Modern Wisdom

The True Story Of The Odyssey (and why it matters) - Alex Petkas - #1125

Alex Petkas is a historian, writer, and podcaster. What’s the real story behind The Odyssey? As the ancient epic returns to the big screen, a historian reveals the original tale, the world that shaped it, and the timeless lessons hidden within it. Expect to learn why The Odyssey is such an important story, what type of person and writer Homer was, who the important women of The Odyssey were and which ones were benevolent, heroic, or dangerous, why revenge and justice are the key underlying themes in the story, what a real historian thinks of Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey and much more... Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/deals] Get up to $350 off the Eight Sleep Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom [https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom] Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom [https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom] Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom [https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom] Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom [https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom] Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com [https://chatgpt.com] Timestamps: (00:00) Why The Odyssey Still Matters Today (06:19) What Happens in The Odyssey? (09:41) Did Homer Write The Iliad First? (15:20) How Much of The Odyssey Is Just Retelling? (16:31) Why Is Penelope the Ultimate Prize? (21:43) Telemachus’ Quest to Live Up to His Father (36:19) How Order Can Slip into Anarchy (37:21) Why Odysseus Walked Away From a Goddess (54:13) The Power of Cunning (01:01:09) How Odysseus Outsmarted the Cyclops (01:07:35) The One Mistake That Cursed Odysseus (01:09:23) Is Family the True Heart of The Odyssey? (01:24:57) How Odysseus Finally Returns Home (01:27:48) The Reunion of Odysseus and Telemachus (01:29:57) The Fall of the Suitors (01:42:12) Is Penelope the Real Hero of the Story? (01:46:25) Why Divine Favour Changes Everything (01:49:02) The Hidden Role of Oral Storytelling (01:53:24) Why Nolan’s Films Divide Audiences (01:57:52) Is Emily Wilson’s Translation Accurate? (02:01:26) Has the Classic Hero Disappeared? (02:11:09) Why We Need to Beware Modern Sirens (02:19:48) Where to Find Alex Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/books] Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠ [https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom] Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins] #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson] #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman] - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx] Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx] YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast] Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/contact] - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

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

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 [https://chriswillx.com/deals] Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom [https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom] Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom [https://shopify.com/modernwisdom] Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom [https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom] Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom [https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom] Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com [https://⁠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 [https://chriswillx.com/books] Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠ [https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom] Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins] #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson] #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman] - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx] Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx] YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast] Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/contact] - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

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

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 [https://chriswillx.com/deals] Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom [https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom] Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom [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 [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 [https://ag1.info/modernwisdom] Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com [https://⁠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 [https://chriswillx.com/books] Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠ [https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom] Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins] #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson] #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman] - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx] Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx] YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast] Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/contact] - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

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

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 [https://chriswillx.com/deals] Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom [https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom] Get up to 20% off Timeline powered by Mitopure (now at a lower price) at https://timeline.com/modernwisdom [https://timeline.com/modernwisdom] Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom [https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom] Get up to $350 off the Eight Sleep Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom [https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom] Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com [https://⁠https://chatgpt.com] Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/books] Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠ [https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom] Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins] #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson] #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman] - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx] Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx] YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast] Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/contact] - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

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

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 [https://chriswillx.com/deals] Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom [https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom] Get 10% discount on all Gymshark products at https://gym.sh/modernwisdom [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 [https://ag1.info/modernwisdom] Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom [https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom] Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com [https://⁠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 [https://chriswillx.com/books] Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠ [https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom] Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins] #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson] #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠ [https://lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman] - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx] Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx] YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast] Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠ [https://chriswillx.com/contact] - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]