Podcast · 546 episodes
Modern Wisdom, page 2
by Chris Williamson · English
Life is hard. This podcast will help. Lessons from the greatest thinkers on the planet with Chris Williamson. Including guests like David Goggins, Dr Jordan Peterson, Naval Ravikant, Sam Harris, Jocko Willink, Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr Julie Smith, Steven Bartlett, Ryan Holiday, Robert Greene, Matthew McConaughey, Alain de Botton, Alex Hormozi, Tony Robbins, Chris Bumstead, Mark Manson and more.
All episodes, page 2
Who You Meet Down America’s Forgotten Backroads - Peter Santenello - #1132Peter Santenello discusses his travel-and-documentary work showing “forgotten people” and overlooked communities across the US and abroad, with a focus on rural poverty (especially Appalachia) and…3 Aug 2026 · 1 h 59 min · 36 chapters
Ex-Military Hacker: The Secret World Of Government Surveillance - Bill Thompson - #1131Ex-military hacker Bill Thompson discusses government surveillance and intelligence tradecraft, arguing that modern spying relies on both software exploitation and “human intelligence” recruitment,…1 Aug 2026 · 1 h 15 min · 25 chapters
Proof That The Lonely Chapter Works - Jett Franzen - #1130How almost nobody gets the life they want because they avoid confronting their “shadow” (denied emotions/needs) and because they don’t build self-belief through evidence and consistent action; also…30 Jul 2026 · 1 h 59 min · 44 chapters
The Painful Psychological Cost Of Becoming A Dad - Darby Saxbe - #1129The psychological and biological “cost” of becoming a dad, including brain changes (“dad brain”), how parenting time shapes those changes, and how relationship conflict and support affect childbirth…27 Jul 2026 · 1 h 34 min · 41 chapters
Polyvagal Theory: Why You Feel So Anxious All The Time - Dr Stephen Porges - #1128Polyvagal theory and why chronic anxiety can reflect a dysregulated autonomic nervous system. Dr.25 Jul 2026 · 1 h 53 min · 36 chapters
Something Scary Is Happening In Biolabs - Annie Jacobsen - #1127The episode argues that biological warfare is an underappreciated existential risk because it can be prevented only within a short warning window (claimed 12–36 hours), is “invisible” and…23 Jul 2026 · 1 h 37 min · 38 chapters
14 Patterns Behind the World’s Greatest Minds - David Senra - #1126The episode argues that top performers keep going despite disliking parts of the work, and that “chips on shoulders” become “chips in pockets” through context, obsession with creation, selective…20 Jul 2026 · 1 h 32 min · 28 chapters
The True Story Of The Odyssey (and why it matters) - Alex Petkas - #1125Alex Petkas explains why the Odyssey matters, tracing its themes (homecoming, community sacrifice, restoring order after collapse) and arguing it reflects a broader Indo-European oral tradition that…18 Jul 2026 · 2 h 21 min · 46 chapters
The Most Important Questions Of Our Time - George Mack - #1124The episode ranges across “most important questions” about identity, culture, AI writing, human behavior, and heroism—moving from celebrity name origins to how norms spread, how AI may recycle…16 Jul 2026 · 1 h 23 min · 27 chapters
Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Caleb Hammer - #1123Financial Audit host Caleb Hammer argues that most debt comes from behavior (lack of savings/emergency fund, lifestyle inflation, emotional spending spirals) rather than “just emergencies.” He…13 Jul 2026 · 1 h 56 min · 50 chapters
Why The AI Doomers Might Be Right - Robert Wright - #1122Robert Wright argues AI is an evolutionary “threshold event” that will destabilize the world like an “earthquake,” requiring a “moral upgrade” (cognitive empathy, mindfulness, international trust)…11 Jul 2026 · 1 h 21 min · 30 chapters
Why You Feel Overwhelmed All The Time (and how to fix it) - David Epstein - #1121Why people feel overwhelmed, and how to “fix it” by using constraints, limiting choice, and making better predictions through pre-commitment.9 Jul 2026 · 1 h 19 min · 35 chapters
The Uncomfortable Science Of Sex Differences - Steve Stewart-Williams - #1120The episode argues that evolved sex differences are real but usually modest, and that studying them is important for understanding human behavior and improving society.6 Jul 2026 · 2 h 33 min · 57 chapters
“My Autism Keeps Upsetting People” - Vittorio Angelone - #1119Vittorio Angelone (adult-diagnosed autistic comedian) discusses how autism affects social life—especially his fear of upsetting people—plus a chaotic US tour episode involving suspected drink…4 Jul 2026 · 1 h 57 min · 35 chapters
Black Holes, Denny’s Fist Fights & Japanese Handjob Culture - Rabbit Hole #4 - #1118The episode ranges from South Korea’s low birthrate and hair-loss insurance proposals to extreme fertility interventions (celebrity/religious incentives, IVF/sperm donation), then pivots to Tim…2 Jul 2026 · 2 h 34 min · 65 chapters
33 Brutal Truths To Stop Wasting Your Potential - Alex Hormozi - #1117The episode argues that “doing hard things” is often misunderstood: hard physical feats (marathons, combat, training) don’t automatically transfer to hard emotional decisions (vulnerable…29 Jun 2026 · 4 h 9 min · 91 chapters
Raw Truths From The Brink Of Death - Ben Askren - #1116Ben Askren recounts surviving a near-fatal illness and his recovery after a double lung transplant.27 Jun 2026 · 1 h 6 min · 21 chapters
Why Nobody Feels Loved Anymore - Sonja Lyubomirsky - #1115Why people don’t feel loved even when they are loved; the role of connection, being known (not just admired), and how to accept love through curiosity, validation, and gradual vulnerability.25 Jun 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 36 chapters
The Collapse of American Politics - Ezra Klein - #1114Ezra Klein discusses how algorithmic social media and “attention” incentives reshape political norms, intensify factionalism and purity spirals inside the Democratic Party, and affect what kinds of…22 Jun 2026 · 2 h 9 min · 43 chapters
The Career Trap That Makes Women Miserable - Suzanne Venker - #1113Suzanne Venker argues that decades of “equality/sameness” messaging pushed women to center careers while omitting how marriage and motherhood fit into that plan.20 Jun 2026 · 1 h 57 min · 49 chapters
Navy SEAL: “Not Killing People Is Hard” - DJ Shipley - #1112DJ Shipley (a former Navy SEAL) discusses what it’s like to transition out of special operations, why “not killing people is hard,” and how elite operators build skill through obsession,…18 Jun 2026 · 3 h 1 min · 72 chapters
The Hidden Cost Of Overthinking Everything - George Mack - #1111Overthinking vs action, “low-agency thinking”/rumination, and how advice lands differently depending on personality.15 Jun 2026 · 1 h 17 min · 33 chapters
How The Partner You Choose Reveals Your Self-Worth - Quinlan Walther - #1110How choosing a partner reflects self-worth and self-trust; why people confuse anxiety/excitement with chemistry; how attachment history and uncertainty drive “wound” selection; and how to use…13 Jun 2026 · 1 h 33 min · 24 chapters
Something Is Very Wrong With Modern Life - Arthur Brooks - #1109Arthur Brooks argues that modern life feels “unreal” because people are increasingly living through algorithm-driven simulations (like scrolling, swipe dating, virtual connection).11 Jun 2026 · 1 h 54 min · 42 chapters