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Modern Wisdom

Chris Williamson
Modern Wisdom
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  • Modern Wisdom

    The Most Important Questions Of Our Time - George Mack - #1124

    2026/07/16 | 1h 22 mins.
    George Mack is a writer, marketer and entrepreneur.

    What are the most important questions of our time? Some search for the meaning of life. Others wonder how to leverage California’s gay subsidy. Both are equally valid, but one is definitely more interesting. So what are today’s biggest questions, and do any of the answers actually matter?

    Expect to learn if AI-generated stories can win awards, what qualifies for California’s gay certification program, who the chicken farmer who fooled Hitler was, why men aren’t great at receiving and expressing their emotions, why George is obsessed with Gymshark’s finances, the best lessons Chris and George have learned from this past year and much more…

    Sponsors:

    See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠

    Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

    Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom

    Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom

    Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

    Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Who Is Cristiano Ronaldo Named After?
    (03:13) Is This the Worst Walkout Song?
    (07:41) Should AI Be Winning Writing Awards?
    (12:46) Beckham vs Pitt: Who Do Women Prefer?
    (17:43) Do Trends in the East Always Translate to the West?
    (27:24) The Truth Behind California’s “Gay Certification”
    (32:02) How a Chicken Farmer Defeated Hitler
    (38:52) Is This the Greatest Civilian Hero Story?
    (45:37) Why We Experience Survivor’s Guilt
    (55:53) Are Men Homophobic or Femmephobic?
    (01:04:05) Why Cash Flow Cycles Matter More Than You Think
    (01:09:27) The Life Lessons You Come Back to Most
    (01:22:08) Where to Find George

    Extra Stuff:

    Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠

    Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠

    Episodes You Might Enjoy:

    #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠

    #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠

    #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠

    -

    Get In Touch:

    Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠

    Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠

    YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠

    Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠

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  • Modern Wisdom

    Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Caleb Hammer - #1123

    2026/07/13 | 1h 56 mins.
    Caleb Hammer is a personal finance YouTuber.

    Are we in a financial crisis or spending our way into one? Rising prices, growing debt, and shrinking savings are putting every generation under pressure. But what’s really to blame? A broken economy, bad money habits, or both? The answer could determine whether we’re headed for disaster, or still have time to turn things around.

    Expect to learn if it is actually harder to make an manage money than ever before, what the hidden costs of bankruptcy are that nobody wants to talk about, why Gen Z is in more debt than any other generation, if most financial problems are psychological in nature, if lifestyle inflation has become a bigger problem than inflation itself, what the biggest financial red flags are when dating and much more…

    Sponsors:

    See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠

    Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

    Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

    Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

    Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

    Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Does Caleb Really Get Death Threats?
    (05:44) Does Gen Z Actually Have It Harder Financially?
    (18:02) The Hidden Costs of Bankruptcy
    (21:03) Why People Fall Into Debt
    (24:13) The Personality Traits Behind Financial Success
    (25:36) How Debt Impacts Your Identity
    (27:28) The Trap of Lifestyle Inflation
    (36:14) The Best Way to Handle Anxious Guests
    (39:23) Knowledge vs Discomfort: What Makes the Biggest Impact?
    (44:26) Why Behaviour Is the Real Fix for Money Problems
    (49:24) What Financial Milestone Makes People Happiest?
    (52:14) UK vs US: Who’s Better Off Financially?
    (01:07:36) What Real Financial Education Should Look Like
    (01:16:38) The Dangerous Consequences of the Gender Wars
    (01:21:32) The Economic Risks of a Declining Population
    (01:26:37) Should a Trillionaire Exist?
    (01:31:37) The Biggest Financial Red Flags in Dating
    (01:34:19) How Money Problems End Relationships
    (01:36:53) How Mental Health Shapes Spending Habits
    (01:40:19) The Dumb Purchases That Make People Broke
    (01:42:40) How Damaging Is Financial Over-Optimisation?
    (01:44:56) Is Property Still a Smart Investment?
    (01:53:43) Is Raising Kids Cheaper Than You Think?
    (01:55:53) Where to Find Caleb

    Extra Stuff:

    Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠

    Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠

    Episodes You Might Enjoy:

    #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠

    #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠

    #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠

    -

    Get In Touch:

    Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠

    Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠

    YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠

    Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠

    -
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  • Modern Wisdom

    Why The AI Doomers Might Be Right - Robert Wright - #1122

    2026/07/11 | 1h 21 mins.
    Robert Wright is a journalist and author.

    Is AI the next stage of human development? Some see it as another tool, while others view human-machine integration as a major shift in how we develop. What do recent advances in AI tell us, and is evolution the right framework for understanding them?

