Join writer and journalist Helen Lewis as she dives into the cultural phenomenon of David Fincher's Fight Club. They explore its themes of masculinity, consumerism, and the film's relevance in today's digital age. Lewis draws parallels between Tyler Durden and figures like Jordan Peterson and Elon Musk. The conversation also touches on Meat Loaf's surprising political journey and the implications of internet culture on modern masculinity. Discover why this film continues to spark debate about identity and societal alienation.

Over the last decade, the internet has devolved into a playground for influencers who sell and show off anything and everything you could ever imagine. But my guest today, Helen Lewis, says it isn’t all just superficial TikTok stars telling you how to properly contour your face to look like a Kardashian. Helen argues that the internet has actually become a digital revival tent, and that it’s full of new gurus. In fact, she says, we’re living in a golden age of gurus. Helen Lewis is a writer for The Atlantic and the host of the new podcast for the BBC, The New Gurus, which explores what it means to be a 21st century guru and how the internet got completely overtaken by them. She profiles productivity hackers, dating coaches, wellness influencers, crypto bros, diversity experts, and heterodox intellectual heroes, all of whom are making a living captivating millions of people with their unconventional ideas (like drinking your own urine to get healthy or paying $5000 to go to a dinner where you’ll be told you’re racist.)So today, a conversation with Helen about why these figures are so appealing right now, what it is about our current moment that is so ripe for people to believe in the most outlandish ideas, the limits of individual experts, why we still need institutions, and what, if anything, she’s learned about fighting our worst instincts that the internet makes so easy to indulge.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helen Lewis is a journalist at The Atlantic and an authorHumanity has become much less religious and in the ruins of this fresh, listless world, bereft of traditional insight, a cadre of new gurus have risen to take the high priests' place of dispensing insights about how to live. Helen's new BBC Sounds documentary series delves into this world of secular gurus.Expect to learn why a Canadian man has started drinking his own urine, why Steve Jobs was much more than just a tech inventor, how much it costs to be accused of racism over dinner while being banned from crying, why so many people are turning away from mainstream media, Helen's post-mortem on the IDW, the mortal problem that productivity gurus are helping address and much more...Sponsors:Get a $250 discount on Sacred Hunting’s trips at https://www.sacredhunting.com/modernwisdomGet the Whoop 4.0 for free and get your first month for free at http://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)Extra Stuff:Listen to The New Gurus - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001g9sq/episodes/playerFollow Helen on Twitter - https://twitter.com/helenlewis Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom-Get in touch.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillxTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillxYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcastEmail: https://chriswillx.com/contact/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International Women’s Week on Intelligence Squared. Change is never easy, it requires putting up a fight, going against the status quo, and if you’re a woman - this may require you to be difficult. In 2020 Helen Lewis, staff writer for The Atlantic, joined us on stage to discuss the lives of some of history’s complicated and contradictory fighters for female freedom, and their refusal to conform to societal expectations. Helen was joined by Caroline Criado Perez, journalist and author of Invisible Women, which is now also a podcast. And the conversation was chaired by broadcaster Samira Ahmed who had just won the employment tribunal she brought against the BBC in a dispute over equal pay. Together they examine why women who challenge the status quo are often seen as threatening or intimidating and why the fight for change is far from perfect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Helen Lewis (internet famous for her GQ interview with Jordan Peterson, pop culture expert) is a British journalist, BBC broadcaster and currently a staff writer for Atlantic magazine. Her work covers the rise of TikTok tics in teenagers, Harry-and-Meghan, Andrew Tate, the absurdities of US and UK politics…you know, all the chunky bits of life in 2023. She also wrote the best bestseller Difficult Women, A History of Feminism in 11 Fights and just released the BBC podcast series The New Gurus. However, Helen is probably best known for her 2018 GQ interview with Jordan Peterson, the controversial Canadian psychologist and messiah of the manosphere (the video version has been viewed 60 million times).My conversation with Helen was fast and intense and we cover the IDW, Andrew Tate (she declined an invitation to debate him), tactics for arguing with Galaxy Brains and why we don’t use pronouns in our bios. This episode is extra-long because Helen’s riff is that good.**BONUS ** Join Helen and I over at my Substack, (this is precious) as we talk through our tips for remaining sane amid the noise – a productivity tip, a writing tip, two podcasts, two Substack follows, the book to read and the journalist to follow. Available only on Substack, Friday 3rd March.Subscribe to Helen’s Substack The Bluestocking – it's a good place to follow her writing and projectsThe New Gurus series can be downloaded here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As an author, broadcaster and journalist, Helen Lewis is drowning in deadlines. Join her race against the clock to see if productivity gurus can help her optimise her workflow, change her habits, and consume entire books in 15 minutes. That is, if she can stop checking her phone long enough to pay attention.The New Gurus is a series about looking for enlightenment in the digital world.Written and presented by Helen LewisSeries Producers: Morgan Childs and Tom Pooley Story consultant: Geoff Bird Original music composed by Paper Tiger Sound design and mix: Rob Speight Editor: Craig Templeton SmithA Tempo & Talker production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

In this conversation, Helen Lewis, a British journalist and author, dives into cultural hot topics. She tackles the complex dynamics of feminism and discusses the implications of weight loss drugs like Ozempic, highlighting societal pressures and the quest for self-acceptance. The dialogue also critiques the toxicity of online discourse, urging for a more respectful conversation around contentious issues such as transgender rights. With personal anecdotes, Lewis provides a thoughtful examination of navigating today's cultural landscape.

The team discusses the collapse of RAC concrete, school building safety and government responsibility, the challenges of deteriorating concrete, school refurbishment funding, controversial figures Liz Truss and Mohammed Fayed, an unexpected politician's rise, and alleged Chinese spies in British universities.

Andy Zaltzman is joined by Geoff Norcott, Shaparak Khorsandi, Helen Lewis and Ian Smith. This week they discuss Keir Starmer's plans for the NHS, teachers' strikes and the political row over Scotland's gender recognition reform bill.Hosted and written by Andy Zaltzman with additional material from Alice Fraser, Mike Shephard, Katie Storey, Vicky Richards and Cameron Loxdale.Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: James Robinson Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Sound Editor: Marc WillcoxA BBC Studios Production

Join Ian Hislop, Adam Macqueen, Helen Lewis, Matt Muir, and Andrew Hunter Murray in a lively discussion on digital political advertising, Conservatives' gambling issues, Nigel Farage, and the British Invasion of American newsrooms. Delve into the impact of online ads on elections, connections between MPs and gambling industry, and right-wing newspapers advocating tactical voting against Farage. Explore the intersection of British and American journalism, diversity in leadership, and challenges in reaching younger audiences.