
What's Our Problem?
A Self-Help Book for Societies
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Narrated by:
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Tim Urban
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By:
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Tim Urban
About this listen
From the creator of the wildly popular blog Wait but Why, a fun and fascinating deep dive into what the hell is going on in our strange, unprecedented modern times.
Between 2013 and 2016, Tim Urban became one of the world’s most popular bloggers, writing dozens of viral long-form articles about everything from AI to colonizing Mars to procrastination. Then, he turned his attention to a new topic: the society around him. Why was everything such a mess? Why was everyone acting like such a baby? When did things get so tribal? Why do humans do this stuff?
This massive topic sent Tim tumbling down his deepest rabbit hole yet, through mountains of history, evolutionary psychology, political theory, neuroscience, and modern-day political movements, as he tried to figure out the answer to a simple question: What’s our problem?
Six years later, he emerged from the hole with this book. Narrated by the author, What’s Our Problem? is a deep and expansive analysis of our modern times, in the classic style of Wait but Why, packed with original concepts and sticky metaphors. The book provides an entirely new framework and language for thinking and talking about today’s complex world. Instead of focusing on the usual left-center-right horizontal political axis, which is all about what we think, the book introduces a vertical axis that explores how we think, as individuals and as groups. Listeners will find themselves on a delightful and fascinating journey that will ultimately change the way they see the world around them.
Anyway, he wanted to say a lot more about all of this, but there was a word limit on this book description, so just go listen to the book.
©2023 Tim Urban (P)2023 Tim UrbanListeners also enjoyed...
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The Status Game
- On Human Life and How to Play It
- By: Will Storr
- Narrated by: Will Storr
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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What drives our political and moral beliefs? What makes us like some things and dislike others? What shapes how we behave, and misbehave, in a group? What makes you, you? For centuries, philosophers and scholars have described human behaviour in terms of sex, power and money. In The Status Game, best-selling author Will Storr radically turns this thinking on its head by arguing that it is our irrepressible craving for status that ultimately defines who we are.
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Dull and repetitive
- By D. Fritz on 02-16-23
By: Will Storr
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Zero to One
- Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
- By: Peter Thiel, Blake Masters
- Narrated by: Blake Masters
- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.
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Seems Insightful Until You Think A Little Deeper
- By Mark Brandon on 10-31-14
By: Peter Thiel, and others
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Dominion
- How the Christian Revolution Remade the World
- By: Tom Holland
- Narrated by: Tom Holland, Mark Meadows
- Length: 22 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion - an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus - was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history.
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Only the forward is narrated by Holland.
- By Honora on 06-16-20
By: Tom Holland
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Tribe
- On Homecoming and Belonging
- By: Sebastian Junger
- Narrated by: Sebastian Junger
- Length: 2 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians - but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life.
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The most profound book on the subject
- By joseph on 05-26-16
By: Sebastian Junger
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A History of Western Philosophy
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 38 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Considered to be one of the most important philosophical works of all time, the History of Western Philosophy is a dazzlingly unique exploration of the ideologies of significant philosophers throughout the ages - from Plato and Aristotle through to Spinoza, Kant and the 20th century. Written by a man who changed the history of philosophy himself, this is an account that has never been rivaled since its first publication over 60 years ago.
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Russell's Philosophy, Some History Included
- By Donald on 06-19-21
By: Bertrand Russell
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Sapiens
- A Brief History of Humankind
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
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Should be required reading
- By Blue Zion on 12-22-18
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Tribe of Mentors
- Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
- By: Tim Ferriss
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith, Ray Porter, Tim Ferriss, and others
- Length: 18 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Tim Ferriss, the number-one New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, shares the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure book - a compilation of tools, tactics, and habits from 130+ of the world's top performers. From iconic entrepreneurs to elite athletes, from artists to billionaire investors, their short profiles can help you answer life's most challenging questions, achieve extraordinary results, and transform your life.
