recent Episodes
Dan Riley
"Keep Talking" exists to have conversations that might help to make a better society and a better culture.
I believe that each guest has important information and stories to make public.
And it's something that I want to share.
Walter Robinson is an investigative journalist, an editor-at-large at "The Boston Globe," and is the Donald W. Reynolds Visiting Professor of Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
This is a rebroadcast of episode 42, from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:58) A path to journalism
(10:00) The power and state of the Catholic Church during the late 80s and 90s
(21:40) "The Boston Globe's" "Spotlight" team
(28:10) The Catholic Church's reputation before the Spotlight team’s investigation
(35:59) What was revealed in the church’s internal documents
(40:56) The Church’s consistent strategy of protecting abusive priests
(46:58) Nearly every bishop in every diocese knew about abuse and participated in a cover-up
(53:27) The role of the Church's celibacy vow in incentivizing abuse
(59:36) What explains the abusive behavior of Catholic Church priests?
(01:04:06) Women's second-class status and the role of a free press
(01:07:55) The need for a full confession from the Church
(01:15:48) The role of investigative journalism today and why it matters
(01:20:43) The importance of investigative journalists to think outside the box
Mark Clifford is president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong and the author of "The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic."
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00:00 Intro
00:57 Mark's relationship with Jimmy Lai
06:40 Jimmy's journalism in Hong Kong
10:41 The source of Jimmy's devout anti-communism
18:27 Jimmy's interest in journalism
21:35 Was Jimmy optimistic about Hong Kong's future?
24:27 China's public enemy #1
33:22 Jimmy's core principles
39:40 Lessons from Jimmy's example
44:14 Hong Kong and JImmy's future
49:47 Jimmy's eccentricities and flaws
James Hollis is a Jungian psychoanalyst and the author of many books, including "A Life of Meaning," which is the primary subject of our conversation.
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00:00 Intro
01:05 Why Jim wrote "A Life of Meaning"
05:28 The shadow
08:38 Why confront one's shadow?
10:48 The numinous and finding your calling
25:20 Lethargy is a threat to living
29:55 A modern culture of distraction
32:28 Jim's decision to become a public educator
37:02 Jim's growth beyond his family of origin
44:30 Psychopathology
48:26 Sin: missing the mark
55:15 Fear - the spirit of evil is negation of the life force by fear
58:50 Jim is a "recovering nice person"
Daniel Lieberman is a psychiatrist, the SVP of mental health at Hims & Hers, and the author of the best-selling book, The Molecule of More.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:59) What would humans be without dopamine?
(01:29) Donating dopamine to phones, not friends
(03:58) What is dopamine?
(07:53) What are the signs of someone with high dopamine?
(11:56) How can high dopamine people live wisely?
(18:50) Can workaholics change their insatiability?
(22:22) "The modern devil is cheap dopamine"
(28:58) What does a wise future look like re: smartphones?
(31:37) Dopamine in relationships and love
(38:46) Skills to develop to sustain long-term relationships
(43:11) Are we on the cusp of a conservative cultural shift?
(48:02) Modern dopamine and men in society
(54:42) What advice does Daniel give to his sons?
(57:14) What's next for Daniel?
Robert Plomin is a British-American scientist, a psychologist and behavioral geneticist, and the author of the bestselling book, Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) The history of nature vs nurture debate
(15:40) "All parents are nurture-ists - until their second child."
(18:54) Identical twin studies
(39:16) Lessons from the film "Three Identical Strangers"
(41:20) How much influence do parents have on their kids?
(58:40) Genes and psychology
(01:10:55) A better model for psychology
(01:16:35) How should society look, based on the truth and power of genes?
(01:27:03) Nucleus genomics in NYC for polygenic information
Derek Sivers is a TED speaker, an essayist, a businessman, a musician, one of my favorite thinkers on the planet, and the author of many books including his most recent, Useful Not True: Whatever Works For You.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Your actions reveal your values
(03:25) Obvious to you, amazing to someone else
(05:19) How Derek thinks about money
(13:03) Deep happy vs. shallow happy
(21:00) Following an innate drive and desire
(24:07) 18 months of feeling adrift
(30:04) To find direction: read a lot and wait for energy
(31:18) The power of heroes and anti-heroes
(36:05) Egotists and hedonists
(40:00) Changing your mind and keeping your identity small
(44:37) Think of yourself as a student, not a preacher
(47:42) Personal growth over wealth growth
(53:00) Prioritizing openness
(56:59) What lifestyles or beliefs is Derek against?
(01:04:50) The downside of optimism in Derek's personal life
(01:14:24) Dating, marriage, and the role of women in Derek's life
(01:23:55) How to save a life with $2,000
(01:27:50) Derek's thoughts on philanthropy
(01:33:54) "Useful Not True"
(01:38:39) A prequel to "How To Live"
(01:41:13) "Useful Not True": the truth of many answers and perspectives
Anna Lembke is a psychiatrist, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and the author of "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence."
This is a rebroadcast of episode 35, from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:57) Anna Lembke’s interest in studying addiction
(04:34) Defining addiction and the "gremlin theory" of addiction
(15:19) Characteristics of an addict
(23:48) The stigma around addictions
(26:46) Characteristics of a healthy person living today
(33:50) The importance and role of struggle in a good life
(41:04) The impact of modern addictions on society today
(46:54) Habit change ideas and the role of struggle in a good life
(52:11) How to know if you're becoming an addict
(58:45) The effective and ethical way to address addiction
(01:03:58) Workaholism as an addiction
(01:20:13) The connection between shame and a “never enough” attitude towards work
Russell Foster is a sleep expert, a professor of circadian neuroscience, a fellow of the Royal Society, and the author of Life Time.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:55) Views on sleep through time
(03:34) Why we have de-prioritized sleep
(05:39) Where should sleep rank in our health priorities?
(08:22) How do we know we're getting enough sleep?
(11:59) The historic and current cost of sleep deprivation
(17:44) Why does sleep exist?
(21:53) What is happening biologically while people sleep?
(27:59) Sleep and mental illness
(38:09) What those with mental illness can do to stabilize their sleep
(01:00:25) Sleep for new parents
(01:03:35) How would a healthy society approach sleep?
Nick Pollard, "The People Displeaser," is a speaker and life coach who advocates for honest, authentic living through mindful boundaries, free of people-pleasing.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) When Nick's was homicidal and suicidal
(04:09) Nick's father
(09:10) How Nick got his life together
(18:08) Why Nick focuses on people-pleasing
(23:25) Symptoms of a people-pleaser
(26:44) Why do people become people-pleasers?
(31:23) Your rules for life and a personal bill of rights
(37:23) Establishing personal boundaries
(42:39) Confronting fear and quotes from Jim Hollis
(49:16) People-pleasers often have few same-sex friends
(57:11) When should former people-pleasers leave relationships?
(01:09:15) Nick's relationship deal-breakers
Pico Iyer is a novelist, a travel writer, and the author of many books, including his most recent, "Aflame: Learning From Silence," which is the subject of this conversation.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:00) Intro
(00:58) Santa Barbara, June 1990
(04:25) The New Camaldoli Hermitage
(07:30) Pico's life when he first went to New Camaldoli
(11:08) Silence elicits gratitude, what's shared and what's essential
(16:10) Intentionally turning off technology
(22:39) Creating a wise amount of "cathedral time"
(25:53) Embracing silence as a non-religious person
(32:03) Leonard Cohen exploring his inner landscape in silence
(36:05) How Pico has developed from his 100+ hermitage visits
(41:35) Saying no in order to prioritize space for silence
(47:07) How to begin a life with more silence and contemplation
(50:41) Silence as an antidote to despair
(54:36) What Pico has learned from the Dalai Lama
Orville Schell is an author, a journalist, a China scholar, and the director of the Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Orville's entering China in the 1970s
(07:10) Was was China like in the 1970s?
(10:09) The palpable fear in China in the 1970s
(14:55) The details of Mao Zedong the Cultural Revolution
(20:40) What preceded Communism in China?
(25:32) Why was Communism appealing to Chinese revolutionaries?
(30:11) China in the 1970s and how it reopened to the world
(37:10) Why did China not become free after the 1980s?
(41:39) 1989 and Tiananmen Square
(45:28) China in the next few years
(52:19) How might China become free?
(55:26) Why China matters
Joseph Goldstein is an author, the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and is one of the most influential and important figures to bring vipassana meditation practices into the American mainstream.
A rebroadcast from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:45) How Joseph ended up in Asia a young man
(04:39) Reason for interest in Buddhism and meditation
(08:59) Immersing in the study of the mind
(12:41) The Buddha’s teachings
(18:52) Joseph's psychological state when first exposed to Buddhism and meditation
(21:01) The daily habits, discipline, and rituals to try to achieve Enlightenment
(27:14) Deciding to devote his life to meditation
(30:11) Communicating to his mother his desire to devote his life to Buddhism
(32:59) Metaphysical views pre and post meditation
(37:46) Buddhism is non-theistic
(40:14) What is the Dharma?
(44:48) Integrating Buddhist teachings with practice and The Noble Eightfold Path
(53:37) The first step to use mindfulness to ease psychological suffering
(01:01:24) Awareness versus the weather pattern of one's mind
(01:04:30) Using mindfulness to respond, rather than to react
(01:15:37) Dealing with grief
(01:24:50) How can we improve our lives by being mindful?
James Hollis is a psychoanalyst, one of the world's most prolific Jungian thinkers, and the author of many books, including "Living An Examined Life."
A rebroadcast from 2021.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:02) Jim's transition from academia to psychoanalysis
(06:24) The decision to pursue psychoanalysis as a full-time profession
(10:59) Gathering the courage to pursue psychoanalysis
(18:19) What about Jung’s work resonated with Jim?
(30:16) Jim's process of helping people navigate the transitionary phases of their lives
(41:31) The most pressing issues Jim sees facing Americans
(48:24) The primary blockers to growth and self-healing
(51:54) Discerning the difference fears you should avoid and fears you should face
(57:01) Exhausted relationships vs. relationships that need endurance
(01:09:02) The ratio of men vs. women seeking counsel and therapy and how it’s changed over the years
(01:13:21) Why most men tend to suppress their innermost emotions
(01:19:49) Jim's explanation of Joseph Campbell’s ‘hero’s journey’
(01:25:31) How to live an examined, authentic life
Elizabeth Economy is a political scientist, a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, a China expert, and the author of multiple books, including "The World According to China" and "The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State."
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Xi Jinping's father's story
(07:16) The Cultural Revolution
(12:02) "China's Holocaust" between 1950's-1970's
(13:10) Why Marxism resonated in China
(21:43) Darker aspects of the Cultural Revolution
(33:48) The rise of Xi Jinping and the rise of China's economy
(38:33) The meme of Xi Jinping as Winnie the Pooh
(41:43) Xi Jinping's personality and vision for China
(46:27) The near-term future of U.S-China relations
(53:00) What America can do to win Cold War 2.0
James Holland is a historian and the author of many books, including Normandy '44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:46) The state of the world in June 1944
(14:48) What was D-Day like for an average Allied soldier
(21:13) Is D-Day the most important military conflict in history?
(27:01) "Steel not flesh"
(32:43) The Atlantic Wall
(41:08) Cooperation and morale among the Allied troops
(45:31) Dick Winters and men like him
(51:15) Why James has committed so much of his life to WWII history
(54:45) How can we best honor and remember veterans?
Noam Dworman is a businessman, the co-host of the podcast "Live From The Table," and the owner of the world-famous Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village, NYC.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:59) How The Comedy Cellar came to be
(02:38) Noam's dad, Manny
(07:05) Why did Manny start The Comedy Cellar?
(10:42) Notable comics early at The Comedy Cellar
(12:00) The way to fame for comics pre-internet
(14:32) Identifying comedic talent
(18:36) Patrice O'Neal
(24:12) How Noam took over The Comedy Cellar
(27:37) The scene at The Comedy Cellar in early 2000's
(29:52) Why The Comedy Cellar is so popular
(32:19) The design of The Comedy Cellar venue
(36:58) Quotes from Noam about free speech
(38:11) Louis CK, free speech, and woke culture
(43:58) How the left has changed regarding free speech
(47:22) Comedy as a refuge
(50:23) Defining wokeness and a story about Noam's daughter
(56:30) The state of wokeness and cancel culture
(59:02) Comedians and intellectuals with courage
(01:02:58) What's next for Noam and The Comedy Cellar
Sir Richard Evans is a historian, and the author of many books, including The Third Reich Trilogy, The Pursuit of Power: Europe 1815–1914, and Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich, which is the primary focus of this conversation.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) The young Hitler
(04:11) The Nazis were conservative, middle class Germans
(10:20) How Hitler rose, his talents as a speaker
(19:52) The Reichstag Fire and The Enabling Act
(27:57) The romantic and personal life of Hitler
(31:39) Hitler's romantic interest in Joseph Goebbels's wife
(35:52) Demythologizing the Nazis: a story of Himmler in the sauna
(39:27) "Ordinary Men" by Christopher R. Browning
(44:50) The story of Dr. Karl Brandt
(49:34) Why history and studying the Nazis matters
(52:19) Threats to freedom and democracy in the modern world
(54:22) Donald Trump is not a fascist
Glenn Loury is an economist, a professor at Brown University, a podcaster, an essayist, and is the author of "Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative" and the essay "The Case for Black Patriotism."
A rebroadcast from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:01) Get to know Glenn Loury
(03:56) South Side of Chicago culture when Glenn was a boy
(06:11) Fatherhood at 18, working at RR Donnelley & Sons, and Mr. Andres
(15:01) Opportunity launches Glenn to Northwestern and MIT
(19:34) The culture and opportunity of MIT
(28:48) The first African-American tenured economics professor in Harvard, at 33
(37:30) Glenn's interest in politics and his heterodox political philosophy
(47:44) A memorable incident with Glenn's uncle Alfred
(55:35) How Glenn's conservatism informs his views on the campus
(01:01:57) Glenn's defense of Western culture
(01:06:43) "The Case for Black Patriotism"
(01:23:17) An American Living "The American Dream"
Greg Lukianoff is a journalist, an attorney, the co-author of "The Coddling of the American Mind," and the President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Greg puts it well when he calls freedom of speech "the eternally radical idea."
A rebroadcast from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:58) Greg's interest in free speech
(06:35) Free speech: "the eternally radical idea"
(10:55) What happens in societies without free speech
(17:14) How free speech creates a more peaceful society
(24:17) Key observations from "The Coddling of the American Mind"
(34:32) Social media's effect on free speech
(43:35) Examples of cancel culture
(50:22) Respect for free speech must begin early in one's life
(57:42) What is the point of education?
(01:03:37) Antifragility and the importance of growth through struggle
(01:08:48) How overcoming mental health struggles informs Greg's beliefs
Robert Greene is the author of many best-selling books, including "The 48 Laws of Power," which is the primary subject of our conversation.
A rebroadcast from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) ‘Power’ as explained in "The 48 Laws of Power"
(04:33) Robert's depression before writing "The 48 Laws of Power"
(09:03) Why are people reluctant to talk about power?
(13:44) The link between the desire for fulfillment and power
(17:58) From powerless to powerful: Robert’s story
(22:30) Human's desire to gain power through autonomy and authenticity
(27:19) How to live a life that increases one's power
(33:00) The importance of self-mastery
(38:03) Lincoln's quote about power
(44:22) Is power inherently neutral, neither good nor bad?
(47:49) Carl Jung's quote on "the shadow"
(52:20) What are examples of America's shadow?
(56:07) The importance of integrating one's shadow
(01:04:56) How can the American center hold, given our polarization?
(01:12:07) Four laws of power for modern times
(01:14:44) The relationship between power and love
Merle Bombardieri is a clinical social worker, a psychotherapist and the author of "The Baby Decision: How to Make The Most Important Choice of Your Life."
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) How Merle got involved in helping people decide about kids
(07:21) How Merle decided whether to have kids
(09:44) Maintaining neutrality when going through exercises
(13:34) Being childfree should be the default
(17:57) Role models for the childfree
(21:00) When is not having kids a growth decision?
(23:05) Is Merle disappointed that one of her kids is childfree?
(26:30) Exercises for straight couples to decide whether to have kids
(36:02) Long-term ambivalence should result in being childfree
(38:50) How to better understand what it's like to have kids
(40:48) What do the childfree not understand about parenthood?
(42:30) "As a child-free person, you have a right to be ordinary.”
(44:30) Suggestions for someone who wants to be childfree and has no support
(49:05) Who should become parents?
(56:49) Are we getting better at having this conversation?
(58:34) The importance of growth for the child-free
Vejas Liulevicius is a historian, an author, and a professor whose "Great Courses" lectures include "Turning Points in Modern History" and "War, Peace, and Power: Diplomatic History of Europe, 1500–2000."
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Rome, Greece, and the Enlightenment
(12:57) Contrasting the Enlightenment to other political philosophies of its time
(22:07) The American Revolution and the American Experiment
(30:47) Alexis de Tocqueville and "Democracy in America"
(34:24) The Weimar Republic and the Rise of Nazism
(46:41) How Hitler rose and what culturally preceded dictatorship in Germany
(54:16) The 2024 U.S. Presidential election and our point in history
(58:20) The Great Courses
Mark Galeotti is a historian, an essayist, a podcaster, and the author of many books including "A Short History of Russia: How the World's Largest Country Invented Itself, from the Pagans to Putin."
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Czarist Russia at the beginning of the 20th century
(03:50) The Russian Revolution
(08:00) World War I and The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
(11:52) Lenin and Stalin
(17:00) The Great Terror
(21:02) Russia during World War II
(28:15) How close were the Nazis to taking over the Soviet Union?
(29:50) Russia and The Cold War
(37:05) Why Soviets no longer believed in Marxism
(39:35) The life and rise of Vladimir Putin
(45:35) Putin, Yeltsin, and the turn of the century
(51:56) How do we misunderstand the modern Russian government?
(55:05) Alexei Navalny
(59:20) The war with Ukraine
Konstantin Kisin is an author, an essayist, and the co-host of the YouTube channel and podcast Triggernometry. A rebroadcast from 2022.
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(00:00) Intro
(1:00) Transition from Soviet Union to wealth in post-collapse Russia
(4:00) Impact of the Soviet collapse on ordinary people's lives
(6:31) Personal resilience shaped by tumultuous childhood experiences
(8:30) Lack of education about the Soviet experience in the West
(11:06) The Russian Revolution and its implications for society today
(11:20) Overview of the dictatorship of the proletariat concept.
(12:55) Impact of property expropriation on wealthy families during the revolution.
(14:03) Consequences of collective farming in Soviet society.
(16:12) The Soviet Union's attempt at equality led to widespread poverty.
(19:02) Insights on the Russian psyche from democratic experiments in the 90s.
(23:42) Describing the chaotic aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse.
(25:12) Painful experiences shaped Russian society during the 1990s.
(27:11) Russia's surrender to terrorists: a psychological shock for citizens.
(29:07) Vladimir Putin emerged as a strongman leader in chaos.
(30:46) Boris Yeltsin's legacy and Putin's rise to power explained.
(36:57) Freedom of expression as the foundation of Western society.
(39:09) The importance of free speech and its recent threats discussed.
(40:11) The roots of political correctness and free speech erosion.
(41:34) Exploring the dangers of hierarchical ideologies in society.
(43:15) The natural dynamics between men and women in relationships.
(45:23) Martin Luther King’s vision for character over skin color.
(46:00) Concerns about societal divisions and their historical implications.
(48:14) The universal threat of believing some people are superior to others.
(49:00) Thought-provoking quotes
(54:00) The West and the importance of individual rights
(1:00:41) George Kennan's insights on containment and Western values.
(1:01:13) Concerns about identity politics and its impact on society.
(1:02:41) The danger of losing a unified national identity.
(1:05:41) Internal division as the real threat to powerful nations.
(1:08:30) Contextualizing slavery and colonialism in world history.
(1:12:31) The role of comedy in challenging mainstream narratives.
Randy Nesse is a psychiatrist, a professor, and the author of "Good Reasons for Bad Feelings: Insights from the Frontier of Evolutionary Psychiatry."
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(00:00) Intro
(00:40) Why low mood exists
(04:23) Giving up goals can improve your mental health
(06:48) When is it appropriate to give up goals?
(11:50) "In what situations was this emotion useful across our evolutionary history?"
(21:51) How Randy developed an evolutionary framework
(28:25) Examples of working with depression from Randy's career
(36:40) Freud, Jung, and mental illness
(49:23) Exposure therapy
(54:11) Quotes from "Good Reasons for Bad Feelings"
(59:55) Partner choice and selfish genes
Richard Wrangham is a professor at Harvard, a primatologist, and the author of multiple books including "The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution."
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(00:00) Intro
(00:50) How humans have removed alpha male bullies
(09:59) Christopher Boehm's "Hierarchy in the Forest"
(16:06) Implications of human's self-domestication through violence
(22:03) Bullying male behavior that would lead to execution
(28:45) How the threat of violence influenced our moral impulses
(34:23) Psychopathy and reactive aggression in adult men
(45:25) How can someone spot a psychopath?
