Keep Talking

Shawn T. Smith, a clinical psychologist and author, dives deep into relationships and men's mental health. He highlights the significance of green flags in potential partners and discusses how depression should be viewed as a symptom rather than an illness. Shawn emphasizes the importance of male tribes for emotional support and the need for purpose in men's lives. He addresses the cultural lack of healthy male scripts and urges men to raise their relationship standards while navigating emotional vulnerabilities and societal pressures.

James Fadiman is a researcher, an author, and one of the world's leading experts on microdosing psychedelics. During our conversation, Jim talks about finding one's microdosing "sweet spot," the potential benefits of microdosing, how a healthy society might approach psychedelics, the future of psychedelics in America, and his own spiritual and religious worldview.------------Book a meeting with Dan------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:40 Finding your microdosing "sweet spot"06:25 Microdosing quantities for psilocybin10:07 Potential benefits of microdosing15:13 What is happening in the brain with microdosing?20:12 Are there specific strands of psilocybin that are best for microdosing?24:14 How commonly-used should microdosing be in a healthy society?30:08 The future of psychedelics in America36:31 Is there a forthcoming backlash to psychedelics?42:46 What kind of people might be helped by microdosing?56:50 Jim's spiritual and religious views

Dr. William Davis is the author of many best-selling books, including Wheat Belly and Super Gut. During his second appearance on this podcast, Bill talks about the potential benefits of adding probiotics like lactobacillus reuteri to one's microbiome, the benefits of fermented foods, the many negative side effects of wheat, how modern diets seem to contribute to various mental illnesses, and a diet that he would recommend to live a healthy life in modern times.------------Book a meeting with Dan------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:38 What Bill has learned in the past two years07:51 Lactobacillus reuteri15:10 How to improve one's microbiome20:03 Fermented foods23:43 "Diseases of civilization"27:36 The modern diet and antibiotics31:29 Bill's views on a healthy diet and lifestyle47:48 The link between mental illness and diet55:10 Habits and supplements to increase health

Bill Wasik is the editorial director for the New York Times Magazine and the author of a variety of books, including his newest - co-written with his wife Monica Murphy - Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. During our conversation, Bill talks about the dawn of the animal rights movement in post-Civil War America, the lives and work of Henry Bergh and George Angell, and the creation and mission of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.Bill also talks about the industrialization of meat production, the invisibility of animal suffering today, and his own lifestyle related to animal rights.------------Book a meeting with Dan------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:37 How Americans treated animals in the mid-19th century 03:54 Animal blood sport in the 19th century 07:28 Religious and philosophical outlooks on animals in the 19th century 12:25 Who was Henry Burgh? 16:16 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 22:22 The legal power of the ASPCA 28:21 Who was George Angell? 33:10 The goal: reduce suffering, not eliminate meat consumption 38:55 Industrializing meat production, and the invisibility of animals today47:20 How this book has influenced Bill and his lifestyle

Oliver Burkeman is a journalist and an author of multiple books, including his bestseller, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. During our conversation, Oliver talks about being an insecure overachiever, his historic obsession with productivity, learning to say no to things you want to do, the 80/20 principle, and how modern life rewards winners with an unending, lifetime supply of intense work.He also discusses getting clear on what matters to you in life, the work and ideas of James Hollis, and, when facing a big life decision, asking the question, "does this choice diminish or englargen me?"------------Book a meeting with Dan------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:49 Oliver's struggles with time management03:58 "The mistaken belief that it can be cured"06:53 How Oliver has addressed his productivity addiction12:29 The importance of saying no16:57 Insecure overachievers and people pleasers21:52 Today, the reward for winning is a lifetime of intense work28:25 Human's concept of time over time32:15 Time management in other cultures37:33 When deciding, ask: "Does this choice englargen or diminish me?"45:03 Quotes from James Hollis and Carl Jung51:14 Closing comments about "Four Thousand Weeks"

