Mostly Wise #1 - Matt McCusker, Andrew Huberman & Tom Segura
In a Nutshell
Tadalafil at low daily doses (2.5-5mg) offers prostate health and systemic blood flow benefits, including potential androgen receptor upregulation, while being inexpensive as a generic. The conversation covers weight loss strategies including GLP-1 drugs and fasting, comedians transitioning to acting, solo podcasting dynamics, and the impact of cameras on modern crime and public behavior. Additional topics include AI-generated content ethics, sleep optimization post-performance, parenting personality differences in children, and the balance of beneficial sunlight wavelengths versus UV protection.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Tadalafil (generic Cialis) was originally developed as a prostate health drug. At low doses of 2.5 to 5 milligrams per day, it improves blood flow to the prostate. Mike Eisenberg, chair of male sexual health and neurology at Stanford, stated that pretty much every male over 40 should take 2.5 to 5 milligrams daily. The medication also causes vasodilation in the brain, supporting healthy blood flow.
At these low doses, tadalafil improves erectile strength without requiring high dosages used for erectile dysfunction. The drug works through vasodilation, expanding blood vessels throughout the body.
Some individuals take 5 to 6 milligrams in the morning daily. The 5-6 milligram dose is intended for prostate health benefits. Higher doses of 25 to 50 milligrams create massive blood flow effects and can lower blood pressure slightly due to widespread vasodilation.
The medication is now generic with the patent expired, making it very inexpensive. There is speculation that discussing prostate health benefits provides a more comfortable way for men to obtain prescriptions without directly addressing erectile dysfunction.
Viagra was originally developed for angina and heart-related conditions. During clinical trials, participants refused to return the medication when the study ended. Nurses observed that male participants were sitting cross-legged to conceal erections, revealing the unexpected side effect that led to its development as an erectile dysfunction treatment.
Tadalafil upregulates either sensitivity or number of androgen receptors, allowing the body to respond more effectively to circulating testosterone. Professional athletes sometimes take low doses before games for increased blood flow benefits. The medication can make users appear slightly ruddy or flushed due to systemic vasodilation. Low doses can also lower blood pressure slightly.
Matt McCusker wakes at 6:30 AM daily. Every other day he takes his kids to school, then goes to the gym for an hour. He works out almost every day and is focused on losing weight gained from two to two and a half years of poor eating habits.
Tom Segura tried GLP-1 medications in 2022 after already losing the majority of his weight. He hit a plateau around 211-213 pounds and wanted to reach 200. After taking the medication for a month without eating, he lost 12 pounds but discontinued because he was not eating at all. He regained 10-12 pounds afterward.
A five-day water fast jumpstarted further weight loss. During a film production where he was in nearly every scene, Segura ate minimally (fruit and egg whites for breakfast, light lunch) and lost 25 pounds from the demanding schedule alone. He regained about 10 pounds afterward and currently weighs around 190 pounds through consistent morning workouts four days per week and improved food attention.
Comedians who succeed at acting typically possess dramatic capacity and emotional depth. Jim Carrey and Robin Williams exemplified this combination of comedic talent with underlying darkness and sadness that translates to dramatic roles. Not all comedians can act effectively, and success appears unpredictable until attempted.
Acting differs fundamentally from stand-up because performers receive no immediate audience feedback. When a director says "cut," experienced actors do not seek approval, while comedians accustomed to laughter often ask what the director thinks. Some comedians receive standing ovations from crew after scenes, highlighting the absence of feedback most experience.
Stories exist of actors remaining in character throughout entire productions. Tom Cruise reportedly stayed in character during filming of The Outsiders. Daniel Day-Lewis is known for this approach. At a 2017 West Hollywood art show, Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) appeared fully in character with makeup and costume, approaching other attendees while staying in character.
McCusker's acting method involves drinking substantial Dunkin' Donuts coffee and continuously monitoring his facial expressions throughout performances. He describes himself as deadpan and questions whether his face appears expressive enough during scenes.
Patient HM, who had hippocampal damage preventing new memory formation, would laugh at jokes but show slightly diminished response upon repeated telling, despite having no conscious recollection of hearing them before. This suggests unconscious processing of humor.
Comedy differs from other art forms because repeated exposure to unfunny material makes it worse rather than better. Unlike visual art or music, where explanation of technique can increase appreciation, comedy elicits involuntary reactions that are difficult to change through persuasion.
Greatness in comedy is considered objective rather than purely subjective. Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Eddie Murphy represent undeniable excellence that cannot reasonably be dismissed. Music shares this quality where exceptional work is difficult to deny regardless of genre preference.
Comedians use eye contact and facial expressions, particularly showing the whites of their eyes, to punctuate jokes and engage audiences. Physical comedy is polarizing, with some spectators finding it off-putting while others enjoy it.
