logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
1h 34m

#905 - William von Hippel - Why Modern L...

Chris Williamson
About this episode

William von Hippel is a psychologist, professor, and author.

Modern life feels so complex that even basic emotions like happiness seem distant. Were we happier as hunter-gatherers, with more connection and autonomy? If so, how do these prehistoric needs shape our well-being today?

Expect to learn if it would be helpful to return back to a simpler hunter & gather time of human evolution, why so many people struggle to be happy, why having autonomy is so important, what happiness research says about how well off hunter-gather tribes were, which forces shape autonomy and connection, why we worship individualism so much, why anxiety is the emotion de jour of the modern world, how to rebalance your own life, and much more…

Sponsors:

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals

Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom

Get a 20% discount & free shipping on Manscaped’s shavers at https://manscaped.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM20)

Get the Whoop 4.0 for free and get your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/43hv6y59

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: https://tinyurl.com/2rtz7avf

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3ccn5vkp

-

Get In Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact

-

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
#1004 - Sam Corcos - Inside DOGE, The IRS & How to Scam the US Government
Sam Corcos is an entrepreneur, CEO of Levels, and a special advisor to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). What’s really happening inside the U.S. government? For the first time, a DOGE insider exposes the chaos, corruption, and dysfunction plaguing Washington. How di ... Show More
2h 56m
Oct 6
#1003 - Konstantin Kisin - The Forces Behind Britain's Downfall
Konstantin Kisin is a podcaster, a speaker and an author. Is the UK facing its breaking point? Once the world’s greatest empire, the UK now finds itself engulfed in political chaos and cultural upheaval. From leadership crises to deep divisions, what’s really happening on the fro ... Show More
2h 17m
Oct 4
#1002 - Andrew Doyle - Political Violence & The Lunatics of Your Own Side
Andrew Doyle is Titania McGrath, host of GB News, a comedian and a writer. The world has shifted dramatically over the past few years, and the pace of change has only accelerated in recent months. Ideas that once lived outside the mainstream have quickly entered the Overton Windo ... Show More
2h 33m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2025
Why Modern Life Doesn't Make Us Happy, and How to Fix It with Dr. William von Hippel
Life today is safer and more comfortable than ever before, so why do so many people feel unhappy, lonely, and anxious? Forrest talks with evolutionary psychologist Dr. William von Hippel about this paradox in light of our two core needs: autonomy and connection. He argues that mo ... Show More
1h 29m
Dec 2024
The Psychology of FOMO - Why it's Getting Worse and What To Do About It
Modern technology amplifies our fear and emotions. FOMO is on the rise. Whether you are worried about being invited to a party, checking social media, or finding it harder to make decisions. FOMO is increasingly driving our emotions and actions. It is a deeply natural feeling bui ... Show More
32m 13s
Mar 2025
Mental, moral and physical laziness - how to beat our modern addictions
What if the path to a meaningful life isn't paved with comfort, but with deliberate discomfort? In this episode, we explore the insidious nature of "flabbiness" - not just of body, but of mind and spirit. We'll uncover how our modern world lulls us into a state of complacent exis ... Show More
22m 52s
Sep 22
Dr. K: Feeling Lost in Your 20s or 30s? (THIS Mindset Shift Will Help You Find Direction & Purpose)
Do you ever feel lost? What usually helps you find your way back? Today, Jay sits down with @HealthyGamerGG (Dr. K), psychiatrist, meditation teacher, and author of How to Raise a Healthy Gamer, for an eye-opening conversation about why so many young people feel lost and disconne ... Show More
2h 3m
Sep 5
Top 5 Ways to Thrive Not Survive! How Meditation, Somatic Work & Building Interpersonal Trust Can Dramatically Improve How You Feel Each Day w/ Dan Harris
Exclusive Substack Release! We originally posted this episode to our Substack Breakers ONLY and we thought it was time we shared with YOU! Subscribe at bialikbreakdown.substack.com for more exclusive content like this and more! We sat down with our friend Dan Harris (author of 10 ... Show More
52m 11s
Sep 18
How to Have a (Good) Life Crisis: Authenticity, Healthy Discontent, and the Anxiety of Choice
Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how to use a life crisis productively, drawing on developmental stage theories, existential philosophy, literature, personal experience, and Rick’s clinical work. They examine the anxieties of death, freedom, responsibility, and choice that often unde ... Show More
1h 12m
Aug 19
Why Taking Life Less Seriously Could Be the Productivity Boost You Need
The art of making work not suck; how playing helps you stress less (and achieve more). In today’s episode, we challenge the architecture of adulthood, built brick by brick with “shoulds”. Using stories of ancient ancestors and modern cubicles, we’ll ask: Why do we surrender to se ... Show More
25m 8s
Jul 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part IV. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
Imagine you are in an open field which stretches in every direction, further than your eyes can see. Since there is nothing of interest in your immediate surroundings, you set your sights on the horizon. You begin to walk with purpose; long strides eventually break into a run unt ... Show More
37m 35s
Jun 2019
Episode 62, Epictetus: A Guide to Stoicism (Part III. Modern Stoicism)
Imagine you are in an open field which stretches in every direction, further than your eyes can see. Since there is nothing of interest in your immediate surroundings, you set your sights on the horizon. You begin to walk with purpose; long strides eventually break into a run unt ... Show More
51m 6s
Jul 30
#374 - Avoiding It Isn’t Making It Easier—It’s Making You Miserable
In today’s episode of The Business of Happiness, Dr. Tarryn MacCarthy invites you to reclaim your well-being, not someday, but now. Through personal stories and honest reflection, she unpacks how your happiness isn’t just allowed, it’s essential. You’ll hear how giving yourself w ... Show More
26m 58s