Wiser Than Yesterday: Educational Book Reviews and Summaries

The relationship between language, thought and culture is of concern to anyone with an interest in what it means to be human.

The Language Puzzle by Steven Mithen explains how the invention of words at 1.6 million years ago began the evolution of human language from the ape-like calls of our earliest ancestors to our capabilities of today, with over 6000 languages in the world and each of us knowing over 50,000 words.

Out of interest in correctness, Sam investigates cultural ideas across other books from Richard Wrangham, Christopher Boem and Yuval Noah Harari to create this tour de force episode on what the hell was going on.

Drawing on the latest discoveries in archaeology, linguistics, psychology, and genetics, this episode reconstructs the steps by which language evolved; how it transformed the nature of thought and culture, and how we talked our way out of the Stone Age into the world of farming and swiftly into today's Digital Age.

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Little Miracles and Airplanes

02:26 Wiser pod Introduction

03:32 Framing the Four-Part Journey

05:49 The Compression Problem

09:30 Act 1 – Cognitive Basis of Language

09:30 Biological History of Languages

14:27 The Interconnected Brain

18:03 Complex Words and Abstract Ideas

21:50 Ad Break

22:13 Words, Planning, and Teamwork

23:10 Act 2 – Gossip, Myths & Religion

23:10 Gossip and the Glue of Society

26:48 Myths and Shared Delusions

31:42 Early Religions, Animism and Cave Art

34:39 Act 3 – Self-Domestication

34:45 Shame, Blushing, and Human Civility

38:10 Invitation to Continue on How to Change the World

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce Lee was an intense man with such sheer concentration of energy that no one who encountered him, on screen or in person, could help but be drawn to him and his enthusiasm for life and knowledge.

Bruce Lee: Artist of Life explores the development and fruition of Bruce Lee's thoughts about gung fu (kung fu), philosophy, psychology, poetry, jeet kune do, acting, and self-knowledge.

Imagine being so annoyingly good at punching people that your dad has to ship you to another continent. That, more or less, is where our story with Bruce Lee begins.

Bruce Lee wasn’t born a legend. He built one, habit by habit.

This episode breaks down six simple, brutal habits that turned a skinny Hong Kong troublemaker into the most recognisable martial artist on earth. It’s surprisingly copy‑and‑pasteable into a normal life:

• Turn failure into a feedback loop instead of an identity crisis.
• Build a simple notebook ritual that actually shapes your decisions.
• Design one “Bruce Lee hour” a day to practice your craft like it matters.

Hit play, and steal Bruce’s operating system, not just his quotes.

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

• LinkedIn - Sam Harris
• History of Innovation Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

• LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
• AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

----

Chapters

00:00 Bruce Lee’s First Boxing Match

01:55 Determined to Succeed in Acting

02:23 Bruce Lee’s Habits of Success

02:57 #1 – Embrace Failure on the Path to Success

04:49 #2 – Carry a Notebook Everywhere

05:48 #3 – Repeat Goals to Yourself

08:41 #4 – Practice Your Craft Constantly

10:12 #5 – Constantly Read a Variety of Subjects

11:45 #6 – Research and Adapt

15:01 Bruce Lee’s Influence After 50 Years

15:22 Send Off

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this stunningly original book, Richard Wrangham argues that it was cooking that caused the extraordinary transformation of our ancestors from apelike beings to Homo erectus. At the heart of Catching Fire lies an explosive new idea: the habit of eating cooked rather than raw food permitted the digestive tract to shrink and the human brain to grow, helped structure human society, and created the male-female division of labour. As our ancestors adapted to using fire, humans emerged as "the cooking apes".

Covering everything from food-labelling and overweight pets to raw-food faddists, Catching Fire offers a startlingly original argument about how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today.

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

----

Chapters

00:00 The Role of Fire in Civilization

02:20 Introduction: Who is in control

03:55 Fire's Impact on Predators and Prey

05:59 First Fire - 500 million years ago

09:24 Humans and fire - ~2 million years ago

11:36 The Discovery of Fire

13:07 When did we discover Fire

13:48 Stadium of Grandmothers

14:51 Fire's Influence on Human Biology

17:22 Fire and Human Digestion

19:43 Light and Campfires

21:52 Mealtimes

23:00 Fire's Role in Human Birth and Survival

24:51 Why Only Humans Mastered Fire

27:22 Fire, Social Structures & Gender Roles

32:42 Role Change in the Information Age

34:45 Fire's Role in Human Expansion - 70,000 years ago

35:11 Second half of the episode on the new show

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is there more chance we'll believe something if it's in a bold type face? Why are judges more likely to deny parole before lunch? Why do we assume a good-looking person will be more competent?

The answer lies in the two ways we make choices: fast, intuitive thinking, and slow, rational thinking. This book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical), and gives you practical techniques for slower, smarter thinking. It will enable to you make better decisions at work, at home, and in everything you do.