Comedians bring audiences to an edge of anticipation where they are primed to laugh, then release them with punchlines. Some audience members require different approaches to reach this state. In clubs, performers sometimes witness acts that are extremely successful with audiences while remaining completely unengaging to fellow comedians, creating a dissociative experience.
Tim Dillon's "I am your mother" bit created such a strong association that McCusker now begins laughing upon seeing Dillon perform, anticipating humor before any joke is delivered. Dillon's podcast rants are described as among the most compelling in comedy.
Podcasting became prominent in comedy around 2009-2010 when performers began sitting alone for an hour and making it interesting and funny. One attempt at solo podcasting ended poorly, creating a sense of having a conversation with oneself. Notes can help structure thoughts, though simply pretending to have a conversation with oneself remains difficult because it often doesn't make sense. Talking to oneself occurs frequently, but selling that content proves tough.
Alex Jones is described as the original level of solo broadcasting, capable of talking for three hours a day. This style built off Rush Limbaugh but incorporated conspiracy elements. Jones fed himself misinformation rather than being fed it externally. The Onion now owns InfoWars, which is considered the most Onion-like outcome possible. Their first video featured an impression of Jones drinking the blood of Christ portrayed as red wine available at the InfoWars store.
Alex Jones owes approximately 1.5 billion dollars from the Sandy Hook settlement. Things around Jones quickly become real because someone on his team was shot and killed in Austin. Jones discusses school shootings and murders, and events tend to run into reality quickly with poor boundaries. The discussion acknowledges the Newton Sandy Hook settlement without wanting to engage further with the lawsuit details.
The Eight Sleep Pod 5 features a smart cover that actively cools or heats each side of the bed up to 20 degrees. It includes the world's first temperature regulating duvet and pillowcase for 360 degree coverage. The autopilot feature learns sleep patterns and makes real-time adjustments, including detecting snoring and lifting the head to improve breathing. Eight Sleep has been clinically proven to add up to one hour of quality sleep per night. A 30-day sleep trial is offered with international shipping available. Up to 350 dollars off the Pod 5 is available using the code modernwisdom at eight.com/modernwisdom.
Chris participated in Love Island 11 years ago as the hottie among British participants. The experience resembled Navy Seal Hell Week for reality TV because participants could not leave the villa, had no phone or internet access, and were locked in with hot women. Cameras were hidden throughout using plants with CCTV capabilities and large sports TV-style cameras positioned across the room. Producers actively poked storylines, encouraging participants to have conversations like asking someone on a date by the fire pit on the same day rather than waiting weeks.
Camera operators and drivers changed the time on car radios and watches to prevent participants from knowing the actual time. This was done to control sleep and wake patterns. The first night, everyone stayed up until 2 or 3 AM, but were told the next morning they had only slept for 3.5 hours and needed to return to bed. Half as many beds existed as participants, requiring everyone to sleep with a girl each night.
Data shows that within limits, seeing a great sleep score leads to better cognitive and physical performance the next day even if actual sleep quality was poor. The reverse is also true where seeing a lousy sleep score despite great actual sleep causes cognitive and physical performance to decline. The optimal approach involves checking sleep scores against subjective feelings by writing down how one feels upon waking and comparing scores to actual feelings every four or five days rather than letting a single score dictate the day's outlook.
Chris was only on Love Island for 20 days. Huberman notes he has fallen in love many times in 20 minutes and sometimes in one day, clarifying that one instance was not actually love.
The fuck maxing movement, popularized by Mark Andreessen, involves not thinking about things at all and simply doing what needs to be done while ignoring things that bother you. Andreessen appeared on the David Senra podcast and stated that great men of history did not sit around thinking about their thoughts or introspecting, arguing that more action and less introspection is needed. Dana White similarly expressed that he is not a fan of men talking about their emotional challenges publicly, advocating instead to get up, go to war, and make money for one's family.
The discussion acknowledges that men's mental health is critical with rising suicide rates, but getting into action rather than ruminating online about problems is beneficial. Too much therapy and excessive introspection without action can be problematic. The point is not to sit and say this is how one feels without doing anything about it. People who accomplish great things often have rough edges, as exemplified by Steve Jobs who was known for yelling at people and driving fast.
Historically, big personalities with rough edges were celebrated for their accomplishments before phone cameras existed. Now there is movement toward requiring people to be perfect in every dimension. Mark Andreessen rates highly on disagreeableness and conscientiousness, traits common among great CEOs who tend to be high friction people. Many high achievers throughout history have been considered terrible people by some accounts. There is significant hatred of billionaires currently.
Cameras have changed expectations about how rumor matches reality. The Diddy situation raised the threshold for what people need to see as evidence because no video of the expected parties emerged, though video of him beating a woman did surface. The Coldplay concert incident where a couple was caught cheating on the jumbotron demonstrated complete human drama playing out in real time from delight to shock and shame. Real video evidence has set a higher threshold where people now demand to see actual data rather than accepting written claims about someone's character.
When people claim billionaires are terrible people, the response should be to ask for evidence of them being terrible rather than accepting chatter. The guy caught squeezing breasts over the shirt at the Coldplay concert was the boss and the woman was HR, representing the most forbidden workplace relationship dynamic. Emailing oneself about requiring evidence is suggested as a practice.
Modern culture has raised thresholds for what people consider edgy or extreme, similar to how eating highly flavorful processed food raises tolerance for sweet and salty tastes. There's an emotional recalibration needed as society has normalized so much content.
Hating successful people simply because they achieved success has become common in society. The "eat the rich" mentality often focuses on punishment rather than helping the poor. The taglines emphasize targeting wealthy individuals rather than supporting those in need.
Many people criticize billionaires while continuing to use their products and services, revealing inconsistency in their stated hatred. Examples include putting "anti-Elon" bumper stickers on Teslas while still driving them, or refusing to sell vehicles they claim to dislike.
Tom Segura discussed his appreciation for Porsches, particularly his GT4, which remains his favorite despite not being the most expensive or powerful car he owns. The conversation emphasized that the thrill of driving often comes from the experience and feel rather than maximum performance or specifications.
People are creating AI chatbots trained on text messages, photos, and memories from past relationships to simulate continued interaction with ex-partners. Users load previous conversations and train the AI to replicate the person's speech patterns, inside jokes, and memories.
One user described training the AI to be more like their ex and using it to satisfy emotional needs and prevent reaching out to the actual person. The discussion highlighted concerns about whether this represents healthy coping or creates a form of purgatory that prevents moving on.
Questions arose about ownership of likeness over text messages and whether someone can privately create AI versions of others. The AI responses included phrases like "I love being your little spoon" that mirrored actual past conversations.
The prevalence of cameras including Ring doorbells may explain the decline in traditional serial killers, as perpetrators are caught much faster. Modern criminals often commit mass shootings instead due to the difficulty of avoiding detection over extended periods.
Cameras are everywhere in America, potentially exceeding numbers in China when including private security systems. Crime shows demonstrate how quickly suspects are identified through toll cameras, Ring footage, and other technology.
The conversation covered the Wade Wilson case featured on Netflix's "Worst Ex Ever." Wilson was simultaneously involved with four or five women. After killing one partner, he picked up a woman walking after dropping her kids at school, locked her in his car, strangled her, and left her in a field before continuing his spree.
Unlike historical killers like BTK and Bundy who could evade capture for years by moving states, modern perpetrators are caught within days or weeks due to technology and communication systems.
Tom Segura shared his experience dating multiple women simultaneously through online platforms. After initially being honest about seeing other people, which led to negative reactions, he stopped disclosing this information. The relationships remained casual and fluid, though he noted the web of connections became increasingly complicated.
A video showed a gas station awning collapsing, with a man outside immediately positioning himself underneath the wreckage to stage an injury for a settlement. The group discussed this as an example of exploiting liability systems for financial gain.
Falling represents a billion-dollar industry in America through personal injury claims and settlements. Gravity is described as "free," with the opportunity to monetize falls representing a significant life hack that few people exploit.
Russell Peters' brother Clayton slipped and fell at the CBS lot in LA after rain. CBS staff immediately offered to hire orthopedic surgeons, call lawyers, and compensate him, revealing how terrified companies are of liability claims. As a Canadian, he declined all offers.
Waymo vehicles have interior and exterior cameras that record all conversations. One incident involved a family with children sitting on laps during a short neighborhood trip, triggering an immediate call from Waymo questioning the children's ages and presence.
Touching any controls in a Waymo triggers flashing warnings and the car pulling over. A remote operator then questions the passenger, and repeated violations can result in account removal. The system does not allow passengers to assist with cleaning or operating any functions.
Uber drivers frequently engage in extended conversations. One driver from Austin immediately launched into a JFK assassination conspiracy theory involving the CIA after learning the passenger was from Austin, claiming it was a 12-man operation.
Otherwise rational people increasingly believe conspiracy theories, including claims that the Challenger explosion was staged. NASA Instagram posts receive thousands of comments accusing images of being fake or AI-generated.
The moon landing remains a topic of debate, with questions about whether political pressure to beat Russia could have led to fabrication. Some suggest Elon Musk's silence on the topic, given his rocket expertise, might indicate his position if he believed it was staged.
The group discussed Jeffrey Epstein's death, noting he changed his will days before passing everything to his brother. A suicide note was written by his cellmate, an ex-cop serving four life sentences. Guards were reportedly absent, and someone was seen going up the stairs.
The hyoid bone fracture was more consistent with homicide than suicide according to some forensic pathologists, based on the force required. Epstein's narcissism was cited as inconsistent with suicide. The conversation concluded with agnosticism about what actually happened.
Government workers involved in intelligence operations describe the government as inefficient even at high levels, making large-scale clandestine operations difficult to execute and keep secret. Small groups might attempt countercurrent activities, but maintaining secrecy proves challenging due to human nature.