(50:07) Jane Goodall and how Richard views human nature
(01:02:53) Cooking and fire
(01:03:13) Richard's views on removing the y chromosome
(01:10:39) Removing genes for extreme aggression rather than men altogether
Robert Plomin is a British-American scientist, a psychologist and behavioral geneticist, and the author of the bestselling book, "Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are."
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(00:00) Intro
(00:53) The power of DNA in making us who we are
(03:40) Debunking the nurture-focused perspective
(10:40) Robert's views on his own genetic predisposition to weight gain
(22:59) How personalized, low-cost DNA sequencing will effect people's lives
(30:21) Clarity around genetic risk will improve with time
(31:49) The probabilistic, nuanced truth of genetic influence
(38:20) Clarifying randomness and the nurture aspect of who we are
(43:57) Identical twins
(49:36) Quotes from "Blueprint"
(58:41) A quote about child rearing from Tig Notaro
(01:02:00) How genetic truths can make people more compassionate
(01:04:52) Merging evolution and psychology
(01:15:23) How should society evolve and improve because of these truths?
(01:18:23) B.F. Skinner and the power of nature in the extremes
Brian Hare is a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University and is the co-author of the book "Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity."
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(00:00) Intro
(00:46) The origin and ideas of "Survival of the Friendliest"
(07:38) The story of human survival and dominance
(20:20) What is meant by "friendliness"?
(26:40) Tribal identity and darker aspects of human cooperation
(35:15) Political polarization in America
(46:12) The work of Braver Angels and overcoming political division
(52:30) Is it ever appropriate to dehumanize?
Stephen Kinzer is a historian, a Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs at Brown University, and the author of various books including, "Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control."
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) What was MK-Ultra? Who was Sidney Gottlieb?
(08:55) The U.S.'s collaboration with Nazi and Japanese torturers
(14:43) The historical context that justified MK-Ultra
(24:25) Examples of torture from the MK-Ultra program
(30:53) LSD and MK-Ultra
(39:14) The eventual conclusion from the MK-Ultra program
(43:21) Speculating on the full scope and details of the MK-Ultra program
(49:13) Stephen's ethical judgments on Gottlieb
(53:25) Has Stephen received pushback for his revelations?
(57:04) Is something like MK-Ultra happening now?
(59:47) Why do so few Americans know about MK-Ultra?
Helen Fisher was an anthropologist, a professor, an author, and was one of the world's experts on the science of love.
This is the final summer rebroadcast of 2024, episode 47 of "Keep Talking," the most-downloaded audio episode from this show. Helen sadly died on Saturday, August 17, 2024. She was charming, brilliant, and a gem of a human being, and I wanted to honor her by reposting her episode as the final summer rebroadcast of this year.
During our conversation, Helen talks about her background interest in love, the role that love plays in human existence, the evolutionary purpose of love, how the subconscious influences who we fall in love with, how to know if you aren't in love, and wisdom she would provide to improve one's probability for healthy romance and a compatible mate choice.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:05) How Helen got interested in studying love
(05:18) Trailblazing the academic study of love
(06:22) What is love?
(11:01) Love and love decisions are life's most important choices
(12:46) Understanding "love maps" and the unconscious as it relates to love
(22:15) Millennials and "slow love"
(27:56) When are you not in love? When is it time to end a relationship?
(37:58) Identifying great compatibility matches
(41:53) Mitigating the risks of neuroticism from torpedoing a relationship
(48:30) Attachment styles and compatibility
(54:46) Identifying the root cause of depression
(56:46) Ending a relationship when indifference is present
(01:08:00) Designing a lifestyle that makes you a better and authentic partner
(01:11:27) The role of marriage in human life
(01:15:30) Helen getting married in her mid-70's
Richard Reeves is a writer, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of "Of Boys and Men."
This is a rebroadcast of episode 67 of "Keep Talking," one of the most important conversations from this show. Richard presents data detailing how boys and men are falling behind in education and employment, that men represent three out every four "deaths of despair," and the confusion over what is good about being a man and what it means to be a man as gender roles have significantly changed.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:06) How Richard realized men are falling behind
(04:42) The data re: men falling behind in education
(08:02) The structure of education helps women's natural abilities
(12:26) A response to the indifference of male decline
(17:06) Stories of suffering of modern men
(20:30) Men are "opting out" not "acting out"
(25:42) What would men be doing without porn and video games?
(27:19) Big stats and small stats that reveal the decline of men
(30:56) A sense of agency is crucial for men who are struggling
(37:31) Jim Hollis' work for men
(38:46) Jordan Peterson is a gigantic listening ear for men
(44:06) The Andrew Tate phenomenon
(51:31) Jordan Peterson's rage and empathy
(57:09) Divorce and its effect on men
(01:02:44) What is the evolutionary purpose of men?
(01:06:46) Children need positive relationships with their fathers; married parents less so
(01:15:39) Solutions to increase male flourishing
Kevin Kelly is a photographer, a futurist, an editor, and the author of multiple books, including "Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier," the subject of our conversation.
This is a rebroadcast of episode 75 of "Keep Talking," one of my favorite episodes. On his 68th birthday, Kevin wrote "68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" for his children - an essay that went viral. He wrote two more birthday advice essays for years 69 and 70. Now, after cleaning those nuggets up and adding 150 more, he has written a treasure-trove of wisdom, created and given to the world by one of America's most perceptive thinkers.
This is my favorite kind of book, and Kevin has created a masterpiece that I will consult for the rest of my life. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to become just a little bit wiser, a little bit better, a little bit more thoughtful.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:02) Why Kevin began sharing advice
(03:28) "68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" popularity
(05:34) 10 pieces of advice
(07:49) You are what you do
(11:47) Character is about how you deal with power
(19:02) Look back 25 years from today to decide
(22:27) The three things you need
(36:22) Cultivate 12 people who love you
(40:42) Money is to allow you to do great work
(41:58) A perfect day to Kevin Kelly
(44:22) Success and wealth
(46:03) What's the point of obtaining wisdom?
Traver Boehm is an entrepreneur, a speaker, the author of "Today I Rise" and "Man UNcivilized," and the founder of the UNcivilized Movement, "dedicated to ending the unnecessary suffering in men to end the suffering caused by men."
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00:00 Intro
00:38 How Traver got into men's work
05:47 Living as an unconscious man for 40 years
11:00 Integrity and the book "How To Be A Man" by Robert Masters
16:33 Advice for men who feel out of integrity
28:11 Asking men: what do you want?
39:39 Shame, and how men can ask for what they need
55:29 Selecting women and the importance of male tribe
01:06:59 Male isolation and how to find good men
01:13:25 Vulnerability and how much Traver has changed
Orna Donath is a professor at Tel Aviv University and is the author of the landmark book "Regretting Motherhood." During our conversation, Orna talks about the lessons from her research, her own "silent knowing" that she didn't want to be a mom, the importance of knowing oneself, and her new research of elderly, childless women in Israel. Orna also talks about the role of fear in pressuring women to become a mom, her yearly dialogue with a dozen women who are trying to decide whether to have kids, healthy models for childless women, and her interviews with childless men.
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00:00 Intro
00:52 Stories of women who have regretted having kids
05:24 What has been traumatic to women about becoming mothers?
10:20 The role of fear in pressuring women to have kids
16:57 The lack of healthy models for women without kids
23:47 Lessons from elderly, childless women
29:07 Lessons from women who are wrestling with whether to have kids
36:13 Meaning and purpose in life without kids
42:43 Quotes in praise or Orna and her work
44:34 Men who don't want to have kids
55:02 Addressing questions Orna wants to answer
Roy Baumeister is a professor and a prolific author of many books, including "Willpower" and "Is There Anything Good About Men?" During our conversation, Roy talks about men as nature's "play things," his thinking on how homosexuality persevered through evolution, the truth about men in society, lessons from the book "Self-Made Man" by Norah Vincent, the importance of male cooperation in creating civilization, free will, how he's changed his mind, and more.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 Men are nature's "play-things"
05:09 There are more men at the extremes
07:28 How do gay people exist?
11:34 Lessons from "Self-Made Man" by Norah Vincent
15:53 Men and women were "designed" with different skills
21:06 What is good about men?
31:07 Why are men wired for cooperation?
37:17 Quotes from "Is There Anything Good About Men?"
38:42 The tragedy of the male sex drive
46:29 What is interesting to Roy right now?
54:31 In what ways has Roy changed his mind?
01.01:57 Who does Roy go to for information and truth?
Ian Marcus Corbin is an essayist and a philosopher at Harvard Medical School who works on loneliness in society. During our conversation, Ian defines loneliness, discusses Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone, the importance of close social relationships, the decline in civic participation in America, the risk of isolation to human beings and society, and the recent assassination attempt of Donald Trump.
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00:00 Intro
00:38 Defining loneliness
05:29 Growing evidence of modern loneliness
07:29 Robert Putnam's work in "Bowling Alone"
19:17 Advice for combating loneliness
22:48 What causes loneliness?
27:30 The Harvard study on happiness - good relationships are most important
31:37 How to prioritize a wise, flourishing life
38:38 Trade-offs between working for money and having meaningful work
44:22 Loneliness and the threat of totalitarianism
46:17 The assassination attempt of Donald Trump
51:52 Loneliness and modern men
58:22 The lack of a script for men today
1:00:31 What communities or societies are flourishing today?
Joe Henrich is a professor and the author of multiple best-selling books, including The Secret of Our Success and The WEIRDest People in the World. During our conversation, Joe talks about the interplay of genes and culture in human evolution, the importance of our "collective brains," what we misunderstand about human nature, what he's learned from visiting other indigenous cultures, how culture influences testosterone levels in men, how we might help modern, struggling western men, what we've learned about menopause from grandmother killer whales, the frontier of knowledge in human nature, and more.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 We're not individually intelligent
02:49 The reason for green and blue eye color in humans
06:01 A unique psychological aspect of status and prestige in humans
08:55 Human's competitive superpower: our ability to sweat
11:53 A story from Joe's experience with the Machiguenga in the Amazon
16:37 The variability and stability of human nature
18:37 What Westerners misunderstand about human nature
21:23 The link between prestige, good information, and human survival
23:41 Ideas to help modern men
28:21 Where Joe thinks our culture is heading with dating and mating
32:18 We have far more female ancestors as male ancestors
34:07 Testosterone in men in monogamous and non-monogamous cultures
37:02 Big 5 personality traits are not found in non-WEIRD cultures
40:53 Gerontocracy mating cultures in Africa
43:56 What we learn about menopause from grandmother killer whales
46:39 Joe's views on cultural relativism
51:23 Why Joe is so interested in human nature
56:19 What is our best understanding of what it means to be human?
59:10 Joe's forthcoming new book
David Blankenhorn is an author, an activist, a community organizer, and the co-founder and President of Braver Angels. During our conversation, David talks about polarization in the United States, the workshops that Braver Angels puts together to bring together politically opposed Americans for conversation and common ground, the threat of division to the future of the country, the receding of a "civil religion" in the U.S., the importance of approaching disagreements with a sense of goodwill, and having hope in this dark time.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 The state of civic friendship in America
04:27 The growth of Braver Angels
11:22 What motivates Braver Angels' members?
16:46 The work and mission of Braver Angels
23:29 We're less polarized than we've been told
27:34 Who is benefiting from social division?
33:128 Habits to maintain one's humanity
40:23 Politics replacing civic virtues in modern times
49:37 George Kennan's threat of internal division
55:34 The example of Daryl Davis
Robert Glover is a therapist, a speaker, and the author of multiple books, including his best-seller, No More Mr. Nice Guy. During our conversation, Robert talks about choosing a woman who chooses you, the importance of male tribe for men, being open-hearted, and his newest venture: integration nation.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 "Choose a woman who chooses you"
20:39 Marriage, relationships, and male purpose
25:12 Being open-hearted as a man and red pill
34:12 The importance of male tribe to men
53:12 Integration nation and Robert's legacy
Shawn T. Smith is a clinical psychologist and the author of various books, including his best-seller, The Tactical Guide to Woman. During our conversation, Shawn talks about green flags in women, depression as a symptom rather than an illness, advice for men who are depressed, shame and love, the importance of tribe and purpose in a man's life, and the lack of scripts for healthy men in modern culture.
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00:00 Intro
01:22 Green flags in women
03:53 Prioritizing the long-term over the short-term
05:57 The importance of habits
08:31 Love and shame in a man's life
17:08 The importance of having a male tribe
20:48 Men's hunger for talking honestly about relationships
23:29 Depression in men
26:28 Causes of depression in men
29:37 Depression is like a fever - a symptom, not the cause
33:19 Vetting women with no optionality
36:52 Purpose in a man's life
43:51 The role of men and fathers in society
50:40 Dealing with pushback while striving toward goals
53;00 Advice Shawn would give to his young daughter
Dr. William Davis is the author of many best-selling books, including Wheat Belly and Super Gut. During his second appearance on this podcast, Bill talks about the potential benefits of adding probiotics like lactobacillus reuteri to one's microbiome, the benefits of fermented foods, the many negative side effects of wheat, how modern diets seem to contribute to various mental illnesses, and a diet that he would recommend to live a healthy life in modern times.
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00:00 Intro
00:42 What Bill has learned in the past two years
07:55 Lactobacillus reuteri
15:14 How to improve one's microbiome
20:07 Fermented foods
23:50 "Diseases of civilization"
27:40 The modern diet and antibiotics
31:33 Bill's views on a healthy diet and lifestyle
47:52 The link between mental illness and diet
55:14 Habits and supplements to increase health
Bill Wasik is the editorial director for the New York Times Magazine and the author of a variety of books, including his newest - co-written with his wife Monica Murphy - Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. During our conversation, Bill talks about the dawn of the animal rights movement in post-Civil War America, the lives and work of Henry Bergh and George Angell, and the creation and mission of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.
Bill also talks about the industrialization of meat production, the invisibility of animal suffering today, and his own lifestyle related to animal rights.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 How Americans treated animals in the mid-19th century
03:54 Animal blood sport in the 19th century
07:28 Religious and philosophical outlooks on animals in the 19th century
12:25 Who was Henry Burgh?
16:16 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
22:22 The legal power of the ASPCA 28:21 Who was George Angell?
33:10 The goal: reduce suffering, not eliminate meat consumption
38:55 Industrializing meat production, and the invisibility of animals today
47:20 How this book has influenced Bill and his lifestyle
Oliver Burkeman is a journalist and an author of multiple books, including his bestseller, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. During our conversation, Oliver talks about being an insecure overachiever, his historic obsession with productivity, learning to say no to things you want to do, the 80/20 principle, and how modern life rewards winners with an unending, lifetime supply of intense work.
He also discusses getting clear on what matters to you in life, the work and ideas of James Hollis, and, when facing a big life decision, asking the question, "does this choice diminish or englargen me?"
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00:00 Intro
00:49 Oliver's struggles with time management
03:58 "The mistaken belief that it can be cured"
06:53 How Oliver has addressed his productivity addiction
12:29 The importance of saying no
16:57 Insecure overachievers and people pleasers
21:52 Today, the reward for winning is a lifetime of intense work
28:25 Human's concept of time over time
32:15 Time management in other cultures
37:33 When deciding, ask: "Does this choice englargen or diminish me?"
45:03 Quotes from James Hollis and Carl Jung
51:14 Closing comments about "Four Thousand Weeks"
Derek Sivers is an author, a TED speaker, a businessman, a musician, and one of my favorite thinkers on the planet. During our conversation, Derek talks about pursuing mastery, having enough, what success means to him, how he thinks about money, having and raising a kid, and more.
Derek's book Hell Yeah or No is one of my all-time favorites, and his essays have had a huge influence on my life. I love Derek's originality, his enthusiasm for life and ideas, and most importantly, his generosity, kindness, and friendliness.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 Written off from an early age
02:45 How Derek knew he wanted to be a musician
08:55 Transitioning from a musician to a businessman
15:45 Having enough
22:33 Money
28:20 The importance of quiet, journaling and solitude
40:50 Freedom and children
54:53 Giving away $22 million
01:03:57 Lifestyle creep
01:08:39 Why Derek chooses freedom
01:11:19 Envy and maintaining minimalism
01:19:30 Success
01:21:26 Quotes from Derek's essays
01:26:07 Dan's New Zealand story
01:35:11 Small actions can have big consequences
01:37:28 Reach out to Derek: https://sive.rs/contact
Hemant Mehta is an author, a YouTuber, and an atheist activist. During our conversation, Hemant talks about his journey to atheism, the threat of Christian nationalism to secular society, and the atheist and secular movements. He also addresses the loss of community felt by those who leave religion, and the life and legacy of Daniel Dennett, including his work with The Clergy Project.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 Hemant's personal and religious background
06:58 Hemant's experience losing his religious belief
08:40 Has Hemant's atheism changed him?
11:30 What persuaded Hemant to become an atheist?
14:49 Modern instances of religious overreach into secular society
20:37 Hemant's definition of atheism
22:57 What motivates Hemant's work
30:50 Christian nationalism in America
36:25 Reasons for optimism
42:19 The loss of community as people leave religion
46:58 Does Hemant have doubts about his atheist convictions?
49:22 Who does Hemant go to for information?
55:49 Dan Dennett and The Clergy Project
D.J. Taylor is a novelist, a literary critic, and the author of two biographies of George Orwell: Orwell: The Life, and Orwell: The New Life. During our conversation, D.J. talks about Orwell's life, why Orwell's books, particularly his two on totalitarianism, Animal Farm and 1984, have endured so many years after his death, and the relevance of his ideas and insights to modern times.
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00:00 Intro
00:49 Who was George Orwell?
03:03 Why is Orwell so intriguing to D.J. Taylor?
05:01 Orwell's relevance over the past 20 years
08:21 How did Orwell capture totalitarianism so clearly?
13:30 The totalitarian impulse in Orwell
18:06 Orwell's commitment to his beliefs
21:59 A power of facing unpleasant facts
26:47 The void filled by the decline of religion
30:15 What was Orwell for?
34:58 Orwell's final years on Jura
38:48 Criticisms of Orwell
45:19 How would Orwell view modern times?
52:07 Euphemism and Newspeak today
54:43 Famous quotes from Orwell
55:45 Why does Orwell endure?
Camilla Kring is an author, a global speaker, and is the founder of B-Society, an organization fighting for "chronotype equality." During our conversation, Camilla talks about night owls and morning birds, why humans have a wide spectrum of sleep cycles, our cultural bias towards early birds, the damage done to night owls who are asked to fit into a morning bird society, and how we might be able to provide greater time autonomy to people to live in accordance with their own rhythms.
Camilla's org, B-Society
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00:00 Intro
00:41 An "A person" vs "B person"
02:42 Social jet lag of night owls
04:17 Evolutionary reasons for night owls
11:17 How society became biased against night owls
15:32 Are night owls lazy?
21:02 The range of preferred sleeping cycles in humans
26:29 The guilt of and bias against night owls
32:14 Advice for night owls who can't control their schedule
36:12 How AM sunlight and light exposure helps people
37:22 The importance of sleep
43:18 Chronotypes and a quote from "Why We Sleep"
48:46 Can night owls turn into morning birds?
54:32 Is our society chronically sleep-deprived?
58:25 How does a sane society approach sleep?
Sarah Everts is a science journalist, an associate professor at Carleton University, and the author of "The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration." During our conversation, Sarah talks about how sweating was an evolutionary superpower for humans, what sweat is, why some people sweat more than others, the history of the antiperspirant industry, and why we receive such psychological benefits from sauna exposure and exercise-induced sweating.
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00:00 Intro
00:50 Sarah's interest in sweat
02:20 Sweating as an evolutionary advantage
13:08 Why do some people sweat more than others?
19:29 Is being able to easily sweat a sign of health?
24:30 Ethnic differences in sweating
29:05 How advertising created the antiperspirant industry
39:35 The benefits of heat and sweating
51:45 Forcing your heart to exercise
Sherry Ning is an author and an essayist, whose Substack, "Pluripotent," has some of the best writing I've come across on human nature, purpose, and how to live. During our conversation, Shelly talks about creating one's own path, success, open-mindedness, beauty, nostalgia, spirituality, and religion.
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00:00 Intro
00:36 A purpose to write
2:37 Trait openness
6:12 Real diversity is found in human personality
8:37 Fame 10:29 WEIRD people
12:45 For happiness, ask: what will make me miserable?
15:47 Success and going your own way
26:36 Open-mindedness and particularity of taste
34:06 Wildflowers: beauty and toughness
39:52 The death of Sherry's father
43:27 Nostalgia and good times
49:49 What modern writer does Sherry enjoy?
52:26 Sherry's religious and spiritual beliefs
Stuart Whatley is a writer, a Senior Editor at Project Syndicate, and the author of "Toward a Leisure Ethic," my favorite essay that I've read of the past few months. During our conversation, Stuart talks about the historic purpose of leisure and work, our culture's obsession with busyness and praise of toil, and the reason for striving towards a life of a leisure ethic: where one has control of one's time, one's energy, and where one works on projects for their own sake.
