In this discussion with Dr. Gad Saad, a Professor of Marketing and evolutionary psychologist, listeners dive into the science of happiness. He unpacks the evolutionary roots of our unhappiness and why genetics play a role. The conversation highlights the importance of choosing the right partner and how shared values influence relationship satisfaction. Dr. Saad also reveals how knowing oneself can lead to authenticity, and he discusses overcoming adversity as a pathway to personal growth. Tune in for strategies on cultivating a fulfilling life!
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insights INSIGHT
Happiness as a Downstream Effect
Evolution equipped humans with domain-specific drives (e.g., finding a mate).
Happiness is a downstream effect of fulfilling these drives, not a general pursuit.
insights INSIGHT
The Human Stress Response
Humans, unlike zebras, experience prolonged existential stress due to their prefrontal cortex.
This allows for reflection on past and future, but also causes anxiety.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
True Happiness vs. Fleeting Pleasure
Don't confuse fleeting dopamine rushes with long-term happiness.
Focus on existential contentment: Reflecting on a life well-lived brings true happiness.
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In this book, Professor Gad Saad explores the concept of happiness as a scientific fact that can be measured and achieved through specific strategies. He draws on scientific studies, ancient philosophies, and his personal experiences as a refugee from war-torn Lebanon to provide eight secrets for leading a good life. These secrets include living the life you want, the importance of resilience, having a career with a higher purpose than just a paycheck, the value of variety and playfulness, and the significance of choosing the right spouse. Saad argues that happiness is not a deliberate pursuit but rather a by-product of making sound decisions and adopting the right mindset, citing examples from his own life and the wisdom of philosophers like Aristotle and Viktor Frankl.
The Parasitic Mind
How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense
\"Gad Saad\"
In 'The Parasitic Mind,' Dr. Gad Saad exposes the harmful effects of 'idea pathogens'—irrational and logically flawed ideas that are spreading through universities and enforced by the tyranny of political correctness. These ideas, Saad argues, are endangering fundamental freedoms such as freedom of thought and speech. The book is a call to action, encouraging readers to use critical thinking and courage to defend reason and intellectual freedom. Saad discusses various topics including university 'safe spaces,' gender ideology, postmodernism, and the decline of intellectual diversity in academia, all while advocating for the importance of questioning and challenging prevailing dogma[1][3][4].
The Moral Animal
Why We Are the Way We Are
Robert Wright
In 'The Moral Animal', Robert Wright delves into the world of evolutionary psychology to explain human behavior, emotions, and moral conduct. The book uses Charles Darwin's life and personal conduct in Victorian England as a case study to illustrate how evolutionary forces shape human behavior. Wright discusses topics such as jealousy, altruism, and social class, arguing that many of our actions are driven by subconscious genetic strategies aimed at survival and the propagation of our genes. The book also explores the paradox of how moral and responsible actions can emerge from a strictly Darwinian interpretation of human behavior, suggesting that understanding our evolutionary past can help us override our primitive programming and develop a more common moral outlook[1][2][4].
Homicide
Martin Daly
Margo Wilson
Determined
A Science of Life without Free Will
Robert Sapolsky
Why Buddhism is True
The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Robert Wright
In this book, Robert Wright argues that Buddhism offers a secular, Westernized approach to mindfulness meditation that can help individuals and society by reducing suffering and increasing empathy. He draws on evolutionary biology, psychology, and neuroscience to support Buddhist teachings, such as the concept of 'no-self' and the nature of human suffering. The book is a personal journey that began with Wright's work on evolutionary psychology and deepened through his practice of meditation and conversations with skilled meditators. It aims to show how Buddhist principles can be applied in a secular age to improve individual and societal well-being.
Dr Gad Saad is an Evolutionary Psychologist, Professor of Marketing at Concordia University, a podcaster and an author.
In today’s fast-paced world, happiness and contentment often seem elusive. By taking an evolutionary lens on happiness, we can gain deeper insight into why we are the way we are and decode the contributing elements to living a good life.
Expect to learn where happiness comes from, why evolution cursed humans with the ability to feel existential discontent, what people get wrong about defining and understanding happiness, what role genetics plays, how to pick the right partner, whether married people are more happy on average, why more more sex equal doesn’t always equal more happiness, how you can become more anti-fragile and much more...
Modern Wisdom 
