How Did The Modern World Get So Ugly? - Sheehan Quirke - #1022
Modern Wisdom
11/20/25
•115m
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Sheehan Quirke is a British writer and online educator, known as The Cultural Tutor for creating accessible posts on art, history, and literature.
Why does modern life feel so devoid of beauty? For decades, efficiency has beaten out elegance. Cheap has replaced meaningful. When did we stop creating things built to last and meant to move us, and what would it take to return?
Expect to learn why contemplation is a luxury, or a necessity for sanity in the modern age, why we lost when architecture became more functional than beautiful, if Is there such a thing as objective beauty in architecture or if it’s purely cultural and subjective, which city or structure best captures the balance between progress and timelessness, if sterile architecture is one of the reasons the students of today are so bored and uninspired, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Why the World Desperately Needs More Charm (14:26) The Surprising Origins of Sheehan's Cultural Education (27:58) Is the Mona Lisa Actually Boring? (34:50) Why Liberals Shouldn't Ignore Traditional Architecture (54:07) Is Consumerism Quietly Killing Beauty? (58:19) Which is the Most Beautiful Place on Earth? (01:06:31) Why Modern Life Makes Romance Feel So Hard (01:22:02) How Does Online Content Shape Us? (01:32:21) Is Poetry Too Hard to Understand? (01:45:43) What Would You Be Willing to Die For? (01:49:08) Sheehan’s Vital Cultural Lesson (01:54:17) Where to Find Sheehan 01:54:17 Where to Find Sheehan
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Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
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Previous Episode
The Performative Male Epidemic - Louise Perry & Mary Harrington - #1021
November 17, 2025
•134m
Louise Perry is a writer, Press Officer for the campaign group We Can’t Consent To This and an author.
Mary Harrington is a writer, columnist and author.
Why are young people having less sex than ever? Has something in our evolution shifted, or has modern life become so confusing that we can’t even tell what we’re attracted to anymore? What’s really happening to relationships today, and is there anything we can do to fix it?
Timestamps:
(0:00) Could Taylor Swift’s Engagement Shift the Declining Birth Rate? (14:06) Are We Underestimating the Power of ‘the Auntie’? (22:44) The Rise of the Labubu Man (32:37) Do Women Prefer Labubu Men or Himbos? (49:18) Will the English Flag Start a Culture War? (01:01:30) Is Lifestyle BDSM Just Princess Treatment in Disguise? (01:13:20) What Does It Take to Form Good Men? (01:23:19) How #MeToo Changed the Way Men Approach Women (01:40:14) How Can Men Walk the Line Between Masculine and Feminine Energy? (01:46:04) Did #MeToo Kill Schlub Feminism? (01:54:31) Do Women Really Want a Shredded Man? (02:03:38) Are Progressive Women Turning to the Right? (02:13:23) Where to Find Louise and Mary
Sponsors:
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🚀 Live until Tuesday, 18th Nov
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
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Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
Get $100 off the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
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Get In Touch:
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Next Episode
The Trades You Make to Live Your Dreams - I Prevail - #1023
November 22, 2025
•163m
Eric Vanlerberghe is a vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of the band I Prevail.
Gabe Helguera is a drummer, and co-founder of Drum Beats Online (DBO), and a member of the band I Prevail
From the outside, the life of a heavy-metal band seems larger-than-life. But behind the scenes, the truth is far more raw. Eric and Gabe of I Prevail share what touring is really like and how the metal/rock scene is shifting right now.
Expect to learn what’s happening with the rock & metal scene is music right now, what the process of writing records which deal with deeply emotional personal topics as a group is, the biggest misconceptions about being a “heavy” band in 2025, how worried the guys are about the future of streaming and AI music, what life is actually like on the road for a touring successful band, whats next for I Prevail and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) The Comeback: Why Rock & Metal are Rising from the Ashes (11:14) Why Does Metal Resonate So Deeply? (19:35) Turning Chaos into Connection: How Bands Tell Personal Stories Together (27:41) Are AI Music Artists Taking Over? (47:56) Why the Creative Process Feels So Freeing (59:56) Why We Turn to Music When Life Gets Overwhelming (01:07:50) The Hidden Costs of Success (01:26:08) Coping with the Guilt of Living Your Dreams (01:35:18) How to Stay Grounded When Your Identity Keeps Shifting (01:41:00) What Goes into Crafting an Unforgettable Live Show? (01:52:50) How Can Perfectionism Hurt You? (02:03:35) Does Obsession Destroy the Variety in Life? (02:12:50) Why Relationships are What Really Matters (02:29:07) How to Keep Morale High When Tour Life Gets Tough (02:41:49) Where to Find I Prevail
Sponsors:
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
Get $100 off the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom
Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
-
Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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