Tyson Yunkaporta talks to Jim about his Apalech Clan, human domestication, connected bioregions, cultural narcissism, value in ordeal, indigenous instinct, and much more...

An important new thinker only comes around every few years. Tyson Yunkaport is that thinker right now. We talk about his amazing new book, Sand Talk, in which he looks at the meta-crisis of our contemporary scene through the dual lenses of complexity science and his Indigenous Australian culture. We talk about: his Apalech Clan & personal background, impacts of smartphones, defining civilization, growth vs increase paradigms, managing change via myths & norms, contextual dynamics of pronouns, the interconnection of culture & bioregions, language & cognition, the impermanent nature of race, collapse, the great filter theory, dangers of cultural narcissism & the value of facing ordeal, crime & punishment, safety vs protection, the value of conflict & violence, human domestication via civilization, relationality vs fight & flight, human potential, 'the art of yarning' & stories as maps, our indigenous instincts, and more.

Episode Transcript

Mentions & Recommendations

Tyson's book, Sand Talk

Robin Hanson's JRS Episode

Part 2: Tyson on Indigenous Knowledge

Tyson Yunkaporta is an academic, an arts critic, and a researcher who is a member of the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. He carves traditional tools and weapons and also works as a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne. He lives in Melbourne and is the author of Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World.