Why Can’t Humans Do Anything In Moderation?

What this episode covers

Michael Easter is a University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor, a journalist and an author who focuses on health and human performance. Even though we might often feel in control of our impulses, there are regular moments that remind us of our uncontrolled tendencies. From overspending to overeating, there is a secret loop happening inside of our minds that causes our actions and intentions to move further apart Expect to learn why moderation is so impossible to achieve, what humans actually want the most out of life, what the scarcity loop is and how it drives your behaviour, if it's possible to become dependent on certainty, whether humans are more likely to chase happiness or avoid discomfort, Michael’s contrarian opinion on first world problems and much more... Sponsors: Get 15% discount on Mud/Wtr at https://mudwtr.com/mw (use code MODERNWISDOM) Get an exclusive discount from Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (use code MODERNWISDOM) Get 20% discount on House Of Macadamias’ nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/modernwisdom (use code MW20) Timestamps: (00:00) Why Can’t Humans Ever Get Enough? (03:50) Explaining the Scarcity Loop (09:51) Why Are We So Hooked? (17:47) Humanity’s Love for Escapism (21:39) The Wild Story of Captagon (30:25) Are We Becoming More Dependent on Certainty? (39:54) The Evolutionary Pursuit of Status & Influence (52:31) Becoming Addicted to Observable Metrics (57:25) The Scarcity Loop of Food (1:04:26) How to Break Through the Loop (1:10:40) Where to Find Michael Extra Stuff: Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom Episodes You Might Enjoy: This Is How To Master Your Life - David Goggins - #577: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠ How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs - Dr Jordan Peterson - #712: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠⁠ The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain - Dr Andrew Huberman - #700: ⁠⁠⁠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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How long is this episode of Modern Wisdom?

This episode is 1 hour and 11 minutes long.

When was this Modern Wisdom episode published?

This episode was published on October 7, 2023.

What is this episode about?

Michael Easter is a University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor, a journalist and an author who focuses on health and human performance. Even though we might often feel in control of our impulses, there are regular moments that remind us of our...

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