Big Think

• The overpopulation myth, debunked by a data scientist | Hannah Ritchie

  Chapters: 00:00: The overpopulation concern 02:01: Global population growth rates 02:28: The fall in global fertility rates 03:06: Amount of food produced per person 03:50: Per capita CO2 emissions 04:17: The underpopulation concern ### 🌍 **Is Overpopulation Really the Problem? Or Is It a Dangerous Myth?** For decades, one idea has haunted environmental debates: **"There are just too many people on Earth."** From forced sterilizations to cutting food aid, some of the so-called “solutions” to this perceived crisis have been deeply unethical—and alarmingly popular. 📘 This fear peaked in the 1960s–70s with the release of *The Population Bomb*, predicting mass famine and chaos. But the world evolved in two critical ways: #### 1. 📉 **Global fertility rates fell sharply** In 1950, the average woman had **5 children**. Today, it's just **2.3**—and still falling. #### 2. 🌾 **Technological leaps in agriculture** Yields have doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled across many regions. We're growing **more food per person** than ever before—even with billions more people. 🔍 Still, many argue that population—especially in **low-income countries**—fuels climate change. But here’s the truth: - These regions often have **extremely low CO₂ emissions per person.** - You could add **billions** more people at those levels and barely affect global emissions. --- ### 🧓 **A New Crisis: Underpopulation?** In high-income nations, the worry has flipped. Aging populations threaten economies as **working-age groups shrink**, weakening the very engine that drives productivity and growth. --- ### 💡 **The Most Dangerous Idea?** Comparing humanity to a **cancer on the planet.** It implies people are the problem—and removal is the solution. But we’re also the **innovators, problem-solvers, and stewards** of Earth’s future. **If we dehumanize each other, how do we build a better world together?** --- 👀 **So if not overpopulation… what *is* the real environmental threat?** Let’s explore that next. --- overpopulation, population growth, fertility rates, demographic transition, The Population Bomb, Paul Ehrlich, agricultural advancements, food per person, global population, climate change, CO2 emissions per capita, underpopulation, aging populations, working-age population, sustainable development, climate solutions, environmental impact, economic stability, population density, global cooperation, human impact on environment, overpopulation myth, technological advancements in agriculture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Daniel Goleman: The 4 domains of emotional intelligence | Daniel Goleman for Big Think+

  **Why Emotional Intelligence Is the Secret to Great Leadership** What if the key to success isn’t IQ, talent, or even experience—but *emotional intelligence*? In this episode, we dive into the game-changing science behind what makes great leaders truly exceptional. From self-awareness to social mastery, discover how top performers manage emotions, navigate conflict, and inspire trust. Learn why empathy isn’t just about understanding others—it’s the foundation of influence, connection, and long-term success. And here’s the best part: unlike IQ, *emotional intelligence can be learned.* So how can you develop it and take your leadership to the next level? Tune in to find out. “Self-awareness, it's the least visible part of emotional intelligence, but we find in our research that people low in self-awareness are unable to develop strengths very well in other parts of emotional intelligence.” When Daniel Goleman released his best-selling book “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ,” the concept resonated with millions of readers, many experiencing  an “aha” moment, recognizing this trait in people that they admired. Through his research, Goleman found that people who emerge as outstanding performers or the best leaders have high emotional intelligence. A combination of self-awareness, mastery over emotions, social awareness, empathy, tuning into others, allow harmonious or effective relationships.This finding proved to be good news: Unlike IQ, which barely budges over the course of our life, emotional intelligence can change. It's learned and learnable at any point in life. In this Big Think+ lesson, Goleman outlines 4 domains of emotional intelligence and 12 particular competencies of people who are high in emotional intelligence. About Daniel Goleman:Daniel Goleman has transformed the way the world educates children, relates to family and friends, and conducts business. A frequent speaker to businesses of all kinds and sizes, he has worked with leaders around the globe, examining the way social and emotional competencies impact the bottom line.Ranked one of the 10 most influential business thinkers by The Wall Street Journal, Goleman’s articles in the Harvard Business Review are among the most frequently requested reprints of all time. One of these pieces, “The Focused Leader,” won the 2013 HBR McKinsey Award for best article of the year. Apart from his writing on emotional intelligence, Goleman has written books on topics including self-deception, creativity, transparency, meditation, social and emotional learning, ecoliteracy, and the ecological crisis.He is also the host of First Person Plural: Emotional Intelligence and Beyond, a podcast about us, the systems we’re a part of, and how we can create an emotionally intelligent future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Science is shattering our intuitions about consciousness | Annaka Harris

