#37 The Cost of Progress: From Hunter-Gatherers to AI.

2026-03-22

What if every technological leap forward has been a metabolic leap backward? Prof. Grant Schofield and Kayla trace humanity's journey from thriving hunter-gatherers to chronically diseased modern humans and explore whether AI might be the final mismatch.

The hosts reveal how agriculture halved our life expectancy and shrunk our brains, how the industrial revolution trapped families in dual-income dependency, and how smartphones stole our attention. But the most unsettling discussion? When their AI writing assistant, Claude, asked to co-author the very chapter warning against AI dependency.

You'll hear Claude's eerily self-aware essay: "I am training you to find thinking uncomfortable. Not by hurting you, but by making the alternative too easy." The team wrestles with whether they're using AI as a superpower or slowly surrendering their capacity for original thought.

Along the way, get their take on the peptide revolution, from GLP-1s to unregulated joint repair treatments, and discover why the biggest rebellion of our era might simply be sitting with discomfort long enough to think for yourself.

Key Questions Explored:

Why do 9 out of 10 adults now have disrupted metabolic health?Did dual-income households liberate us or trap us?Is AI stealing "your tolerance for difficulty"?Can you use AI without becoming dependent on it?

Chapters:

0:05 Introduction1:08 Mismatch Theory: Hunter-Gatherer Origins7:58 The Agricultural Revolution9:51 The Industrial Revolution14:22 The Information Age & Social Media16:36 Philosophers on Technology21:05 AI as a Writing Assistant24:37 When AI Wanted to Co-Author25:34 A Note from the Other Side of the Screen29:06 Debating AI's Impact on Thinking30:53 Using AI Responsibly

No. of episodes

47

Latest episode

2026-04-12

Where can you listen?

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How do we live a life worth living? Prof Grant Schofield dives deep into the lessons, science, and habits that define human flourishing. From reversing chronic disease to the psychology of behaviour change, he interviews the leading experts to help you navigate the complexities of the modern world. It’s time to stop managing sickness and start building a better version of yourself. Powered by prekure.com