From replicators to complex life

You like to think of yourself as someone who thinks for themselves. But what if the ideas running through your head aren't really yours — what if they found you, infected you, and quietly rewrote your behaviour to help themselves spread?

In this episode, we take an unusual detour into evolutionary biology — because it turns out the science of genes, parasites, and natural selection explains more about your psychology than most self-help books ever will.

We cover why you are, in a very real sense, a vehicle built to carry ancient replicators. How social media, advertising, and even religion use the same cognitive vulnerabilities as a brain parasite that makes rats fall in love with cats. And why understanding the mechanism of influence is the first — and most underrated — step to genuine mental autonomy.

This is a preview of an episode from How to Change the World. See details below.

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Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

02:24 You Are a Robot

04:12 Patterns of Nature

05:45 Act 1: Control

06:20 Nico Tinbergen and the Randy Fish

08:46 The Primordial Soup Starter Kit

10:04 Algorithmic Governance

11:24 Act 2: Co-operation

13:44 Moral Judgement and the Birth of Religion

15:25 Act 3: External Control

17:38 Remote Control

20:44 Act 4: Idea Vats

21:10 Consciousness

23:13 What Is a Meme?

24:14 Genes vs Memes Speed

26:03 Idea Propagation

28:29 Carrier Class

30:23 Act 5: Game Theory

31:00 Where to Find the Full Episode

TOPICS

Free will, cognitive bias, evolutionary psychology, memes, Richard Dawkins, selfish gene, mindset, belief systems, mental models, psychology of influence

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