Jordan Peterson Podcast

Dr. Peterson chats with Dr. Arthur Brooks, a professor and renowned author on happiness. They explore the science of happiness, highlighting how meaningful aims shape our emotional experiences. Brooks shares insights on the journey toward goals, the paradox of progress, and the evolution of resilience through gratitude. Delving into emotional management, he emphasizes the importance of self-regulation and depth in relationships, making a compelling case for personal growth through discernment and maturity.

The Physicality of Happiness and the Distinction between Pleasure and Enjoyment

A central theme is the embodied nature of happiness, emphasizing its physical manifestations and the critical distinction between pleasure and enjoyment. Brooks says that the “macro-ingredients of happiness are enjoyment (not just pleasure), meaning and satisfaction. Pleasure is fleeting and often associated with immediate gratification, while enjoyment is more permanent and involves memory and deeper experiences. Brooks explains, "Enjoyment is permanent and can be experienced in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, making it a source of lasting happiness." They contrast pleasure from activities like pornography, which is solitary and lacks depth, with the enjoyment from sexual relationships with a partner. Peterson adds, "Sex with a partner involves love and relationship, making it more sophisticated and memorable compared to the purely physical act in pornography." The duo explores happiness as a tangible, measurable process influenced by physical effort and enriched by meaningful, memorable experiences. As a note, they spent most of their time talking about the impact of enjoyment but mentioned they could have spent equal time on meaning and satisfaction.

How Aim Sets Perception

The conversation delves into how our goals and aims shape our perception of the world, acting as filters for what we notice. Peterson illustrates this with a personal story from his teaching days, recalling how, when he first started teaching Jungian psychology, he began to see Jungian archetypes everywhere—in his students' behaviors, in literature, and in everyday life. "Once you have a framework or an aim, it's like your brain is tuned to pick up on related information," he explains, suggesting that setting a clear aim reorganizes our perception. Brooks echoes this, sharing his experience of shifting his research focus to happiness. He notes that once he decided to study happiness, he started noticing aspects of people's lives that he had previously overlooked, such as small gestures of kindness or expressions of joy. "Our aims act as filters," he says, "They determine what we pay attention to and what we ignore." This theme highlights the perceptual engineering aspect of purpose, showing how intention can transform our experience of reality.

The Paradox of Progress

Another significant theme is the paradox of progress, where societal advancements often lead to unexpected discontent. Brooks shares a story about a high-powered executive he once counseled, who, despite achieving great wealth and status, felt empty and unfulfilled. "He had everything he ever wanted, but he was miserable," Brooks says, tying this to his research that shows material success beyond basic needs doesn't necessarily increase happiness. Peterson agrees, citing studies that illustrate the hedonic treadmill, where people quickly adapt to new levels of wealth or status, leading to a constant pursuit of more. "There's a point of diminishing returns," he says, "Beyond that, more money doesn't buy more happiness. Instead, it's about how we spend our time, who we spend it with, and whether we're living in alignment with our values." Money is not the only idol they warned against chasing. They also discussed the aforementioned “pleasure” as well as power and honor (or fame, really). Put into a modern context, you can see easily how society is going off the rails, relative to those for idols. Additionally, they mention that those with dark tetrad personalities (narcissism, machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism) are unable to experience true happiness because they cannot move beyond immediate pleasures to deeper forms of enjoyment and meaning, getting stuck in a cycle of chasing temporary gratifications without finding lasting fulfillment. The point is, don’t chase those idols; chase enjoyment (long term), meaning and satisfaction.

“Humans are made for progress, not arrival.” - Arthur Brooks

Theme 4: The Need for Proper Discernment

Discernment, the ability to make wise judgments, emerges as a crucial theme for achieving true happiness. Brooks shares his personal journey of discernment, recounting his pilgrimage walking the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain. "I walked the Camino de Santiago, praying the rosary every day, saying, 'Lord, guide my path.' That's when I decided to go back to my behavioral science roots and study human happiness," he says, emphasizing that discernment is not just an intellectual exercise but often requires time, reflection, and sometimes physical journey to uncover one's true path. Peterson adds that discernment involves setting an uphill goal and allowing one's imagination and perceptions to work on clarifying that goal over time, which can be uncomfortable and requires patience and perseverance.

