Something You Should Know

The Powerful Ways Culture Shapes Us & Why We Struggle With Fitness-SYSK Choice

19 snips
Jan 24, 2026
Natalia Petrzela, historian and fitness instructor who studies America’s exercise obsession. Marcus Collins, marketing professor who researches how culture shapes behavior. They define what culture is and how it spreads. They explain why fitness became a craze yet many stay inactive. They trace cultural moments, show how ideas tip into the mainstream, and offer ways people form lasting habits.
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ANECDOTE

Babies Often Look Like Their Fathers

  • The podcast opens with the claim that newborns often resemble their fathers to reassure paternity.
  • Mike cites a study where participants matched babies to dads correctly 50% of the time, more than to moms.
INSIGHT

Culture As An Operating System

  • Culture is a system of values, norms, and symbols that guides everyday behavior and expectations.
  • Marcus Collins says culture functions like a program for everyday living, shaping what people wear, buy, and do.
INSIGHT

Culture Trumps Rational Value Propositions

  • Culture is the most influential force on human behavior and explains many everyday choices.
  • Marcus Collins argues understanding culture helps predict and influence what people will do.
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