    Expect to learn why Robert is interested in AI through an evolutionary lens, why most people still don’t grasp the magnitude of what’s coming, how AI will fit into the broader context of human evolution and civilisation, what the most legitimate concerns from the AI doomer camp are, if we are close to hitting the singularity, and much more…

    Sponsors:

    See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠

    Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

    Get up to 20% off Timeline powered by Mitopure (now at a lower price) at https://timeline.com/modernwisdom

    Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

    Get up to $350 off the Eight Sleep Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom

    Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

    Extra Stuff:

    Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠

    Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠

    Episodes You Might Enjoy:

    #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠

    #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠

    #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠

    -

    Get In Touch:

    Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠

    Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠

    YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠

    Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠

    -
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Modern Wisdom

    Why You Feel Overwhelmed All The Time (and how to fix it) - David Epstein - #1121

    2026/07/09 | 1h 18 mins.
    David Epstein is a science journalist and author.

    Is discipline really freedom? When we feel overwhelmed, it can seem like the problem is that we have no freedom. But maybe the opposite is true: maybe we have too much freedom, too many options, and too little structure. So why can setting constraints become a superpower? And when you’re overwhelmed, why might choosing limits actually make you feel more free?

    Expect to learn what the Green Eggs and Ham effect is, why having constraints is so unsexy, how setting limits powers learning, the real meaning of “The Road Not Taken”, why it is important to decide what not to do, how to tell if you have too much freedom or too many constraints, and much more…

    Sponsors:

    See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

    Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

    Get 10% discount on all Gymshark products at https://gym.sh/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM10)

    Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

    Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom

    Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) How Dr. Seuss Changed Children’s Books Forever
    (03:30) Why We Avoid Constraints (and Why That’s a Mistake)
    (11:37) Why Is Choice So Overwhelming?
    (18:06) The Tension Between Freedom and Constraint
    (22:07) The Genius Behind General Magic
    (29:33) How Limits Power Learning
    (37:01) Why Fewer Options Feel Harder to Choose From
    (45:58) Is Anything Truly Original?
    (53:56) How to Break Free From Habit and Convention
    (56:45) Are Constraints the Secret to Great Design?
    (01:00:26) Is Multitasking Secretly Hurting You?
    (01:03:48) The Best Examples of Locking In
    (01:08:44) When Optimisation Turns Into Obsession
    (01:13:39) How to Use Constraints Without Being Trapped
    (01:15:41) What the “Road Less Travelled” Really Means
    (01:18:08) Where to Find David

    Extra Stuff:

    Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

    Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

    Episodes You Might Enjoy:

    #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

    #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

    #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

    -

    Get In Touch:

    Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

    Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

    Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

    -
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  • Modern Wisdom

    The Uncomfortable Science Of Sex Differences - Steve Stewart-Williams - #1120

    2026/07/06 | 2h 33 mins.
    Steve Stewart-Williams is an evolutionary psychologist, a professor, and an author.

    Why is it so difficult to talk about the differences between men and women today? It's important to recognize that men and women deserve equal respect and opportunity, but that does not mean they are exactly the same. There are differences between the sexes that can be meaningful, valuable, and even beautiful. So what are those differences, and why has discussing them become so polarising?

    Expect to learn why talking about sex differences is so controversial, what the actual definition of sex is, why there are challenges to the binary idea of sex, the largest sex differences between men and women, how sex differences reveal themselves via personality, the danger of denying and/or not respecting the differences in sex, and much more…

    Sponsors:

    See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

    Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

    Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

    Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

    Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

    Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Why Sex Differences Are So Controversial
    (02:07) Why Sex Differences Matter
    (07:55) What Actually Is Sex?
    (13:21) Biology vs Society: What Shapes Sex Differences?
    (19:50) How Much Do Parents Impact Sex Differences?
    (21:37) The Gender Equality Paradox
    (26:39) The Top Difference Between Men and Women
    (29:02) What Is the Biggest Sex Difference?
    (39:44) Is Parental Investment Damaging?
    (42:18) Do Men Have Greater Reproductive Success?
    (50:14) The Hidden Motivations Behind Behaviour
    (54:34) Are Human Sex Differences Unique?
    (01:00:07) Is It All About Reproducing?
    (01:03:20) Why Women Prefer Reading Porn
    (01:11:44) Are Men and Women Compromising on Sex?
    (01:14:13) How Similar Are Male and Female Mate Preferences?
    (01:16:55) How Status and Wealth Shape Attraction
    (01:21:55) Would Women Sleep With Their Ideal Sperm Donor?
    (01:29:21) Why Are Women Attracted to Dangerous Men?
    (01:37:34) Is Height Really That Important?
    (01:40:25) Do Men Actually Talk More Than Women?
    (01:46:54) Why Do Men Choose to Be Sexually Violent?
    (01:52:11) Are Women Naturally More Nurturing?
    (01:58:59) Who Gets More Jealous in Relationships?
    (02:03:30) The Biggest Personality Differences Between Men and Women
    (02:13:25) Are Cognitive Sex Differences Real?
    (02:16:55) Why Women Outlive Men
    (02:23:34) Why Mental Health Differs Between the Sexes
    (02:26:21) What Happens When We Deny Sex Differences?
    (02:29:53) The Cost of Exaggerating Sex Differences
    (02:32:33) Where to Find Steve

    Extra Stuff:

    Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

    Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

    Episodes You Might Enjoy:

    #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

    #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

    #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

    -

    Get In Touch:

    Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

    Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

    Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

    -
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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About Modern Wisdom
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.
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