Sustained Maturity for Life's Adventure

Finally, the episode highlights the necessity of sustained maturity for leading a happy and adventurous life. Brooks reflects on his own journey, sharing the challenges he faced when returning to school in his late 20s after years as a musician. "Maturity isn't just about age; it's about learning from experiences and continuously evolving," he says, noting how this period of growth was crucial for his personal and professional development. Peterson echoes this, emphasizing that life is full of challenges and that facing them with maturity and resilience is key to finding happiness. He shares a general observation that individuals who embrace continuous growth, rather than seeking immediate gratification, tend to find greater joy and accomplishment. "Life is an adventure, and it's through overcoming obstacles that we find our greatest joys and sense of accomplishment," he says.

What was so great about this episode was the back and forth and constructive dialog between these two intellectual giants. While some of the themes may be familiar to you, the way the weaved together psychology, biology, religion and their own experiences was fascinating to watch play out. You could tell these guys were feeding off of each other. And …to our delight…not one ounce of politics. Enjoy

THE PODSCORE 5 (out of 5) MICS

Jordan chat with Michael Shellenberger, a journalist and founder of Public.News, dives into the transformative political landscape shaped by figures like Musk and Trump. He highlights the urgency for new generations to take charge of political responsibility and rebuild trust in institutions. The conversation also tackles the dangers of censorship, the complexities of foreign aid, and rethinking governance. Shellenberger argues for a cultural shift toward personal integrity and the importance of national identity in navigating today's challenges.

Political Responsibility and the Rise of Populism:

The podcast opens with a call to action, emphasizing the necessity of shouldering political obligations to prevent tyrants from seizing control. Later in the podcast Shellenberger frames the past 12 years as a "woke reign of terror," spanning from the rise of Black Lives Matter to Donald Trump’s 2024 election, a period marked by what he sees as institutional overreach whose peak terror was reached when free speech became regularly broached (social, political, mis/dis information) The current moment (post Trump 2.0 election) as backlash against elitism and the post World War II world order which prioritized the global elite over the nation-state. Shellenberger makes the excellent point that before World War II the world organized into nations and their was “pride” in being a citizen.

The new populism, which Peterson redefines as a "rebellion of the sane and grounded" rather than mere rabble-rousing, is portrayed as a response to a detached elite class that has lost touch with national values. The conversation highlights a new political alignment—embodied by figures like Trump, Elon Musk, JD Vance, Robert Kennedy Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard—representing a shift away from traditional conservatism toward a broader, emergent coalition focused on reclaiming democratic principles and national identity. That is what Trump represents and its anything but fascist or totalitarian. In fact, its very close to the about of that

Free Speech and Censorship:

A significant portion of the dialogue centers on free speech including a large chunk at the beginning. Both Peterson and Shellenberger view free speech as foundational to American identity and a non-negotiable "must-have," contrasting with Europe’s more permissive stance toward censorship. Shellenberger cites JD Vance’s Munich Security Summit speech, where Vance warned Europe against mass censorship, suggesting it jeopardizes NATO and transatlantic relations. The Twitter Files, uncovered by Shellenberger with Musk’s support, revealed a "censorship industrial complex" involving government disinformation efforts; including Biden’s laptop and silencing of COVID dissent. Peterson ties free speech to creative and corrective thought, arguing that its suppression undermines societal integrity and innovation, a point reinforced by Europe’s technological lag compared to a resurgent America under this new leadership.

"We Are Coming Out of a Period of Great Abuse Of Power"

Government Waste, Fraud, and Reform:

The discussion delves into governmental fraud, waste and abuse that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is exposing. Shellenberger recounts how USAID resisted Musk’s team, leading to its shutdown—an example of entrenched bureaucratic resistance meeting decisive action. Peterson speculates Musk could uncover a trillion dollars in waste, using advanced computing power to dissect opaque systems. This segues into a critique of foreign aid, with Shellenberger and Peterson questioning its efficacy, drawing on Magatte Wade’s view that it often harms more than helps. They advocate a radical rethinking of such institutions, suggesting that shutting them down and rebuilding from scratch might be more effective than reform.

