UnHerd with Freddie Sayers cover image

UnHerd with Freddie Sayers

Gad Saad: Postmodernism is making us miserable

Sep 1, 2023
Gad Saad discusses the impact of postmodernism in the Western world, including victimhood culture, decline of happiness, limits of human relationships, role of religion in happiness, importance of play, correlation between happiness and severity of Covid-19 measures, creating a happier society, and understanding eudaimonia and hedonism.
45:07

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The mismatch between our evolved needs and our current environment can contribute to a less than happy state for many people.
  • Appreciating what we have and focusing on gratitude is a more fruitful path to happiness than constructing victimhood narratives.

Deep dives

The Mismatch Hypothesis: Evolutionary adaptation and modern well-being

Dr. Gad Sad discusses the concept of the mismatch hypothesis, which suggests that our modern environment often conflicts with our evolved adaptations. For example, our desire for high-calorie foods was advantageous when food was scarce, but it becomes maladaptive in an environment of abundance. Similarly, our evolutionary history in small, tight-knit social groups clashes with the modern, urban lifestyle that can lead to a sense of loneliness and unhappiness. The mismatch between our evolved needs and our current environment can contribute to a less than happy state for many people.

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