Episode Summary
John Kay reading from Joseph Henrich’s The Secret of Our Success and discussing the role of collective intelligence in societal development.
Briefly, at The Australian National University, I was a member of AIESEC, an international group of economics students. There were good moments, but I eventually had the realisation that these weren’t really my people; they just didn’t have a similar lens on the world, to me. So, I assumed that all economists were the same, until a few years ago when I read a wonderful book called Obliquity. It was wise, grounded, human, provocative, and had, at its heart, the insight that we rarely figure out – the hard, complex things – and it was written by an economist.
After some time in academia, John Kay realised that he possessed a unique skill, one that was uncommon in the typical economist. John has already appeared on this podcast, featured as an author in someone else’s read. He’s a British economist, and truthfully, a philosopher. He is what a real influencer looks and sounds like.
John reads two pages from ‘The Secret of Our Success’ by Joseph Henrich. [reading begins at 11:15]
Hear us discuss:
- The significance of social learning in the world: “You’ll never see two chimpanzees carrying a log together.” [16:52]
- The process of shifting foundational beliefs: “It’s not that they’re worse people, it’s that the environment in which they operate has been a different one.” [18:12]
- Finding inspiration and hope. [22:47]
- Reducing polarisation. [24:39]
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Resources:
John Kay | Website
John Kay’s books | Obliquity: Why Our Goals Are Best Achieved Indirectly | Radical Uncertainty: Decision-Making Beyond the Numbers
Joseph Henrich | The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter
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