Cultural and Philosophical Foundations:

The podcast explores the erosion of Western values, attributing it to a loss of virtues like trust, delayed gratification, and integration—values Shellenberger calls the "only natural resource." Peterson contrasts weak, hedonistic men with strong, abusive ones and the ideal "gentleman," who balances power with restraint, a concept rooted in civilization’s gentlemanly ethos. They critique the "woke" era as an abuse of power, projecting totalitarian fears onto democratic movements like Trump’s. The Enlightenment’s rational overreach, they argue, destabilized this ethos, leading to nihilism and hedonism, which they counter with a call for voluntary self-sacrifice and subsidiarity—local responsibility as an antidote to tyranny and slavery, drawing from the Exodus narrative.

Optimism and a New Era:

Despite the challenges, Shellenberger expresses optimism, citing the rollback of extreme policies (e.g., gender-affirming care excesses) and the decline of globalist entities like the World Economic Forum, new initiatives like the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC). Peterson shares this hope, seeing a rebalancing toward national sovereignty and democratic integrity, evidenced by populist gains in the U.S., Germany, and France. Peterson injects some of his traditional concepts of “aiming up” and family and religion as keys , along with a sense of national pride and real freedom / freedom of speech as positive develops. Relatedly Shellenberger states clearly that the global elite turned on their own western cultures and state-pride. Both agree that a “soullessness” had crept in that is now, in the United States at least, repudiated.

While this was filmed before the ARC Conference a couple of weeks ago, all of the meta - themes are still obviously relevant. This is a winner of a podcast.

THE PODSCORE: 4.5 (out of 5) MICS

Jordan interviews Ezra Levant, a Canadian human rights activist and founder of Rebel News, shares insights on pressing issues in media freedom and censorship. He discusses his firsthand experience with the World Economic Forum and the authoritarian trends in the UK. Levant highlights the imprisonment of Tommy Robinson and debates the rise of censorship, especially in academic settings. He critiques the disconnect between elite advocacy at events like Davos and public sentiment, emphasizing the importance of independent journalism in these turbulent times, as the “mainstream media” continues to be exposed as propaganda arms of the government and corporate interests.

The Battle Over Truth and Free Speech: Tommy Robinson’s Imprisonment

One prominent theme is the ongoing conflict between Tommy Robinson and the UK government, portrayed as a fight for truth and free expression. Robinson, a former Rebel News journalist, is in solitary confinement for distributing the documentary Silenced, which has amassed over 150 million views despite a gag order. The UK authorities claim the film breached civil procedure rules, leading to his imprisonment in a maximum-security prison. Levant highlights Robinson’s worsening condition after more than 100 days in isolation, emphasizing the psychological strain and the power imbalance between prisoners and guards. To be clear Robinson has a sordid track record, but Levant argues that his current confinement, and treatment, is politically motivated and unethical.

The World Economic Forum: A Crypto-Government of Elites

The World Economic Forum (WEF) emerges as another central theme, with Levant labeling it a "crypto-government" wielded by global elites. He criticizes its unelected influence, driven by figures like Klaus Schwab (Dr. Evil), Justin Trudeau, and Mark Carney, who promote policies such as net zero and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance). Levant argues these initiatives favor the wealthy while burdening ordinary people, citing restrictive measures like ultra-low emission zones. He also mentions Rebel News’ attempts to challenge WEF leaders directly, noting their refusal to answer unscripted questions. Peterson is in agreement with Levant on most of these issues, but the manner in which Levant frames these issues added additional ammunition to the strong counter-punch to the WEF we’ve seen arise in the past few years.

