Topics discussed in this podcast include motivations behind our actions, the pursuit of heroism, fear of death, living up to our full potential, engaging authentically, and the necessity of creating meaning in life.

Guest Oliver Burkeman, author of 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, discusses the deeper problem with productivity, our relationship with time, fixating on control leading to misery, distraction and relaxation, living in the moment, and leisure as the center of life.

Topics discussed in this podcast include reason over escapism, staying unattached to society, true and fake pleasures, having ideas vs. regurgitating others, how to learn, wealth and ambition, ambition vs contentment, controlling your will, the value of challenge, managing fear of loss, and educating children.

Dr. Shanna Swan, an expert in reproductive development and author, discusses the alarming decline in fertility rates. Topics include disastrous changes in sperm count, consequences of low testosterone, the rise in miscarriages, effects of alcohol and drugs, endocrine disrupting chemicals and gender dysphoria, effects of pesticides and herbicides, and strategies to protect fertility.

Exploring Schopenhauer's philosophy of pessimism and the denial of the will as the root of suffering. Discussing the origins of pessimism and the influence of metaphysics on Schopenhauer's ethics. Emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and note-taking. Distinguishing between writers who write for ideas and those who write for writing's sake. Examining the case for pessimism and the need to embrace the struggle in life.

In this podcast, Nat interviews James P. Carse, author of Finite and Infinite Games. They discuss topics like self-imposed limits, the power of laws, the importance of playfulness in infinite games, the difference between power and strength, avoiding zero-sum thinking, and the contrasting attitudes towards nature as a machine or a garden. They also touch upon the power of stories and how they spread organically.

What I learned from Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. It also has the best-in-class article reader for saving everything I find online. You gotta try it out. Timestamps (02:15) Why a Book About Salt?  (04:50) Why Civilization Depended on Salt (07:15) Salt and Fertility (09:18) Ancient China (11:02) Ancient Egypt (13:39) Salt’s Impact on Early Trade Routes (15:25) Ancient Rome (17:43) Venice’s Salt Monopoly (24:00) The Hanseatic League (29:12) Early American Civilizations (32:59) North American Colonies & Revolution (37:15) The French Revolution (39:13) The American Civil War (41:27) Salt’s Impact on Energy (43:46) The Decline of Salt (44:31) Is Salt Healthy? If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps (2:30) Readwise (03:40) God is Dead (06:28) What Do You Worship (08:41) Creating Something Beyond Yourself (10:27) No Soul, No Free Will (12:45) Worshipping the State (13:59) The Superman (16:43) Old Virtues Are Cowardice (19:25) The Good and Bad of Christian Morals (21:25) The Myth of Equality (26:16) Marriage and Children (30:41) The Will to Power (Power Motivates Us) (33:19) Good and Evil Don’t Exist (36:15) Eternal Recurrence Books Mentioned This is Water: https://geni.us/this-is-water-nat The Fourth Turning: https://geni.us/fourth-turning-nat Straw Dogs: https://geni.us/straw-dogs-nat The Denial of Death: https://geni.us/denial-death-nat Man’s Search for Meaning: https://geni.us/mans-search-nat The Comfort Crisis: https://geni.us/comfort-crisis-nat The Lessons of History: https://geni.us/lessons-history-nat Letters from a Stoic: https://geni.us/letters-stoic-nat If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals by John Gray. Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Books Mentioned in the Episode: The Fourth Turning: https://geni.us/fourth-turning-nat Meditations: https://geni.us/meditations-nat Works and Days: https://geni.us/works-days-nat The Drama of the Gifted Child: https://geni.us/drama-gifted-nat Atomic Habits: https://geni.us/atomic-habits-nat Power of Habit: https://geni.us/power-habit-nat Darwin’s Dangerous Idea: https://geni.us/darwins-idea-nat Denial of Death: https://geni.us/denial-death-nat   Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:34) Why This Book (03:00) Progress is a Myth (05:52) We’re Not That Different from Animals (10:03) Science is a Form of Faith (13:48) The Self is an Illusion (20:02) Morality Moves in Cycles (23:15) Our Obsession with Control (26:51) We’re Terrified We’re Useless (29:13) We Use Productivity as Escapism (33:13) The Purpose of Life   If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health by David R. Montgomery and Anne Bikle. Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my highlights and notes from the book. (1:25) Nutritional Differences in Organic vs. Conventional Foods (4:09) The Effects of Plowing on Food Quality (8:10) Why Glyphosate Might Be Killing You (11:11) The Risk of Artificial Fertilizers vs. Manure (15:16) Nutritional Differences in Whole vs. “White” Grains (18:31) Effects of Pesticides and Herbicides on Mental Health (22:41) Is Milk Healthy? (26:33) Why Some, But Not All, Meat is Bad for Your Health If you enjoyed this show or have any feedback, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)