Derek Sivers is an author, a TED speaker, a businessman, a musician, and one of my favorite thinkers on the planet. During our conversation, Derek talks about pursuing mastery, having enough, what success means to him, how he thinks about money, having and raising a kid, and more.Derek's book Hell Yeah or No is one of my all-time favorites, and his essays have had a huge influence on my life. I love Derek's originality, his enthusiasm for life and ideas, and most importantly, his generosity, kindness, and friendliness.------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodesBook a meeting with Dan------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:32 Written off from an early age02:40 How Derek knew he wanted to be a musician08:50 Transitioning from a musician to a businessman15:40 Having enough22:28 Money28:15 The importance of quiet, journaling and solitude40:45 Freedom and children54:48 Giving away $22 million01:03:52 Lifestyle creep01:08:34 Why Derek chooses freedom01:11:14 Envy and maintaining minimalism01:19:25 Success01:21:21 Quotes from Derek's essays01:26:02 Dan's New Zealand story01:35:06 Small actions can have big consequences01:37:23 Reach out to Derek: https://sive.rs/contact

Hemant Mehta is an author, a YouTuber, and an atheist activist. During our conversation, Hemant talks about his journey to atheism, the threat of Christian nationalism to secular society, and the atheist and secular movements. He also addresses the loss of community felt by those who leave religion, and the life and legacy of Daniel Dennett, including his work with The Clergy Project.------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:44 Hemant's personal and religious background07:05 Hemant's experience losing his religious belief08:47 Has Hemant's atheism changed him?11:37 What persuaded Hemant to become an atheist?14:56 Modern instances of religious overreach into secular society20:44 Hemant's definition of atheism23:00 What motivates Hemant's work30:57 Christian nationalism in America36:32 Reasons for optimism42:26 The loss of community as people leave religion47:05 Does Hemant have doubts about his atheist convictions?49:29 Who does Hemant go to for information? 55:56 Dan Dennett and The Clergy Project

D.J. Taylor is a novelist, a literary critic, and the author of two biographies of George Orwell: Orwell: The Life, and Orwell: The New Life. During our conversation, D.J. talks about Orwell's life, why Orwell's books, particularly his two on totalitarianism, Animal Farm and 1984, have endured so many years after his death, and the relevance of his ideas and insights to modern times.------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:34 Who was George Orwell?02:48 Why is Orwell so intriguing to D.J. Taylor?04:46 Orwell's relevance over the past 20 years08:06 How did Orwell capture totalitarianism so clearly?13:15 The totalitarian impulse in Orwell17:51 Orwell's commitment to his beliefs21:44 A power of facing unpleasant facts26:32 The void filled by the decline of religion30:00 What was Orwell for?34:43 Orwell's final years on Jura38:33 Criticisms of Orwell45:04 How would Orwell view modern times?51:52 Euphemism and Newspeak today54:28 Famous quotes from Orwell55:30 Why does Orwell endure?

Camilla Kring is an author, a global speaker, and is the founder of B-Society, an organization fighting for "chronotype equality." During our conversation, Camilla talks about night owls and morning birds, why humans have a wide spectrum of sleep cycles, our cultural bias towards early birds, the damage done to night owls who are asked to fit into a morning bird society, and how we might be able to provide greater time autonomy to people to live in accordance with their own rhythms.------------Camilla's org, B-SocietyKeep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:39 An "A person" vs "B person"02:40 Social jet lag of night owls04:15 Evolutionary reasons for night owls11:15 How society became biased against night owls15:30 Are night owls lazy?21:00 The range of preferred sleeping cycles in humans26:27 The guilt of and bias against night owls32:12 Advice for night owls who can't control their schedule36:10 How AM sunlight and light exposure helps people37:20 The importance of sleep43:16 Chronotypes and a quote from "Why We Sleep"48:44 Can night owls turn into morning birds?54:30 Is our society chronically sleep-deprived?58:23 How does a sane society approach sleep?

Sarah Everts is a science journalist, an associate professor at Carleton University, and the author of "The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration." During our conversation, Sarah talks about how sweating was an evolutionary superpower for humans, what sweat is, why some people sweat more than others, the history of the antiperspirant industry, and why we receive such psychological benefits from sauna exposure and exercise-induced sweating.------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:53 Sarah's interest in sweat02:23 Sweating as an evolutionary advantage13:11 Why do some people sweat more than others?19:32 Is being able to easily sweat a sign of health?24:33 Ethnic differences in sweating29:08 How advertising created the antiperspirant industry39:38 The benefits of heat and sweating51:48 Forcing your heart to exercise