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00:00 Intro
01:01 What has been a "leisure ethic" in history?
04:05 Isn't extolling leisure a call for laziness?
10:04 The role of work and leisure in history
15:44 The shame of having an anti-work mentality
20:44 A quote from "Toward a Leisure Ethic"
27:02 A response to people who disagree with Stuart
32:11 "Enough" and how to live a life well-lived
40:19 How much we worked as hunter-gatherers
43:36 We lack models for a "leisure ethic"
48:24 Workaholism in America
51:44 Derek Sivers, money hoarders, and insatiable desires
55:14 A story from "The Psychology of Money" and how to use money
Rob Henderson is an Air Force Veteran, an alumnus of Yale and Cambridge, an essayist, and the author of "Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class." During our conversation, Rob talks about his early life, his experience in the American foster care system, and his unlikely journey out of the unstable and chaotic environment of his youth.
Rob is one of my favorite thinkers, and it's damn near miraculous that this brilliant and prolific writer comes from the upbringing that he details in the book. Rob's memoir gives voice to a human experience that is largely invisible and unknown to the American credentialed class: abandonment by one's biological parents, an unstable home life with uncaring guardians, rampant drug abuse and early childhood violence, and a general environment of nihilism that pervades the formative years of life.
Rob's arc gives him a unique perspective into American social class, what really matters in the development of children, and what our society should prioritize for childhood and adult well-being.
Rob notes in the book that "in the U.S., 60% of boys in foster care are later incarcerated, while only 3% graduate from college." We are all fortunate that Rob is one of the lucky ones to escape the crucible of his upbringing, and to give testimony to the lived, troubled experiences of the voiceless millions who have had similar lives, right under our noses.
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(00:00) Intro
(03:00) How the book came about
(08:15) Rob's early life
(18:42) The effect of instability and two quotes from "Troubled"
(26:37) America's misguided "success" obsession with education and credentials
(34:04) How to help kids in chaotic foster care or impoverished homes
(42:29) Should parenthood be more rare?
(53:49) How Rob knew he needed to enlist to change his life trajectory
(01:02:58) Rob addressing rehab and his own trauma
(01:16:04) Shame and rage and deliberately trying to change
(01:22:10) Observations from Yale and luxury beliefs
(01:37:18) Advice for kids with a similar background to Rob
Jon Dean is a postdoc research fellow at UCSD and received his PhD in molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Michigan, where he published a landmark 2019 study on DMT. During our conversation, we talk about how and why Jon became interested in DMT, the details of his 2019 study, Rick Strassman's 2001 book "DMT: The Spirit Molecule", and what Strassman found after giving nearly 400 doses of DMT to roughly five dozen volunteers.
Jon is quick to note how little we understand about consciousness and the mind, and how our world is created in our brains. He discusses the bizarre, rather consistent details that many who take DMT report, and we speculate as to the role that this simple chemical might have in making what we call reality, along with the anecdotal stories of those who believe that its modulation can create a portal into another.
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00:00 Intro
02:04 How Jon got interested in DMT
07:36 How a death of a friend influenced Jon's journey
11:00 The influence of Rick Strassman
12:29 Rick Strassman's work, detailed in "DMT: The Spirit Molecule"
20:11 Anecdotes from what happens to people who do DMT
24:41 How Jon attempts to get funding for a controversial subject
32:51 Jon's three main discoveries about DMT from his 2019 paper
41:54 DMT is the only psychedelic known to be produced by the human body
44:51 Quotes from Rick Strassman speculating about DMT
53:45 How Jon's research on DMT has changed his view on life and death
57:36 Jon's growing acceptance of death post-psychedelic use
59:03 The future of psychedelic research
James Hollis is a Jungian psychoanalyst and the author of many books, including his latest: "A Life of Meaning," which is the primary subject of our conversation. During our conversation, Jim talks about some of the major themes in his work and his book: the shadow, the numinous, psychopathology, lethargy, and fear.
Jim is one of my favorite writers and thinkers, and I reference him as much as anyone. This conversation is full of some of my favorite ideas and quotes, including this first one from his new book:
"Probably the wisest thing ever said about the shadow was uttered by the Roman African playwright Terence, who, a little over two thousand years ago, said, 'Nothing human is alien to me.'”
And the second from the writings of Carl Jung:
"The spirit of evil is negation of the life force by fear. Only boldness can deliver us from fear. If the risk is not taken, the meaning of life is violated."
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00:00 Intro
02:02 Why Jim wrote "A Life of Meaning"
06:25 The shadow
09:35 Why confront one's shadow?
11:45 The numinous and finding your calling
26:17 Lethargy is a threat to living
30:52 A modern culture of distraction
33:25 Jim's decision to become a public educator
38:59 Jim's growth beyond his family of origin
46:27 Psychopathology
50:23 Sin: missing the mark
57:12 Fear - the spirit of evil is negation of the life force by fear
01:01:47 Jim is a "recovering nice person"
Paul Conti is a psychiatrist, a trauma expert, the former Chief Resident at Harvard, and the author of "Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic." During our conversation, Paul talks about the precise definition of trauma: something that overwhelms one's coping mechanisms and changes the brain, his own personal experience with trauma, the state of mental healthcare in America, how we know one has experienced trauma, how trauma often leads to hidden shame that prevents healing, what trauma is not, how he has stepped outside of mainstream healthcare practices to help his patients, and suggestions for mitigating the negative effects and suffering caused by trauma.
Paul is extraordinarily open and informed about the subject of trauma. It is his view that having a holistic approach to treatment and taking the time necessary to establish rapport with patients is key in understanding and addressing the root-cause of his patients' ailments. This was one of my favorite conversations in a long time, and it ends on a note of hope: by providing some tools that are already available for those in need and noting tools that may come in the near future to help human beings become well.
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(00:00) Intro
02:26 Defining trauma
07:29 How do we know someone has experienced trauma?
11:06 Paul's personal experience with trauma.
17:49 Quote about addressing symptoms in medicine system.
18:13 How Paul knew he needed help addressing his own trauma.
26:32 What isn't trauma?
28:56 Scientific evidence of trauma.
30:39 What commonly causes trauma?
34:13 The relationship of trauma and shame.
40:16 Hope for addressing trauma in modernity, particularly for men.
46:56 Failing to seek help due to social conditioning.
52:00 Paul working outside the medical system and creating rapport with patients.
01:00::08 Tactics for overcoming trauma and suffering
01:06:31 Where we are in our understanding of the mind and brain
01:11:29 MDMA therapy and what Paul is hopeful about in the future
Eric Jorgenson is an investor, the CEO of Scribe Media, and the author of "The Anthology of Balaji: A Guide to Technology, Truth, and Building the Future." During our conversation, Eric talks about what drew him to Balaji Srinivasan as a subject, the overlap between Balaji and the subject of Eric's first book, Naval Ravikant, and the major themes of his new book: technology, truth, and the future.
Marc Andreessen famously remarked that Balaji has "the highest output per minute of new ideas of anybody (he's) ever met." Eric's book documents some of his best and evergreen ideas. Expect to learn Balaji's thoughts on wealth creation, what to prioritize in life, and the importance of risk-taking, independence, and building something valuable.
I think anyone who is interested in seeing the world more clearly, becoming more imaginative about our potential future, and being a better version of themselves will treasure this book.
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(00:00) Intro
(03:01) Why Balaji was chosen as a book subject
(07:25) What excited Eric about Balaji
(12:48) Balaji's biography
(18:28) Technology
(26:58) How to avert technological stasis and decline
(38:35) Truth
(47:05) Philosophy and the future
(55:05) How Eric has changed after writing this book
Peter Levine is a lecturer, a psychotherapist, and the author of various best-selling books including "Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma." During our conversation, Peter talks about how our culture deals with and talks about trauma, the oneness of the mind and the body, and viewing trauma from a naturalistic perspective.
Peter has been revolutionary in reframing trauma as something physical, something within the body. His somatic experiencing techniques have been created with this outlook, and aim to help those who are suffering to have a way to release trauma and to reconnect with themselves.
Peter has written that "traumatized people are not suffering from a disease in the normal sense of the word - they have become stuck in an aroused state." His work, begun many decades ago, has improved our understanding of the nature of trauma and has helped many to live happier, healthier lives.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:02) How America approached trauma 50 years ago
(04:13) Nancy and somatic experiencing
(16:14) Changing our understanding of trauma
(25:38) Trauma being viewed as a moral failing
(36:42) Peter's childhood trauma
(42:57) The wounded healer
(47:52) Recommendations to work through trauma
(50:16) A quote about trauma from Peter
(57:07) Viewing trauma from a naturalist perspective
(57:49) Various tools for approaching trauma
(01:03:53) What individuals can do to improve the world
Barry Schwartz is a TED speaker, a professor, a social scientist, and the author of "The Paradox of Choice." During our conversation, Barry talks about decision paralysis, the downsides of having too many options, and the difference between what calls a "maximizer" and a "satisficier." He also talks about his view that modern depression is in part caused people feeling overwhelmed by choice, how social media and modernity have exacerbated the paradox of choice, and the importance of individuals to intentionally limit their choices.
Barry writes in his book: “There’s no question that some choice is better than none, but it doesn’t follow from that that more choice is better than some choice.” "The Paradox of Choice" is nearly 20 years old, and its message, to me, is both counterintuitive and evergreen. It flies in the face of the most American of ideals: the value of freedom, the value of endless optionality.
To my mind, Barry's ideas are worth considering. He's right that endless choice can lead to “paralysis rather than liberation" - an observation that our culture, increasingly, would do well to heed.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:11) The genesis of "The Paradox of Choice"
(07:51) The relevance of "The Paradox of Choice" today
(12:17) The ideal of freedom of choice in Western Civilization
(15:12) "Maximizer" vs "Satisficer"
(19:08) Is it ever wise to be a "Maximizer"?
(25:56) Depression caused by excess choice
(27:40) How can Maximizers be persuaded to change?
(31:00) Placing intentional limits on yourself
(34:16) What else is causing the negativity of excess choice?
(42:02) Insatiability and workaholism in America
(49:06) Increasing choice decreases economic activity
(53:40) Dating, choice, and how to change
Jon Kostas (hello@apollopact.org) is an activist, a former alcoholic, and the first study participant in the NYU psilocybin clinical trials. During our conversation, Jon talks about his years of alcohol abuse, his attempts to rid himself of the addiction, his doctor's belief that, in his mid-20's, his quantity of alcohol consumption would likely kill him within a few years, and his eventual experience of a medically-supervised "heroic dose" of psilocybin - the psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms - at New York University.
Jon discusses what his trip was like, how it cured him of his alcohol cravings, the efficacy rates of such treatments, and how it has motivated him to dedicate his life to help others get access to professionally-supervised psychedelic experiences to address addiction and other aspects of human suffering.
Jon is the first person on this show who was a friend before the interview. His story is an incredible one and offers hope to many who are battling severe addiction. It takes courageous people like Jon to step forward and share honest, open, and very personal stories to effect real change. It was an honor to do this one.
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(00:00) Intro
(03:16) Drinking and early life in New York City
(09:58) Did Jon view his drinking as a problem?
(14:18) What are mornings like as an alcoholic?
(20:10) Drunk life was better than sober life
(21:48) Alcoholism rooted in anxiety
(25:52) Alcohol providing relief from pressure
(29:57) When Jon knew he had a real problem
(32:32) AA, specialists, pharmaceuticals, and counselors didn't work
(37:27) Jon's trajectory prior to the NYU trial
(49:32) The NYU psilocybin for addiction trial
(57:30) Jon's psychological state prior to the NYU trial
(59:55) The first psychedelic trip
(01:17:49) How did this experience cure his alcoholism?
(01:24:17) Is the word "cured" appropriate?
(01:29:37) What would Jon say to current addicts?
(01:35:10) Advocating for doing this work in a clinical setting
Leidy Klotz is a professor at the University of Virginia and is the author of "Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less." During our conversation, Leidy talks about why humans are so wired to add to, rather than subtract from, their life, how addition is a signal of competence that we are hard-wired to display, and the downsides of this natural tendency.
Leidy also talks about the many ways in which subtracting can be beneficial: from quitting smoking and high-sugar diets, to removing modern addictions like excessive social media use, to getting rid of work meetings to create slack for creativity and focus.
The power of subtraction can't be unseen once it's glimpsed. Evolution operates by removing what doesn't work, the "via negativa" concept notes that we know what is wrong with more clarity than what is right, that knowledge grows by subtraction, and human wellbeing is often best boosted by removing a toxic relationship, a toxic boss, or toxic stress. There is a humility in this approach, and as Leidy notes, perhaps we all need to be more-often prompted to tweak our life goals and New Years' resolutions to include habits that need to be subtracted, in addition to those we want to add.
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+1:30
(00:00) Intro
(01:23) How "Subtract" came to be
(03:56) Coming to the theme of subtraction
(07:03) Why humans are so wired to add
(11:13) Subtraction as a proactive act
(19:15) Cultural differences regarding subtraction
(27:28) "Via negativa"
(33:30) Evolution is an act of subtraction
(35:20) Quotes about subtraction
(45:34) Subtraction to fight modern addictions
(55:08) Subtraction in New Year's Resolutions
Shawn T. Smith is a clinical psychologist and an author of many books, including his best-seller, The "Tactical Guide to Women." During our conversation, Shawn talks about modern dating, the relationship issues with which his male and female clients are struggling, dating apps, how evolutionary psychology has influenced him, and the "red pill" community. More expansively, he talks about how "The Tactical Guide" came to be, what men can do to properly vet women for long-term relationships, and the importance of time in making life-changing decisions.
This episode is primarily for men. I have found Shawn to be a candid, sane, and even-handed thinker in the online world of mating and dating. Sean is a fair-minded and strong voice for men, and I would encourage any young man - either looking to make wise life choices or suffering due to indifference - to consult his work.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:00) How "The Tactical Guide to Women" came to be
(03:42) A void in the culture
(04:50) The default male approach
(06:17) The major themes of "The Tactical Guide"
(07:72) The importance of time in vetting
(11:50) Red and green flags to look for
(16:42) Borderline personality disorder
(21:06) Evolutionary psychology
(24:52) Roy Baumeister
(25:41) Relationship issues he sees in his clinical practice
(28:50) Date-onomics and city sex ratios
(30:37) Advice for men who are struggling
(32:39) Common dating complaints of women
(34:08) Dating apps and the Pareto principle
(41:20) The tragic aspect of female professional success
(45:15) What is the proper message for young women?
(46:07) The "Barbie" phenomenon
(47:14) What makes for a successful long-term relationship?
(50:43) The red pill community
(59:40) Who does Shawn recommend for further knowledge?
(01:01:22) Why does this information matter?
Brent W. Roberts is a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and specializes in human personality. During our conversation, Brent talks The Big Five personality traits, what personality is, the differences between the Big Five and the Myers-Briggs personality test, diversity in human personality, the role of genes and sex differences in personality, evolutionary psychology, the stability of one's personality over time, how to decrease trait neuroticism, and practical applications of personality research.
I've been fascinated by the Big Five ever since I learned about it a few years ago. It's clear to me that there's a massive public hunger to learn about human personality: what it is, how we know what we know, and how it can better illuminate who we are as a species and as individuals.
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(00:00) Intro
Warren Farrell is a political scientist, a former board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW), and the author of many books, including "The Boy Crisis," the focus of this conversation. During our conversation, Warren talks about his time at NOW, second wave and modern feminism, the gender pay gap, what he learned when he stopped lecturing at and started listening to men, and the historic and current role of men in society
He also talks about the reasons for the decline in male sperm count over the past two generations, the role of men in war, why fathers are so important and what children learn from them, and contemporary male and female college graduation rates.
Warren notes during the interview that perhaps the most important line in his book is: "The Boy Crises resides where dads do not reside." He is one of the world's experts on this topic, and is at his best during this interview. It was a privilege to host it.
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(00:00) Intro
Ed Hagen is a professor of anthropology at Washington State University Vancouver. During our conversation, Ed talks about the evolutionary reasons for two of humanity's most common mental illnesses: anxiety and depression. He also talks about psychic pain, the correlation between grip strength and depression, hypervigilance and anxiety, differences in suicide rates between men and women, and suicide attempts being an "honest signal of need."
Ed has noted that depression is commonly "intertwined with social conflict" and is a legitimate indication of a threat to one's biological fitness. Millions suffer every day from a poor or an intolerable psychological state. Ed's work and his original ideas are a potential corrective to the common view that psychological ill-health is due primarily to a "chemical imbalance." He encourages us to look deeper, to take a more comprehensive look, and to use an evolutionary lens to begin to try to both understand and help alleviate unnecessary suffering.
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(00:00) Intro
William Irvine was a professor at Wright State University and is the author of seven books, including his best-seller, "A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy." During our conversation, Bill talks about the history of the Stoics, an ancient school of philosophy that began in Athens in 300 B.C. He also talks about the psychological training that the Stoics encouraged, including negative visualization, a practice aimed at reducing the human tendency for insatiability and increasing our gratitude for the many gifts of our lives.
Bill's book helped to launch the modern renaissance of Stoicism. The Stoic's message - including those of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, and Musonius Rufus - emphasized the importance of intentional struggle and temporary hardship, to align one's body and one's mind with the reality of life itself. This message is evergreen in creating resilient and capable people, and ever more important in our increasingly super-convenient, super-addicted "Brave New World."
Stoicism reminds me of a quote from Veritas Savannah:
“Prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child.”
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Marc Schulz is a professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr college, is the Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Human Development, and is the co-author of the book "The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness."
During our conversation, Marc talks about the key insight from the longest study ever done on human flourishing: that good relationships are the most important factor in a thriving life.He also discusses what a good relationship means, how good relationships provide us protection from the vicissitudes of life, the ideal number of friends, Robert Putnam's book "Bowling Alone" and the epidemic of modern loneliness, and how our culture distracts us from properly prioritizing what actually makes us healthy and happy.
I feel like the truth of this book is hiding in plain sight: we all know that great friends and enduring connections are treasures, but it's easy to get distracted and lethargic. I hope this work can be a clarifier for us all, and a reminder to be more people-focused, to be a bit more socially generous, and a bit more worthy of having terrific people in our lives.
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(00:00) Intro
(03:11) The Harvard Study of Human Development
(06:11) An extensive study of human thriving
(07:57) What the study discovered
(10:06) What are good relationships?
(12:05) Relationships provide protection
(16:18) Avoiding toxic relationships
(20:38) Rules of thumb regarding toxic relationships
(23:58) Modern loneliness
(26:51) COVID may have changed our Big 5 personality averages
(29:40) Social fitness
(33:14) How society discourages focusing on our relationships
(37:18) Marc's advice to prioritize relationships
(42:03) Stories from the book that resonate
(46:48) Marc's advice about ambition to his students
(50:33) What are the best number of friends to have?
(54:03) Choosing an intimate partner and the importance of friendship
Roy Baumeister is a social psychologist, a professor at Florida State University, and the author of many books, including "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength." During our conversation, Roy speaks at length on a variety of fascinating topics: how and why male homosexuality may have survived through evolution, differences in male and female sexuality, hunter-gatherer parenting styles, marriage and sex, how women have shaped men, the "tragedy of the male sex drive," whether free will exists, and how we might approach our nature with a degree of self-awareness and wisdom.
Roy is a brilliant writer, a prolific polymath, and someone who is admired and respected by many who have been on this show.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:31) How are there gay people?
(07:06) Ideal lifetime sex partners for men vs. women
(08:38) The tragedy of the male sex drive
(14:49) Lessons from "Too Many Women"
(19:41) Quotes from Roy about men and women
(23:45) Lesson from Helen Fisher
(27:51) The effect of human babies being born prematurely
(36:56) Sex, marriage, and "The Sex Diaries"
(41:47) Is the expectation of lifelong monogamy unwise?
(47:21) Quotes from Roy about willpower
(49:06) Does free will exist?
(1:00:21) How has evolutionary psychology effected Roy?
Orna Donath is an Israeli sociologist, a teacher at Tel Aviv University, and the author of the landmark book, "Regretting Motherhood." During our conversation, Orna talks about the women she profiled in her book, the difference between regretting motherhood and having ambivalence towards it, and why and how women end up in a life where they regret being mothers. Orna also talks about regretting motherhood as one of our world's taboo topics, the idea that being childless is "selfish," what it is like for women to "come out" as regretting parenthood, and whether the desire to be child-free is an innate orientation.
This is one of the most important and interesting conversations I've ever had. Amazingly, Orna's work is the first of its kind: a study that gives voice to women whose experience of motherhood has been an unequivocal mistake. We often, I think, like to believe such people don't exist, hence the shame that's often associated with those who affirm this experience. Orna has helped to bring such women out of the shadows and, I hope, begun to lessen the stigma of those who honestly share the regret they feel about an irreversible, life-changing decision.
If we are to live in a world that respects and encourages individuality and personal preferences, then Orna's work is a consciousness-raising offering. I hope that it will help millions of women learn that they are not alone, and reduce the likelihood of people being influenced by conformity and peer pressure over honoring one's inner compass.
