Episode #146

Christopher Ryan

Are We Really Better Off Than Previous Generations?

Quality of life is plummeting and yet somehow people still tell themselves and each other that the world is getting better. Click To Tweet

If I asked you, do you think our generation is better off than previous ones?, what would you say?

While you first instinct may be to answer “yes,” my guest, Christopher Ryan, author of well-known books Sex at Dawn and Civilzed to Death, will have you questioning your choice.

That’s because Chris and I explore the misconceptions that everything in civilization is better and we dive deep into comparing our modern Western life to that of an egalitarian hunter-gatherer society.

We’ll explore what’s good about our current civilization, what’s dragging it down, what can be done about it, and more.

Apps on your phone — Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, etc. — are designed to parasitize human attention. It sucks your attention and time out of your life. Click To Tweet

Chris is one of my favorite authors because he really challenges you to think deep and past what you see on the surface.

His books, along with several other authors, inspired me to take a trip to Tanzania to understand more about one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes (you can hear about this trek in the link down below) and they constantly challenge my way of thinking and this episode is no different.

Tune in as Chris shares his research on how the overcivilization of our society is becoming detrimental.

You’ll also hear these other great topics when you check this episode out:

  • Why the statistics aren’t all they’re cracked up to be
  • Did Chris have an “aha” moment that led him down this path?
  • What does it mean to be human?
  • Chris’ thoughts on our current state of agriculture  
  • How tech is negatively creeping in like a parasitic infection
  • Are we really better off than previous generations?
  • What hunter-gatherer tribes have shown us
  • Actual objective measures that determine quality of life
  • Do things need to get bad before people look for better alternatives?
  • How our planet’s carrying capacity is at its max
  • How Chris balances being social and taking time away from people
  • Other ways you can help contribute to creating a better world
  • Chris also shares his experience buying land with friends to create a community that takes only the best parts of the modern world

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