Canada’s Political Landscape: Trudeau, Carney, and National Decline

The state of Canada under Justin Trudeau’s leadership, alongside the potential influence of Mark Carney got some air time curing this conversation. Levant condemns Trudeau for policies that he says have demoralized the nation, including mass immigration and economic mismanagement, which he believes erode Canada’s identity and morale. Carney, tied to the WEF, is presented as a future leader whose globalist priorities, like net zero, could worsen these trends. Levant warns of a deepening national decline, particularly through the undermining of key industries like fossil fuels, highlighting anxieties about Canada’s trajectory under such leadership.

The Role of Rebel News and Citizen Journalism

Rebel News’ role in citizen journalism stands out as a key theme, with Levant detailing its efforts to cover events like the Canadian trucker convoy and the WEF. Despite facing censorship, demonetization, and arrests, the outlet persists by using platforms like X and Rumble to reach wide audiences. Levant contrasts Rebel News’ raw, unfiltered reporting with the compliant legacy media, emphasizing its importance in countering official narratives. We’ve seen this rise in independent media strength manifest through others that we have covered here, like Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger, to name a couple.

Erosion of National Identity and Culture

Finally, the erosion of national identity and culture, particularly in Canada, is a recurring theme. Levant attributes this to Trudeau’s policies, such as removing historical figures like Sir John A. Macdonald from currency and embracing a "post-national" stance, which he argues have weakened Canada’s cohesion. He connects this to broader globalist trends, like those pushed by the WEF, that prioritize transnational interests over sovereignty. Levant warns that such shifts leave nations vulnerable to external influence and risk transforming them into culturally hollow entities, devoid of a unifying identity.

Peterson and Levant collectively paint a picture of a world grappling with censorship, elitism, and the loss of national integrity, and they are convincing.

THE PODSCORE: 4 (out 5) MICS

Reform, Rape Gangs & The Decline of the UK: Jordan Peterson & Matthew Goodwin

Dr. Peterson talks with Matthew Goodwin, a former professor and political commentator, delves into the rot within UK institutions and the radicalization of academia. He discusses the alarming UK rape gang scandal and the systemic failures affecting vulnerable girls. The conversation also covers the Conservative Party's ideological shifts and the impact of progressive agendas on political discourse. Goodwin emphasizes the need for grassroots movements and reform to address these urgent societal issues while critiquing elite policies that exacerbate division.

Goodwin serves as an excellent vessel through which we get a lens of the true liberal infiltration into the UK and how the woke mind virus in that country has surpassed even what happened in the US (prior to President Trump’s election, anyway). The concern that struck a chord with us is less about left v right or woke v. anti-woke, it’s more about Goodwin and Peterson’s personal observation about the decay of merit and the rise of self-serving status-seeking by the elite. Universities are supposed to promote excellence and knowledge and to see them waste the amount of time that has been spent over the past 10 years or so on some of these misguided initiatives is just heart-breaking.

Early in the podcast Goodwin grabbed our attention and held it when we learned about his experiences during Brexit. He was a supporter of Brexit, but he claimed not an overly vocal one. None-the-less when this became known he began losing stature, assignments, publication opportunities and was treated like a pariah generally. Eventually Goodwin had to walk away from a system that allowed NO dissent from leftist dogma. Peterson makes the point that this type of story is so pervasive throughout academia that nobody is left in them but the far leftists because all the good / talented moderates just want out and the competent ones actually get out.

After some further discussion about the inner-working of the universities, Goodwin makes the point that university heads are imposing a top down agenda that is really only supported by 10-15% of people in the UK. Goodwin then says the UK citizenry is living through the painful reality that net-zero, mass immigration, embedded wokism, doubling down on a London - based finance economy, and a broken model of multi-culturism. He then makes the point that we are beginning to see, for the first time, a serious pushback on this madness.

The Universities Are a Symbol Of a Much Deeper Rot…It’s Political Indoctrination!”

Goodwin argues that the current conservative group in the UK has completely abandoned its rooted ideology and is, in fact, dominated by liberals. So, he believes they need a movement like MAGA in the UK because the entire establishment is corrupted. He stated that 86% of immigrants coming into the UK are not from Europe. Rather, they are mostly from poorer countries and that they now know quantitively that this is a net-negative cost to the British tax payer.