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(00:00) Intro
(04:27) The genesis of the study "Regretting Motherhood"
(06:46) Defining regret
(10:25) Ambivalence vs. regret
(13:24) Similarities with "coming out" as gay
(16:55) A first-of-its-kind study
(20:25) Quotes from women
(23:55) Completness vs. deficiency
(29:55) Normative vs. normal
(32:57) Is being childfree selfish?
(38:00) Who is most at risk for regretting parenthood?
(42:44) Can removing stigma reduce regret?
(46:40) Are there advantages of being childfree?
(51:30) What it's like to know you don't want kids
(54:55) How Orna endured in honoring her preference
(58:40) Orna's forthcoming study of elderly childfree people
Joyce Benenson is an author, a scientist, and a lecturer in the department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. During our conversation, Joyce talks about her field of expertise and research: sex differences in competition and cooperation. She also discusses human hierarchies, common misconceptions about men and boys, how she would, on average, describe the male and female psyche, consistent differences between boys and girls in childhood, and more.
Like many of the recent, brilliant guests on this show, Joyce's focus is human nature: what we know about who we are and what we're like. I can't get enough of this subject, and people like her have spent a career trying to answer fundamental questions about what makes us human.
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Tania Reynolds is a scientist, a researcher, and an assistant professor of evolution and development at the University of New Mexico. During our conversation, Tania explains the field of evolutionary psychology, the evolutionary history and culture of hunter-gatherer societies, what we know about how women compete for men, the role and purpose of gossip in female social life and competition, the importance of finding high-quality men for women, why women are driven to find super-nice friends, and why equality is often so important to female relationships.
As I have mentioned on this show, I think the field of evolutionary psychology is the most fascinating and revelatory area of research in modern science. Tania's career is just beginning, and to me, she is focusing on the subjects that attempt to accurately explain human nature, why we are the way we are. I loved this conversation and all of the taboo, politically incorrect, and humbling topics we discuss.
Robert Greene has noted that we often like to think that we are descended from angels, not from primates. I think understanding our animal nature, our hardwired tendencies, can help us be more compassionate towards other fellow, flawed apes, more honest with ourselves, and more capable of acclimating our lives to flourish with this reality.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:51) What is evolutionary psychology?
(06:16) Why is ev psych interesting?
(09:18) What women want: high-quality men
(18:16) Patrilocal social groups and women
(21:51) Female friends: coalitional partner in reputational warfare
(28:50) Female reputational competition and manipulation
(37:40) The influence of sex ratios on dating cultures
(44::21) Tania's advice for young men
(50:00) The evolutionary reason for "slut shaming"
(56:30) Females emphasize equal outcomes; males, equal opportunities
(01:04:09) What should people do with evolutionary psychology's findings?
Kevin Kelly is a photographer, a futurist, an editor, and the author of multiple books, including his newest, "Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier."
On his 68th birthday, Kevin wrote "68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" for his children - an essay that went viral. He wrote two more birthday advice essays for years 69, and 70. Now, after cleaning those nuggets up and adding 150 more, he has written a treasure-trove of wisdom, created and given to the world by one of America's most perceptive thinkers.
This is my favorite kind of book, and Kevin has created a masterpiece that I will consult for the rest of my life. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to become just a little bit wiser, a little bit better, a little bit more thoughtful. It was an honor to conduct this conversation, with a man who I've admired for years.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:22) Why Kevin began sharing advice
(04:48) "68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" popularity
(06:54) 10 pieces of advice
(09:09) You are what you do
(13:07) Character is about how you deal with power
(20:22) Look back 25 years from today to decide
(23:47) The three things you need
(37:42) Cultivate 12 people who love you
(42:02) Money is to allow you to do great work
(43:18) A perfect day to Kevin Kelly
(45:42) Success and wealth
(47:23) What's the point of obtaining wisdom?
Pico Iyer is an essayist, a travel writer, and the author of many books, including one of my all-time favorites: "A Beginner's Guide to Japan: Observations and Provocations." During our conversation, Pico talks about his journey to living in Japan, his observations from and insights into this very-foreign culture, and he speaks at length about the very-Japanese themes of subtraction, cosplay, traditional gender roles, baseball, wisdom, and more.
Japan, in many ways, exhibits the inverse of many of the more boorish, stereotypically American qualities: it is graceful, quiet, obedient, considerate, internal. I quote extensively from Pico's masterful book, and it was a joy to listen to the man himself go into deeper detail about the country he has called home for more than three decades.
Pico was born in Britain, and in a way that only an outsider can - and with his tremendous perceptiveness - he uncovers fascinating and enduring truths about one of the world's brilliantly weird and totally interesting civilizations. Japan is nearly 1,400 years old, and there is much to be learned from this rich, historic, and perplexing place.
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Jeremi Suri is a historian, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and the author of multiple books, including his most recent, "Civil War by Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy."
During our conversation, Jeremi talks about the circumstances leading up to the American Civil War, the key players in the war, including Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and Ulysses S. Grant, the Confederate roots of the Ku Klux Klan, little-known facts about important Confederate leaders in the war, including those who joined and agreed to fight for Mexico, and those who eventually rose to American political power during the post-war years. Perhaps most centrally, Jeremi argues that Lincoln's grand vision for a fully unified, equal America was never realized, and its aftereffects can be felt and observed to this day.
Despite its historic atrocities and current injustices, I still believe that America is the world's best hope for human freedom, real prosperity, and inspiring the rights and the dignity of the individual. Its founding principles have endured and have changed the world. And people vote with their feet: there's a reason why America continues to be immigrants' top choice as their preferred home. The United States will never be perfect, but it can be better, and the knowledge and insights from this book can help the place Lincoln called, "the last best hope of earth."
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Christopher Ryan is a writer, a podcaster, and the author of the bestselling books "Sex at Dawn" and "Civilized to Death." During our conversation, Chris talks about his interest in human nature, Native American culture, humanity's origins as hunter-gatherers, and what we can learn from the environment and general culture that shaped our psychology. He also talks about the dawn of agriculture, and why that event - which occurred independently numerous times - is arguably humanity's biggest mistake.
If "know thyself" is the bedrock of wisdom, we must first understand who we are, where we come from, and how we evolved. Chris's perspective may allow us all to better understand and prioritize the important aspects of human life: how we work, how we love, and what's worth valuing - especially for those who are struggling and suffering in modern civilization. I love his irreverence, his intelligence, his independence of mind, and his unique lifestyle.
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Thomas Moore is a spiritual teacher, a psychotherapist, and the author of many books, including his bestseller, "Care of the Soul."
During our conversation, Thomas talks about his many years as a Catholic monk, his time in academia, and his work as a therapist. He also talks about the ideas and life of Carl Jung and James Hillman, archetypes of the human psyche, and spirituality and religion in the modern world.
Thomas is well-known for his writings on the human soul. He discusses his appreciation for historical figures like Emily Dickinson and Henry David Thoreau and details their wisdom and insights. In an increasingly secular age, Thomas has given mystical sustenance to those seeking to better understand their own soul, its needs, and how one might live a life of spirituality and soulfulness.
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Nicholas Christakis is a sociologist, a physician, and is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University. He is also the author of a variety of books including "Apollo's Arrow" and "Blueprint."
During our conversation, Nicholas talks about his experiences as a hospice doctor and what he has learned from working with the dying, his book "Blueprint" and our current evolutionary understanding of human nature, and the scientific roots of love and friendship. He also discusses another topic about which he has written and which he has experienced: the madness of crowds, and the danger of mobs.
Nicholas is a polymath, a public intellectual, and an amazingly curious mind. His professional life has spanned many fascinating and important fields, and his life and his knowledge can help all of us to be more self-aware, more conscious of our natures, and more rooted in reality.
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Chip Conley is an entrepreneur, the author of many books including "Wisdom at Work," and is the co-founder of the Modern Elder Academy. During our conversation, Chip talks about founding, running, and eventually selling Joie de Vivre Hospitality, mentoring both California Governor Gavin Newsom and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, and the role of elders in contemporary and ancestral societies.
Chip aims to change the purpose, the usefulness, and the cultural esteem of one of our most untapped resources: our elders. In a society obsessed with youth and fearful of aging, our elders have an abundance of the quality most apt to avoid mistakes, improve decision-making, and increase overall health and wellness: wisdom.
If Chip is successful in propelling the growth and the influence of his Modern Elder Academy, and its offshoot Regenerative Communities - an attempt to disrupt, innovate, and improve senior living - I believe he and his team will help us improve as a culture, provide meaning to people as they age, and mature our civilization.
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Greg Lukianoff is a journalist, an attorney, the co-author of "The Coddling of the American Mind," and the President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). During our conversation, Greg talks about freedom of speech in America, how social media has affected our propensity to speak openly, and the threats to free expression on modern university campuses.
As Greg mentions, while the legal support for free speech is strong in the U.S., it isn't in our culture. A citizen's right to free speech is the counterintuitive exception to the rule in human history. Free speech societies tend to be societies that are peaceful and prosperous. Cancel culture societies seem to be societies that lead to self-censorship, a zeitgeist of fear and suspicion, and an inability to rigorously pursue the truth.
The work of people like Greg and organizations like FIRE are crucial to the continuance of our sacred inheritance: a free civilization and a free people. And their noble mission reminds me of two quotes to be considered, one from James Hollis, the other from Václav Havel:
"Wherever there is a hysterical certainty, and there is much in our land, it is because doubt has already planted its black flag inside the soul and the ego is running away like a child."
"In everyone there is some willingness to merge with the anonymous crowd and to flow comfortably along with it down the river of pseudo-life."
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Richard Reeves is a writer, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of "Of Boys and Men." During our conversation Richard presents data detailing how boys and men are falling behind in education and employment, that men represent three out every four "deaths of despair," and the confusion over what is good about being a man and what it means to be a man as gender roles have significantly changed.
Richard also talks about the phenomenon of both Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate, why Peterson and Tate have gained such an audience, his primary concern of "checked-out" rather than "acting-out" men, the influence of video games and pornography, the effect of divorce on men, the evolutionary point and purpose of the male sex, and what can be done to help problems of modern men.
I think Richard's book will be a seminal work of our era. It puts the data to what is already known by millions of men: the isolation, the detachment, the loneliness, the disconnection, the feeling of being unnecessary, the silent despair. A healthy civilization encourages, designs, and incentivizes all of its citizens to flourish, and Richard's book should help raise our consciousness to the reality of the lives of so many men.
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Jeff Rediger is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard University and a medical director at McLean SouthEast Adult Psychiatric Programs, who holds a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Jeff is the author of the book "Cured," which details and explores examples of spontaneous remission, and discusses various aspects of human health.
During our conversation, Jeff talks about what qualifies as a spontaneous remission, what might be causing diseases that had been deemed incurable to disappear, and his four pillars of healing: nutrition, healing your immune system, healing your stress response, and healing your identity and beliefs.
Jeff also discusses what may be causing many environmentally-influenced diseases, how chronically-stressful relationships and environments can cause life-threatening illnesses, and the importance of love and community in a healthy life.
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Stephen Kinzer is a former "New York Times" correspondent, is a Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs at Brown University, and is the author of "Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control."
During our conversation, Stephen talks about the goals of the MK-Ultra program, its leader Sidney Gottlieb, its record of physical and psychological torture, its secrecy from the public, how it brought LSD into America, and how its existence was revealed to the public.
The MK-Ultra program started in 1953 and the public was unaware of it and its abuses for more than 20 years. Because so much of its documentation was destroyed, we'll likely never know the full extent of MK-Ultra's activity and its abuses of power. But, we can learn that it existed, it was real, and it was fully rationalized in its time.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:17) Sidney Gottlieb: the most powerful, unknown American of the 20th century
(06:51) What is the CIA’s MK Ultra program?
(14:01) The nefarious aspects of MK Ultra’s experiments
(16:52) Gottlieb’s interest in clinical experiments with LSD
(22:14) Charles Manson and the MK Ultra program
(24:44) MK Ultra’s two-step program to first blow out, then control, people’s minds
(32:51) How hepatitis patients react to LSD
(37:29) MK Ultra was above of the law
(44:32) The personal life of Sidney Gottlieb
(51:03) Scientific conclusions from the MK Ultra program
(53:11) How the public learned about MK Ultra
(55:27) Is something like MK Ultra going on today?
(59:46) Don't swallow the narrative you're fed by government and power
Josh Chin is the China Deputy Bureau Chief for "The Wall Street Journal" and is the co-author of the book "Surveillance State: China's Quest to Launch a New Era of Social Control."
During our conversation, Josh talks about China's use of surveillance technology in Xinjiang, how it is using that technology to monitor and send Uyghurs to modern gulags (places the Chinese government calls "re-education camps"), and how the Chinese are exporting this technology around the world.
Josh also talks about being kicked out of China in 2020, how China could unleash this technology on dissidents in the future, and how he would respond to those who are ambivalent to government surveillance because "they have nothing to hide."
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:10) Josh's interest in China
(07:07) The rise of China's surveillance technology
(11:18) The surveillance of the Uyghurs
(15:46) What triggers a Uyghur being sent to a gulag?
(18:35) The arbitrariness of which Uyghurs disappear is intentional
(23:57) The abuse and torture of Uyghurs in Chinese gulags
(25:46) Possibly 20-30% of the Uyghur population has been sent to gulags
(26:47) China's official statement about what's happening to Uyghurs
(27:46) The details of facial recognition technology
(31:58) Why do the findings of "Surveillance State" matter?
(33:57) A response to "I have nothing to hide"
(38:44) How can surveillance information be used against people?
(43:19) Who is Xi Jinping?
(45:46) Where is China exporting its surveillance technology?
(50:12) Is the Uyghur experiment a prototype for future totalitarianism?
(56:10) Josh's expulsion from China in 2020
(59:38) Are China's human rights abuses, on balance, warranted?
(1:08:02) China and TikTok
(1:12:08) Thoughts on the future of China and the West
Joe Henrich is a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and is the author of the book "The WEIRDest People in the World."
During our conversation, Joe talks about his interest in human nature, how cultures change people biologically, how the mating laws of the Roman Catholic Church and the literacy imperatives of Protestantism changed Western civilization, cultural limitations on the Big 5 Personality traits, monogamy and polygyny, modern dating, objective truth, right and wrong, and what UN parking ticket data tells us about different countries in the world.
WEIRD stands for "Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic," and if you're listening to this episode, you likely fall in that category. Joe is an encyclopedia of information about human beings, who we are, how we're different, and how we got this way. He offers advice for struggling young men, political leaders contemplating foreign intervention, and on how to think clearly about ethics and moral relativism.
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(00:00) Introduction
(03:04) Interest in evolutionary biology and human culture
(04:50) The effect of culture on humans
(08:04) Culture changes people biologically
(11:21) WEIRD vs. non-WEIRD people
(13:34) How the structure of the family effects Han Chinese
(14:26) The effect of the Catholic Church in Germany
(15:08) Scotch-Irish segmentary lineage culture
(18:56) How the Catholic Church's rules unwittingly fueled Europe's rise
(21:53) How Protestantism's work and word ethic drove Europe's prosperity
(25:20) What a kin-based society looked like before the Catholic Church
(27:49) Ways that culture changes people's brains
(32:26) Testosterone does not go down post-fatherhood for men in polygynous cultures
(39:01) Failing young men, dating technology, and modern dating
(41:48) What can go wrong in polygynous societies?
(43:56) How can we help young men prosper?
(47:36) The Big 5 personality traits may be culturally-specific to WEIRD people
(51:54) Making sense of human nature
(54:16) Evolutionary psychology and human culture
(56:46) The future of dating and mating in the West
(59:46) Different cultures and American foreign policy mistakes
(1:02:56) Joe's advice on American foreign policy
(1:04:36) China's male gender imbalance and future societal problems
(1:06:28) Advice for struggling young men
(1:09:46) United Nations parking tickets data
(1:13:51) Moral relativism and Ayaan Hirsi Ali
(1:19:41) Truth and science colliding with postmodernism
(1:22:26) What's next for Joe
Huw Price is an author, was the Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and is the co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk.
During our conversation, Huw talks about meeting Jaan Tallinn of Skype, learning about lesser-known existential risks of artificial intelligence and catastrophic new biological threats, the founding of the Centre in 2012, what an existential threat is, a near-existential event in 1962, and what an average citizen can do to mitigate the probability of an extinction event.
There is no more important subject than the prevention of our own annihilation and the continuation of the human story. It is harrowing to learn how close we have already come to ending human existence on Earth, and it behooves all of us to learn a bit about what our x-risks are and align our priorities, knowledge, wisdom, and resources to lessen its likelihood.
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(00:00) Introduction
William Davis is a cardiologist and an author who has written both the best-selling book "Wheat Belly" and his most recent, "Super Gut." During our conversation, Bill talks about the human microbiome, the role of the gut as the "second brain" in the human body, how a modern diet and a modern microbiome may be contributing to common ailments of civilization like inflammation and depression, his suggestions for healthy eating and lifestyle, and what supplements he suggests people consume to improve their microbiome.
Nothing is more important to human flourishing than one's health, and Bill offers some original insights and under-the-radar options that people may want to consider. He discusses the role of antibiotics in our culture, bacteria and endotoxemia, and gives advice for healthy living.
I know that outside-the-box tinkering with my own lifestyle has dramatically improved my own health through mitigating stress, getting adequate sleep, eliminating or significantly reducing certain foods, and doing daily rigorous exercise that includes heat or cold exposure. Healthy people are happy people and good citizens, and I think we should be open to tinkering with our habits and foods to maximize our well-being. And perhaps one or two ideas from this conversation might resonate with you, and help you in your own life.
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(00:00) Introduction
Jim Fadiman is an author, an educator, and is America's leading expert on the science of microdosing. During our conversation, Jim talks about his relationship with his favorite Harvard professor, Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass), his first psychedelic experience, and why he decided to dedicate so much of his career to the study of psychedelics and microdosing.
Jim also discusses The Fadiman Protocol for microdosing, what microdosing is and proper dosing and frequency of use, microdosing's potential for human well-being, creativity, and to combat mental illness, and how a healthy society might wisely integrate such practices into its civilization.
Jim believes that our culture is growing more open to the potential promise of psychedelics, and I think he's right. Documentaries like Netflix's "How to Change Your Mind" and books like his, "The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide," offer knowledge that has been suppressed and demonized to be more accurately detailed and publicly available.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:48) Interest in psychedelics and microdosing
(04:19) Life as a graduate student
(07:28) Richard Alpert and Bill Richards
(10:59) The link between theology and psychedelics
(15:01) Inspiration from a psychedelic experience
(17:32) Religious views prior to psilocybin experience
(21:33) The 1970s-1990s as era of lost opportunities in psychedelic research
(24:32) Spiritual unwellness in modern people
(28:00) “Flump'ing” in the 1960's
(30:14) Psychedelic research during its illegality
(33:07) How Jim's transcendent experience affected him
(37:27) Resistance to psychedelic research
(42:04) Quotes by Jim on psychedelics
(49:05) What is meant by microdosing?
(50:58) Some positive affects of microdosing
(52:54) The "sweet spot" quantity and frequency for microdosing
(01:05:10) Possible psychedelic dosage mistakes and their impact
(01:07:38) Psilocybin as a "nootropic vitamin" for healthy living
(01:12:53) Microdosing for intellectual or creative pursuits
(01:21:40) Francis Crick, LSD, and the DNA double helix discovery
(01:23:47) Microdosing and alleviating human suffering
(01:30:21) The role of psychedelics in a healthy, flourishing society and culture
Deirdre McCloskey is an economist, the author of more than 20 books, and is one of America's most prominent trans academics. During our conversation, Deirdre talks about growing up in the 1940's and 1950's, knowing from an early age that she wanted to be a woman, her marriage of more than 30 years to the "love of her life" and fathering two children, and her epiphany in the 1990's, at more than 50 years of age, that she wanted to transition from a man to a woman.
Deirdre also details the reaction of her family to her desire to transition, how she was twice institutionalized, progress in trans rights in America, and her disagreements with positions taken by individuals like Kathleen Stock and Helen Joyce, who have publicly voiced concerns about allowing children to go through hormone therapy and insist that the majority of kids who transition later regret their decision.
As I note during the conversation, I think most people are trying to form their views on this sensitive issue, to best determine what is true and what is decent. A free society should allow adults to do what they want, provided they aren't harming others. I try to understand the concerns of people on both sides of this debate around children, and no matter how one might come down on it, I admire Deirdre's courage in authentically living her life, in being true to herself, and in her commitment to free speech, to allow open and important moral conversations to happen.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:50) “Crossing: A Memoir” quote: boyhood
(09:49) Early life and sexuality
(14:29) Gender conversations with her ex-wife
(16:53) Concealments from her ex-wife
(17:44) Being sexually different in the 50s and 60s
(20:23) Cross-dressing
(21:31) Gender transition after decades of marriage
(23:09) 50 years as a male
(25:45) Her resistance towards gender change
(28:10) Praying to be a woman
(29:19) Lived experience as a man identifying as a woman
(31:19) The moment of epiphany to transition
(35:26) Clarity on the epiphany
(36:33) Loved ones’ reactions to the gender transition
(38:54) Being institutionalized against her will
(41:25) Classical liberalism and freedom
(43:13) The experience of being institutionalized
(45:59) Changing cultural views on gender transitions
(50:09) Life post gender transition
(53:50) Self-actualization and gender transition
(58:25) The best part about being a female
(01:01:16) Living doubt-free post gender transition
(01:05:00) Freedom of speech being paramount
(01:06:26) Is gender change irreversible?