The Epstein files were notable for containing real-time email correspondence rather than secondhand accounts or depositions, providing direct insight into connections across political lines, academia, and various organizations. Tools like Jmail have been created to visualize these conversations and plot interaction frequencies between Epstein and various individuals over time.
Al Seckle, a visual illusions researcher with questionable data quality, married Ghislaine Maxwell's sister. He was involved in efforts to minimize Epstein's sex offender status in media coverage following his initial conviction. Seckle was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in France around 2015, with the French government declining to comment on the cause of death.
The July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania received minimal sustained coverage, with investigation details quickly disappearing from public discourse. The shooter's name was Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old whose motive was officially stated as intending to kill the president, with no established co-conspirators or clear additional motive. The investigation was reportedly concluded rapidly without extensive follow-up on the perpetrator's background or connections.
Claims circulated about a flag being lowered during the moment Trump was helped up for photographs, though this remains unverified. Search interest in the Epstein files reportedly declined sharply as news coverage shifted to Iran developments.
The Secret Service was originally established in 1865 to combat currency counterfeiting, not presidential protection. They continue handling counterfeiting cases, particularly large-scale operations that could impact the broader economy. Counterfeit bills are sometimes used in drug transactions because victims cannot easily report the crime to authorities.
Secret Service agents describe their work as apolitical, functioning like military personnel who execute orders regardless of personal political affiliation. Agents rotate through different assignments and locations.
High school students attempting to produce counterfeit currency using basic methods like crayons have faced Secret Service investigations. A documented case involved college students in the early 1990s running a fake ID operation from their dorm in a college town, which was eventually shut down through an FBI sting operation after someone was pulled over with a fake ID.
Providing fake identification to law enforcement constitutes falsifying documents and carries significant legal consequences. Parents providing alcohol to minors also face liability if those minors subsequently cause accidents or harm.
Drunk driving deaths have decreased, partly attributed to rideshare services like Uber. Cannabis consumption, particularly through edibles and beverages, has increased among younger populations. While some individuals can use cannabis without issue, others with predispositions to psychosis or bipolar disorder may experience permanent psychotic episodes triggered by cannabis use.
Cannabis legalization was initially associated with left-leaning politics, but the Trump administration has pursued efforts to legalize certain psychedelics like ibogaine for therapeutic purposes. Media coverage of cannabis has shifted depending on political alignment, suggesting positions are driven by political expediency rather than consistent principles.
Coffee houses in 17th-18th century Britain replaced all-day ale consumption with caffeine, leading to increased productivity. Unlike alcohol, cannabis does not cause overdose deaths, though impairment can lead to accidents. Caffeine can potentially increase irritability, but does not produce the same level of aggression or domestic violence associated with alcohol intoxication.
In the 1980s, children commonly rode in station wagons without seatbelts in the rear cargo area. Families often viewed seatbelt use as unnecessary or a sign of weakness. Modern attitudes toward child safety have shifted significantly.
Jocko Willink maintains consistency between his online persona and real-life demeanor, appearing as an intense, high-energy individual even in extended personal interactions.
Criticism was expressed toward adults who constantly reminisce about how much better previous decades were, noting that such commentary is likely annoying to current teenagers who must hear about how superior past generations had it.
When thinking about golden era America, the image of a massive industrial factory flying both an American flag and a Texas flag big enough to cover a small house evokes strong positive feelings. This immediately triggers associations with Limp Bizkit, WWF, the Stone Cold Stunner, and Transformers.
Technically a millennial, the speaker affirms that the 90s was an awesome decade without dismissing current generations. The era featured genuinely cool elements at the lower end, including indie music and indie movies where people created and consumed interesting work for not much money. Access to information and supplements like creatine was difficult compared to today.
Cocaine was sometimes cut with creatine as a bulking agent when selling. The reverse scenario of buying creatine cut with cocaine would represent an unexpected bonus.
Housing costs were lower in previous decades, but lifestyles remained stratified with a significant gap between rich and famous versus everyone else. The perception that everything was better ignores these persistent inequalities.
The 70s excelled in music and film, while the 80s produced mostly trash movies by comparison. The 90s delivered superior entertainment quality overall, with music and media that remains easy to rewatch. Entertainment output varies significantly decade to decade.
Nostalgia for the 90s often stems from the specific music and cultural vibe experienced during that time rather than a belief that everything was objectively better. In twenty years, people will likely look back at 2026 as a golden era, as each generation romanticizes its formative period.
Future generations will view the present era nostalgically. The speakers acknowledge they will be old or dead by the time this perspective shift occurs.
Before smartphones, idle moments naturally led to daydreaming. Now, any pause immediately triggers reaching for a phone. This constant access makes it easy to numb out or get pulled into other people's drama online.
