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  • What's Our Problem?

  • A Self-Help Book for Societies
  • Written by: Tim Urban
  • Narrated by: Tim Urban
  • Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (40 ratings)

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What's Our Problem?

Written by: Tim Urban
Narrated by: Tim Urban
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Publisher's Summary

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 Urban

What listeners say about What's Our Problem?

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  • fdt
  • 2023-09-02

Essential Reading/Listening

The most accurate and measured account of today's societal problems I have come across. Brilliant

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Beautifully explained

Fantastic job with the story of king moustache, a great way to explain the point using a simple fairy tale. Everyone should listen to this at least once.

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  • M B
  • 2023-05-22

Should be required listening for students

a great guide for how to approach debate in a productive and mature manner. Concepts explained clearly. highly recommended

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Insightful and thought provoking

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was thought provoking, insightful, and well written. I recommend!

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Thanks Tim

Why we’re effed for dummies. A much needed weapon tool in the golem slayer’s toolkit.

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An important take on important issues

Taking complex ideas and distilling them into simple straightforward and entertaining pieces is what Tim does best. I thoroughly enjoyed this book (as well as him reading it) and it has given me a framework in which to approach difficult and nuanced ideas centered around current and future political landscapes

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Enjoyable and important

Solid and timely advocacy for rational thought and open conversation. Useful mental model. The mass of cited evidence gets a little heavy to listen to but makes a strong case that vigilance and courage is currently called for to keep our societies healthy and peaceful.

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I'm insisting that all my friends read this

So much in this book was a confirmation bias for me that I feel a need to search for an alternative point of view for balance. It is a very coherent and well structured piece.
Listening to all the examples, I realized that I had no idea how bad it got. The parallels between what is happening now and the Soviet Union as well as the third Reich are striking. It left me in a mild state of panic.

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Very interesting deep dive into WHY

Very worth taking the time to listen and try to understand what is happening around us.

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Started good then turned into biased lies

The basic premise of the primitive section of our brains taking over in response to rapid technological change is valid. However he’s a naïve fool or a propagandist when it comes to our institutions and frankly how the world works and how not just politicians can become corrupt and not just us working folk who can develop low level thinking. This guy has so many blind spots it’s insane. Too bad because, like I said, his basic theory is sound.

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