Sam gives a full break down of the main lessons in the book Thinking Fast and Slow. From our system 1 and system 2 thinking to how different biases form and why.

To hear about the psychology of biases you can listen to a full season on the Growth Mindset Pod

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

• LinkedIn - Sam Harris
• History of Innovation Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

• LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
• AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

----

Chapters

00:00 Cognitive Biases

02:40 System 1 and System 2

04:05 How both systems Work Together

05:31 System 1's Impact on Decision Making

07:08 System 1 and Politics

10:10 The Teenage Brain and System 2 Development

11:14 Cognitive Biases and Their Impact

17:20 The Law of Large Number

22:15 Prospect Theory and Risk Assessment

22:33 The Cookie Analogy: Understanding Loss Aversion

23:18 Rationality and Utility Theory in Economics

25:16 Prospect Theory: Perception of Value and Risk

26:52 Probability and Decision Making

29:05 The Experiencing Self vs. The Remembering Self

30:53 The Peak-End Rule and Its Impact on Memory

34:25 Pleasure vs Satisfaction

37:36 The Focusing Illusion: What Really Matters

43:17 Final Thoughts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Brexit more important than Bitcoin? How do we rank Buddhism vs TikTok?

The world changes, technology advances, but what really matters and how much? Sam explains the Innovation Richter Scale, a framework for understanding impact at every level of technology and what it means to society.

In Nate Silver's book "On The Edge", he introduces a Technology Richter scale to determine the impact of AI. Sam takes the idea much, much further because it's cool.

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

• LinkedIn - Sam Harris
• Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology
• History of Innovation Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

• LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
• AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-------

Chapters

00:00 Innovation Richter Scale

01:47 Why create a Scale?

04:32 Earthquake Metaphor

06:54 Invention, Innovation, Technology

06:54 Ranking Magnitude not Morality

08:01 The Innovation Richter Scale - Level 1 - 10

08:04 Level 1 - Shower thoughts

08:23 Level 2 - Actioned Idea (In private)

08:42 Level 3 - Public ideas (Not popular)

10:10 Level 4 - Popular and commercial ideas

11:01 Level 5 - Defining Brand

12:31 Level 6 - Innovation of the year

15:53 Level 7 - Innovation of the Decade

18:12 Level 8 - Innovation of the Century

21:22 Level 9 - Innovation of the Era

23:46 Level 10 - Species Epoch

28:24 Wrap up and where to find part 2

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The favourite mental models and timeless lessons from Charlie Munger on how to build worldly wisdom.

Charlie Munger was the business partner of Warren Buffet and the cofounder of Berkshire Hathaway. The most successful investing company in history. He was obsessed with how ot make better decisions.

His book is full of ways to help you be less wrong and how to find an edge where you can perform at your best and minimise risk of losing. From the inversion principle to understanding opportunity cost and your own circle of competence. He has a no nonsense strategy and likeable charm that just oozes credibility and makes you wish you'd spent time working and learning from him.

- - -

About Wiser Pod 📚

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

---

Chapters

00:00 Poor Charlie's Almanac

02:58 Interdisciplinary Thinking

05:44 Understanding Circle of Competence

06:54 Opportunity Costs in Decision Making

07:49 The Inversion Principle

10:43 Cognitive Biases Overview

11:51 Confirmation Bias and Clear Thinking

13:38 Authority Bias and Independent Thought

15:30 Social Proof and Individuality

16:55 Arguing Against Your Own Beliefs

17:37 Critiquing Charlie's Rationality

18:10 Lack of Emotion and suspension of belief

19:29 Binary thinking and fixed mindset

24:35 The Art of Rational Decision Making

25:48 First Principles Thinking

27:35 Probabilistic Thinking and Risks

29:11 The Margin of Safety

30:25 Chauffeur Knowledge vs. True Understanding

32:40 Applying Mental Models in Real Life

33:27 Sharing Wisdom and Building Community

34:51 Conclusions

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heard enough lame insights about caveman psychology? Jared Diamond goes hard into what life was really like, how we thought and how it compares to today.

A masterclass of a book when it comes to truly understanding our history and humanity and packed full of insights.

Sam digests the book from a lens of innovation and what the reality of our life meant for taking risks and trying new ideas and making them happen.

We cover various tribe studies across the world and the episode is brimming with stories and statistics that will make you think and a little bit Wiser than Yesterday.