(01:11:41) Do children often regret gender transition?
(01:16:29) Are claims of children regretting their gender change fabricated?
(01:19:19) The state’s involvement in personal decisions
(01:23:00) Removing the state from personal decisions
(01:27:47) Courage, and being a public example
Barbara Demick is a journalist, an essayist, and is the author of both "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" and "Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town." During our conversation, Barbara talks about how she became interested in North Korea, the founding of North Korea in 1945, how its society is structured, its ability to isolate its citizens from the outside world, its famine in the 1990's, the defectors she met who became the key characters in her book, and whether its leadership are true-believing Communists or primarily hungry for power.
She also talks about her more recent book, "Eat the Buddha," which details the Chinese history and relationship with Tibet, the day-to-day lives of ordinary Tibetan citizens, what happened in 1958, Tibetan acts of self-immolation, and the influence of the Dalai Lama. As Barbara mentions during the interview, it's the role of the journalist to provide the truth, not to provide hope. And in both of these oppressed places, any enduring hope that may change the plight of North Koreans and Tibetans must start by having an accurate understanding of the tragedy, the history, and lived reality of its people.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:35) Early life and interest in studying North Korea
(05:53) The creation of North Korea
(08:50) North Korea from the 50s to 80s
(11:32) Getting access to North Koreans
(19:22) The traumas of the North Koreans
(23:08) “Nothing To Envy” quotes and the book’s impact on North Koreans
(28:10) The North Korean famine of the 90s
(31:31) Is the North Korean leadership evil, or committed Communists?
(35:45) North Korea in 2022
(39:27) “Nothing To Envy” quotes – abuse of power in North Korea
(44:48) Threats to freedom in the US
(48:34) Hope for North Korean people
(49:01) Interest in studying the relationship between China and Tibet
(55:09) The importance of the year 1958 for Tibet
(59:58) “Eat The Buddha” quotes
(01:05:37) Life of a Tibetan
(01:12:06) Lesser-known truths about North Korea and Tibet
Merit is a scientist, a doctor, a researcher, and is both the director of the Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS and Chief of Neurology at Mass General Hospital in Boston. During our conversation, Merit talks about her journey to becoming a doctor and provides a definition of ALS, commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." She also discusses her interest in ALS, describes its symptoms and how it affects those who have it, the influence of genes and environment on its development, how one can live to mitigate one's risk of getting ALS, what we don't yet know about its onset, current research to fight the disease, and reasons for hope.
To me, ALS is one of the most terrifying diseases a human being can get: normal psychological and intellectual function as one's body deteriorates, eventually resulting in a total inability to move, swallow, and eventually, breathe. Merit is optimistic about the future of our ability to understand and combat this horrible illness, and if she's correct, it will be because of the hard work, brilliance, and determination of people like her.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:23) Early life and interest in Science and Medicine
(03:45) Building interest in immunology
(04:38) Getting introduced to ALS
(06:35) The experience of witnessing someone go through ALS
(09:28) What is meant by ALS?
(10:43) The most common symptoms of ALS
(11:55) The tests used to diagnose ALS
(12:45) How long ALS has been around in the world
(13:17) Lou Gehrig’s battle with ALS
(14:19) What causes the muscular deterioration leading to ALS?
(17:12) Preventing ALS
(20:22) Probable lifestyle factors causing ALS
(22:59) The appropriate level of stress in humans
(26:11) The influence of an unhealthy lifestyle in causing life-threatening diseases
(28:26) Recommendations for a healthy lifestyle
(31:18) The role of inflammation in causing disease in humans
(33:30) The factors triggering high inflammation levels in humans
(35:57) The future of ALS research and treatment
(39:58) Hope for people with genetic reasons for ALS
(41:55) Identifying the first changes in people with ALS
(43:51) The scope for more robust research around ALS
(46:10) The progress made in our fight against ALS
(47:44) Other ALS researchers to follow
(49:27) Potentially helpful treatment options for ALS
(53:29) Available resources for people with ALS
(56:17) The evolutionary reasons for the existence of ALS
(01:00:57) Using psychedelics to treat ALS
(01:06:40): Are people ever cured of ALS?
(01:08:23) Merit's inspiration behind getting into ALS research
Jack Barsky is a former KGB spy who worked undercover in the United States for ten years, from 1978 to 1988. During our conversation, Jack talks about his early life in East Germany, being selected for espionage by the Soviet government, his prior commitment to and belief in Communism, his impression of the United States and its people upon entering the U.S., his objectives as a spy, his experience living in America, the flaws and dangers of utopianism, and the KGB experience of one of his contemporaries, Vladimir Putin.
Jack is now a U.S. citizen, and his life story, detailed both in his memoir, "Deep Undercover," and in the podcast "The Agent," is one of the most fascinating that I have come across. He has lived for decades in two parallel worlds - in Soviet and American civilization - and has important wisdom and reflections to share about his experiences and each system's compatibility with human nature.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:34) Early life in East Germany
(06:44) Belief in Communism
(18:32) Jack's parents
(21:56) A good candidate for espionage
(25:03) What was The Stasi?
(29:53) Objectives as a spy for the Soviet Union in the U.S.
(39:41) The qualities the KGB looked for in their recruits
(40:34) What Jack knew about his tasks in the U.S. before being deployed
(47:24) Perception of Americans
(56:12) Resonating with the ideas of the U.S. Constitution
(01:02:13) Soviet vs. American system
(01:06:25) Assessment of Putin as a man and leader
(01:15:00) Important lessons from Jack’s life
Robert Greene is the author of many best-selling books, including "The Laws of Human Nature," "Mastery," "The Art of Seduction," "The 33 Strategies of War," and "The 48 Laws of Power," which is the primary subject of our conversation.
During our conversation, Robert talks about his definition of power, why humans crave power, how a lack of power affects human beings, how individuals might increase their power in their own life, and how his own increase in power has affected his life. He also talks about American's reluctance to speak openly about power, Carl Jung's concept of "the shadow" and how it may apply to that collective reluctance, whether power is fundamentally neutral - neither good or bad - and the relationship between love and power.
"The 48 Laws of Power" is more than twenty years old, yet it is consistently in the top 10 of Amazon's best-seller list. Robert's work can help people understand power's role in human affairs, and with more knowledge and honesty, perhaps individuals can use power both to improve one's life, live with self-awareness, and hold oneself to high standards. As I noted during our conversation, one of my favorite quotes from history comes from Lincoln:
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:38) ‘Power’ as explained in "The 48 Laws Of Power"
(06:11) Robert's depression before writing "The 48 Laws of Power"
(10:41) Why are people reluctant to talk about power?
(15:22) The link between the desire for fulfillment and power
(19:36) From powerless to powerful: Robert’s story
(24:08) Human's desire to gain power through autonomy and authenticity
(28:57) How to live a life that increases one's power
(34:38) The importance of self-mastery
(39:41) Lincoln's quote about power
(46:00) Is power inherently neutral, neither good or bad?
(53:58) Carl Jung's quote on "the shadow"
(49:27) What are examples of America's shadow?
(57:45) The importance of integrating one's shadow
(01:06:34) How can the American center hold, given our polarization?
(01:13:45) Four laws of power for modern times
(01:16:22) The relationship between power and love
Konstantin Kisin is a stand-up comedian, the co-host of the YouTube show and podcast "TRIGGERnometry," and is the author of the forthcoming book, "An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West."
During our conversation, Konstantin talks about the experience, terror, and totalitarianism of Soviet communism, his upbringing in and the lived experience of the collapse of the Soviet Union, differences in values between the West and other civilizational powers, the role of comedy in a free society, the importance and clarity of Martin Luther King's dream that individuals be "judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," freedom of speech, and the corrosive threat of polarization, political correctness, identity politics, and equality of outcome movements to Western civilization.
Konstantin is one of the most eloquent and informed public voices about the state of modern Russia, the war in Ukraine, and the importance of upholding Western values. His appreciation for Western values is evident, and his story might help us all be a bit more grateful, mindful, informed about, and protective of the sacred freedoms and opportunities that have been bestowed upon us by past generations.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:50) Journey from the Soviet Union to the West
(09:57) What about the Soviet experiment matters to a modern audience?
(15:45) What was the Soviet experiment about?
(21:08) The 1990's Russian experience of democracy
(31:45) Vladimir Putin’s rise to power in Russia
(36:54) The importance of Western beliefs, ideas, and values
(48:45) MLK's ethical, cultural north star - and a quote on truth
(53:53) The threat of polarization - and Western beliefs on liberty vs. other civilizations
(01:06:41) The primary threats to America and the West are internal
(01:13:40) Mark Normand's "new N-word" and the role of comedy in a free society
(01:20:52) Hope for the future
Jeffrey Guss is a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, a researcher, and was the Co-principal Investigator and Director of Psychedelic Therapy Training for psilocybin trials at the NYU School of Medicine. During our conversation, Jeff talks about his interest in psychedelics, its use for treating cancer-stricken patients with existential despair and those with addictions such as alcoholism, anecdotes from those studies, its potential for helping those with mental illness, Michael Pollan's book "How to Change Your Mind," and psychedelics' proper place in our society.
Jeffrey's work and those like him are beginning to lend scientific credibility to the promise of psychedelic medicine. I think this is one of the world's most fascinating subjects, and gives real hope to those who are suffering or simply want to live in a more wholesome, honest, and kind world.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:50) Developing an interest in psychiatry
(09:08) Learning about the healing properties of psychedelics
(23:44) Quotes and ideas from the book "How to Change Your Mind"
(30:14) A story of a psychedelic, spiritual transformation
(47:55) Rumination and psychedelic's possibility to treat addiction
(50:22) An analogy of x-ray technology and psychedelics
(01:03:28) Psychedelic's effect on the brain and the mind
(01:12:30) The proper role of psychedelics in a sane and healthy society
Jon Birger is a journalist and is the author of "Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game." During our conversation, Jon talks about the demographic data regarding college-educated men and women in America, how sex ratio differences in colleges and cities influence dating and mating behavior, the effect of #MeToo on modern romance, dating apps, assortative mating, evolution's effect on human mate preferences, and how the significant sex ratio difference in China seems to have led to an increase in criminality.
There are millions more young, college-educated women than men in the United States. The educational and career success of women in America is a triumph of our society. Yet, inevitably, many such women will have difficulty finding a partner at their achievement level. This is a largely unforeseen modern phenomena, and one that I think should be taken seriously.
Jon and I have some clear disagreements on subjects we discuss - including a disagreement about the precariousness of the situation and its likely outcome. Regardless, his book is crucial in understanding the reality of the situation. And in his new book, "Make Your Move," he makes suggestions that single people, especially women, may want to know about, and to keep in mind.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:24) Developing an interest in modern dating
(04:57) College-educated sex ratios in America and its effect on dating
(08:21) The effect of China's massive sex ratio imbalance
(14:23) Sex ratio-driven increase in criminality in China
(17:39) What is meant by assortative mating?
(21:48) The evolution of dating culture in recent American history
(25:49) The effect of the #MeToo movement on dating
(31:55) Hypergamy and modern dating
(42:33) Testosterone levels and cultural dating tendencies
(44:17) The fluctuation of testosterone levels in men and women
(47:12) The dating difficulties of accomplished, educated women
(49:59) Ideas for women and men to navigate modern dating
(56:01) Female assertiveness in modern dating
(59:13) Additional dating strategies for college graduates
(01:03:18) Modern-day workplace dating
(01:08:09) The state of men today
(01:18:34) Opening avenues for "mixed collar" dating
(01:21:53) The future of dating
Jonathan Rauch is a journalist, an essayist for "The Atlantic" magazine, and the author of "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth." During our conversation, Jon talks about what "The Constitution of Knowledge" is and how its norms and practices are the backbone of how our civilization attempts to ascertain the truth and how this innovation in civil discourse has led to an unprecedented rise in peace, freedom, and knowledge.
He talks about the two modern threats to that foundation - from both the left and the right - from "cancel culture" and "troll culture." Cancel culture, found throughout history, is a coercive and intimidation method to shut down speech, often deteriorating into a spiral of silence, providing a false sense of uniform belief. He also talks about "troll culture," and how disinformation is, at its root, aimed to confuse the populace, with a demagogue or a strongman leader waiting to step into the vacuum to provide the "truth" people so desperately desire.
These dual threats are overt attacks to the center, to the mainstream - what Jon calls the "reality-based community." They're direct assaults on the collective immune system of the nation, and they brilliantly play on our deep-seated, evolutionary tribal biases. Jonathan offers insight into how to accurately assess our unsettling times, and how we might upgrade our own individual software, to help to inoculate ourselves and our society.
On a personal note: I think Jonathan's book is one of the best, and most important that I have come across in years. He is a master diagnostician, and his clarity of observation is brilliant, deeply-needed, and timely.
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(00:00) Introduction
(03:10) Why Jon wrote "The Constitution of Knowledge"
(05:47) How do we know what we know?
(07:33) What is epistemology?
(08:10) What is The Constitution of Knowledge?
(15:53) What The Constitution of Knowledge has brought to the world
(22:55) The modern threats to free speech in America
(27:23) What is cancel culture and the "spiral of silence"?
(33:30) The importance of social courtesy and free speech
(39:18) What is troll culture?
(48:40) How can citizens protect against future disinformation?
(58:04) Braver Angels’ work to depolarize America
(01:02:28) Evidence to combat "The Big Lie," Trump's claim that he won in 2020
(01:10:35) Reasons for hope
Richard Rhodes is a historian, a journalist, and is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." During our conversation, Richard talks about the technology and the people that led to the creation of the atomic bomb, the threat of nuclear war in modern times, nuclear winter, how nuclear weapons are influencing the war in Ukraine, and how we might mitigate the risk of a nuclear exchange.
Richard also talks about his book "Scientist: E. O. Wilson: A Life in Nature." He details Ed Wilson's role in the history and science of evolution, sociobiology and the application of the evolutionary lens on human nature, the role of genes in human behavior, and his role in environmentalism and conservation.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:19) Developing an interest in writing non-fiction books
(06:02) Shifting focus from fiction to non-fiction work
(10:30) What about The Making of the Atomic Bomb was new and revelatory?
(15:27) What from The Making of the Atomic Bomb is still not widely understood
(21:21) The Manhattan Project and atomic technology
(29:29) Nuclear winter - can we continue to prevent nuclear war?
(36:50) Getting interested in E.O. Wilson
(43:28) Ed Wilson: his upbringing, discoveries, and achievements
(52:28) Sociobiology and Ed's dangerous ideas
(01:06:12) The attempt to cancel Ed Wilson
(01:12:12) Quotes from Ed Wilson and his place in the history of science
(01:17:23) How a difficult childhood shaped Ed Wilson
(01:23:02) Ed's enduring importance to the world, to science, to humanity
(01:28:48) Finding meaning and spirituality in life
Joseph Goldstein is an author, the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and is one of the most influential and important figures in bringing vipassana meditation practices into the American mainstream.
During our conversation, Joseph talks about his journey from Columbia University to the Peace Corps in Thailand to his early meditation training in India, what mindfulness is and how it can help people come to know their own minds, why meditation is a practice that can decrease human suffering, the key observations and insights of the Buddha and the Noble Eightfold Path, and how and why one might begin to practice meditation.
It is impossible to talk to Joseph and not be struck by his decency, his openness, his presentness, and his sense of humor. He has committed his life to mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation, and has attempted to share what he knows and has learned with his students and the general public.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:14) Developing interest in Buddhism and meditation
(07:08) Reason for interest in Buddhism and meditation
(11:28) Immersing in the study of the mind
(15:10) The Buddha’s teachings
(20:57) Joseph's psychological state when first exposed to Buddhism and meditation
(23:30) The daily habits, discipline, and rituals to try to achieve Enlightenment
(29:37) Deciding to devote his life to meditation
(32:18) Communicating to his mother his desire to devote his life to Buddhism
(35:24) Metaphysical views pre and post meditation
(40:15) Buddhism is non-theistic
(42:43) What is the Dharma?
(47:12) Integrating Buddhist teachings with practice and The Noble Eightfold Path
(56:06) The first step to use mindfulness to ease psychological suffering
(01:03:49) Awareness versus the weather pattern of one's mind
(01:06:59) Using mindfulness to respond, rather than to react
(01:18:06) Dealing with grief
(01:27:19) How can we improve our lives by being mindful?
Helen Fisher is an anthropologist, a professor, an author, and one of the world's experts on the science of love. During our conversation, Helen talks about her background interest in love, the role that love plays in human existence, the evolutionary purpose of love, the possibility of love to endure for many years, how the subconscious influences who we fall in love with, how to know if you aren't in love, and wisdom she would provide to improve one's probability for healthy romance and a compatible mate choice.
As Helen notes during our interview, 97% of mammals don't pair bond. Human's drive to love and be loved is one of the sweeter aspects of our animal natures. She has spent her career trying to understand what love is and how we can better understand it. And just two years ago - in her mid-70's - Helen married for the first time since her 20's.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:08) Interest in studying the subject of love
(06:38) Trailblazing the academic study of love
(07:42) What is love?
(12:21) Love and love decisions are life's most important choices
(14:06) Understanding "love maps" and the unconscious as it relates to love
(23:35) Millennials and "slow love"
(29:16) When are you not in love? When is it time to end a relationship?
(39:18) Identifying great compatibility matches
(43:13) Mitigating the risks of neuroticism from torpedoing a relationship
(49:50) Attachment styles and compatibility
(56:06) Identifying the root cause of depression
(58:06) Ending a relationship when indifference is present
(01:09:20) Designing a lifestyle that makes you a better and authentic partner
(01:12:47) The role of marriage in a human life
(01:16:50) Helen getting married in her mid-70's for the first time
Daniel Schacter is a professor of psychology at Harvard University who specializes in memory and amnesia. During our conversation, Daniel talks about the evolutionary purpose of human memory, the biological basis of memory, the movie "Memento," the correlation between memory and intelligence, how fMRI technology can help detect false memories, what can be done to improve memory, and he explains the difference between "The Seven Sins of Memory": transience, absent-mindedness, blocking, misattribution, suggestibility, bias, and persistence.
Our memories play a crucial role in the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. Daniel has spent a career applying reason to the subject of human memory, and his work helps us better understand who we are and what is true.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:06) The path to researching the cognitive neuroscience of memory
(07:55) The general consensus about memory during the 1970s and 1980s
(12:14) Why memory exists: to preserve experiences, think and reflect, and learn
(14:45) Understanding explicit and implicit memory with the example of a patient with Hippocampus damage
(18:12) What is episodic memory?
(23:49) The movie Memento - anterograde amnesia
(29:50) The correlation between memory and intelligence
(38:44) The seven sins of memory: transience, absent-mindedness, blocking, misattribution, suggestibility, bias, persistence
.(01:05:55) The link between rumination and persistence
(01:13:02) Realizing your memory problems to make better decisions
(01:19:41) Using technology to preserve your past meaningfully
(01:20:24) What the future holds for memory research
Sarah Haider is an activist, an immigrant, an essayist, and the co-founder of Ex-Muslims Of North America. During our conversation, Sarah talks about her journey to the U.S. from Pakistan, Western values, the Salman Rushdie fatwa, Charlie Hebdo, freedom of speech in the Muslim world, the life and example of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the safety of Muslims who leave their religion, feminism and Islam, and the lack of legal equality for women in many Muslim countries.
Sarah is committed to providing space and a community to former Muslims who have decided to leave their religion - many of whom fear for their safety and have nowhere else to turn. I admire her commitment to her own conscience, in deciding to go her own way, in creating her organization, in honoring, recognizing, and appreciating her own freedom, and in openly telling the truth - including criticizing Islam - despite its risks.
She is a living testament to why our civilization matters, to the rights it bestows to all citizens, to the progress we have made, and to the hope America represents to the oppressed around the world. She is a reminder of our sacred inheritance.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:32) Life in Karachi, Pakistan
(05:25) Life in Pakistan vs. America
(08:41) The path to atheism
(14:53) Breaking out of the belief in God
(18:50) Belief in God before becoming an atheist
(25:00) The history and foundation of Islam
(29:08) What is meant by apostasy?
(38:28) Taboos and censorship as a means to protect weak arguments
(39:01) The decision to become an activist
(43:51) Stories of people inflicting violence against those critical of Islam
(49:21) The resistance to changing Islamic beliefs
(59:15) Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and aggression toward women in Muslim societies
(01:05:54) Empowering Muslim females to fight for their rights
Ian O'Connor is a journalist, a sports columnist for "The New York Post," and the author of the new book, "Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski."