Peterson paused the conversation put forth this idea of the “Luxury Belief Class” and whether these crazy ideas coming out of the establishment in London and universities have finally gotten so divorced from the benefit of people that there is now the inevitable pushback. Goodwin agreed and went one further by saying that this is the “greatest radicalization of the elite class in western society since the 1960’s.” Both Goodwin and Peterson also agreed that status and virtue signaling over truth have driven so much of this madness that it has suppressed common sense.

On the heels of these observations the news of UK rape gangs entered the conversation. Hopefully, you’ve heard about them, but if you haven’t it might be a good time to look them up. The summary, however, is that there has been a long (decades long) history of underage girls being groomed and raped at scale in the UK and more recently there have been more instances of Muslim and Pakistani gangs committing this crime as immigration has increased. Since 2011 there has been a massive influx of such reports. Many or most of these girls are white and from low income communities and families. The police / judiciary have also been charged with covering up many of these crimes ostensibly because it was black eye on Britain and of course, would shine a light on particular Muslim communities and run the risk of increasing Islamophobia. Goodwin and Peterson agree that the fact that all formal inquiries to date have been weak and not comprehensive mean further investigations are likely to suffer the same fate, as long as they don’t serve the purpose of the elites. It’s really a disgusting concept, yet more and more investigations from various parties seem to prove this out.

“This Will Go Down As One Of The Biggest Scandals In British History”

The duo discussed the role the controversial Tommy Robinson has played in raising this issue over the past decade. Goodwin outlined how Robinson has damaged himself and the cause by being as abrasive as he has been BUT the state is at fault for never taking this issue as seriously as they should have. So, despite Robinson’s faults, the role he has played in awareness cannot be denied.

The podcast closed with Goodwin’s thoughts on how the UK can reform. Goodwin makes the point that many “conservatives” are really just a part of the Labor Party, so Goodwin believes that the best chance to “save” the UK is by way of the Reform Party. The Tories and the Labor Parties are the “architects” of the UK’s decline, he says, so there needs to be a fundamental rethink of what “conservative and labor” really mean as it applies to the UK. In all, it sure seems like a bleak picture. While Goodwin mentioned Nigel Farage as a decent vessel for this message and to bring groups together, there seems to us to be a long way for the UK to go. It might take some a Trump-like figure in the UK to pull this off. Time will tell.

THE PODSCORE: 4 / 5

Jordan chats with Dr. Benjamin Bikman, a bestselling author and bioenergetics Ph.D., dives deep into the insulin resistance epidemic affecting America. He unpacks the crisis of sugar addiction and its neurological impacts, discussing how high carbohydrate diets contribute to serious health issues. They explore the inefficacies of current dietary guidelines and the need for better public health education. With insights on ketogenic diets and metabolic health, Bikman highlights revolutionary approaches to combat chronic diseases, including practical solutions for sustainable dietary changes.

We’ve heard quite a bit about metabolic health over the past few years, but to hear Dr. Bikman combine “cardio” and metabolic into a single word and then squarely focus on insulin as a driving cause of positive or negative cardio-metabolic health, the fuzzy worlds of “diet” and “health” sure cleared up quickly for this reviewer. In summary, this is a rather dense conversation about the negative affects of too much insulin relative to the 10 most common diseases. While dense, it is a conversation chock full of knowledge, some which you have heard perhaps, but none-the-less presented articulately and believably from Dr. Bikman.

The ten most common death causing diseases in the world can be attributed to poor cardio-metabolic health. Think heart disease, diabetes, alzheimer’s, obesity and various points of connectivity to cancer and more. Dr. Bikman makes the point that carbohydrates drive these increased insulin levels. And while people know that an over-indulgence on carbohydrates is bad, our medical / testing systems are not properly conveying the right information to us early enough to prevent us from getting sick…before we get sick.

Bikman advocates for thinking about measuring insulin early and often. Looking at high Glucose, for example, and while good to identify, its already a negative process that should have been examined earlier. Additionally, in some cases there are problems that are not glucose problems like fatty liver disease. High insulin causes fatty liver disease independent and earlier than any rise in glucose. So, why don’t we look at insulin more as a healthcare practice? Well, Bikman wonders if its because there are no drugs to prescribe to fight high insulin…there are for glucose.

