

Wiser Than Yesterday: Book club
Book geeks Sam Harris & Nicolas Vereecke
Wiser than Yesterday hosts open-ended discussions, breakdowns, and summaries of the world's most thought-provoking and inspiring books.Our hosts, Nicolas Vereecke and Sam Harris digest non-fiction books from all centuries and genres. They discuss the biggest philosophical insights and practical lessons for health, wealth, wisdom, and happiness.This podcast is here to help listeners become smarter. To learn about new ideas and to gain more perspectives on the books and ideas they are familiar with.Each season we tackle a new field and read the best books on a given topic such as racism, startups, stoicism, or personal finance. We cast a wide net to summarise all sides of opinions in an area to come to a wider understanding of the topic at large as well as help listeners navigate the different opinions and ideas they haven't heard of.We dive into topics such as philosophy, business, equality, psychology, politics, economics, and who knows what else. Our goal is to simply explore the best ideas and learn new things. You're most welcome to join us for the ride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 27, 2023 • 39min
The changing world order - Ray Dalio
From legendary investor Ray Dalio, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Principles, who has spent half a century studying global economies and markets, Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order examines history’s most turbulent economic and political periods to reveal why the times ahead will likely be radically different from those we’ve experienced in our lifetimes—and to offer practical advice on how to navigate them well.He discusses how nations that control the world have seized and lost their global power in predictable cycles. He explores where we are at today with the United States as a world power and where we are going next.Ray Dalio noticed a confluence of political and economic conditions he hadn’t encountered before. They included huge debts and zero or near-zero interest rates that led to massive printing of money in the world’s three major reserve currencies; big political and social conflicts within countries, especially the US, due to the largest wealth, political, and values disparities in more than 100 years; and the rising of a world power (China) to challenge the existing world power (US) and the existing world order. - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastChapters00:00 Intro00:43 Brief summary of the book17:31 3 key forces that influence the world17:56 #1 Debt cycles31:26 #2 Wealth and power disparities23:40 #3 Rise and Fall of Empires27:14 Is the US losing power30:59 Bitcoin31:35 What Ray Dalio thinks about bitcoin33:15 How would the knowledge in this book change your life36:27 Hosts ratings38:06 Would you trust Ray Dalio with your money? 38:36 Next book - 48 laws of power39:08 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 3, 2023 • 28min
The Three Body Problem - Cixin Liu
Review of the Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, one of the most impactful hard-science fiction books this century.Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.We discuss the book and its philosophical ideas as well as some of the more exciting science ideas within. It's a heavy book to wrap your head around but full of insights for the keen explorer.- - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8- - -Chapters00:00 Intro01:00 Quick summary of the book01:24 Personal reactions to the book 09:07 Sending a message out to aliens18:16 How do you determine if a civilisation is important20:50 Hard times make hard people24:10 Three body problem review27:00 Ratings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 7, 2023 • 32min
False Alarm - Bjorn Lomborg - The cost of climate change panic
In False Alarm, Bjorn Lomborg examines how climate change panic costs us trillions, hurts the poor, and fails to fix the planet. This is a divisive book and even had us as hosts disagreeing on subjects.Bjorn Lomborg proposes to debunk the myths and hype surrounding climate change, revealing the true costs and benefits of our response to this global challenge. Lomborg argues that our current approach to climate change is doing more harm than good, and offers a bold and pragmatic alternative that puts the world's poor first.This book is worth understanding and reading as healthy skepticism is always valuable. Of course, the book itself is worth some skepticism which you can definitely find in this episode.- - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8- - -Chapters00:00 Intro01:09 Our take on the book02:38 Short summary of the book06:09 Nico's perspective09:36 Positives about the book13:22 When was the best time to be born?15:16 Critiques on the book21:26 Warnings 23:15 If you read this book 20 years ago, how would it have changed your life?24:57 What business would you start based on the principles of this book?29:37 Who would you gift the book and why?31:42 Outro - the 3 body prob Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 21, 2023 • 36min
The Culture Code: Secrets of Highly Successful Groups - Daniel Coyle
Teamwork is renowned for being the key to success. The practicalities of making it happen to rely on building a brilliant culture. But what does that mean?This book breaks down some memorable and thought-provoking examples leading to some actionable lessons.In our view, it is a perfect book for anyone in management or trying to bring out the most in their teams.- - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8- - -Chapters00:00 Introduction Quote00:31 Intro of Culture Code01:42 Nico's anecdote03:16 3 main was to create an effective culture03:32 Sam's other favourite quote04:13 Airplane story about "All help is good help"06:52 It's the leader's responsibility to create a culture07:37 Safety means making one feel like family11:32 Roadmap your story14:19 6 points on establishing a purpose and encoding the right behaviour17:12 DiscussionsDon't Forget to leave a comment on this episodeSee podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 snips
Mar 9, 2023 • 33min
4000 weeks: Time management for mortals - Oliver Burkeman
