Modern Wisdom

I hit 4.3 million YouTube subscribers! As usual, I celebrated by collecting questions from across social media and answering them directly. Expect to learn my thoughts on having kids in the near future, what my time with the Night Wolf Hawk was like, a quick health update, why I keep changing my hairstyle, reflections from a one-week silent meditation retreat, 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

In this evolutionary psychology roundtable, we explore: - If 20% of the men actually get 80% of the attention. - The biggest red and green flags to look out for in the dating pool. - Why women's sexual desire fades faster than men's. - and much more… Guests: - Macken Murphy is an evolutionary biologist at the University of Melbourne, a writer and a podcaster. - Steve Stewart-Williams is an evolutionary psychologist, a professor, and an author. - Rob Henderson holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Cambridge and is a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Sponsors: See discoun

Peter Santenello is an independent journalist, YouTuber, & author. Who are the forgotten people of rural America? The country’s political and moral divisions may stem not only from disagreement, but from distance, countless communities and subcultures living entirely separate lives, with little understanding of one another. So what is life really like in these overlooked towns, who still calls them home, and do they represent a version of the “real America” the rest of the country has forgotten? Expect to learn what Peter learned about America from traveling to 85 different countries, what’s

Bill Thompson is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer and a former military intelligence specialist. Is your private life actually private? As AI rapidly outpaces our privacy protections, everything from your personal data to your deepest vulnerabilities is becoming easier to exploit. So what can be hacked, how exposed are you, and is even your mind still safe? Expect to learn what the government can and can’t actually see of yours, why companies actually try to hack their own systems, how AI is supercharging espionage in various nation states, who the most surveyed people in the world

Jett Franzen is a writer and YouTuber. What holds people back? Is it their mindset, environment, or circumstances? One overlooked factor is the ability to be alone. Solitude can build clarity and resilience, but too much can be destructive. So when is being alone a superpower, and when does it become dangerous? Expect to learn the pitfalls of taking too much medication, why being lonely and/or isolated for a period of time is a superpower, why the most dangerous are ambitious but lazy people, the mentality that is keeping people stuck in a terrible mindset, how to escape the hedonic treadmil

Dr Darby Saxbe is a clinical psychologist, professor at USC, and author. Do dads get postpartum depression? Mothers face enormous physical and emotional changes after childbirth, but fathers can struggle too, often in silence. So what happens to men when they become dads, why does it affect some so deeply, and how can they adapt to a new life that nature has thrust upon them? Expect to learn what actually happens to dads after moms give birth, the physiological changes that happen to dads after birth, which behaviors create the effect known as “dad brain”, the biggest upsides and downsides o

Dr Stephen Porges is a neuroscientist & psychologist. Why does your nervous system always feel on edge? When everything feels like a threat, your body may be stuck in survival mode. So what keeps your nervous system on high alert, and how can you finally teach it to feel safe again? Expect to learn why your nervous system is in a state of fight or flight all of the time, what the Polyvagal Theory is and how to attain a calmer state of mind, why dogs calm humans so effectively, what the biggest myth about anxiety is and the role of metabolic support for the nervous system, how the gut, inflam

Annie Jacobsen is a journalist, investigative reporter and an author. For decades, nuclear war has been humanity’s greatest existential fear. But the next global catastrophe may not arrive with a mushroom cloud—it could begin inside a laboratory. What would a biological attack actually look like, how quickly would it spread, and could humanity survive it? 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 160+ lab tests f

David Senra is the host of Founders podcast and an investor. What separates successful founders from everyone else? Luck and timing matter, but they’re not the whole story. The best founders share repeatable patterns in how they think, work, and handle pressure. You can’t control the hand you’re dealt, but you sure can control how you play it. Expect to learn the work habits behind the genius of Rick Rubin, the 3 different types of founders with 3 specific traits who find unparalleled success, the simple advice most founders abide by when building their ideas into companies, why making mista