“We Are Eating For Winter All The Time”

- Dr Benjamin Bikman

Dietary change is the best way to fight all of this. Remember, carbohydrates of all types convert into glucose and glucose, of course, increases insulin levels. An overabundance of insulin can result in insulin resistance which can result in the plethora of diseases discussed. So, yes, cutting carbs is important. It’s always the same advice in the end..fewer carbs and more meats, fats, greens, etc. Bikman makes the point that we should throw the food pyramid away and challenge our doctors to look beyond glucose. Its seems, even in health, that truth is always a few layers under the surface.

THE PODSCORE: 4 (of 5) Mics.

Jordan chats with Dr. Benjamin Bikman, a bestselling author and bioenergetics Ph.D., dives deep into the insulin resistance epidemic affecting America. He unpacks the crisis of sugar addiction and its neurological impacts, discussing how high carbohydrate diets contribute to serious health issues. They explore the inefficacies of current dietary guidelines and the need for better public health education. With insights on ketogenic diets and metabolic health, Bikman highlights revolutionary approaches to combat chronic diseases, including practical solutions for sustainable dietary changes.

We’ve heard quite a bit about metabolic health over the past few years, but to hear Dr. Bikman combine “cardio” and metabolic into a single word and then squarely focus on insulin as a driving cause of positive or negative cardio-metabolic health, the fuzzy worlds of “diet” and “health” sure cleared up quickly for this reviewer. In summary, this is a rather dense conversation about the negative affects of too much insulin relative to the 10 most common diseases. While dense, it is a conversation chock full of knowledge, some which you have heard perhaps, but none-the-less presented articulately and believably from Dr. Bikman.

The ten most common death causing diseases in the world can be attributed to poor cardio-metabolic health. Think heart disease, diabetes, alzheimer’s, obesity and various points of connectivity to cancer and more. Dr. Bikman makes the point that carbohydrates drive these increased insulin levels. And while people know that an over-indulgence on carbohydrates is bad, our medical / testing systems are not properly conveying the right information to us early enough to prevent us from getting sick…before we get sick.

Bikman advocates for thinking about measuring insulin early and often. Looking at high Glucose, for example, and while good to identify, its already a negative process that should have been examined earlier. Additionally, in some cases there are problems that are not glucose problems like fatty liver disease. High insulin causes fatty liver disease independent and earlier than any rise in glucose. So, why don’t we look at insulin more as a healthcare practice? Well, Bikman wonders if its because there are no drugs to prescribe to fight high insulin…there are for glucose.

“We Are Eating For Winter All The Time”

- Dr Benjamin Bikman

Dietary change is the best way to fight all of this. Remember, carbohydrates of all types convert into glucose and glucose, of course, increases insulin levels. An overabundance of insulin can result in insulin resistance which can result in the plethora of diseases discussed. So, yes, cutting carbs is important. It’s always the same advice in the end..fewer carbs and more meats, fats, greens, etc. Bikman makes the point that we should throw the food pyramid away and challenge our doctors to look beyond glucose. Its seems, even in health, that truth is always a few layers under the surface.

THE PODSCORE: 4 (of 5) Mics.

Jordan Peterson hosts Vani Hari, a food activist and New York Times bestselling author, shares her journey from processed foods to advocating for healthier eating. She highlights shocking practices in the food industry and the links between food marketing and rising obesity. Vani discusses her personal transformation towards natural health, the alarming trends in children's diets, and the fight for greater food transparency. She emphasizes the need for corporate accountability and the importance of teaching kids about nutritious food choices.

"As Soon As I Changed My Diet...Everything Changed!!!"