During our conversation, Ian talks about Coach K's early life and career, the lesser-known, darker aspects of his personality, the juxtaposition of his love and loyalty towards his players with the fear he engenders and the rage he could exhibit, his relationship with Bobby Knight, his marriage to his wife Mickie, the love and respect Coach K has from his former players, the importance of relationships in his life, his daily habits, and whether Coach K is the greatest basketball coach of all-time.
Coach K has had a profound influence on my life. I read books about him in middle school, and his message of excellence and hard work resonated with me at an early age. I was obsessed with going to Duke, and as a student in Durham, in close proximity to his program, I was exposed both to his many admirable qualities and the fundamental humanness and flaws of an amazingly successful head coach. Ian perhaps put it best: while Coach K is not a nice guy, he is a good man.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:22) What fascinates Ian aboutCoach K
(04:54) Signs of Coach K's leadership from an early age
(07:25) Mike's courtship of Mickie and her role
(09:41) Coach K surviving as head coach despite a poor start at Duke
(12:24) Early recruiting struggles and successes at Duke
(14:41) The keys to the rise of Coach K: excellent communication, motivation, and relationship skills
(17:59) The softer side of Coach K: his public open-heartedness and emotionality
(21:27) The darker aspects of Coach K’s personality
(27:32) Competitive rage and the how being a not-so-nice guy was instrumental to his success
(32:38) The effect of a working class upbringing and environment
(35:45) Fear as a component of success
38:59) The integral role of Bobby Knight and what caused their relationship to rupture
(44:02) Bobby Knight couldn’t accept Coach K outshining him
(46:04) How Coach K has prioritized personal and professional relationships
(49:43) Coach K’s impact on his players and the people he has helped
(51:41) Coach K’s habits and work routine
(55:26) Lessons to imbibe from Coach K’s life: exceptional work ethic, attention to detail, vulnerability, and public open-heartedness
(59:45) Is Coach K the best coach in the history of college basketball?
Ilya Ponomarev is an entrepreneur, a former member of the Russian duma, a political adversary of Vladimir Putin, a friend of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, and a resident of Ukraine, currently fighting for his life and the future of his adopted homeland.
During our conversation, Ilya talks about his political career in Russia, Russian vs. American culture, his assessment of the character and personality of both Putin and Zelenskyy, Russia's intelligence failure and miscalculation prior the war, the lies perpetrated by Putin to justify the invasion, his view that Ukraine is winning and will win the war, the risk of a nuclear exchange, his message for America and the free world, and his belief that Putin will be dead within one year.
I met Ilya in 2015 when he was visiting San Francisco to give an interview at the World Affairs Council. He had recently been banished from Russia, best known for being the Russian Duma's lone dissenting vote - 445-1 - against Russia's annexation of Crimea. He is one heroic example out of millions in Ukraine: a man fighting for democracy and freedom, and willing to risk his life for them.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:18) Ilya's personal and political background
(07:54) Surprise at the invasion of Ukraine
(11:44) Who is Vladimir Putin?
(13:47) Experiencing the invasion: February 24, 2022
(17:37) Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?
(21:31) The lies within Putin's argument for invasion
(27:41) Russian soldier's beliefs about the war
(32:35) How might the Russian narrative about the war crumble?
(35:07) How has Ukraine succeeded in Kyiv?
(40:41) What daily life is like during the war
(44:16) Ilya's message for the Russian people
(46:32) What Ukraine needs to win the war
(49:09) The risk of a nuclear exchange
(53:26) The best-case outcome for Ukraine
(56:38) Putin's potential successor
(1:03:54) Ilya's potential future in a future Russia
(1:05:01) A cause worth dying for: "Do what you feel you need to do, and let things happen."
Walter Robinson is an investigative journalist, an editor-at-large at "The Boston Globe," and is the Donald W. Reynolds Visiting Professor of Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
During our conversation, Robby talks about his career in journalism, the Catholic Church's historic power in America and in Boston, how and why his "Spotlight" team began to investigate the Catholic Church, the details of the internal documents showing the Church's culture of secrecy and its consistency in moving abusive priests to new parishes, and how a small team of journalists, in just a few months, shed light on the systemic abuse of power by one of the most influential institutions in the world.
To me, Robby and his team best represent why free speech and a free press are crucial to a free society: they ask difficult questions, question taboos, have the power of facing disturbing facts, are relentless in determining what's true, and act as a protector to a civilization's need for honest, accurate information. And while the Church's history of abuse is utterly tragic for the crimes and the trauma it has caused, the courageous work by people like Robbie have undoubtedly saved countless children from such a fate.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:24) A path to journalism
(12:24) The power and state of the Catholic Church during the late 80's and 90's
(24:06) The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team
(30:36) The Catholic Church's reputation before the Spotlight team’s investigation
(38:25) What was revealed in the church’s internal documents
(43:22) The Church’s consistent strategy of protecting abusive priests
(49:24) Nearly every bishop in every diocese knew about abuse and participated in a cover up
(55:53) The role of the Church's celibacy vow in incentivizing abuse
(01:02:02) What explains the abusive behavior of Catholic Church priests?
(01:05:32) Women's second-class status and the role of a free press
(01:10:21) The need for a full confession from the Church
(01:18:14) The role of investigative journalism today and why it matters
(01:23:09) The importance of investigative journalists to think outside the box
Ilya Shapiro is a legal scholar, an essayist, and an author who holds degrees from Princeton, The London School of Economics, and The University of Chicago. During our conversation, Ilya talks about his family's life in the Soviet Union, his journey to North America as a child, and his desire to become an American citizen.
Ilya also talks about the foundational liberties of American civilization, freedom of speech, classical liberalism, the role and importance of disagreement in a free society, and his being hired as the Executive Director of The Georgetown Center for the Constitution in early 2022. In January 2022, following a tweet about his views on a Supreme Court vacancy, Ilya was placed on leave and, in public, has been heckled and shouted down.
We talk about that tweet in some detail. This conversation is an attempt to provide some nuance to the controversy surrounding Ilya, and to provide a sense of humanity to a man who - whether or not one agrees with his political views - has apologized.
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(00:00) Introduction
(03:30) Life in Soviet Union and his family's move to the West
(09:34) Jewish background and thoughts on Russian-Ukrainian war
(14:53) Life under an authoritarian Soviet rule
(17:32) A desire to become an American
(20:55) Evolving beliefs and Ilya’s desire to become an American citizen
(24:07) Classical liberalism
(27:48) Ilya's historical heroes
(29:10) What about classical liberalists resonates with Ilya?
(33:36) American ideals and contributing to American intellectual life
(38:57) A Russian-Jewish immigrant in Mississippi
(42:44) The Cato Institute
(46:44) Transitioning to Executive Director of The Georgetown Center for the Constitution
(50:23) Questioning President Joe Biden's intentions for the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy
(01:00:57) His controversial tweet and an intention to oppose discrimination
(01:02:01) Cultivating grace and respecting disagreements
(01:05:16) Being shouted down at U.C. Hastings
(01:11:18) Allegations made against Ilya by the students of U.C. Hastings
(01:13:27) American free speech in 2022
(01:17:25) Thoughts about the students who shouted him down
Wade Davis is an author, an ethnobiologist, and a cultural anthropologist. He was an explorer-in-residence at The National Geographic Society from 2000-2013, has helped to produce more than a dozen documentary films, has authored best-selling books, with his work focusing on indigenous cultures across the world.
During our conversation, Wade talks about how he became a world-traveler and an explorer and what we might learn from cultures across the world. He talks about the importance of being the architect of your own life, giving destiny its time to find you, not expecting one's work to change the world, but rather having it be a contribution to the world, and his relationship with Richard Evans Schultes, who was instrumental in discovering psychedelics and psychedelic practices in Oaxaca, Mexico.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:07) Early life in Canada: family, community, and upbringing
(06:46) Why creativity isn’t an innate quality
(14:40) Richard Evans Schultes
(26:14) Overcoming fear in the name of exploration
(34:23) Having the finances to travel and explore
(39:08) Determining if a life of exploration suits you
(47:24) The importance of having a home
(48:47) Home as an anchor and a source of stability
(51:50) Wade’s wife’s support and role in leading him to success
(53:00) Staying connected to family despite being away from home
(58:20) Why all cultures are myopic: we’re faithful to our own interpretations of reality
(1:14:12) Richard Evans Schultes and his psychedelic research
(01:25:19) How psychedelics have impact on Wade’s life
(01:31:40) Living a purposeful, meaningful life
(01:34:47) Why contentment results from patience
Glenn Loury is an economist, an essayist, and is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University. During our conversation, Glenn talks about his upbringing in the South Side of Chicago, his "Good Will Hunting-like" trajectory from inner-city black urban life to receiving his PhD in economics from MIT, and his becoming the first tenured African American economics professor in the history of Harvard University, at age 33.
Glenn discusses the ideas in his class "Free Inquiry in the Modern World" and his article "The Case for Black Patriotism." He also provides an emphatic defense of Western civilization and Western values, speaks to what's beautiful about America, why it matters in the world, and why maintaining doubt is crucial to an examined life.
Glenn is a descendent of slaves. He's one of the U.S.'s top intellectuals, and he has lived "The American Dream." What I admire most about him is his independence of thought, his willingness to affirm his beliefs, especially when they're unfashionable, his decency and his humanity, and his clarity on the importance of appreciating and honoring our cultural inheritance.
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(00:00) Introduction
(02:37) Get to know Glenn Loury
(05:48) South Side of Chicago culture when Glenn was a boy
(08:03) Fatherhood at 18, working at RR Donnelley & Sons, and Mr. Andres
(16:58) Opportunity launches Glenn to Northwestern and MIT
(21:26) The culture and opportunity of MIT
(30:40) Becoming the first African-American tenured economics professor in Harvard, at 33
(39:22) Glenn's interest in politics and his heterodox political philosophy
(49:36) A memorable incident with Glenn's uncle Alfred
(57:27) How Glenn's conservatism informs his views on the campus
(1:03:49) Glenn's defense of Western culture
(1:08:35) The pushback against Western Civilization
(1:16:40) "The Case for Black Patriotism"
(1:25:09) An American Living "The American Dream"
Maud Maron is a lawyer, a mother of four, and a Congressional Candidate for New York's 12th District. During our conversation, Maud talks about her career as an attorney at The Legal Aid Society, her work providing legal services to poor Americans, how her views in favor of colorblindness and specialized admissions tests and against race essentialism in education resulted in her being publicly labeled a racist by members of the Black Attorneys of Legal Aid Caucus and Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid, her lawsuit against The Legal Aid Society in which she claims she was forced out of her job and “discriminated against on the basis of race," Bari Weiss's article detailing her story, and how American culture might recommit itself to its core principles of freedom of speech, tolerating disagreement while co-existing amicably, resisting ideology and creeping totalitarianism.
I have wanted to talk to Maud for well over half a year. She's the first person on this show who has been personally canceled by way of fantastic lies and gross misrepresentation. She has shouldered those consequences and moved forward, refusing to shut up or apologize for having her own point of view. She is a model of how we might all want to behave if we are wrongly libeled or slandered, with our reputation and livelihood on the line.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Get to know Maud Maron
(02:41) Maud’s career at the The Legal Aid Society
(05:55) Maud's interest in becoming a lawyer
(07:07) The people who Legal Aid Society represents
(12:48) Maud’s political views and her historic alignment with the Democratic Party
(14:45) The state of America's education system
(23:37) Equity in public education
(33:28) Maud's New York Post article on racial obsession and its consequences
(38:30) The reaction of The Legal aid Society after Maud's New York Post article
(45:22) Why some are apt to wrongfully ruin someone’s reputation and livelihood
(49:27) Racism in schools
(52:13) Education in America
(59:12) The percentage of the population encouraging totalitarian attitudes
(01:05:10) Rooting out totalitarianism tendencies in America
(01:09:32) Maud's response to those who canceled her
(01:13:44) Recommendations for trusted information sources
Wilfred Reilly is a professor and the author of "Taboo: 10 Facts You Can't Talk About." During our conversation, Wilfred talks about his early life and upbringing, taboos in American society, using empirical data to assess political claims, incentives within the media for fomenting controversy, race and racism in America, the "St. George in Retirement Syndrome," how many unarmed black men are killed by police, The 1619 Project, and political and cultural changes that might improve America.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:01) Get to know Wilfred Reilly
(01:50) Wilfred Reilly’s personal background
(16:51) Race in America
(27:39) Using empirical data to test political claims
(38:00) The media as an ad agency and its role in amplifying social controversy
(45:24) St. George In Retirement Syndrome
(57:56) The 1619 Project: its claims and its falsehoods
(01:09:14) The kind of policies and cultural shifts that might improve America
(01:16:19) Changing your mind through exposure to facts and new information
(01:21:35) Maintaining independence of thought
(01:26:20) Wilfred Reilly’s recommended thinkers and resources
David Daley is a journalist, the former editor-in-chief of Salon.com, and the author of "Ratfked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count." During our conversation, David talks about the watershed 2010 REDMAP initiative (short for the Redistricting Majority Project) and how gerrymandering has essentially rigged U.S. Congressional elections. He also talks about the second-order consequences of the success of REDMAP: that our political system increasingly incentivizes political extremism and disincentivizes compromise and working across the aisle.
David believes that gerrymandering is an existential threat to our democracy, and I tend to agree with him. This subject reminds me of the Charley Munger quote: "Show me the incentives and I will show you the outcome." To me, gerrymandering isn't a partisan issue; we owe it to ourselves to have a republic that has fair elections. And we should rightly fear what's likely to happen to our society if we don't.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Get to know David Daley
(02:55) How David got interested in gerrymandering
(08:34) What gerrymandering is
(18:21) REDMAP and its impact on the U.S.
(25:17) The importance of electoral fairness in a democracy
(34:01) How the Trump phenomenon was influenced by gerrymandering
(42:01) The Republicans' and Democrats' attempt to control redistricting in 2020
(45:51) Redistricting decision-making in a state controlled by one party
(47:52) Who makes redistricting decisions in U.S. states?
(50:30) Who you can refer to for unbiased views on gerrymandering?
(58:22) The Democrats’ own gerrymandering in New York and Maryland
(01:02:17) The hope for change around gerrymandering in the future
(01:08:33) How gerrymandering is an existential threat to U.S. democracy
(01:12:19) Pushing back against America's authoritarian tendencies
(01:17:29) The future of gerrymandering in America
Anna Lembke is a psychiatrist, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and the author of "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence." During our conversation, Anna talks about her journey to studying addiction, the downsides to dopamine surplus, modern addictions to devices and social media, what we can learn from drug addicts, the role of struggle in a healthy life, and how individuals might live wisely in our modern technological world.
I think Anna is one of the most important figures in our society. Among other things, she provides us with what a good friend does: a mirror to ourselves, our habits, and what we are becoming.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:59) Get to know Anna Lembke
(02:00) Anna Lembke’s interest in studying addiction
(05:37) The "gremlin" theory of addiction and how it applies to the modern world
(16:35) The characteristics of a modern addict
(25:04) The stigma around addictions
(28:02) Characteristics of a healthy person living today
(35:06) The importance and role of struggle in a good life
(42:20) The impact of addictions on human interactions
(48:10) The importance of intentional inconvenience to maintain balance
(53:27) The pernicious pace of addictions and their unconscious build-up
(01:00:01) The effective and ethical way to address addiction
(01:08:41) Workaholism as an addiction
(01:21:29) The connection between shame and a “never enough” attitude towards work
Peter Verstrate is a businessman and the co-founder of Mosa Meat. During our conversation, Peter talks about Mosa Meat's technical breakthrough in making the world's first cultured hamburger - a burger that was created fully in a lab - without raising and killing livestock, the promise of cultured meat to combat climate change and decrease pollution and deforestation, its enormous potential for mitigating animal suffering, the economic challenges of making cultured meat affordable, and when people might expect to be able to purchase and consume such cultivated meat.
If successful, companies like Mosa Meat offer an amazing potential future: one in which people might be able to inexpensively and healthily consume high-quality meat with little to no environmental damage and minimal harm inflicted upon sentient animals. This would be a massive win for our collective wealth, ethics, and habitat.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:56) Get to know Peter Verstrate
(02:09) Getting into the meat industry
(04:36) Mosa Meat creating the world's first cultured hamburger
(13:43) The time it took to produce the world’s first cultured hamburger
(15:13) The different stages of cultured meat production
(20:02) How the idea of lab-grown meat came to be
(22:17) Reducing animal suffering and the environmental benefits of clean meat
(31:00) The negative impact of traditional meat production on agriculture and the Earth’s changing climate
(34:32) The safety concerns around cultured meat production and consumption
(42:03) The business challenges of running a clean meat production company
(48:40) Economic viability and the future of cultured meat production
(51:16) Assessing the quality of the meat used for producing lab-grown meat
(54:05) The skills needed from people who want to work in the clean meat industry
(57:04) Cultured meat production in the next few years
(01:02:27) The best way to follow and support Mosa Meat
Ronan Levy is a lawyer, an entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Field Trip Health. During our conversation, Ronan talks about his journey into the psychedelic space, how currently-available ketamine therapy can help those with anxiety and depression, the possibility of the legalization of MDMA therapy in 2023, how Field Trip Health aims to provide a medically-supervised, professional "set and setting" for those who choose to have a psychedelic experience, the efficacy of empathogens and psychedelics on treating psychological disease, and how the legalization of medicinal psychedelic use might transform and improve our society.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:52) Get to know Ronan Levy
(04:58) Ronan’s decision to quit the legal world
(07:46) The five big personality qualities and Ronan taking the road less traveled
(15:44) The past, present, and future of Field Trip Health
(23:26) Ketamine-assisted therapy's psychological benefits
(31:13) Psychedelic-assisted therapy's ability to address psychological trauma
(38:20) Reasons why people avoid psychedelic therapy
(44:06) The benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy and its future
(50:30) Dissolving the superstition and stigma of psychosis
(58:36) Validating psychedelic-assisted therapy with facts and data
(01:04:58) Psychedelic-assisted therapy for a more healthy, cohesive society
(01:12:53) Currently-available resources for people to alleviate their mental health issues
Paul Fletcher is a doctor, a researcher, and the Bernard Wolfe Professor of Health Neuroscience at Cambridge University. During our conversation, Paul talks about psychosis and the brain, the sheer strangeness of psychotic episodes, why the human mind produces delusions and hallucinations, some triggers and causes of temporary psychosis, how we might more ethically treat homeless people in a psychotic state, and how we have improved in our treatment of psychotic people.