Part two is available on the How to Change the World: History and Future of Innovation podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple

Note - Nico is taking a reading break, and Sam has a season to cover some of his favourite books in depth 🙃

- - -

About Wiser Pod 📚

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

---

Chapters

00:00 Intro to The World Until Yesterday

02:12 The Hand Axe Conundrum

04:05 Episode Goals

05:21 1 - SURVIVAL LOCK

06:00 Energy requirements

08:09 Time Scarcity

10:38 Risk and Psychological Safety

12:56 2 - CULTURE LOCK

14:17 Culture in New Guinea

15:16 Results of trying ideas

17:01 The Grandmother Hypothesis

17:57 Widowhood statistics

19:21 Kaulong Tribe Widow killing

21:03 Catalhayuk - 1000 years of stasis

22:12 3 - KNOWLEDGE LOCK

24:18 Losing knowledge

25:41 Maths

26:28 Communication and Language

27:29 Ice Age Picasso Paradox

29:30 Wrap up - Book review and teasers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We share the 10 best mental models about innovation from tech titan Jeff Bezos.

This episode covers the story of Amazon and some of the incredible shifts it has created on the planet. From the obvious online shopping wave to things like the e-reading industry and audiobooks, web-servers giving us Uber and Netflix, devices like Alexa. We also learn about their failures like the Fire Phone and other things you probably haven't even heard of, Amazon Destinations, anyone?

Lessons to think like an innovator and be more decisive:

• Primitive Thinking - Creating the building blocks that make new things
• Reversible and Irreversible Decisions - Can you just try something already instead of overthinking?
• Day 1 Thinking - The philosophy of never being finished

Note - Nico is taking a reading break, and Sam has a season to cover some of his favourite books in depth.

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

---

Chapters

00:00 The Everything Store & Jeff Bezos

02:53 Thinking in Primitives

04:10 Story of AWS

06:44 2 Customer Centric Obsession

08:25 Working backwards - Why they built Amazon Prime

10:23 3 Long Term Thinking

11:39 Story - Kindle and e-publishing industry

14:21 Willingness to be Misunderstood

15:01 Team - Single-Threaded Leadership

16:10 Team - Employ and Empower Builders

17:15 Culture - Meetings are for Decisions

18:15 High Velocity Decision making

20:27 Regret Minimisation Framework

22:03 Disagree and Commit

23:13 Embrace Failure

23:56 Total Fails - Fire Phone, Amazon Wallet etc...

26:14 Importance of Timing and Competition

28:28 Day 1 Thinking

31:10 Useful Bonus points

31:18 Flywheel effect

31:46 Word of Mouth Marketing

32:42 Opposing beliefs - Ignoring vs Crushing Competition

34:51 Opposing Beliefs - Stubborn and Flexible

35:22 Wrap up

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every investment plan under the sun is, at best, an informed speculation of what may happen in the future, based on a systematic extrapolation from the known past.

Same as Ever reverses the process, inviting us to identify the many things that never, ever change.

Morgan Housel wrote this to be a master class on optimizing risk, seizing opportunity, and living your best life. But does he achieve it?

We break down the best ideas and mental models he shares and how they could be applied in your life.

- - -

About Wiser Pod

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

• RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- - -

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to The Wiser Than Yesterday Podcast

00:07 Life Updates: New Locations and Busy Schedules

00:07 Book Review: Same as Ever by Morgan Hausel

01:06 Understanding the Lindy Principle

01:45 Human Behavior and the Lindy Principle

02:24 Key Takeaway: Progress is Hard to See

03:26 The Impact of Evolution on Human Perception

06:40 The Risks We Don't See

07:17 The Role of Luck in Success

12:34 Happiness and Expectations

15:06 Balancing Stress and Relaxation

19:08 The Influence of Your Social Circle

24:02 The Impact of Age in Professional Hockey

24:58 The Role of Private Tutoring in Education

25:37 The Influence of Cohorts on Success

27:12 Permanent vs. Expiring Information

29:35 Books vs. Podcasts: A Debate

38:13 The Value of Taste and Enthusiasm

40:06 Book Review and Final Thoughts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A philosophical discussion on part 2 of the Three-Body Problem series, The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin.

We ponder different answers to Fermi's paradox and how we'd deal with different levels of intelligence in the Universe. This of course requires pondering how different levels of intelligent beings might deal with us.

We also ponder at large adaptions of books into screenplays, why writers change the races of original characters and a lot of interesting stuff about aliens, the Universe and the space-time continuum.

- - -

Wiser Than Yesterday

Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris

👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris

🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology

🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke

👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke

🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:

• SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?

• RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- - -

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Catching Up

01:06 Discussing 'The Dark Forest' Book

04:56 The Dark Forest Theory Explained

07:42 Philosophical Questions on Alien Life

12:33 Speculations on Alien Discoveries

13:50 Advanced Civilizations and Human Progress

16:35 Exploring the Concept of Lying in the Book

16:59 Humanity's Advantage Over the Tri Laurens

17:10 The Dark Forest Theory

17:52 Intra vs. Interspecies Communication

19:31 The Impact of Truth on Society

22:02 Philosophical Musings on Lying

24:37 Lessons from the Book

28:23 Humanity's Overcommitment to Goals

31:24 Breaking Rules and Asking for Forgiveness

34:09 Final Thoughts and Book Rating

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