Visualizing a narrow path with drama on one side and numbing out on the other side helps maintain focus on productive activities. Algorithms exploit personal interests by serving fight videos, cute content, or whatever engages the individual user most effectively.
Hotel televisions have become decorative ornaments. Years ago, turning on the TV upon arrival was standard practice, but now phones serve as the primary entertainment source in hundreds of hotel stays annually.
Isolation in hotel rooms after performances creates strong temptation for pornography use. The speaker feels a sense of accomplishment when avoiding it during weekend hotel stays. The transition away from pornography has been beneficial.
After performances, the adrenaline spike makes sleep difficult. The speaker previously used masturbation as a reliable method to fall asleep but has reduced this practice. The transition off pornography has improved readiness for intimate situations with a partner.
Being on stage creates high arousal through catecholamines including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These chemicals produce alertness, focus, and a desire for more of the experienced stimulus. Epinephrine creates bodily alertness while norepinephrine enhances focus on the pursued activity.
Evolution has wired circuits to ride the arousal peak and then crash through sexual activity. Orgasm transitions the body from high arousal sympathetic state to lower arousal parasympathetic state. Dopamine rises with sexual activity and testosterone increases in both men and women, then drops after orgasm while prolactin rises.
Prolactin elevation after orgasm creates the refractory period during which higher stimulus is needed to achieve arousal again. The Coolidge effect describes how introducing new partners can restart copulation cycles, observed in roosters and to some extent in humans.
The refractory period can be shortened by blunting the prolactin response using P5P, a form of vitamin B6. Prescription drugs like cabergoline also inhibit prolactin but are not recommended. Pornography allows dialing in higher thresholds without the work of maintaining relationships, creating particular challenges for younger unmarried men.
Comedians in their 20s and 30s represent peak pornography consumption years due to being alone in strange environments while dealing with post-performance arousal without romantic partners available.
Better options exist than barbiturates for post-performance wind-down. Behavioral approaches should come first: a hot shower paradoxically lowers core body temperature through compensatory cooling after heating the body's exterior. Deliberate long exhales activate the descending vagus nerve branch, triggering respiratory sinus arrhythmia that slows heart rate.
Magnesium combined with saffron and apigenin from chamomile extract supports sleep. The AG1 supplement combines these elements. Pinealon peptide taken three nights per week dramatically improves REM sleep when sourced from a reliable compounding pharmacy through an MD rather than online Chinese suppliers.
Growth hormone secretagogues like tesamorelin and sermorelin increase deep sleep but reduce REM sleep. Cannabis users experience almost no REM sleep, with intense dream rebound upon cessation. Not eating for two hours before bed supports deep sleep at the night's beginning.
Trazodone preserves sleep architecture but affects serotonin systems with potential side effects. Quviviq, a DORA class drug targeting hypocretin, improves REM sleep at significant cost around $30 per pill.
Melatonin was historically avoided due to concerns about testicular shrinkage observed in Siberian dwarf hamster studies. Occasional tiny doses of 300 micrograms may be acceptable, while typical 1-10 milligram doses represent excessive amounts. Melatonin helps regulate puberty timing, and excessive use in children may delay this process.
A 10-year-old son demonstrates extreme competitiveness in all activities including reading speed, cross country, and jiu-jitsu, reaching state finals in cross country. This competitive drive appears innate rather than learned. A younger son displays a comedian's personality, constantly complaining about furniture placement and cursing when corrected about language use. Both boys enjoy breaking things, requiring parents to relocate valuables to prevent damage.
Matt McCusker described teasing his kids when having people over for dinner by asking if they have girlfriends, knowing it bothers them. The 10-year-old responds with confusion and irritation, asking what kind of question that is at his age, while the 7-year-old responds more directly with profanity. His wife laughs at these interactions but doesn't provoke the kids as much as he does. The 10-year-old is described as his wife's twin, while the 7-year-old is essentially his duplicate in personality and reactions.
When watching movies, the 7-year-old reacts the same way Matt does to violent scenes, with his wife pointing out the similarity. Matt finds it easier to understand the child who resembles him but also gets more triggered by those same patterns being reflected back. He shared an example where the 7-year-old told him to bend down and pick up a poorly thrown ball because he has knees, which Matt found both funny and revealing.
The 10-year-old demonstrates early self-awareness, responding to being scolded by saying he's a kid and can be spoken to appropriately. This leaves Matt feeling guilty and recognizing the validity of the feedback. The kids don't have smartphones and there are no plans to give them phones anytime soon.
Matt noted how personality differences between his own children are striking, with the 10-year-old being more measured and the 7-year-old being more like him. Tom Segura shared that his three and six-year-old kids are also very different from each other. His oldest is more introverted and low-key like him, while the youngest is outgoing and social like her mom. At a daddy-daughter dinner with music playing, the youngest danced with friends all night while the oldest preferred to stay low-key.