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

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 Gy

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 fina

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

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 import

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 ar

Vittorio Angelone is an Irish comedian, writer, and podcaster. Is it autism, or something else? Humor can come from a lot of places: being Irish, being an only child, a little neurodivergence, or all of the above. And if you happen to be all three, you might have the perfect recipe for a comedian. Expect to learn what happened to Vittorio when he visited Nashville, the biggest difference between being an only child and being autistic, why being uncool is the worst kind of cancellation, why it’s so hard to communicate authentically, why goofy male podcasts appeal to women, if there is any hop

In the fourth installment of this new experimental format, we explore: - South Korea's government-funded looksmaxxing initiative. - Why everything you learned in school was probably false. - How to unlock an infinite handjob glitch in real life. - and much more… Guests: - Tim Ferriss is an entrepreneur, author, and podcaster. - Tim Urban is a writer, blogger, illustrator, and author. - George Mack is a writer, marketer, and entrepreneur. Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠ Get up to 20% off Timeline powered by Mitopure (now at

Alex Hormozi is a founder, investor and an author. Alex’s X Account has been one of my favourite sources of insights over the last few years. Today we get to go through some of his best lessons about life, human behaviour, psychology, business and resilience again. And as always this is so, so good. Expect to learn how to stop doing the wrong “hard things”, the 3-step process for winning, how to break decision paralysis, why you shouldn’t listen to the opinions of ordinary people, the not cool way to get rich, how to reverse engineer success, Alex’s message to his son, how to keep working af

Ben Askren is a former Olympic wrestler and former MMA champion. What is it like to come face-to-face with death and make it back? Ben went from being on top of the world to needing a double lung transplant just to survive. What actually happened to him, what did he endure during his recovery, and how did the experience reshape his perspective on life? Expect to learn what actually happened to Ben these past 18 months, how low his health went, the biggest lessons Ben has held onto over the last year, what Ben thought about when he was that close to death, how surviving and recovering changed

Sonja Lyubomirsky is a psychologist, professor, and author. What does it really mean to feel loved? People say "I love you" all the time, but why doesn't it always register? Why can someone love you deeply, yet you still don't feel it? What does real love actually feel like? Expect to learn if there is a commonality between all of the happiness interventions out there, why feeling loved is important, how self-esteem and self-love are related, why having a sharing mindset is so important, what it actually means to be understood, the things that make you happier you might be overlooking, and m

Ezra Klein is a journalist & political commentator. What’s actually happening in politics? The right says it’s winning. The left says democracy is at risk. Yet the country feels more divided than ever. So what’s really going on, and is it still possible for a leader on either side of the aisle to unite America? Expect to learn we’re being fracked by the politics of attention, if the left’s version of Joe Rogan could have swayed the political tides their way in 2024, why the Left has zero leaders in contention for the 2028 ticket, the correct way we should regulate AI, how to seperate yoursel

Suzanne Venker is a relationship expert and author. Why are so many women choosing career over family? Women have more opportunities than ever before, yet many still feel something is missing. Can a career provide the same meaning as raising children? Or is the idea that women must choose between ambition and family a false choice? Expect to learn why women are choosing their career over motherhood, why young women were lied to for the past 30 years, how cultural messaging has shifted towards young women in recent years, why traditional values are making a big comeback, what actually creat

DJ Shipley is a retired Navy SEAL and former DEVGRU operator. What's life like after the Navy SEALs? After years of operating at the highest level, many veterans face a challenge they never expected: returning to normal life. When the adrenaline, purpose, and brotherhood disappear overnight, how do you find your footing again? Expect to learn what the hardest part about leaving military life behind is, why it’s so hard to turn off trained military hyper-vigilance, how DJ would end the war in Iran fast, the story of DJ’s suicide attempt and his path to redemption, how DMT saved DJ’s life, why

