August 25, 2025
Unlocking Your Primal Intelligence & The Tug-of-War Between Competition and Cooperation
Something You Should KnowAbout this episode
Your phone’s battery is an engineering marvel — but you might be killing it without even realizing it. In this opening segment, you’ll learn simple, science-backed charging habits that can dramatically extend your battery’s life and keep it holding a charge for years to come. https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a15731/best-way-to-keep-li-ion-batteries-charged/ Have you heard of “primal intelligence”? It’s essentially the opposite of artificial intelligence — the innate, deeply human abilities we’re all born with but often lose touch with over time. U.S. Army Special Operations has been studying it, along with my guest, Angus Fletcher. He’s a professor of story science at Ohio State's Project Narrative and was awarded the U.S. Army Commendation Medal in 2023 for his groundbreaking research into primal intelligence. In this fascinating conversation, Angus shares how we can reclaim and strengthen this natural gift to solve problems, adapt faster, and think more creatively. He’s the author of Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter Than You Know (https://amzn.to/3HvfeMi). Humans are wired to both compete and cooperate. While we evolved to survive in groups, we have our own self-interests and desires. So how do we strike the right balance between cooperation and competition? Jonathan Goodman, social scientist at the University of Cambridge, unpacks this age-old tension — revealing how it shapes our relationships, workplaces, and even our evolution. He’s the author of Invisible Rivals: How We Evolved to Compete in a Cooperative World (https://amzn.to/45QBrh1), and his insights might change how you see human nature itself. The number of overweight pets in the U.S. continues to escalate. Well over half of the dogs and cats in this country are overweight or obese. Listen as I reveal the cause, the cure and the way to prevent this epidemic. https://www.petobesityprevention.org/2023# PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! SHOPIFY: Shopify is the commerce platform for millions of businesses around the world! To start selling today, sign up for your $1 per month trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! QUINCE: Keep it classic and cool with long lasting staples from Quince ! Go to https://Quince.com/sysk for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! HERS: Whether you want to lose weight, grow thicker, fuller hair, or find relief for anxiety, Hers has you covered. Visit https://forhers.com/something to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices