Ep. 1226: Michael Muthukrishna Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio
Oct 23, 2023
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Michael Muthukrishna, an Associate Professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economics, discusses cultural evolution, dual inheritance theory, inequality, education, productivity differences, rise of Eurasia, border stability, diversity, and trust in society.
Understanding human behavior requires considering genetic evolution, cultural evolution, and environmental factors.
Diversity is crucial for innovation, but effective communication and coordination are necessary to harness its benefits.
Rebuilding trust in science and institutions is crucial to address global challenges like climate change.
Deep dives
A theory of everyone as a grand unifying theory
A theory of everyone, similar to a theory of everything in physics, claims to be a grand unifying theory that connects the human and social sciences. It asserts that all mature sciences have reached a point where they can make sense of the world by using a unifying theory. The book argues that understanding human behavior and society requires considering genetic evolution, cultural evolution, and the influence of environmental factors. These factors shape human psychology, institutions, technology, and more.
Importance of cultural evolution in understanding humans
The book highlights that humans are the result of millions of years of genetic evolution, as well as thousands of years of cultural evolution. Cultural evolution involves the transmission of knowledge, beliefs, traditions, and technologies. To fully comprehend humans and society, it is crucial to examine the interactions between genetic evolution, cultural evolution, human hardware (genes and brain), and institutions.
The paradox of diversity: Fuel for innovation, yet divisive
The concept of diversity is explored in the book, noting that it fuels innovation by bringing diverse perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking together. However, diversity can also lead to divisiveness and challenges in communication and coordination. The book argues that achieving deep diversity, encompassing diverse ways of thinking and experiences, is more important than surface-level diversity, such as race or gender. It emphasizes that successful diverse teams require effective communication and coordination to harness the benefits of differing perspectives.
The impact of trust in science and institutions
The book acknowledges the importance of trust in science and institutions. It highlights how trust in scientists and institutions was jeopardized during the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to skepticism and loss of confidence. The breakdown of trust can have severe consequences, including vaccine hesitancy and reluctance to follow medical advice. Rebuilding trust in science and institutions is crucial to maintain credibility and ensure public cooperation and understanding.
The complexity of addressing climate change and cultural perspectives
The book touches on climate change and highlights that addressing this complex global issue requires considering diverse cultural perspectives. It recognizes that discussions around climate change are often politicized and polarized, making it challenging to find common ground. The book emphasizes the need for an unbiased, open, and mature conversation about climate change, where scientific evidence is respected and all perspectives are heard.
My guest today is Michael Muthukrishna, an Associate Professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economics. He is also Affiliate of the Developmental Economics Group at STICERD, Affiliate of the LSE Data Science Institute, CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar in the Boundaries, Membership and Belonging programme at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and Technical Director of The Database of Religious History. He is also a board member of the One Pencil Project. He is particularly interested in the application of research in cultural evolution to public policy.
The topic is his book A Theory of Everyone: The New Science of Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going.
In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:
Dual inheritance theory, genetic inheritance, and cultural inheritance
Inequality, education, and the impact of culture on socioeconomic outcomes
Different cultures, human adaptation and behavior
Productivity differences between Americans and Europeans
Historical perceptions of civilizations and barbarians
Rise of Eurasia
Border stability and its impact on cultural evolution
Diversity and trust in society
Jump in!
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I’m MICHAEL COVEL, the host of TREND FOLLOWING RADIO, and I’m proud to have delivered 10+ million podcast listens since 2012. Investments, economics, psychology, politics, decision-making, human behavior, entrepreneurship and trend following are all passionately explored and debated on my show.
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