George Mack is a writer, marketer and an entrepreneur. Why does overthinking create more problems than it solves? If thinking helps us solve so much, why isn’t more thinking always the answer? So how can we build a calmer mind without falling into smart-person traps? Expect to learn the price of overthinking and inaction, how music changes your personality, the largest gaps in British versus American cultures, why AI is getting really weird, why humans need stories, the traps that all smart people fall into, how to know if you're living in the decline of an empire, and much more... Sponsor

Quinlan Walther is a writer and a relationship coach. Why do we keep choosing the wrong partners? We meet someone new and think, “Maybe this is finally the one.” But then the pattern starts to feel familiar. Different face, same pain. Different relationship, same lesson. So why do we keep dating our trauma, and what does it actually take to break the cycle? Expect to learn how to build self-worth and have a better relationship with your partner, why you often choose a “wound” other than a partner, how to stop mistaking anxiety for chemistry, how to set good standards versus unrealistic expec

Arthur Brooks is a social scientist, professor at Harvard University, and an author. Why do some people feel lost while others seem deeply fulfilled? When life feels empty, it's often not because you're missing success, money, or comfort; it's because you're missing meaning. So how do you find purpose? How do you create a life that feels worth living? And what does meaning look like in a world where so much feels fake? 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://functi

Joe Santagato is a comedian and podcaster. What’s on the other side of self-belief? For Joe Santagato, it was raw authenticity. By betting on himself, he turned The Basement Yard into a podcast powerhouse and recently sold out Madison Square Garden. How did he do it, and what can we learn from his journey? Expect to learn which state has the most sexually satisfied women, why Joe’s audience is mostly women, why trying hard suddenly became uncool, what allowed Joe to become more vulnerable, how to engineer more fun at work, advice for anyone who doesn’t believe in themselves and much more…

Zach Braff is an actor and director. How do you make it in Hollywood? Zach Braff might have the answer. From leading one of the biggest TV shows of the 2000s to directing iconic episodes and acclaimed films, he's spent decades mastering the industry. So how did he build a career that lasted decades in one of the toughest industries on earth, and what has he been up to since? Expect to learn what it was like bringing back Scrubs's newest season, what it takes to make it in Hollywood, how to stay locked in and avoid distractions, why some great actors haven’t broken through to stardom, what it

Isabel Brown is a conservative media personality and author. Is Gen Z embracing tradition again? Gen Z continues to reject many of the values their parents grew up with and vowed to return toward a more traditional way of life. Is this the start of a lasting cultural shift, or just another passing trend? Expect to learn why Gen Z Is becoming more conservative than ever, the reasons behind the rise in young male and female looksmaxxing, what men should know about women’s mental health, the resurgence of the 45-step communist plan to destroy America, why Trump’s numbers are plummeting and much

In the third edition of this new experimental episode format, we explore: - Mickey Mantle's most legendary story in Yankee Stadium. - If Tim Ferriss dreams in Japanese. - How the UK would rank as America's 51st state. - and much more… Guests: - Tim Ferriss is an entrepreneur, author, and podcaster. - Nirav Sanjani is an entrepreneur and tech founder. - George Mack is a writer, marketer, and entrepreneur. Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠ Get up to 20% off Timeline powered by Mitopure (now at a lower price) at https://timelin

I hit 4.2 million YouTube subscribers! As usual, I celebrated by collecting questions from across social media and answering them directly. You’re about to learn my thoughts on settling down, sleeping with an ex, Harambe, the smallest hill I’d willingly die on, and much, much more… Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠ Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom Get up to $350 off

Chase Hughes is a former U.S. Navy Chief, behavior and influence expert, speaker, and author. Are you being brainwashed right now? What if the ideas you think are yours were carefully planted to make you believe you came up with them yourself? Maybe this pod is a psyop, maybe it isn’t, but listen, and maybe you’ll learn how to spot one. Expect to learn if we happen to live in the most psychologically manipulated era in history, what the most effective mass behavioural engineering campaign in history was, how mass persuasion and brainwashing work at scale, the behaviors that unconsciously tri

