Shows
The Knowledge with David Elikwu150: Why You Feel Stuck - The Trap of ComplexityIn this episode, David explores why modern life feels so complicated, how our quest for optimisation can make us fragile, and what it means to rediscover simplicity and practical wisdom. Through personal anecdotes, historical stories, and philosophical insights, David unpacks the hidden costs of complexity and offers a path back to clarity.Key Topics & Timestamps:[0:00] Introduction: The Complexity of Modern LifeWhy life feels more complicated than ever, and how simple acts become complex puzzles.[1:30] The Running MetaphorHow tracking and optimising a simple run can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction.[2:40] The Age of Hyper-OptimisationFrom fitness trackers to...
2025-09-0421 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu106. The Secret Weapons of Colonialism with Charles C. MannDavid speaks with Charles C. Mann, a journalist and author, specializing in scientific topics. He is the author of the bestselling books 1491, which won the National Academies Communication Award for Best Book of the Year, 1493, and The Wizard and the Prophet. He is the co-author of four books, and contributing editor for Science, The Atlantic Monthly, and Wired.They talked about:📚 The Columbian Exchange🌎 How European diseases conquered the New World🌾 How crops fuelled human conquest♻️ Environmental limits and human innovation🌱 The fragility of ecosystems🌐 The future of sustainabili...
2024-07-0442 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu100. The Expectation Effect with David RobsonDavid speaks with David Robson, an award-winning science writer specialising in the extremes of the human brain, body, and behaviour. He has previously worked as a features editor at New Scientist and as a senior journalist at the BBC. He is the author of The Intelligence Trap, which has been translated into fifteen languages, The Expectation Effect, and The Laws of Connection.They talked about:🧠 The stereotypes and misconceptions of intelligence🧬 Genetic and environmental influences on intelligence💡 The expectation effect💊 The science behind placebos💪 How powerful our minds can be
2024-05-2345 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu93. Wealth, Investing, and Personal Finance with Rob DixDavid speaks with Rob Dix, a co-founder of Property Hub. Rob is a co-host of The Property Podcast, which is one of the biggest business podcasts in the UK, and the author of 3 popular books about property and investing including The Price of Money which was a Sunday Times Bestseller.They talked about:📈 The secrets of wise investing📊 Investing in stocks💼 Choosing the right investments💰 Role of gold and bitcoin in wealth preservation💸 Earning more over saving more📝 Importance of financial disciplineThis is just one part o...
2024-04-0434 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu91. The Art of Storytelling with Lawrence YeoDavid speaks with Lawrence Yeo, a writer, illustrator, storyteller, and the creator of “More To That”, an illustrated long-form blog read by tens of thousands of people.They talked about:📖 How stories influence thinking🔍 The value of exploring different genres🕰️ How history changes beliefs.🌍 How broad taste can influence creativity🎨 The unique approach to nonfiction storytelling🚀 How he started blogging and made his first postThis is just one part of a longer conversation, and it's the second part. You can listen to the earlier episode here...
2024-03-2138 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu88. The Economics of Elites with Garett JonesDavid speaks with Garett Jones, an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University, and the author of 3 books: Hive Mind, 10% Less Democracy, and The Culture Transplant.They talked about:📉 Good economic policies that people still hate👥 The power balance between the public and the elites, and why we secretly love them❓ Where do we go wrong in trusting the masses🏛️ What Garrett learned working in Congress🧠 Then we talked about intelligence - the balance between intelligence and behaviour🌍 The interplay between intelligence and culture📊 How understand...
2024-02-2945 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu87. The Career of a Practical Creator with Lawrence YeoDavid speaks with Lawrence Yeo, a writer, illustrator, storyteller, and the creator of “More To That”, an illustrated long-form blog read by tens of thousands of people.They talked about:🎨 Balancing practical work with creativity💡 Cultivating and pursuing passion🚫 Avoiding mimetic desires📝 Writing good stories🔍 How to discover new ideas👥 Balancing personal taste with audience feedback📜Full transcript:https://theknowledge.io/lawrenceyeo-1/📹 Watch on Youtube:https://youtu.be/GeB8cNR_TMY👤 Connect w...
2024-02-2246 minThe Knowledge with David Elikwu55. Columbus, Colonialism and Climate Change with Charles C. MannDavid speaks with Charles C. Mann, an acclaimed science writer and author of the bestselling books 1491, 1493, and The Wizard and the Prophet.They talked about:How Christopher Columbus’ inadvertently wiped out up to 90% of the Native American population.How the humble potato led to European colonialism.The contrasting ideals of technology and environmentalism.The complex relationship between climate change, population growth, and natural energy.How to solve climate change and our energy crisis.📜Full transcript:www.theknowledge.io/charlescmann/📹 Watch on Youtubehttps://youtu.be/dSjj_cxwBUU👤 Connect with...
2023-04-201h 31The Knowledge with David Elikwu53. How Culture Shapes Economies with Garett JonesDavid speaks with Garett Jones, an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University, and the author of 3 books: Hive Mind, 10% Less Democracy, and The Culture Transplant.They talked about: Democracy, how good it really is, and whether we have too much of it. Then they looked at intelligence, the impact IQ has on your job prospects and whether companies and nations should optimise for having higher IQ workers. Finally, they discussed culture—what it means, how it changes us, and the impact immigrants have on the places they move to.📜Full transcript:www.t...
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