Episode 111: Joe Henrich - Understanding Human Nature

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Joe Henrich is a professor and the author of multiple best-selling books, including The Secret of Our Success and The WEIRDest People in the World. During our conversation, Joe talks about the interplay of genes and culture in human evolution, the importance of our "collective brains," what we misunderstand about human nature, what he's learned from visiting other indigenous cultures, how culture influences testosterone levels in men, how we might help modern, struggling western men, what we've learned about menopause from grandmother killer whales, the frontier of knowledge in human nature, and more.

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00:00 Intro

00:37 We're not individually intelligent

02:49 The reason for green and blue eye color in humans

06:01 A unique psychological aspect of status and prestige in humans

08:55 Human's competitive superpower: our ability to sweat

11:53 A story from Joe's experience with the Machiguenga in the Amazon

16:37 The variability and stability of human nature

18:37 What Westerners misunderstand about human nature

21:23 The link between prestige, good information, and human survival

23:41 Ideas to help modern men

28:21 Where Joe thinks our culture is heading with dating and mating

32:18 We have far more female ancestors as male ancestors

34:07 Testosterone in men in monogamous and non-monogamous cultures

37:02 Big 5 personality traits are not found in non-WEIRD cultures

40:53 Gerontocracy mating cultures in Africa

43:56 What we learn about menopause from grandmother killer whales

46:39 Joe's views on cultural relativism

51:23 Why Joe is so interested in human nature

56:19 What is our best understanding of what it means to be human?

59:10 Joe's forthcoming new book