  **What If Everything Around You Is Conscious?** 🤯 What if consciousness isn’t just something that emerges from the human brain—but a fundamental part of the universe, like gravity? Neuroscience is uncovering shocking truths that challenge everything we think we know about awareness. From the mind-bending story of a man who wrote an entire book with just his eyelid to the eerie possibility that consciousness might exist in plants, Annaka Harris takes us on a journey that will leave you questioning reality itself. Are we seeing the world all wrong? And if so… what else might be conscious? 🌍👀 **Listen now to have your mind blown.** 🎧🔥 "Is it possible that consciousness is a much more basic phenomenon in nature and is essentially pervading everything?" Consciousness is everything we know, everything we experience. The mystery at the heart of consciousness lies in why our universe – despite teeming with non-conscious matter – is configured in a way where it's having a felt experience from the inside. Modern neuroscience suggests that our intuitions about consciousness are incorrect. And so, it's possible that we've been thinking about consciousness the wrong way entirely, says bestselling author Annaka Harris. If this is true, then consciousness may not be something that arises out of complex processing in brains, says Harris. Consciousness could be a much more basic phenomenon in nature, an all-pervading force, like gravity. If we think of it in these terms, we can imagine that all types of processing in nature could include some type of felt experience.Timestamps: 0:00: The mystery of consciousness 1:31: What is consciousness?3:31: Ask these 2 questions8:37: Which systems entail suffering? About Annaka Harris:Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the forthcoming audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. Annaka is the author of the children’s book I Wonder, coauthor of the Mindful Games Activity Cards, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the organization Inner Kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• How COVID-era monetary policy changed everything | Joseph Politano

  "Understanding more about monetary policy and the economic regime that you're living under can help ease some of the fundamental uncertainties [that have been] prevalent since COVID, and help you make better decisions in your day-to-day life." In the wake of the pandemic, our economy entered into a new era marked by supply chain shortages, rapidly rising inflation, and a sharp increase in interest rates. And consumers, businesses, and governments are more uncertain than they've ever been. It's impossible to understand the changes that we've gone through over the last four years and, in a broader sense, over the last two decades without understanding the shifts in monetary policy over that time period, says Joseph Politano, an economic analyst, a data journalist, and the writer behind Apricitas Economics. We interviewed Politano on April 30th, 2024 and he explained this global economic shift. About Joseph Politano:Joseph Politano is a Financial Management Analyst at the Bureau of Labor Statistics working to support the Labor Market Information and Occupational Health and Safety surveys that BLS conducts. He writes independently about economics, business, and public policy for a better world at apricitas.substack.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Who will you become during a crisis? | Amanda Ripley

  **How You’ll Really React in a Disaster (And How to Survive)** You think you know how you'd handle a life-or-death crisis—but the truth is, most of us *freeze, delay, or deny* reality when disaster strikes. In this eye-opening episode, we uncover the hidden forces shaping your "disaster personality" and why survival isn't just about bravery—it’s about *preparation and mindset*. From the shocking psychology behind why people ignore alarms to the real reason heroes emerge, we break down the phases of crisis response and how you can train your brain to act *before it’s too late*. Because in a real emergency, hesitation kills. Are you ready? "Humans, like most mammals, tend to shut down in really frightening situations for which they have no training or prior experience. Researchers call it negative panic. People do nothing. They shut down." We all have ideas about how we're gonna behave in a crisis or emergency, but it’s almost never how it actually plays out when we’re faced with a disaster situation, says bestselling author Amanda Ripley. In fact, you have another personality – a ‘disaster personality’ – and it's helpful to understand what it is before you are forced to embody it. Studying human behavior in different disasters across history reveals a huge spectrum of responses. Sometimes people start hysterically screaming, others shut down. Some laugh in the face of a life or death situation. In Ripley’s book, "The Unthinkable," the author followed people who had survived disasters of all kinds, and found that there's a pattern, even across very different contexts, from plane crashes to earthquakes. Almost always, people go through a period of certain emotions. Do you want to learn how to master your disaster response before facing a crisis? Ripley explains how. Timestamps: 00:00: The psychology of surviving a crisis01:20: The crisis pattern01:52: Denial03:06: Deliberation04:54: The decisive moment About Amanda Ripley:Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post contributor, and co-founder of consultancy firm, Good Conflict. Her books include The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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