The Good:  You may have heard of the "Food Babe" (Vani Hari) before.  She has burst back on to the public scene in the wake of RFK Jr's MAHA movement.  Jordan gives Vani the room to tell her story from poor eating as a child to her early job at Accenture and the poor lifestyle choices that lead to her being overweight, sick with appendicitis and ultimately put on 3-4 drugs including anti-depressants.  To solve this period of chronic illness she began therapy but also began really looking at food labels very, very closely and then changed her diet.  Over a period of 2-3 years she evolved the way she ate, eliminating ultra-processed food and by the end of her transition she was completely off of NINE prescription drugs and had lost 40 pounds.  

From there conversation moved into a compelling conversation about trying to balance over-regulation with full transparency and the bottom line.  This part of the conversation was really a good listen because it shows just how complicated nutrition is and how even more complicated regulation is in service of public health and big food competitiveness.  

In 2011, Vani began blogging about everything she at and the impact..."The Food Babe" was born.  Her "Chemical Filet" article on Chic Filet was a viral hit and her star rose.  From there she grew famous but was also harassed and suffered great resistance as she took on BIG FOOD.  She later started a food company and had kids of her owned which slowed some of her activism, but it seems she is back and her story is worth listening to as America wakes up to the food crises in this country.  Peterson retells the founding of the Food Pyramid and the scam behind, which wwe've heard before, but is always a good listen if you don't know it.  It was created by marketers and is a persuasive tool (we are being kind), that's the summary.  We should also mention that (as many of you know), the tobacco companies bought some of the food and dye companies starting the 80's because, you know, they know how to addict people.

The Bad: Really very little bad to report in this episode.  The sense that Hari is an activist with who straddles the line between alarmist and constructive is there, but we are giving her the benefit of the doubt.

THE POD SCORE:  4.5 Mics (of 5)

Jordan Peterson hosts Dr. Simone Gold, an emergency physician and attorney, is the founder of America’s Frontline Doctors. She discusses her dual journey through medicine and law while navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gold reveals her experiences during the January 6th events and the fallout from speaking out against medical mandates. She critiques the state of medical education and shares her advocacy for medical freedom, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and resilience in the face of societal pressures.

"I Cannot Live a Lie!"

The Good: We didn't remember a lot about Gold from COVID, but boy does she have a story to tell. From her incredible background as a VERY young dual medical and legal degrees and practice to her stance on COVID and then ultimately to January 6th, she's got a lot to say. Her initial foray on the public stage came in 2020 when she and more than 100 other doctors protest for the truth on Hydroxychloroquine and told a convincing story about how the Lancet had to retract a study study that stated it was not helpful in treating in COVID. At the time, standing in the face of significant media and political scrutiny on this topic, she was canceled...and lost both of her jobs. From this low, she set off on mission to bring the truth to the public regarding all aspects of COVID from the impact of lockdowns, the foolishness of demanding vaccines for children and the tyrannical tendencies of the entire government response to COVID-19. Just to put the cherry on top she was arrested after being approved to speak at the January 6th rally in 2021. She ended up swept into the Capitol (non-violent offense and a misdemeanor settlement). She ended up spending 60 days in prison. From the youngest woman ever to receive a medical degree to prison and out again...all in one podcast. 

The Bad: This episode took a while to get going. A lot time was spent indulging Peterson's curiosity about the dual academic career of Gold. It's interesting that she graduated medical school in her early twenties and that she received both a law degree and medical degree, but it took an hour to get to the COVID part of the story, which is where the real intrigue begins.

THE POD SCORE:  3.5 Mics (of 5)

Jordan Peterson hosts Dr. Simone Gold, an emergency physician and attorney, is the founder of America’s Frontline Doctors. She discusses her dual journey through medicine and law while navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gold reveals her experiences during the January 6th events and the fallout from speaking out against medical mandates. She critiques the state of medical education and shares her advocacy for medical freedom, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and resilience in the face of societal pressures.

"I Cannot Live a Lie!"