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Maybe not a good format for an audio-book version
- By M. Arthur Cré on 06-13-20
By: Tim Ferriss
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Flow
- The Psychology of Optimal Experience
- By: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. In this new edition of his groundbreaking classic work, Csikszentmihalyi demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance.
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Wisdom
- By Dimples400 on 04-17-25
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Poor Charlie’s Almanack
- The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger
- By: Charles T. Munger
- Narrated by: Grover Gardener
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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"Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up," Charles T. Munger advises in Poor Charlie’s Almanack. Originally published in 2005, this compendium of 11 talks, delivered by the legendary Berkshire Hathaway vice-chairman between 1986 and 2007, has become a touchstone for a generation of investors and entrepreneurs seeking to absorb the enduring wit and wisdom of one of the great minds of the 20th and 21st centuries.
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Wisdom from grandpa Charlie
- By J R Cavanaugh on 08-18-24
What listeners say about What's Our Problem?
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- Anonymous User
- 02-22-23
First!
This is great! I really love the representative descriptions of larger concepts so they can creatively interact. It’s an honor to be the first Audible review for what I’m sure will be recognized as an intellectually stimulating work. Cheers Tim, love thinking with ya
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8 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 08-21-23
A centrist manifesto in a world of extremism
I loved the thoughtful, thorough and balanced approach Tim took with the book (as he always does with all his blogs and scribbles). While the current societal/political challenges are unsettling and our fate as a society far from certain, what could give us a better chance to come through dark periods like this than research communicated in a straightforward voice (and drawings to match) like that of Tim?
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1 person found this helpful
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- Justin
- 04-12-23
Eye-opening
The way Tim articulates the reasons that our society is circling the drain. Its funny seeing the one and two starts on here. If that's you, you might be part of the problem that Tim's talking about.
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- Hugo
- 05-05-23
Great book about the zeitgeist
The book is read by the author and is accompanied with a PDF containing illustrations from the author as well which makes it helpful to comprehend some concepts and ideas. Highly recommended!
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- Joan
- 04-20-23
Our society needs this book
Best read of the last few years. I hope as many people as possible read this
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- Anonymous User
- 05-05-23
Incisive insight in a digestible format
Incisive insight in a digestible format. this book is a must read for anybody who wants to be honest in the way they conduct themselves and help reduce the growing gaps between political parties
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- Thomas Maufer
- 08-08-23
this was a thoughtful analysis of a hard topic
I'm a long-time fan of Tim's well-thought-out, in-depth writing style. He almost always teaches me something, which was also true here, with this lengthy work of nonfiction.
I think the narrative may have been too long, but I almost hesitate to say that because some of the more difficult aspects of the book needed considerable care and detail in order to make their points. I would love it if he could supervise the production of a condensed version of this, because I think that its length might be a barrier to other readers. I think he said it was in the order of 120,000 words. Wow!
I think that more people need the opportunity to consider these issues in a thoughtful way, not in a rage state of mind.
One comment I have is that his use of unfamiliar labels (like golem) challenged my flow to try to remember how those concepts were relevant in a given sentence. I understand that he needed shorthand, but at least in my case it formed a bit of a barrier to understanding.
It must have been difficult to write about the topics in this book, navigating a minefield of triggers. I know that this must have added length, to bring out topics with enough care to avoid persistently triggering people every few pages (or paragraphs). Overall, in my opinion, Tim's points were well considered and well made.
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- DVS
- 01-03-24
Well reasoned and researched
The initial portion of the book establishes a framework for understanding human beings on multiple levels which are indisputable. This is followed by evidence of the status quo which is rather sad. This book will be read widely by both sides, and may begin a return to our sensibilities.
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- Shawn G.
- 03-04-24
Thank You
Very illuminating. Thank you for writing it. I would love to see a physical book released.
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- Jenn Villalobos
- 11-12-24
Tim narrating?
My commutr companion between Sathorn and Ekkamai here I. Bangkok..I laughed, sighed, mehed my way through this book! highly recommend to listen to it if you want your tiny neurones to go into sinapsis overdrive! Listening from Asia the story of us políticas is mirror to the golems taking over the world
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