4000 weeks is a productivity book that is anti-productivity. We are all going to die and optimising our day for every last morsel of work is not the way to be happy or effective.We break down the biggest lessons from the book which are practical to adopt in your life. We also discuss what the opportunities are economically and philosophically.- - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8- - -Chapters00:00 Introduction01:25 Sam's opinion about the book01:48 Nico's opinion about the book02:51 What 4000 weeks represents03:38 Problems identified by the author 05:52 Taking control of your time06:44 4000 weeks did not stick compared to other productivity books10:02 If you've read this 20 years ago, how would it have changed your life?11:48 A solution to existential overwhelm - Write 25 goals, focus on the first 5 goals12:46 Avoiding efficiency trap13:23 Last time reflection14:35 Share positive comments out loud15:08 What business would you start based on the principles of the book15:27 Therapy and journaling15:48 Anti-productivity content creators16:43 Applying the close and open to-do-list20:50 Who would this be an ideal gift for 23:22 Should this book be taught in school?29:58 Nico started to write a journal and reflecting 32:06 Outro - Next book is The Culture Code Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 24, 2023 • 20min
The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch
What we do if most of civilization collapsed to survive as a species? What human knowledge is most important to preserve and use to rebuild society as quickly as possible? Lewis Dartnell assesses the most important actions to take during an apocalypse to survive. He then cherry-picks the most important inventions to teach us how to rebuild everything we need from modern society to survive and thrive. - Why read? -This is a great book for the inner geek learning about the history of human invention and how humanities progression has shaped society and the things we take for granted. It is also useful if you want to prepare for you know, just-in-case. - - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast- - -Chapters00:00 - Introduction03:33 - What do you do if 50% of humanity is wiped out05:38 - How would your life change if you read this 20 years ago10:38 - What business would you start on the lessons of this book13:52 - Who is this an ideal gift for?17:25 - Suggestions for the book18:28 - Tangent on horses Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episodeSee podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 8, 2023 • 24min
How To Change Your Mind - Michael Pollan
What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. We break down our main lessons from the book and open our own minds to a new way of thinking. About Could psychedelic drugs change our worldview? One of America's most admired writers takes us on a mind-altering journey to the frontiers of human consciousness When LSD was first discovered in the 1940s, it seemed to researchers, scientists and doctors as if the world might be on the cusp of psychological revolution. It promised to shed light on the deep mysteries of consciousness, as well as offer relief to addicts and the mentally ill. But in the 1960s, with the vicious backlash against the counter-culture, all further research was banned. In recent years, however, work has quietly begun again on the amazing potential of LSD, psilocybin and DMT. Could these drugs in fact improve the lives of many people? Diving deep into this extraordinary world and putting himself forward as a guinea-pig, Michael Pollan has written a remarkable history of psychedelics and a compelling portrait of the new generation of scientists fascinated by the implications of these drugs. How to Change Your Mind is a report from what could very well be the future of human consciousness. Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 16, 2023 • 24min
Body Keeps the score
Body Keeps the score is a book that you keep hearing about especially as mental health and trauma become more and more relevant.Bessel Van Der Kock explains what we experience in the brain, mind and body whilst healing from trauma.Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Even if you haven't experienced trauma yourself it is useful to understand its effects on others and how you interact with society.- - -Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast- - -Chapters00:00 - Intro00:30 - Trauma happens a lot02:40 - Generation gap approach to mental health03:55 - Who would like this book07:30 - How the book relates to us09:55 - The most important thing for mental health12:45 - EMDR therapy15:11 - BEnefits of Yoga and rhythmic activities17:20 - What reviews say19:00 - Prescriptions vs physical and mental healing20:35 - Social media problems22:22 - our ratings of Body Keeps the Score23:47 - outro and How to change your mindDon't Forget to leave a comment on this episodeSee podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 12, 2023 • 6min
We're back - A quick update
We had a long hiatus since the summer of 2022. The mind series rather dragged and we realised we needed to sort out a better system for things.We also had a few big life updates as Sam went on a long cycling trip and Nico's job became a little overwhelming along with launching his own podcast on the Future of Gaming.Back on track with a schedule and if you're intrigued you can hear about some of Sam's world-record ideas and Nico's gaming obsessions here.Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 11, 2022 • 31min
NEURODIVERSITY: The Man Who Mistook His Wife and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
In this book, neurologist Oliver Sacks, describes the case histories of some of his patients. Sacks chose the title of the book from the case study of one of his patients who has visual agnosia, a neurological condition that leaves him unable to recognize faces and objects. Sacks wrote the stories of 24 patients and their neurological conditions which was split into four sections – ‘Losses’, ‘Excesses’, ‘Transports’, and ‘The World of the Simple’ each dealing with a particular aspect of brain functionHost rating for 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat'NicoRating: 3/10SamRating: 6/10Wiser Than YesterdayNico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.Wiser Pod WebsiteSam Webster Harris👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology🚀 New Pod - How to Change the WorldNicolas Vereecke👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc- - -How to Change the World: The History and Future of InnovationAvailable on all podcast players:SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyTAPPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcastCan't find it on your player?RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.