The Good: We didn't remember a lot about Gold from COVID, but boy does she have a story to tell. From her incredible background as a VERY young dual medical and legal degrees and practice to her stance on COVID and then ultimately to January 6th, she's got a lot to say. Her initial foray on the public stage came in 2020 when she and more than 100 other doctors protest for the truth on Hydroxychloroquine and told a convincing story about how the Lancet had to retract a study study that stated it was not helpful in treating in COVID. At the time, standing in the face of significant media and political scrutiny on this topic, she was canceled...and lost both of her jobs. From this low, she set off on mission to bring the truth to the public regarding all aspects of COVID from the impact of lockdowns, the foolishness of demanding vaccines for children and the tyrannical tendencies of the entire government response to COVID-19. Just to put the cherry on top she was arrested after being approved to speak at the January 6th rally in 2021. She ended up swept into the Capitol (non-violent offense and a misdemeanor settlement). She ended up spending 60 days in prison. From the youngest woman ever to receive a medical degree to prison and out again...all in one podcast. 

The Bad: This episode took a while to get going. A lot time was spent indulging Peterson's curiosity about the dual academic career of Gold. It's interesting that she graduated medical school in her early twenties and that she received both a law degree and medical degree, but it took an hour to get to the COVID part of the story, which is where the real intrigue begins.

THE POD SCORE:  3.5 Mics (of 5)

Jordan Peterson hosts Dr. Simone Gold, an emergency physician and attorney, is the founder of America’s Frontline Doctors. She discusses her dual journey through medicine and law while navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gold reveals her experiences during the January 6th events and the fallout from speaking out against medical mandates. She critiques the state of medical education and shares her advocacy for medical freedom, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and resilience in the face of societal pressures.

"I Cannot Live a Lie!"

The Good: We didn't remember a lot about Gold from COVID, but boy does she have a story to tell. From her incredible background as a VERY young dual medical and legal degrees and practice to her stance on COVID and then ultimately to January 6th, she's got a lot to say. Her initial foray on the public stage came in 2020 when she and more than 100 other doctors protest for the truth on Hydroxychloroquine and told a convincing story about how the Lancet had to retract a study study that stated it was not helpful in treating in COVID. At the time, standing in the face of significant media and political scrutiny on this topic, she was canceled...and lost both of her jobs. From this low, she set off on mission to bring the truth to the public regarding all aspects of COVID from the impact of lockdowns, the foolishness of demanding vaccines for children and the tyrannical tendencies of the entire government response to COVID-19. Just to put the cherry on top she was arrested after being approved to speak at the January 6th rally in 2021. She ended up swept into the Capitol (non-violent offense and a misdeanor settlement). She ended up spending 60 days in prison. From the youngest woman ever to receive a medical degree to prison and out again...all in one podcast. 

The Bad: This episode took a while to get going. A lot time was spent indulging Peterson's curiosity about the dual academic career of Gold. It's interesting that she graduated medical school in her early twenties and that she received both a law degree and medical degree, but it took an hour to get to the COVID part of the story, which is where the real intrigue begins.

THE POD SCORE:  3.5 Mics (of 5)

Jordan Peterson hosts Marc Andreessen, a pioneering entrepreneur and co-founder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz, explores the profound impact of AI on society and the moral responsibilities entwined with its development. He delves into the rise of woke culture and its implications for Western ideologies, emphasizing the urgent need for aligning AI with human values. The conversation navigates the ethical landscape of technology, the risks of biases within AI, and the challenges of maintaining corporate integrity in a rapidly changing social climate.

"The Single Biggest Fight is Going to Be What Are the Values of the AIs!"

The Good:  AI and how it's values are structured is such an important topic and one that might pit post-modernism against theology against others and as both Peterson and Andreessen agree, this fight is currently being won by the woke, but that is beginning to change.  Additionally, the conversation around source data bias, language bias and the issue of copyright.  In sum, however, Andreessen is most worried about who is training the models and many of them are the same people that subsribe to woke and want to censor the internet.  This all gets tied into regulatory capture and government control of AIs.

The Bad: We love Jordan Peterson on the whole, however, sometimes we have to wait 10 minutes into his podcast to hear the guest speak.  This was one of those cases.  Also, while it seems like connecting the guests initiatives to ARC seems forced or worse, self serving.  This was one of those cases as well.  

THE POD SCORE:  4  Mics (of 5)