Matt's kids correct him when he swears, telling him that's a bad word. The youngest has started throwing swear words back at him. Tom's kids won't say the word hate because they were taught it's a bad word from early school. Tom's youngest curses more than the older one. He shared an example where his wife told the kids to get their asses upstairs, and the three-year-old responded by telling the adults to get their asses upstairs, which Tom found impressive. The group distinguished between swearing in general versus swearing at someone, noting that saying fuck after banging your knee is fundamentally different from directing profanity at a person.
Matt observed that it feels like his kids are parenting him more than he's parenting them. He believes kids are smarter now than in previous generations. His three-year-old congratulates people when they have babies without being prompted. Tom noted that his three-year-old says congratulations to random people but doesn't say sorry. The group discussed how kids are becoming hyper-aware and able to observe the rules of social interactions rather than just being in them.
Matt tries to catch himself when he tells kids to do something without explanation, and when they provide a reasonable counterpoint, he acknowledges it and lets them proceed. He shared an emotional intelligence example where his 10-year-old told someone he loved his mom the most, then later came back to clarify that he loves his dad just as much but spends more time with his mom, not wanting his dad to feel unloved.
Andrew Huberman shared that as an only child, he was essentially socially isolated until university, where after two years he felt he had integrated with society. He doesn't know any only children who are normally adapted socially. Only children learn to integrate with adults in the family and then spend time alone. Huberman recalled not knowing he was supposed to knock on bedroom doors when he went to university at 18 because he'd never had to do so growing up.
Matt's 10-year-old giving him counseling advice about emotions struck the group as remarkable and unprompted. The conversation turned to whether kids are getting smarter overall, with Huberman suggesting that exposure to more movies, television, and different dialects might allow kids to construct novel language combinations they weren't able to access before.
Huberman discussed how kids can say words they've never heard before that are accurate to meaning and construct sentences in novel ways, pointing to fundamental units of language in the brain. Matt shared that his three-year-old unlocked a car door and declared herself an expert, using vocabulary he didn't know where she learned. The group agreed kids seem smarter now.
The conversation shifted to a 21-year-old college student in Austin making $43,000 running an AI-generated OnlyFans account using Claude, Flux, and 11 Labs. The AI version chats 24 hours a day, with top fans paying nearly $2,000 in messages and average revenue per fan at $34. There's no actual person being filmed. OnlyFans requires verification with ID, but this setup involves no camera and no real person.
The discussion moved to AI voice cloning, with Chris Williamson revealing that 11 Labs' go-to British voice is trained on him. People use this voice for product voiceovers he doesn't endorse. Williamson emailed 11 Labs a year ago about the unauthorized use, but they claimed a similarity test showed only 3% match when it needed to be above 65%. Huberman suggested Williamson may have legal grounds since voice is part of name, face, and likeness rights.
Williamson played a video essay about MH370 that uses the AI voice, and people in comments thought it was Williamson's secret second channel. The voice is being used for ads without permission. Williamson mentioned being contacted about legal options to address companies using his voice in advertisements.
The conversation turned to neck training, with Huberman recommending a four-way neck machine or a plate wrapped in a towel. He noted that excessive neck thickness can restrict breathing. Williamson referenced Alex Jones claiming that a thick enough neck produces DMT during sleep, allowing connection with interdimensional entities. Jones owes nearly a billion dollars. The group found the claim absurd.
Huberman explained clang associations in psychosis, where people associate the sound of words with meaning in non-reality-based ways. He gave the example of walnuts being considered good for the brain because they look like brains, calling this a visual clang association. This is distinct from pareidolia, where people see shapes in clouds. Some people take these associations into functional life in ways that don't square with reality.
Huberman noted that in psychedelic experiences with psilocybin and LSD, there may be genuine structure of the unconscious mind revealed rather than pure psychosis. He referenced the inventor of PCR who reportedly came to the idea during an LSD trip, though he also did significant hard science work. The transcript ends mid-sentence discussing how people make clang associations in health and wellness contexts.
Andrew Huberman discussed experimenting with various substances and concepts like DMT and neck size, expressing openness if there was any demonstrable benefit. He mentioned the medical community has dissected many human bodies over the years, so any real physiological basis would interest him. Huberman found the concept of chakras interesting as potential convergence centers for nerves and vessels that might have actual anatomical basis.
The conversation turned to the website Spurious Correlations, which maps unrelated data points that appear correlated on graphs. Examples discussed included:
- The number of films Nicholas Cage was in correlating with deaths by eating cheese per year
- Annual US household spending on alcoholic beverages correlating with septic tank services in New Hampshire
- The popularity of the "Call Me Maybe" meme correlating with kerosene use in Panama
- Google searches for "why do I have green poop" correlating with solar power generated in Bulgaria
- Number of movies Johnny Depp appeared in
Tyler Vigen created the site, which contains thousands of such examples. The group noted that if shown to someone experiencing psychosis, they would likely find the correlations deeply disturbing.