I spent a really long time putting this together, I really hope you enjoy it! In this inaugural episode of Mostly Wise, we explore: The non-sexual benefits of tadalafil (Cialis). Why Retardmaxxing might be the most underrated life hack. The strange reasons why people are making AI clones of their exes. Why America is addicted to lawsuits. If Love Island is harder than Navy SEAL selection training. and much more Guests Matt McCusker is a comedian, writer, author, and podcaster Dr Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist, Associate Professor at the Stanford University Sch

David Deida is a spiritual teacher, researcher, speaker, and author. What happens when desire and ambition fade? As we age, the urgency and purpose that once defined us can begin to shift. But when that shift leaves us feeling empty, how do we understand it, and how do we build meaning again when the old sources no longer drive us? Expect to learn what a Man of Zero is, if the man of zero is the next stage of the superior man, what happens to ambition and motivation as a man ages, why talking about intimacy is hard for men, what the core of someone's masculine essence is, if masculinity is b

To celebrate 1100 episodes of Modern Wisdom, I broke down some of my favourite lessons, insights and quotes from the last hundred episodes. Expect to learn why everyone misunderstands what obsession actually means, what the great paradox of self-awareness is, the six lessons you should learn to choose a life direction, the dark side of monk mode, why the internet will never help you 'find yourself' 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 purchas

In this birth rate debate, we explore: - The cataclysmic impacts of the current birth rates for future generations. - Why so many young women are opting out of motherhood. - What can be done to fix declining birth rates globally. - and much more... Guests: - Lyman Stone is a demographer, researcher, and a writer. - Simone Collins is an author and pronatalist advocate focused on fertility and demographic decline. - Stephen J. Shaw is a data scientist and filmmaker. Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠ Get up to $350 off the

Bob King is the founder and CEO of Humanscale. Is your desk job aging your body faster than you realize? Sitting may be part of getting work done, but the way most of us do it can wreck our posture, stiffen our joints, and create problems that show up years later. So what can you do at work every day to protect your future self? Expect to learn why bad design might be the cause of your back problems, why sitting is so damaging to your health, what a healthy designed desk set-up looks like, if posture advice is mostly nonsense, how much physical discomfort degrades cognitive performance and m

Ryan Garcia is a professional boxer and a WBC interim lightweight champion. What’s it like being the bad boy of boxing? Most people know Ryan Garcia from the chaos of his social media — the outbursts, controversies, and viral moments. But behind the headlines is still an elite fighter operating at the very top of the sport. So who is Ryan Garcia away from the internet? What’s it like living under that level of pressure, fame, and scrutiny whilst trying to remain a world champion? Expect to learn how Ryan grew up and why he started boxing from a very young age, the most memorable moments of R

Mark Manson is a writer, entrepreneur, and a New York Times best-selling author. Mark is one of my favorite thinkers. His blog, books, and X account are packed with timeless lessons I come back to again and again. Today, we get to go through some of his best lessons on life, love, and everything that makes us human. Expect to learn why it's important to do hard things, why it’s important to live your happiest life, why choosing a partner is also choosing their average Tuesday, why learning is the smart man’s procrastination, why you need to stop caving to the needs of others, 10 years of the

Nik Nocturnal is a musician, YouTuber, and content creator. What is happening in modern metal music? The days of thrash and hair metal dominating culture are long gone, and something entirely new has taken their place. So what defines modern metal, why does it sound so different, and how has the internet changed the music industry forever? Expect to learn how big of an impact TikTok plays in shaping the way modern metal songs are written, which songs are the most influential songs in modern metal, what Nik thinks of AI-generated music, the most overused trends in metal right now, the tension

In this evolutionary psychology debate, we explore: - Why women feel much more negatively towards young men than young men feel about them. - Why men are more often demonised and women are seen as victims. - How differing political views are quietly becoming one of the biggest relationship dealbreakers for young people. - and much more... Guests - Freya India is a writer and journalist focused on female mental health and modern culture. - William Costello is a psychology researcher and Ph.D. student specialising in evolutionary psychology. - Dr. Tania Reynolds is an Assistant Professor

