
J.K. Rowling & The Cost of Speaking Freely - Warren Smith - #1005
Modern Wisdom
10/11/25
•75m
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Warren Smith is a filmmaker, educator, and host of the “Secret Scholar Society” YouTube channel.
If freedom of speech can be shouted down, does it really exist? When every debate turns into partisan noise, what does honest discourse even look like? If we can’t talk about our problems without resorting to anger or violence, how can we ever solve them?
Expect to learn why J.K. Rowling has become such a lightning rod for cultural backlash and why she’s back in the news, why limiting conversation only makes problems worse, whether free speech can truly exist if it can be shouted down, whether young people’s growing support for political violence stems from conviction or desensitization, the fine line between correct and incorrect behavior, what William thinks about today’s rising tribalism, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Why is JK Rowling Back in the News? (7:57) Hardship Shapes Who You Are (11:53) Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words? (15:48) Should We Be Worried About Violence Escalating? (23:37) Are the Left More Violent Than the Right? (29:51) Free Speech is Under Attack (40:04) Why Are Young People Supporting Political Violence? (46:23) Violent Media is Shaping Violence Tolerance (51:56) When Does Behaviour Cross the Line? (01:01:37) Ego is Driving a Loss of Humanity (01:09:03) Warren’s View on Communication in the Future
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#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins
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#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman
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Previous Episode

Inside DOGE, The IRS & How to Scam the US Government - Sam Corcos - #1004
October 9, 2025
•175m
Sam Corcos is an entrepreneur, CEO of Levels, and a special advisor to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
What’s really happening inside the U.S. government? For the first time, a DOGE insider exposes the chaos, corruption, and dysfunction plaguing Washington. How did America’s most powerful system lose its way, and can we climb out of this financial and technological free fall?
Expect to learn what is currently happening inside DOGE, why Sam decided to step into a political position, Sam’s biggest misconceptions he had about the government before he went inside, how the government actually operates internally, why it’s so hard to make change in the government, how to scam the US government, how to solve the government contract problem, how the IT in the government got so dysfunctional and how we might get out of this, what the IRS actually does and if tax collection is actually viable to help the debt problem, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Becoming Chief Information Officer of the Treasury Department
(6:22) The Politics of Working in Politics
(11:19) What It’s Really Like Working for the US Government
(25:05) How Do You Change the System?
(37:46) What Has Sam Sacrificed for the Government?
(43:51) The Procurement Process is Broken
(53:47) How Much Money Does the Government Really Spend?
(01:01:28) Why is Finding Engineers Proving Difficult?
(01:10:56) Are Young People Favoured for Government Jobs?
(01:15:54) US Media is Fuelling Federal Mistrust
(01:25:55) DOGE is More Than a Meme
(01:30:04) How Does DOGE Save Money?
(01:38:05) Why Spending Cuts are So Important
(01:43:02) Modernisation Isn’t the Answer
(01:48:55) Is Data Security at Risk?
(01:55:09) The Reduction in Force Process is Brutal
(02:00:58) What Sam Would Go Back and Change About DOGE
(02:10:06) What Does the IRS Actually Do?
(02:16:32) How are Tax Policies Really Enforced?
(02:25:52) People are at the Core of DOGE
(02:35:26) How Long Will It Take to Fix IT Systems?
(02:42:14) What Have Been the Biggest Changes in Sam’s Work?
(02:52:32) How Will Systematic Changes Stick?
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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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Next Episode

Life After Olympia: Fatherhood, TRT & Finding Purpose - Chris Bumstead - #1006
October 13, 2025
•120m
Chris Bumstead is a professional bodybuilder, 6x Mr. Olympia Classic Physique title holder, and a business owner.
From 6× Mr. Olympia to full-time business owner and stay-at-home dad, it’s safe to say Chris Bumstead’s been enjoying retired life. So what’s he been up to this past year, what’s changed most for him, and what’s he looking forward to next?
Expect to learn how retirement is going for Cbum, if Cbum would have retired last year even if he didn’t win, how Chris learned to sit and process his emotions, if Cbum regrets retirement and if he misses the competing yet, how Chris plans on leveling up for baby Bumstead number two, he hardest part of losing that “Mr. Olympia structure” in daily life, if Chris ever plans on returning the stage again, and much more...
Timestamps:
(0:00) Life After Olympia
(6:58) The Addiction to Progress
(11:25) What Makes Retirement Difficult?
(15:27) It’s All About Rise, Not the Result
(22:01) What If Chris Hadn’t Won?
(28:57) Choosing Which Path to Follow
(34:30) How Retirement Has Impacted Motivation
(43:41) How to Work Through a Loss of Direction
(47:16) Where Does Chris Find Self-Worth?
(55:54) Deciding How to Step Away on Your Own Terms
(01:04:39) Unteachable Lessons You Have to Experience First-Hand
(01:13:04) How to Hold Onto the Olympia Physique
(01:25:01) Chris on Being a Good Dad
(01:34:02) Why Do Grooms Cry at Weddings?
(01:44:17) Don’t Let the Voice in Your Head Win
(01:52:02) Don’t Let Expectation Control Your True Self
Sponsors:
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom
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 up to $350 off the Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.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:
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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