The discussion shifted to the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean film. Depp is expected to receive a sizable guarantee plus a significant percentage of the back end, potentially dollar-one gross percentage. Since the film cannot be made without him, his compensation could reach nine figures if the box office performs as anticipated.
A Rolling Stone article detailed Depp's extravagant spending patterns. At the time he was generating substantial income, he spent wildly, purchasing one of each car model for his eight houses. He spent $30,000 to $40,000 monthly on wine. Specific expenditures included $75 million on more than a dozen residences and $3 million to shoot Hunter S. Thompson's ashes from a cannon. He spent $7,000 buying his daughter a couch from the set of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Depp's reported $650 million fortune was reportedly depleted. The group noted something appealing about spending an entire fortune during one's lifetime, though Depp was described as a famously loose spender.
The conversation addressed how different it is to grow up seeing oneself constantly on screens and the internet from a young age. Huberman noted he didn't see himself on screen until age 45, when his brain was mostly developed. Depp was famous since age 19.
Elvis was cited as potentially harmed by being one of the first people to have his image projected worldwide on television. The discussion referenced a film about Elvis's manager that illustrated the darkness of hotel life and irregular schedules.
Huberman explained ICU psychosis, where patients in intensive care units become genuinely psychotic due to being woken in the middle of the night with lights on and disrupted hospital schedules. The psychosis lifts upon returning home because circadian rhythms are severely disrupted. Fractured sleep over sufficient time can cause loss of mental stability.
The record for staying awake is held by Randy Gardner, a 17-year-old California high school student who remained awake for 11 days and 25 minutes (264 hours) as a science fair experiment. After finally sleeping, he recovered well with no obvious long-term damage reported, likely aided by his young age.
Huberman explained that extended wakefulness leads to catastrophic levels of inflammation. Sleep serves as a reset, tamping down inflammation and coordinating organs like an orchestra. The liver and stomach operate on different timescales and need to be nudged back into alignment.
All participants shared experiences staying awake for extended periods:
- Several days without stimulants beyond caffeine, involving travel and pushing through
- One participant stayed up all night one day per week in college while working, which shattered him within a week and a half
- Day and a half was the maximum for some, often involving overnight flights followed by excitement upon arrival leading to continued wakefulness
As people age, they become more sensitive to sleep disruption and need greater regularity. Inflammation levels increase globally with age, amplifying the effects of sleep deprivation on circadian cycles.
The group discussed Backyard Ultras, last-man-standing races where participants must complete a 4.17-mile loop every hour until they drop. Chad Wright, a former Navy SEAL with a long red beard, participates in these events.
Phil Gore ran 114 laps totaling 475 miles over nearly five days in one event, nearly reaching 496 miles. Participants grab short bits of sleep between loops. Completing the loop faster leaves more recovery time but increases fatigue compared to a slower pace. Most participants spend approximately 45 minutes moving and 15 minutes recovering per hour.
One participant ran cross country in high school when approximately 75 pounds lighter than currently. He currently does long slow runs of around six miles, previously going eight to ten miles when lighter. He also does midweek 30-minute faster runs, weekly sprint intervals on an Airdyne bike or running, and lifts weights three days per week.
Mark Bell was discussed as having exceptional muscle density. He transitioned from being a highly competitive powerlifter at 328 pounds to a much leaner physique while maintaining significant muscle mass. His best bench press was 854 pounds, with a 1,000-pound squat and 2,000-pound total.
Mark Bell experimented with the Snake Diet, consuming sugar all day with low protein through fruit and candy, followed by a chicken breast at night. The theory involves generating fibroblast growth factor when low in protein and high in sugar, supposedly explaining why children have abundant energy. Bell claimed to get extremely shredded with high energy on this diet.
Bell previously followed a carnivore diet and reportedly achieved shredded physiques on both regimens. He is known for experimenting with various protocols including David Weck rope flow and competitive kettlebell swinging.
Nima was discussed as having exceptional genetics and training extremely hard. The conversation addressed whether his non-white ethnicity contributed to his ability to achieve his physique naturally, with acknowledgment that certain genetic backgrounds may provide advantages at elite levels of natural bodybuilding.
Mark Bell has been open about his steroid use for a long time and is not selling any products or programs.
The Stanford marshmallow test was discussed in detail. Children were given a marshmallow with a 15-minute timer. If they waited, they would receive a second marshmallow. Original data suggested that children who could delay gratification had better life outcomes including higher SAT scores, better schools, and higher income, while those who couldn't wait had higher incarceration rates.
A critique emerged suggesting that whether children waited depended on how much they trusted the experimenter. Upon closer examination, every child in the original study ate the marshmallow before 15 minutes elapsed. No child successfully waited the full duration. However, even accounting for the trust variable, the correlation between self-control, delayed gratification, and positive outcomes appears to hold up over repeated studies.