Jefferson Fisher is a trial attorney, legal educator, and content creator. Why are the conversations that matter most the hardest to have? When something meaningful needs to be said, we often avoid it, only making things worse. So how do you structure a difficult conversation the right way, and connect with someone not just logically, but emotionally? Expect to learn why we fear conflict in communication and why it’s so scary but necessary to navigate, how to deal with conflict more effectively, the best ways to respond to an insult, why being right feels so good, what’s realistic and true a

Mercedes Coffman is a writer, researcher, and cultural commentator. What’s happening with modern dating? People who are genuinely ready for a relationship feel frustrated, even punished by a shallow dating pool, yet others seem to find real love every day. So what’s actually broken, and what can be fixed? Expect to learn why avoidant culture is changing relationship expectations, if modern dating is punishing emotionally available people, why dating fatigue is kicking in, if someone is actually too busy for you or if they just say they are, the most common ways people unknowingly sabotage th

In the second edition of this new experimental episode format, we explore: - If Kratom is more addictive than heroin - What the latest and greatest life hacks are - Who actually is the highest-earning athlete in history - and much more… Guests: - Gary Faust is a comedian and writer. - Shaan Puri is an entrepreneur, former CEO, podcaster and an angel investor. - George Mack is a writer, marketer and entrepreneur. Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠ Get up to 20% off Timeline powered by Mitopure (now at a lower price) at https:/

Freya India is a writer and journalist focused on female mental health and modern culture. What’s happening with modern women? By almost every measure, life has improved; more freedom, opportunity, and independence than ever before. So why are many women reporting lower levels of happiness? What’s driving this paradox, and what would actually fix it? Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠⁠ Get up to $350 off the Eight Sleep Pod 5 at ⁠https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom⁠ Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements

Andy Stumpf is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, extreme sports enthusiast, public speaker, podcaster, and author. What will the future of war actually look like? As AI accelerates and warfare rapidly evolves, the stakes feel higher than ever, but how worried should we really be? Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at ⁠https://shopify.com/modernwisdom⁠ Get 10% discount on all Gymshark products at ⁠https://gym.sh/modernwisdom⁠ (use code MODERNWISDOM10) Get a free bottle of

Oz Pearlman is a mentalist, magician, endurance athlete, and keynote speaker. Can someone actually read your mind? Oz has built a 30-year career on making you believe the answer is yes, but what's really happening when he guesses your PIN code, your card, or a memory you've never shared with anyone? Is it psychology, body language, or something science can barely explain? Expect to learn how mentalism actually works, the psychological principles behind building instant trust, how to make someone remember you forever in under 10 seconds, what it's really like to perform for the most powerful

Richard Reeves is a writer, researcher and the Founder of the American Institute for Boys & Men. What is the current state of men and boys? As social movements have focused on supporting historically marginalised groups, Richard has led the march on whether men’s challenges have been overlooked. So what is the current state of men and boys, and are we finally moving toward meaningfully addressing their challenges? 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 purcha

Adam Aleksic is a linguist, content creator, and author, best known online as the Etymology Nerd. What’s happening to language right now? Words like “rizz” and “skibidi” can make it feel like you’re out of the loop, but are you actually getting older, or has the internet transformed language into something entirely new? What does the science of linguistics say about this shift? Expect to learn why 6-7 was voted word of the year for 2025, why TikTok is becoming the most powerful linguistic engine on Earth, if there is a science to meme language, why funny language spreads and what makes it st

Alex Petkas is a historian, writer, and podcaster. What can one of history's greatest empires, and its most notorious leaders, teach us about the modern world? We all know the story of Julius Caesar and his famous assassination... but what really happened? And what lessons from Ancient Rome still shape our lives today? Expect to learn why learning about Roman history is useful or instructive at helping us in the modern world, what Caesar's life teaches us about being a good person, what actually happened the night Caesar crossed the Rubicon, how Cleopatra managed to secretly meet Caesar inside