I also share my own experience with the terror and confusion of marijuana-induced psychosis. I hope that such stories might help others facing such a destabilizing and debilitating human experience feel less alone and less stigmatized.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:51) Get to know Paul Fletcher
(01:48) Paul Fletcher’s background and how he developed an interest in psychosis
(04:38) Understanding Jerome Lawrence’s quote on psychosis
(11:53) The difference between hallucinations and normal human experiences
(23:49) Dan's marijuana-induced psychosis
(37:45) What one can do to avoid transitory psychosis
(41:39) The prevalence of transient psychotic breaks
(45:46) Regaining normalcy after a psychotic break
(49:15) Decreasing ignorance about psychosis and reducing its stigma
(57:16) The video game "Hellblade," which highlights psychosis
(01:05:02) The need to empathize with those experiencing psychosis
(01:11:03) Alan Graham’s Community First! Village in Austin, TX
(01:18:02) Psychedelics’ effect on the human brain
(01:21:36) Potential ways to treat mental illness in the future
John McWhorter is a linguistics professor at Columbia University, an essayist for "The New York Times," and the author of "Woke Racism." During our conversation, John talks about the genesis of "The Elect" (his word for woke antiracists), the dangers and the flaws of the ideas of The Elect, how those ideas are counterproductive to helping black America, how The Elect abuse and intimidate those who disagree with them, maintaining standards in American society, the George Floyd murder, the relationship with black men and the police, policies that might help African American communities, and strategies for having courageous, nuanced, well-meaning conversations about race in America.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:51) Get to know John McWhorter
(02:47) The reason for writing "Woke Racism"
(05:51) John’s sense of duty in pushing back against the anti-racist movement
(09:40) The state of racism in America in 2022
(12:20) A description of “The Elect”
(15:56) How the world will look if the ideas of "The Elect" take over society
(18:57) An ethical way to approach race relations in America
(26:21) Ideas of "The Elect" that are counterproductive to improving black communities
(31:45) John’s assessment of the current state of black America
(38:08) The relationships between the cops and black America
(47:05) Advice for white Americans to have honest conversations about race in America
(52:02) What a successful pushback against anti-racism would look like
Robert Glover is a speaker, a men's coach, and the author of the best-selling book "No More Mr. Nice Guy." During our conversation, Robert talks about his personal life, men and dating, the male need for tribe, admirable and toxic masculine traits, his views on what makes men both attractive and repellent to women, and what's limiting male development in modern society. Robert is candid and transparent, and offers practical advice to men looking to grow into the best version of themselves.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:51) Get to know Robert Glover
(01:44) Robert's early life
(08:58) A nice guy's beliefs and identities are rooted in childhood
(19:53) Characteristics of a nice guy
(29:36) Advice for nice guys to become more attractive to other people and more authentic to themselves
(41:49) Unappealing traits of a nice guy
(49:23) Positive emotional tension
(50:02) How men can become better versions of themselves
(59:56) Positive aspects of masculinity
(01:05:21) Advice for parents or potential parents for raising good men and boys
(01:12:40) Advice for men who've lost connection to their capital "S" self to become more authentic
Danielle Crittenden is an author, a mother of three, and the host of "The Femsplainers Podcast." During our conversation, Danielle talks about her book "What Our Mothers Didn't Tell Us: Why Happiness Eludes the Modern Woman," feminism in the modern world, women and happiness, the role of mothers in our society, her 30+ year marriage to author and essayist David Frum, and advice she would give to young men and young women about the role of relationships and work in a happy, wise life.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:51) Get to know Danielle Crittenden
(01:39) What led Danielle to write "What Our Mothers Didn't Tell Us"
(10:42) The modern messages received by women in academia and culture
(18:43) The modern relevance of "What Our Mothers Didn't Tell Us"
(26:01) How not taking partnering seriously changes how women prioritize their lives
(32:52) Creating "The Femsplainers Podcast" with Christina Hoff Sommers
(39:49) How "The Femsplainers Podcast" has influenced Danielle's thinking
(54:06) Danielle's marriage to David Frum, and advice for a successful relationship
(01:00:21) Thethinkers, writers, podcasters, and resources Danielle recommends
(01:07:14) How to address some of modernity's common issues
(01:12:31) Advice for young women to chase their dreams and lead a fulfilled, meaningful life
James Hollis is an author, a psychoanalyst, and one of the world's most prolific Jungian thinkers. During our conversation, Jim talks about his life, the ideas of Carl Jung, listening to and honoring one's autonomous psyche, the importance of insight, courage, and endurance, modern life and society, men in therapy, and how one might live more wisely.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:48) Get to know James Hollis
(01:48) James’ transition from academia to psychoanalysis
(07:13) The decision to pursue psychoanalysis as a full-time profession
(11:53) Gathering the courage to pursue psychoanalysis full-time
(19:17) What about Jung’s work or psychology resonates with James profoundly
(31:10) James’ process of helping people navigate transitionary phases of their lives
(42:25) The most pressing issues Jim sees facing Americans
(49:18) The primary blockers to growth and self-healing
(52:42) Discerning the difference fears you should avoid and fears you should face
(57:55) Exhausted relationships vs. relationships that need some endurance
(01:09:57) The ratio of men vs. women seeking counsel and therapy and how it’s changed over the years
(01:14:15) Why most men tend to suppress their innermost emotions
(01:20:43) Joseph Campbell’s concept of the ‘hero’s journey’
(01:26:25) How to live a more examined, authentic life
Donald G. McNeil, Jr. is an author, a journalist, and was one of the earliest and leading New York times science reporters to alert the world about the outbreak of COVID-19. During our conversation, Donald talks about his early career, learning about a "Pneumonia-like" new virus in Wuhan, what the U.S. could have done differently to decrease deaths from COVID, the safety and efficacy of COVID vaccines, and what the U.S. might do to better prepare for future pandemics.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Get to know Donald G. McNeil Jr.
(01:28) Donald’s path to science journalism
(09:01) Donald’s background in human biology and science and how they came in handy when covering medical cases
(22:24) The factors that added to Donald’s concern about the coronavirus during its first outbreak, including high fatality and transmissibility rates
(24:48) Sensing the severity of the coronavirus and the events that followed
(30:38) What is meant by a pandemic?
(54:10) Vaccine specifics and Donald’s initial judgment in the aftermath of the pandemic
(01:04:32) Addressing people choosing not to get vaccinated
(01:11:10) The efficacy of COVID vaccines and why they’re safe
(01:26:24) Vaccine mandates in the U.S. for employees and children
(01:32:40) The Supreme Court’s precedence mandating vaccination
(01:34:15) The origin of COVID-19
(01:45:30) Preparing for future pandemics
Audrey Brumback is a physician, a scientist, and an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Texas. During our conversation, Audrey talks about her interest in autism, what we know about autism today, and how her lab studies brain physiology to better understand the autistic brain.
The brain is endlessly complex, and autism has long been a mystery. People like Audrey are working to simultaneously increase our knowledge and decrease the stigma of the roughly 2% of the human population - tens of millions of people - who are autistic.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Get to know Audrey Brumback
(01:26) Audrey’s upbringing and the life events that led her to study autism (04:56) What is autism?
(08:37) Diagnosing autism in children
(14:20) The population of Americans identified as having autism
(15:50) The influence of genes versus environment in causing autism
(17:06) Evaluating the possible factors leading to producing kids with autism
(19:56) Introducing a kinder and more rational approach to dealing with individuals with autism or autistic tendencies
(24:08) How most people explain their indifferent behavior with autistic individuals (27:09) Audrey’s areas of promise for people with autism
(31:11) Determining the kind of help that autistic individuals need
(33:00) Understanding neurodiversity and life with autism
(36:21) Is there any kind of intrinsic motivation that people with autism experience to change the nature of their minds for the better?
(41:41) Why autism is not all negative but is instead a difference in the neurological programming of certain individuals
(42:54) Is autism a spectrum disorder?
(45:15) The evolutionary history of autism and thoughts on what caused it to continue existing in the human gene pool
(47:09) Making our society a better place for individuals with autism: the potential areas of improvement in their conditions in the future
Omer Kanat is the Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project and is the Executive Committee Chairman of the World Uyghur Congress. During our conversation, Omer talks about his journey to the U.S., Uyghur history and culture, China's historic oppression of the Uyghur people, and the current Chinese genocide of the Uyghur people, which includes concentration camps, brainwashing, murder, rape, sterilization, and mass surveillance.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Get to know Omer Kanat
(01:46) Omer’s upbringing and the life events that led him to participate in human rights activities on behalf of the Uyghurs
(08:27) Who are the Uyghur people and what is their history?
(17:14) About the Uyghur population: the numbers, their culture, and other specifics
(19:19) The attempts of the Chinese government to assimilate the Uyghur population into the Chinese population
(24:45) Omer explains the Chinese approach to the Uyghur community
(33:02) How does Omer describe the Uyghur people?
(37:09) How did the unsuccessful integration of the Uyghur people into Chinese culture trigger changes in the Chinese government’s approach towards Uyghurs
(40:17) Omer explains the changes to the Chinese leadership post 2017
(49:02) How does China detain and oppress Uyghurs?
(56:35) What goes on inside Uyghur concentration camps?
(01:05:22) A list of Uyghurs who have escaped Chinese concentration camps
(01:09:45) What percentage of Uyghurs are living in concentration camps?
(01:17:55) What hope does Omer have for the Uyghurs?
Scott Shepherd is a speaker, consultant, and a former Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan. During our conversation, Scott talks about his upbringing, the path that led him to the KKK, his rise in its hierarchy, experiences that led him out of the organization, his relationship with Daryl Davis, and his message for the U.S. related to racism and race relations.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:02) Get to know Scott Shepherd
(02:21) Scott’s backstory and how he got to where he is today
(05:00) How the innate desire to find a tribe got Scott involved with the white supremacist movement and the Ku Klux Klan
(07:37) Scott talks about choosing to join the KKK
(09:20) How the promise of a family and home led Scott to ultimately join the KKK
(12:46) Scott’s knowledge and impression of KKK before becoming a member
(14:03) Scott explains that he wasn’t aware of the violent nature of the KKK prior to joining the organization
(14:58) What Scott was told about the KKK when he joined them
(16:41) Coming across racist views and judgments during Scott’s time with the KKK
(18:05) The components that led Scott to connect with the KKK initially
(19:41) Scott talks about being raised in by a black woman
(24:13) Being intimately associated with an African-American and the risks of banishment from the KKK
(26:04) The 15-20 years Scott spent with the KKK and his growth within the group
(29:46) Did Scott ever truly believe the KKK’s ideology of racism?
(33:49) The objectives of the KKK
(37:59) Battling conflicting beliefs on culture and racism and how Scott faced them
(45:41) How Scott’s mind changed over the years, and why he decided to leave the KKK
(53:49) Scott’s process of exiting the KKK
(56:18) Did Scott ghost the KKK?
(56:59) Scott’s relationship with Daryl Davis and Daryl's influence on his life
(01:08:28) What about Daryl and Daryl's message changed Scott's mind?
(01:16:39) The best way to educate people on topics like racism
(01:22:59) What should you do to help the nation progress and encourage inclusion
(01:27:00) Scott’s plans for the future
Steve Harrigan is a screenwriter, a journalist, and a writer for Texas Monthly. His books include "The Gates of the Alamo" and "Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas." During our conversation, Steve talks about his work, the path that led him to become a full-time writer, and honoring artistic talents and impulses.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:02) Get to know Steve Harrigan
(02:02) Steve talks about his father
(03:13) Steve explains how little he knew about his father growing up, and how he feels about him now that he’s learned more
(05:42) Overcoming the shock post World War II
(06:32) Steve shares the similarities he’s discovered between his father and him
(08:21) Steve’s journey into becoming a writer
(12:56) How did Steve come to realize that he was a gifted writer?
(14:24) Steve shares how his mother played an instrumental role in helping him discover his writing abilities
(15:44) Steve talks about his popular article in the Rolling Stone
(17:48) How Steve was able to make writing his full-time profession
(19:22) Some writers who proved influential in Steve’s career
(22:49) What were the things Steve did to hone his craft at the beginning of his career?
(25:07) Why is your art an integral part of your identity?
(26:13) Why Steve calls his interest in writing a “discovery” rather than a calling
(28:40) How Steve was able to honor his writing skills and dedicate himself to it
(30:08) The period of Steve’s life between his first article and working as a staff for different magazines
(32:50) The big hacks or processes to writing that Steve discovered over the years
(37:07) What kept Steve moving in his journey as a writer despite not making huge financial gains out of it initially?
(39:14) How writing gives Steve a sense of self-identity
(41:00) What does a great working day look like to Steve?
(43:42) A day in Steve’s life
(46:37) How does Steve balance work and family?
(50:10) Steve talks about his family’s role in shaping his career
(51:56) Steve’s reasons behind his book The Gates of the Alamo
(57:40) Steve talks about his six-year journey writing the book The Gates of the Alamo
(01:00:14) What, according to Steve, is Texas's role in the development of America?(01:03:33) The fight about the Alamo and how Steve views its application to the rest of the country
(01:11:18) Steve’s advice to people with an artistic bent and worried about the financial side of life
Cesare Fracassi is an Associate Professor of Finance and the Director of the Blockchain Initiative at the University of Texas - McCombs School of Business. During our conversation Cesare explains the fundamentals and benefits of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Crypto has gained significant momentum, value, and attention in the past few years, and is poised to change our society. Cesare provides a basic overview of where we are and where we might be heading with these technologies.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:10) Get to know Cesare Fracassi
(02:13) How did Cesare get interested in blockchain technology?
(03:54) Cesare explains his background in technology, developing interest in fintech and blockchain, and becoming the Director at a blockchain institute
(07:42) What is meant by fintech?
(09:14) Cesare explains the growing trends in blockchain technology
(12:19) Centralized vs. distributed ledgers
(12:54) Understanding centralized ledgers
(14:02) Understanding decentralized ledgers and their evolution
(16:23) In the case of decentralized ledgers, how does the whole network decide if a transaction is valid or not?
(17:50) How Satoshi Nakamoto discovered a way for every node in a decentralized network to evaluate transactions as legit or not
(18:51) The two challenges in allowing every node in a decentralized network to vote -- 1) No centralized vote-counting system, and 2) Sybil attack
(20:34) The solution to enabling transactions through decentralized networks, according to Satoshi Nakamoto
(23:22) How Bitcoin turned out to become the “digital gold”
(30:54) What according to Cesare, is the best cryptocurrency to buy today?
(34:09) Is it possible to reverse engineer Bitcoin to provide the benefits that Ethereum does?
(36:16) What makes Ethereum smart contracts superior?
(39:11) Where are we, at present, with respect to the development of cryptocurrency? What does the future hold?
(46:58) What's the easiest way for people to enter the crypto world?
(47:32) What is meant by Internet 2.0?
(49:34) What would the future look like if cryptocurrency evolved the way we experts think it might?
(54:26) Does Cesare believe cryptocurrency holds an opportunity for further growth?
(59:04) What is a Private Permission Blockchain?
(01:01:02) What would be the end result of a massive blockchain transformation?
(01:06:33) Does cryptocurrency have the potential to improve our civilization and people's lives?
(01:09:15) Blockchain resource recommendations from Cesare
Helen Joyce is a journalist at "The Economist" and is the author of the book "Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality." During our conversation, Helen discusses the pernicious effects of the gender identity movement: the sterilization of children, the cultural incentives that encourage kids to question their sex, the regret that many with gender dysphoria have after sex reassignment surgery, that the vast majority of people who experience gender dysphoria are gay, rather than trans, why female-only spaces matter to women, and the public shaming of and attempts to silence those who disagree with the activist ideology.
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(00:00) Intro
(03:06) What led Helen into writing her book, "Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality"
(04:06) Helen on how she dealt with resistance to asking questions as a journalist
(07:14) How Helen feels about pushbacks to open journalism and how she believes we should fight it
(09:51) What are the consequences of changing a society where gender is a matter of choice, rather than a matter of biology?
(17:12) Helen talks about her research for her book
(18:10) Understanding gender dysphoria
(19:54) The possible reasons why kids feel they don’t belong to their gender
(22:01) Helen cites the example of a female who underwent a full medical procedure and hysterectomy to become male - only to later realize that she was lesbian
(28:52) Why most gender non-conforming children are likely to be gay
(34:04) What happens when children are given puberty blockers?
(40:16) The consequences of California allowing its prison inmates to decide their gender
(45:37) Helen talks about gender literature in different countries
(46:52) What is transphobia?
(48:51) Why it’s essential to be clear about biological reality for child safeguarding
(52:59) What is the right way to think about matters of gender?
(01:05:40) Helen explains thought control, thought termination, self-censorship
(01:08:42) The narrative of progress is bringing marginalized groups in from the cold - and how this is unlike other social justice movements
(01:13:04) Helen’s three bits of advice for journalists who are committed to open discussion and open debate
(01:14:13) Why your employer is your point of weakness when you’re a journalist or an academic
(01:19:13) Helen talks about her friend and researcher Maya Forstater, who lost her job due to social media backlash
(01:23:01) Where Helen thinks we are in terms of the policing of conversations and dialogue
(01:32:03) What is free speech, according to Helen?
(01:34:37) Writers, thinkers, public intellectuals, and groups who believe in an open exchange of ideas and information
Carole Hooven is a scientist, a professor, an educator, and she co-directs the undergraduate program in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. She is the author of "T: The Story of Testosterone, the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us." During our conversation, Carole talks about the crucial role of testosterone in shaping male and female nature, contemporary attacks against science, cultural pressure against freedom of speech in our society, and attempts to censor her knowledge within academia.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:24) Get to know Carole Hooven
(02:45) How did Carole get interested in the subject of testosterone?
(12:34) What is the general difference in expression of testosterone between men and women?
(17:36) What is testosterone?
(20:34) What changes in body and behavior could be observed if a female took male testosterone levels or if a male took female levels of estrogen?
(21:18) Carole shares her experience interviewing three trans men who lived as women until their early 20s or 30s
(24:55) Carole recounts her experience being a guest on the "Transparency" podcast
(29:59) Is testosterone the most important hormone that distinguishes the genders?
(30:51) Carole explains testosterone transitions in transgender people and what that means for non-transgender people understanding sex differences
(32:46) The physical and reproductive differences between females and males
(35:05) How can we explain why some men are more nurturing than others?
(36:17) How to view high testosterone rates in men
(37:30) The ranges of healthy, high, and low levels of testosterone in men and women
(40:18) Why elevated testosterone levels in men need not necessarily imply an increased sex drive or aggression
(44:21) Carole’s experience as a woman in academia
(45:20) About Carole’s students at Harvard
(48:26) Carole’s experience over the past year teaching her subject matter
(53:20) Where does the reluctance to speak openly about academic subjects come from
(01:02:17) Why is there an opposition to speak against subjects of academic interest?
(01:13:32) Carole talks about her life at Harvard
(01:14:22) Carole explains her fondness for her students at Harvard
(01:17:20) How has social media increased instances of bullying against academic researchers
(01:18:48) Carole talks about the DEI groups in colleges
(01:20:43) How can we overcome the hindrance to free speech?
Jesse Singal is a journalist and author, and has written for The New York Times and New York Magazine. During our conversation, Jesse talks about freedom of speech in America, the effect of woke culture on journalism, cancel culture in our society, and the reaction to his Atlantic article, When Children Say They're Trans, published in 2018. Jesse writes on Substack and co-hosts the podcast Blocked and Reported with Katie Herzog.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:01) Get to know Jesse Singal
(02:45) How did Jesse get interested in podcasting, writing, and journalism?
(05:12) Jesse talks about Jonathan Haidt’s work and how it helped to shape his outlook on America, and on life
(06:45) What about Haidt’s work changed Jesse’s sensibilities about people who disagreed with him?
(09:15) Where are we right now with regards to freedom of speech and woke culture
(11:16) What is meant by woke culture?
(12:42) What trajectory led us to this point?
(15:08) Jesse’s take on the percentages of the American population that's fomenting woke culture
(17:39) How does Jesse explain the insistence on not using a phrase (like “pregnant women”) for fear of offending?
(19:12) Jesse’s article for The Atlantic, When Children Say They're Trans
(21:38) Jesse’s reasons for writing the article When Children Say They're Trans and the response it received
(24:52) Why is it that a percentage of children regret their transition?
(27:52) Jesse cites an example of a child who considered it a mistake to undergo transition therapy
(29:53) Why is there a pushback to a more conservative approach to transition therapies for children?
(32:08) Do we have the statistics to know what percentage of children under the age of 14 who transition later believe it was a mistake?
(35:26) Does Jesse believe that journalism in America is in a state of peril?
(40:21) Jesse’s advice to aspiring journalists who want to have the freedom to explore ideas and write openly
(42:11) Jesse talks about his plans for the future
(46:15) Getting the independence to openly share his thoughts
(50:17) Journalists and news outlets that Jesse recommends
Eric Jorgenson is the author of "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant." During our conversation, Eric talks about the creation of the book, the vacuum that's been created for advice and wisdom in a secular age, and the ideas in the book related to wealth, health, and happiness.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:36) Eric shares how he learned about Naval Ravikant and what got him interested in learning more about him
(04:11) Eric talks about Naval and his perception of him
(07:00) On getting to know Naval Ravikant
(11:15) Some of Naval’s principles that resonate most with Eric
(16:46) Why was it so important for Eric to write his book?
(19:14) How did Eric approach Naval and actually get access to him?
(21:31) Eric shares his process for writing the book: digging into various resources (podcasts, articles, tweets) and arranging the information
(24:10) Eric shares if he’s had experience as a writer before he wrote his book
(28:07) About having creative control while writing the book
(31:14) Eric shares Buddhism's influence on Naval’s and the knowledge that comes from Naval's own personal story
(37:17) Eric discusses the book's primary principles that can be applied in life
(42:19) Why combining different skills and stacking them makes you unique and valuable
(51:55) Eric talks about financial freedom
(01:01:38) About understanding the consequence of our actions
(01:09:59) Learn about Naval’s principle of being authentically you in your relationships
(01:12:52) How Naval is both Eastern and Western-minded
(01:16:48) How the process of writing the book has affected Eric: how he’s developed, grown, or changed through doing all of the research
Jerry Rosenbaum is a psychiatrist, a world-renowned expert on mood and anxiety disorders, and the director of the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was the Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard and the Chief of Psychiatry at Mass General for 17 years, from 2002-2019. During our conversation, Jerry talks about his career in psychiatry, the role of rumination in mental illness, the potential for psychedelics to decrease suffering and improve human well-being, and the goals of the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:45) Jerry shares how he got into psychiatry, psychedelics and the role of rumination across mental illnesses
(09:19) Jerry talks about The Default Mode Network of the human brain - people who ruminate are found to be more active in that network.
(11:10) Jerry talks about the potential contributors to psychedelic study
(18:31) Funds and investments to psychedelic study
(24:02) Jerry discusses whether he was satisfied with the options available to help treat his patients in the past
(24:31) What is psychodynamic psychotherapy?
(27:21) Jerry’s thoughts on anti-depressants
(35:17) How does an antidepressant function?
(38:40) About ketamine and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy
(42:03) Jerry shares more about research on psychedelics and the different psychedelics available today
(45:08) Who would benefit the most from research?
(47:39) The controversy in the world around psychedelics
(51:26) What is the appropriate setting for taking psychedelics?
(01:04:53) Where are we right now in terms of the efficacy of psychotherapy and related treatments?
(01:09:09) How can individuals help in studies related to psychotherapy and psychiatry?