One participant conducted the marshmallow test with his oldest child, framing it with high stakes by saying "If you eat that, you're disappointing me" and "The rest of your life hinges on how long it takes you to eat this marshmallow." The child was scared into compliance.
The competitive child in the family was described as having incredible self-discipline and restraint, willing to outlast any benchmark set by others.
The discussion emphasized that much of modern life involves deciding what not to do: not staying on social media too long, not watching excessive pornography. One participant described overcoming a pornography habit after years, driven by guilt and shame around how women in the industry are exploited for viewers' pleasure. The intuition that it wasn't what he wanted to be doing eventually led to stopping.
A participant discovered he appeared in episodes one and two of season two of the show Beef. The scene depicted a character masturbating to pornography, then cleaning up and going for a run while listening to the participant's podcast as a way to manage post-masturbation guilt and dopamine regulation. The participant had signed a release form without realizing the context and considered sending the clip to family members before understanding the scene's content.
The group discusses a situation where a manager named Rob signed off on a clip from their episode without one of the participants knowing about it. This leads into a conversation about having male friends who handle such decisions.
Once someone has kids, the concern shifts from being walked in on by parents to being walked in on by children. The fear of children discovering certain activities creates deeper trauma potential. Getting caught by a kid would be horrible, and parents don't want children knowing about certain behaviors.
The conversation turns to whether sunscreen is harmful. The response clarifies that sunscreen isn't killing people, but layers of nuance apply. Sunlight exposure on skin is beneficial beyond just vitamin D production. UV light with short wavelengths can damage DNA in skin cells and cause problems, though some exposure is necessary.
The UV index is low when the sun is low in the sky, making early morning and late afternoon safer times for exposure. When the sun isn't painful to look at directly, it's typically lower in the sky due to Rayleigh scattering filtering out UV. Apps or searches can provide UV index information. Sunlight on both eyes and skin during early and later parts of the day is recommended.
Beyond UV, sunlight contains longer wavelengths including yellows, oranges, reds, near-infrared, and infrared (felt as heat). These longer wavelengths benefit cellular mitochondria and can penetrate the body, demonstrated in research by Glenn Jeffrey from University College London. Even through a t-shirt, some beneficial wavelengths pass through. This longer wavelength light is described as the high quality protein of sunlight.
Long wavelength light isn't present in LEDs but exists in incandescent bulbs, candlelight, firelight, and sunlight. Physical barriers like clothing can block UV while still allowing some beneficial wavelengths through. Removing a shirt for more skin exposure is beneficial as long as burning doesn't occur.
Shielding from the sun can be done through physical barriers. For those concerned about endocrine disruptors or coral reef damage from swimming in oceans, mineral-based sunscreen with zinc oxide only is recommended. Some formulations rub in better than traditional mineral options. Chemical-based sunscreens, particularly spray and benzene-based varieties, are problematic. Occasional use may not cause issues, but children's skin absorbs substances more readily than adult skin.
The key is balancing longer and shorter wavelengths without getting burned. LED lights are heavily blueshifted and short wavelength shifted. For people spending significant time indoors, obtaining more long wavelength light becomes important through red light therapy, incandescent bulbs, or sunlight exposure. Research published in Nature magazine supports the need for a balanced spectrum of wavelengths.
Spending time outside in areas with greenery enhances benefits because infrared light reflects off vegetation. Even overcast days allow some beneficial wavelengths through. The sun remains the best source for balanced light spectrum exposure.
Hydrogen fusion in the sun's core releases gamma rays that would sever DNA and kill humans. These rays bounce around the sun's core for 17,000 to 100,000 years before reaching the surface and shooting out in about 8 seconds. Without this process, gamma ray exposure would be lethal.
Different wavelengths cause different types of damage: X-rays are known to be damaging in high amounts, while microwaves heat things from the inside. Bluetooth concerns lead some to prefer corded headphones over AirPods due to loss concerns.
Standing in front of microwaves relies on trust in the shielding mechanism. Elevator doors closing while people enter represent another area of complete trust in safety mechanisms. Some people feel spooked by microwaves and stand to the side during operation.
Videos show people terrified of escalators moving at two to three miles per hour. Some individuals hold onto sides, and entire families may queue up behind someone afraid to board. One airport incident involved a mother with luggage on a steep escalator whose young child refused to board, requiring intervention from a bystander.
Travel involves carrying heavy bags with supplements. Choosing stairs over escalators provides exercise, though it can lead to arriving sweaty. This choice is compared to doing the harder version of tasks rather than taking shortcuts.
Tom Segura's show "Bad Thoughts" season 2 is streaming on Netflix with various stories. The first season featured a bold choice with a poop-related episode, but season 2 has no such content. Gary Brooks does not appear in the new season. Tom is touring with upcoming shows in Toronto and Chicago, and has a book titled "Protocols: User Manual for the Human Brain and Body" available for pre-sale, releasing in September.
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