In 'The Dice Man', psychiatrist Luke Rhinehart, feeling trapped in his mundane life, begins making decisions based on the roll of a die. This radical approach leads to a series of unexpected and often shocking events, challenging societal norms and exploring themes of freedom, morality, and the nature of existence. As Rhinehart's philosophy gains followers, it evolves into a cult-like movement, questioning the limits of personal responsibility and the allure of living by chance.
In 'Thanks a Thousand', A.J. Jacobs embarks on a global journey to thank every person involved in producing his morning cup of coffee. This deceptively simple idea transforms his life and highlights the benefits of gratitude, which include improving compassion, healing the body, and battling depression. Jacobs meets a diverse range of people, from Minnesota miners to Colombian farmers, and provides insights on how to focus on the positive aspects of daily life and practice gratitude effectively.
In 'My Life as an Experiment,' A.J. Jacobs embarks on a series of eccentric and extreme lifestyle experiments. He goes undercover as a woman, lives by George Washington’s moral code, practices 'radical honesty,' outsources his life to India, and engages in other unconventional tests. Through these experiments, Jacobs seeks to understand different aspects of life, challenge societal norms, and enrich his personal growth. The book is a blend of humor and thought-provoking revelations, urging readers to question the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary realms of their own potential.
In 'Drop Dead Healthy', A.J. Jacobs chronicles his epic endeavor to transform his body and become the healthiest person alive. After being hospitalized with tropical pneumonia and feeling ashamed of his middle-aged physique, Jacobs consulted a wide array of experts, including sleep consultants, sex clinicians, nutritionists, and dermatologists. He subjected himself to numerous workouts, such as Strollercize and Finger Fitness, and experimented with various diets, including raw foods, veganism, and extreme chewing. The book is a blend of memoir, adventure, and how-to manual, offering entertaining and scientifically sound advice on health and wellness. Jacobs' journey is marked by both humorous anecdotes and profound reflections on the pursuit of health and a well-lived life[1][3][5].
In 'Grilled', Leah Garcés shares her journey of working with farmers, food industry leaders, and activists to reform the chicken industry and reduce animal suffering. The book highlights the power of dialogue and empathy in creating change, focusing on the rapidly growing plant-based food sector and innovations like lab-grown meat.
Published in 1945, 'Animal Farm' is a novella that allegorically represents the Russian Revolution and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. The story begins with Old Major, a boar, inspiring the animals of Manor Farm to rebel against their human oppressor, Mr. Jones. After the rebellion, the animals rename the farm 'Animal Farm' and establish a utopian society based on the principles of equality and solidarity, known as Animalism. However, as time passes, the pigs, led by Napoleon and Snowball, consolidate power and gradually corrupt the original ideals, leading to a dystopian regime that mirrors the oppressive human rule they initially rebelled against. The novel critiques totalitarianism and the corrupting nature of power, reflecting Orwell's experiences and views on the Soviet Union under Stalin's rule.
Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.
In this book, A.J. Jacobs embarks on a year-long experiment to live according to the Bible's rules as literally as possible. Raised in a secular Jewish family, Jacobs delves into the world of religion to understand its relevance in modern life. He follows over 700 biblical rules, from the well-known Ten Commandments to the lesser-known laws such as avoiding clothes made of mixed fibers and stoning adulterers. The book is a humorous and profound account of his journey, where he interacts with various religious groups, including Amish, Hassidic Jews, and evangelical Christians. Jacobs' experiment leads to surprising insights and personal growth, challenging his initial skepticism about religion and highlighting the complexities of biblical literalism[1][3][5].
In 'Radical Honesty,' Brad Blanton argues that lying is a primary source of stress and that telling the truth, even if it is uncomfortable, is essential for personal transformation and deeper connections with others. The book challenges readers to drop their masks and embrace vulnerability, suggesting that moralism and the constant self-censorship it promotes are detrimental to happiness. Blanton's approach is described as a 'shock program' aimed at breaking free from self-destructive scripts and false personas, promoting mindfulness and authentic living[2][3][5].
In 'The Know-It-All', A.J. Jacobs chronicles his humorous and enlightening journey to read all thirty-two volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. This memoir explores the impact of his quest on his personal life, relationships, and understanding of intelligence. Jacobs also attempts to join Mensa and appear on Jeopardy!, while discovering fascinating facts and reflecting on the meaning of intelligence.
Rebroadcast: this episode was originally released in June 2020.
Today’s guest, New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs, always hated Judge Judy. But after he found out that she was his seventh cousin, he thought, "You know what, she's not so bad".
Hijacking this bias towards family and trying to broaden it to everyone led to his three-year adventure to help build the biggest family tree in history.
He’s also spent months saying whatever was on his mind, tried to become the healthiest person in the world, read 33,000 pages of facts, spent a year following the Bible literally, thanked everyone involved in making his morning cup of coffee, and tried to figure out how to do the most good. His latest book asks: if we reframe global problems as puzzles, would the world be a better place?
Links to learn more, summary and full transcript.
This is the first time I’ve hosted the podcast, and I’m hoping to convince people to listen with this attempt at clever show notes that change style each paragraph to reference different A.J. experiments. I don’t actually think it’s that clever, but all of my other ideas seemed worse. I really have no idea how people will react to this episode; I loved it, but I definitely think I’m more entertaining than almost anyone else will. (Radical Honesty.)
We do talk about some useful stuff — one of which is the concept of micro goals. When you wake up in the morning, just commit to putting on your workout clothes. Once they’re on, maybe you’ll think that you might as well get on the treadmill — just for a minute. And once you’re on for 1 minute, you’ll often stay on for 20. So I’m not asking you to commit to listening to the whole episode — just to put on your headphones. (Drop Dead Healthy.)
Another reason to listen is for the facts:
• The Bayer aspirin company invented heroin as a cough suppressant
• Coriander is just the British way of saying cilantro
• Dogs have a third eyelid to protect the eyeball from irritants
• and A.J. read all 44 million words of the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, which drove home the idea that we know so little about the world (although he does now know that opossums have 13 nipples). (The Know-It-All.)
One extra argument for listening: If you interpret the second commandment literally, then it tells you not to make a likeness of anything in heaven, on earth, or underwater — which rules out basically all images. That means no photos, no TV, no movies. So, if you want to respect the bible, you should definitely consider making podcasts your main source of entertainment (as long as you’re not listening on the Sabbath). (The Year of Living Biblically.)
I’m so thankful to A.J. for doing this. But I also want to thank Julie, Jasper, Zane and Lucas who allowed me to spend the day in their home; the construction worker who told me how to get to my subway platform on the morning of the interview; and Queen Jadwiga for making bagels popular in the 1300s, which kept me going during the recording. (Thanks a Thousand.)
We also discuss:
• Blackmailing yourself
• The most extreme ideas A.J.’s ever considered
• Utilitarian movie reviews
• Doing good as a writer
• And much more.
Get this episode by subscribing to our podcast on the world’s most pressing problems: type 80,000 Hours into your podcasting app. Or read the linked transcript.
Producer: Keiran Harris.
Audio mastering: Ben Cordell.
Transcript for this episode: Zakee Ulhaq.
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