Wild with Sarah Wilson

Michael Muthukrishna, behavioural scientist and cultural evolution researcher at NYU and LSE, explores how cooperation, energy and institutions shape societies. He discusses cultural norms, energy return on investment, AI’s dual futures, and experiments in cities and policy labs. Short, provocative takes on equality, decline and practical pathways toward collective resilience.

Ece Temelkuran, an award-winning Turkish novelist and political thinker forced into exile, explores how democracies slide toward authoritarianism and what being "unhomed" feels like. She outlines a seven-step framework for fascism, explains 'cloud fascism' and tech’s role, and speaks about learning survival and belonging from refugees. She ends by calling for humility, love and beauty in political life.

Sheldon Solomon, social psychologist who co-developed terror management theory, explores how our fear of death shapes culture. He talks about how mortality awareness fuels tribalism or radical compassion. Conversations cover why death denial drives politics and consumerism, practical interventions for leaders, and everyday practices—like walking, rituals and community—that soften defensive fear and open paths to cooperation.

Audrey Tang, civic hacker and Taiwan’s cyber ambassador-at-large who helped co-create large-scale democratic tech, discusses wrangling AI away from techno‑feudal control. She talks about composting extractive tools into community‑empowering tech. Short, vivid examples include Taiwan’s civic tech wins, scaling local models for privacy and energy, and building better alternatives that make extractive systems obsolete.

Samantha Sweetwater, systems thinker, Gaian futurist and dance theorist, blends complexity science and indigenous wisdom. She explores emergence as a way through civilizational transition. Short, vivid takes cover local re-anchoring, embodied rituals like conscious dance, dreams and psychedelics as attunement tools, and how technology and governance might scale life-aligned systems.

After a long-ish hiatus, we’re returning with a fresh series of Wild. This second series will be taking a slightly new direction and is now “watchable” on YouTube and Substack.There will be no fancy studios, no professional gear…Sarah will be getting straight to the important, “life-generating” conversations that steer us through the coming challenging years and decades of what is now understood of complex systems' collapse. Please hit “follow” or “subscribe” on whatever platform you’re now on so you don’t miss an episode and share the link with, say, at least a dozen of your friends and family.Catch up on the Wild conversation with these previous episodes:IAIN MCGILCHRIST: Our “wretchedness” is a left-brain issueGAYA HERRINGTON: Complete global collapse by 2040? The prediction is “right on track”VANESSA ANDREOTTI: And now we have hospice modernityLUKE KEMP: Will our global civilisation go the way of the Roman Empire?----Watch on YouTube or SubstackIf you need to know a bit more about me… head to my "about" pageFor more such conversations, subscribe to my Substack newsletter, it’s where I interact the most!Let’s connect on Instagram  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Iain McGilchrist, a renowned neuroscientist and psychiatrist, as he delves into the fascinating thesis of our brain's two hemispheres. He explains how the left side’s narrow focus dominates modern life, creating a sense of wretchedness, while the right side nurtures beauty and connection. Iain discusses the evolution of society from creative and flourishing to a mechanistic left-brain mindset, warning that this shift harms our human experience. He emphasizes the need to reconnect with meaning, responsibility, and the aesthetics of life for true flourishing.

In a captivating discussion, Martha Beck, a bestselling author and eminent life coach, delves into the role of anxiety as a guide rather than an enemy. She shares practical techniques to transform anxious feelings through creativity and compassion, including her K-I-S-S-E-D exercise. Martha emphasizes the importance of kindness towards our anxious selves, and discusses the concept of 'rage to master' as a pathway to purpose. Listeners will find her insights on reframing anxiety and utilizing right-brain creativity both enlightening and empowering.

Dr. Sharon Blackie, a psychologist and mythologist, explores the relevance of fairy tales in today's chaotic world. She emphasizes how these narratives, steeped in communal values, can teach resilience during tough times. Blackie also contrasts traditional hero journeys with empowering heroine stories rooted in belonging. Diving into the darker original tales, she reveals their moral complexities and advocates for hospitality as a means to bridge societal divides. Ultimately, she inspires listeners to embrace their gifts for a better world.

Rich from Ohh That’s RICH, a political commentator and former MTV News correspondent, dives into the concept of 'extinction burst,' which he describes as the last frantic gasp of a system losing its grip. He discusses its relevance to the current political landscape, comparing it to toddlers throwing tantrums in response to inevitable change. Rich also addresses the role of progressive male voices in countering toxic influencer culture and emphasizes the importance of civic engagement and solidarity in fostering a healthier democracy.