(01:12:05) Jerry’s words to people who wish to help or need help right now
(01:15:10) Jerry’s thoughts on accessibility for psychedelic medicines in the future
(01:18:39) Jerry shares how what the treatment experience looks like for individuals
David Blankenhorn is the co-founder and president of Braver Angels. During our conversation, David talks about why Braver Angels exists, tribalism and division in the United States, Braver Angels' goal of depolarizing American society, the workshops it runs with "red" and "blue" Americans, and its workshop's success at discovering shared values and greater understanding among politically-opposed citizens.
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(00:00) Intro
(01:02) About David Blankenhorn
(02:58) David shares the circumstances that led him to found Braver Angels
(06:43) David talks about the various elements needed to bring people together for a better society
(07:44) David shares why he feels we’re in the third big era of polarization
(09:53) Can we create a society where people who vehemently disagree with each other can still get along?
(15:33) David explains why and how he changed his mind on topics once very important to him
(20:22) David talks about disapproving gay marriages and coming to accept it
(35:17) Why does society not allow its citizens to change their minds without major repercussions?
(45:08) Social virtues and collective beliefs and how they have kept political stridency at bay for a period of American history
(51:16) About Robert Putnam’s book, The Upswing
(57:10) What is the role of smartphones and social media platforms in polarization
(01:04:39) The mission and goals of Braver Angels
(01:31:02) David explains why “We're a lot less divided” than people commonly believe
(01:43:54) What does David mean by braver politics?
(01:48:27) What is the best way for people to help Braver Angels?
Ben Westhoff is an investigative journalist and author. In 2019, he published "Fentanyl, Inc.", the definitive story of the Fentanyl drug trade and its effects on American culture. During our conversation, Ben talks about his reasons for writing the book, where fentanyl is made and how it enters America, the pervasiveness and dangers of fentanyl to society, and what might be done to add a measure of safety to people at risk from its toxicity.
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(00:00) Intro
(04:41) Ben shares what got him interested in studying fentanyl
(06:59) The role of China in the distribution of fentanyl in American society
(11:50) Is it technically correct to say that although fentanyl export is illegal, its ingredients can be exported?
(12:40) Where are we currently in terms of the death rates or the effects of fentanyl in society? Is it as bad as it ever was?
(14:19) How are people affected by the drug?
(17:29) What percentage of street drugs, including cocaine or heroin, has fentanyl laced within it?
(18:39) How would you advise people to mitigate some of the risks of fentanyl
(20:50) Do we know if fentanyl-laced drugs are more common in certain regions of the country?
(24:09) What are your thoughts on India potentially taking over as a potential leader in the production of fentanyl?
(25:54) What prompted Ben to do firsthand research on fentanyl?
(30:06) Why did Ben decide to put himself at risk for the sake of his research?
(31:54) Ben talks about his book, "Fentanyl Inc."
(34:47) Ben shares the possible ways to improve the situation
(37:07) Ben discusses if there is any city, state, or country, that is dealing with the use of the drug in the most rational way
(38:59) Has Ben changed his mind on anything after publishing his book?
(41:21) The legal ways in which fentanyl is used in the medical context
(43:49) What do people taking substances like fentanyl experience?
(45:38) What are the substances that people in our culture should be looking out for as a potential risk for having fentanyl in it?
(48:09) Ben shares his interests and next steps
Peter Neufeld is a civil rights lawyer and the co-founder of the Innocence Project. During over conversation, Peter talks about how and why he and Barry Scheck created The Innocence Project, the importance of DNA testing in exonerating wrongly convicted citizens, common scientific and procedural errors that have been used to convict defendants, and how our culture might create a more fair and impartial criminal justice system.
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(0:00) Intro
(02:52) Peter shares what got him to found the Innocence Project
(06:07) What were the issues in society back when Peter started the Innocence Project?
(09:31) Peter shares what got him interested in law
(12:15) The story behind starting the Innocence Project
(18:41) Peter talks about his relationship with the Innocence Project co-founder, Barry Scheck
(20:57) Why and how scientists use DNA typing
(26:41) Peter’s thoughts on the systems that needed to be changed prior to founding the Innocence Project
(30:55) How DNA testing was used to exonerate innocent people or to potentially introduce incontrovertible evidence that proved a person’s innocence
(39:21) Peter talks about the emotional satisfaction he receives through his work. He also lists the first few cases that the Innocence Project took up
(46:43) How the Innocence Project accepted cases at its beginning, and how that evolved over the years
(51:46) How the Innocence Project has helped society at large
(55:01) What are the hurdles to achieving a more just criminal justice system?
(01:04:54) How Peter feels about the existing judicial system, and hope for improvement
(01:08:24) What are the ways normal people could try to help the Innocence Project
(01:14:35) What percentage of the population of convicted criminals, according to Peter, have likely been wrongly convicted?
(01:27:48) What's the right attitude to have as a citizen and juror?
(01:33:17) Some changes Peter wishes to see in America's criminal justice system
Avi Loeb is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist at Harvard University. During our conversation, Avi talks about his interest in science, humanity's search for truth, his view that the interstellar object 'Oumuamua is an alien spacecraft, his book "Extraterrestrial," and The Galileo Project, which he leads, which will embark on the "Scientific Search for Evidence of Extraterrestrial Technological Artifacts."
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(01:05) Meet Avi Loeb
(02:28) Avi shares his background and upbringing
(07:21) Avi shares the intentions behind his book, "Extraterrestrial"
(08:42) Avi shares his understanding of science and philosophy, explaining the difference between the two
(14:15) Avi shares his personal development story and how he cultivated a curiosity for the facts and evidence behind explanations
(21:41) Avi shares how he used to question spiritual beliefs growing up and how it made him stand out from other people
(23:54) Avi’s views on human life considering his current worldview
(31:07) Avi’s ideas on evolution and the meaning of life
(41:38) Avi shares his most high-profile work to date
(51:13) Avi discusses the importance of holding onto evidence and offering a valid justification for your work
(59:54) Avi shares his goals and aspirations behind sourcing funds for his future projects
(01:09:39) Avi explains Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) and how it's different from Unidentified Flying Objects, or UFOs.
(01:27:11) Avi shares references to the most respectable people he’s come across in his life
(01:39:23) Advice for people enthusiastic about approaching the world in a more realistic and accurate way
Bruce Poulter is an MDMA therapist, trainer, and clinical supervisor. During our conversation, Bruce talks about his interest in MDMA as a therapy, his years as a practitioner, the experience of such therapy for patients, its efficacy in helping people work through trauma, and the MAPS clinical trials that aim to legalize MDMA therapy in the U.S. by 2023.
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(00:00) Intro
(02:39) Bruce explains where his interest in MDMA stemmed from
(06:51) What does it mean to have PTSD?
(09:40) Symptoms of PTSD and the clinician-administered PTSD scale
(14:36) What is it that makes the life of an individual with PTSD difficult? What are the triggers they experience?
(16:32) Bruce explains how they identify someone with PTSD
(18:15) Why is PTSD said to be a defense mechanism for what has happened to people?
(23:08) Bruce’s dedication towards helping people with this medicine in a therapy setting
(31:30) Bruce explains his wife’s battle with PTSD, and what he noticed in her personality, disposition, and mentality as a result of her going through MDMA therapeutic sittings
(37:55) What is MDMA? How does it function?
(40:43) The dosage amount, duration, setting, and other parameters that decide the usage of MDMA for PTSD
(45:29) An outline of an MDMA treatment session
(01:04:15) What does a person experience during the 8-hour period of treatment
(01:09:21) Different phases of the MDMA drug trial
(01:15:52) MDMA is not for everyone - Bruce explains why coercing should not be an option
(01:26:08) What is the future of MDMA?
(01:33:31) How is MAPS getting involved in the conversation concerning PTSD treatment?
(01:40:32) Misconceptions, facts, and anecdotes that could benefit those listening
Stephen Fried is an author and investigative journalist. During our conversation, Stephen talks about his life and work in Philadelphia, and his most recent book "Rush: Revolution, Madness, and Benjamin Rush, the Visionary Doctor Who Became a Founding Father." "Rush" details the life of one of America's most important early citizens: an abolitionist, the uniter of the acrimonious relationship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, and the founder of American psychiatry.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:49) Stephen shares where his initial interest and talent in nonfiction history comes from
(13:35) How Stephen spent years of his life researching and writing books
(18:35) About Stephen’s first book, "Thing of Beauty: The Tragedy of Supermodel Gia"
(39:25) Stephen explains how he learned about Benjamin Rush
(56:39) Stephen notes that Benjamin Rush was somebody who was well ahead of his time. He explains his understanding of Rush and how he was able to create a new perspective on people who had mental illnesses and addiction
(01:15:00) Stephen explains why bleeding someone who’s psychotic is the craziest thing in the world
(01:27:34) Stephen’s advice for people learning about Patrick Kennedy’s story
(01:37:30) Stephen shares his thoughts on modernity
(01:45:06) What Stephen thinks is the best thing we as a country could implement to ease some suffering and improve the mental health crisis
Dan Barker is a former evangelical Christian preacher, current co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and co-founder of The Clergy Project. During our conversation, Dan talks about his two decades as a public Christian figure, what caused him to leave his religion, the purpose of FFRF, how the perspective of atheists and agnostics can be more beautiful and meaningful than the religious outlook, and The Clergy Project, an organization that provides assistance and support to active members of the clergy who have lost their faith.
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(01:17) Dan talks about the circumstances that led him to become a believer and an evangelical Christian preacher
(06:20) Dan’s Christian musical background
(13:06) On beliefs and religion
(22:45) Understanding Christianity and evolution more deeply
(27:48) About the Adam and Eve story
(30:15) Dan speaks further about the evolution of his beliefs
(38:17) What was the intention behind the creation of the Freedom From Religion Foundation?
(47:03) Dan talks about the different services that The Clergy Project offers
(48:37) What are the resources available to members of the clergy who no longer believe?
(53:50) How Dan faced the truth of his beliefs
(01:03:10) Dan’s beliefs about religion in America today
(01:10:14) The most persuasive observations and arguments from members of The Clergy Project that changed that caused a perspective shift in people
Nancy Segal is a behavioral geneticist, evolutionary psychologist, and one of the nation's preeminent experts on twin studies. During our conversation, Nancy talks about what we can learn from identical twin studies, the role of genes in human nature, and her forthcoming book, "Deliberately Divided: Inside the Controversial Study of Twins and Triplets Adopted Apart."
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(00:59) Nancy shares her background and what got her interested in twin studies
(02:04) The state of research around twins when Nancy started her career
(03:40) Nancy’s initial intuition about fraternal twins and identical twins and what that looked like once the research was actually fleshed out
(06:04) About identical twins, how they're created, and their biological similarities
(07:51) The story of two pairs of identical Columbian twins who were raised as two pairs of fraternal twins
(13:48) The University of Virginia’s study on identical and fraternal twins
(17:43) The role of epigenetics in the development of any human being
(21:12) A peek into Nancy’s upcoming book, Deliberately Divided: Inside the Controversial Study of Twins and Triplets Adopted Apart
(26:01) Nancy talks about the Louis Wise Agency
(34:23) What is the moral and reasonable way to try to raise the next generation of kids?
(41:20) Misunderstandings or corrections that Nancy clarifies about twins through her research and expertise
(43:26) The most interesting information Nancy has received about her discipline, both research-based and anecdote-based
(50:03) Do our genes predispose us in a particular direction when making decisions
(56:25) Nancy talks about virtual twins, their traits, and about Canadian photographer, Francois Brunelle who has taken pictures of look-alikes (not biological twins
(59:03) Questions on twins beyond the realm of scientific inquiry
(01:07:42) What are the pushbacks to academic research on twin studies? What can we, as citizens, do to help protect researchers?
Daryl Davis is an African-American musician, author, and activist. Throughout his life, he has engaged with and befriended members of the Ku Klux Klan, leading dozens of former white supremacists to leave the organization. During our conversation, Daryl talks about his upbringing, how he began meeting KKK members, and race in America.
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(01:16) Daryl’s background and moving to the U.S.
(06:04) Daryl’s first racist encounter
(12:36) The incidents that led Daryl to dig deeper into understanding racism
(21:36) Meeting Matt Cole the second time
(27:07) How Matt Cole got more and more people into the American Nazi Party
(32:52) Daryl’s first encounter with a KKK member
(42:13) Daryl’s second encounter with a KKK member who had for the first time spoken to a person of color
(48:46) Daryl’s decision to interview Roger Kelly
(59:28) A journey to meet the “Grand Dragon,” Roger Kelly
(01:21:11) Why ignorance breeds hate
(01:34:43) Dan and Daryl discuss a scene from a documentary about Daryl's life, Accidental Courtesy
(01:41:57) Daryl’s closing advice for the listeners
(01:49:16) Daryl and Dan talk about the state of our society today and how it has evolved over the years
H.W. Brands is a professor at UT-Austin, a historian, an author of more than 30 books, and a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. During our conversation, H.W. talks about his book "Dreams of El Dorado," which details the exploration and settlement of the American West.
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(01:19) Brands explains the context of his book Dreams of El Dorado
(03:18) What inspired Brands to write about the history of the American West
(07:37) The general public impression about the Louisiana purchase back in 1803
(13:55) Description of the Great Plains in the Lewis and Clark journal
(17:00) The beginning of the Oregon Trail and the overall objective of the people who traveled to the West
(22:25) The challenges in heading to the Oregon territory - get there in one piece, find a plot of ground to farm, find better health, and the best-case scenario
(26:15) Why is Texas key to Brands’ life and his writings?
(35:22) What changed HW Brands’ perception of the country as he learned its history
(40:10) Brands’ thoughts on penning another book on the history of Western America
Jonathan Zimmeramn is a Professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. During our conversation, Jonathan talks about his time in the peace corps in Nepal, the history of free speech jurisprudence in America, current attacks on freedom of speech in academia, and his new book, Free Speech: And Why You Should Give a Damn.
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(00:51) Where does Jonathan’s interest in history stem from?
(03:25) What did Jonathan learn about US history that resonates with him to this day
(12:36) Learnings from Clifford Geertz’s essay on anti-relativism.
(15:20) About Jonathan’s book, Innocents Abroad
.(22:34) Jonathan talks about the difference between the word judgment and discernment.
(24:58) How did Jonathan’s Nepal life influence his personal life?
(31:04) Jonathan’s ideas on communities.
(42:29) Jonathan discusses the book, Passing on the Right: Conservative Professors in the Progressive University by Jon A. Shields and Joshua M. Dunn Sr
.(57:14) About Jonathan’s new book Free Speech: And Why You Should Give a Damn and what he strives to achieve with it
.(01:07:11) What has caused the present panic or disregard for freedom of speech
(01:09:03) Talking about micro-aggressions.
Jeremi Suri is the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at UT-Austin. During our conversation, Jeremi talks about his interest in history, the lessons of the Cold War, and how history can be used to create a more dynamic, interconnected, and healthy society.
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(00:50) How Jeremy developed an interest in his current area of study and what he spends a lot of his time doing.
(04:46) Jeremy’s ideas on what happened in the Soviet Union that led to its collapse
(12:29) The Chernobyl explosion of 1986.
(13:17) Jeremy shares what brought him to his current place in life and in academia
(23:40) How can we help to break some of the unease happening around in the country?
(31:15) Why do we say that empathy is the most important characteristic that we all need to nurture in ourselves?
(36:34) What are some things people can do to stand as a bulwark against the tide of tribalism and bifurcation?
Anthony Charles Graves is an exonerated death row inmate. In his 20's, he was arrested, charged with, and wrongfully convicted of the murder of a family of six in Somerville, Texas. During our conversation, Anthony talks about how he was convicted without a motive or physical evidence, the prosecutor's reliance on eyewitness testimony, his 18 years in prison, his twice being scheduled for lethal injection, the events that led to his eventual release, and his forthcoming podcast, "Infinite Hope," which will share the stories of other wrongfully convicted citizens.
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(01:15) Anthony talks about his life before his wrongful conviction.
(04:11) The horrific crime that Anthony was later wrongfully convicted for.
(05:59) How and why Anthony was dragged into the case.
(10:35) Anthony recounts the day he was charged for the murders.
(13:38) The role of racism.
(17:14) Convicted before the hearing and what happened in the court.
(18:50) The defense at the trial.
(20:40) The evidence presented to convict Anthony.
(22:01) Robert Carter’s relationship with Anthony.
(23:08) The reason why Robert Carter testified against Anthony.
(26:42) The conviction of Anthony and the role of the prosecutor.
(34:06) How people began to know about his case and believe that he was innocent
(39:04) The times Anthony was about to be executed and how he was saved
(40:15) Life as a murder convict.
(43:04) How Anthony kept from reaching a mental health breaking point.
(44:22) The role of Pamela Colloff and Nicole B. Casarez in saving Anthony’s life
(55:58) The article that triggered the special prosecutor to recommend that Anthony’s charges be dismissed.
(56:52) The day Anthony was released from prison.
(01:04:43) Anthony’s initiatives in helping innocent people get justice.
(01:15:07) Sensationalism and the role of the media in cases of injustice.
David Buss is a professor at the University of Texas - Austin. During our conversation, David talks about the creation of the field of evolutionary psychology, its key findings about the human mind and human nature, and his expertise, human mating.
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(00:26) The history of evolutionary psychology
(12:01) David’s thoughts on evolutionary psychology
(21:02) Some interesting themes that unfolded during David’s research for his book
(28:09) David talks about some misnomers in sex differences
(33:07) Learn about the major sex differences
(40:12) Understanding universal applicability of psychological studies
(55:47) Some points to check for healthy long-term relationships (similarity in fundamental life goals and values - religious, political views and intelligence, sense of humor, approval of kin group and emotional stability)
(01:06:46) David talks about his upcoming book, When Men Behave Badly
(01:15:51) Potential investigations in evolutionary psychology (status, prestige, reputation and coalitional psychology)
(01:17:53) What are the qualities to look out for in a partner for long term success in marriages?
(01:22:31) David mentions two other subjects that interest him deeply - sexual morality and reputation, and why
(01:29:430 David shares his thoughts on different mating lifestyles and the misconceptions around evolutionary psychology
Mike Ware is the Executive Director of the Innocence Project of Texas. During our conversation, Mike talks about his career in the law, his work within Dallas's Conviction Integrity unit and the wrongfully-convicted clients he and his organization have represented and helped to exonerate.
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(00:49) How Mike was introduced to the Innocence Project and what drew him towards it.
(05:27) Injustice and smugness around criminal justice.
(07:02) Why is anyone who is arrested in America viewed as someone who has done wrong?
(13:17) What is it that inhibits people of power from undoing a wrong at any point during an investigation or trial?
(16:29) What is an example of a confirmation bias case?
(22:18) Mike addresses the Duke lacrosse case.
(30:00) About the first post-conviction DNA exoneration ever done
.(48:50) What happens when a statute of limitation expires?
(49:54) How are DNA databases managed?
(54:24) Patrick Waller, man who spent over a decade in prison for a crime he did not commit.
(56:51) What happens when a wrongly convicted person is later on exonerated by the state?
(01:13:40) How many people have been exonerated since 1984?
(01:22:10) What prompted Mike into switching from the Conviction Integrity Unit to the Innocence Project?
(01:38:36) What is the downside risk for being completely wrong about the story anybody presents to the jurors?
(01:41:12) What keeps Mike motivated to do what he does with the Innocence Project?
(01:50:28) What is it that citizens can do to combat injustice?
(01:52:19) How does the Innocence Project get enough legal resources to meet the demand from inmates who are clamoring for help?
(01:55:56) Which cases involve DNA testing?
(01:59:44) How can we as a society get better at rendering justice more frequently?
Alex Dominguez is a member of the Texas House of Representatives. During our conversation, Alex talks about his political career, his knowledge of psychedelic medical research, and House Bill 1802, which would set up Texas's first medically-supervised psilocybin trial for those suffering from PTSD. 1802 has passed the Texas House 134-12, and the Senate 25-5.
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(01:00) Alex shares about his friend who suffered severe PTSD post release from the military.
(14:56) The factors that led Alex to go ahead with his decision for the PTSD bill - elected officials in the state and in the country genuinely have an affection for veterans. And though they may disagree why they were sent to a particular country to do battle, they will all agree that they've done so at great personal risk. Also, he understood that they owed them a duty to help them transition back.
(22:36) Alex knew he was taking a leap of faith while taking the decision to go ahead with the bill. He speaks about why he knew that this bill could save lives.(27:51) Governor Rick Perry’s role in the passing of the bill. Alex learned what it was like living with PTSD and explored the topic. He researched several nonprofit organizations that worked on the cause.
(32:36) Alex reveals what convinced him to investigate psychedelics as an option for those suffering. He realized that it mental illness is not a moral shortcoming.(38:15) Why we say that psychedelics offer a possible avenue for treatment.
(41:17) On what the bill has to offer for the citizens of Texas - information. The first part of the bill proposes a clinical study with Baylor College of Medicine to study the effects of psilocybin for those who have PTSD.
(48:52) Alex explains the working of psychedelics and the effects they have on the human brain.
(55:45) If the bill gets passed, what more will be available to the people?