Infinite Loops

Jim O'Shaughnessy
  • 4.6 (168)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Infinite Loops

Every Thursday, join Jim O'Shaughnessy and his favorite people as they arm you with the tools & fresh perspectives required to upgrade your HumanOS and thrive in our messy, probabilistic world. Visit our Substack at newsletter.osv.llc for full transcripts, highlights, weekly doses of timeless wisdom, and a bounty of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm that’s interesting!"

  1. 18H AGO

    Lawrence Yeo — The Inner Compass (EP.275)

    Lawrence Yeo — writer, illustrator and author of “The Inner Compass” — joins the show to discuss the power of intuition in an uncertain world. We explore why embracing uncertainty leads to greater curiosity, how social conditioning pulls us away from our true north, why doing things for their own sake builds authentic conviction and how journaling the "whys" rather than the "whats" can transform your self-awareness. This conversation flowed so naturally we jumped right in without a formal introduction! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack. Important Links: Lawrence's Website Twitter The Inner Compass Show Notes: The Co-Creator Mentality Writing a Letter to Your Child The Root of All Suffering The Proximity of Envy The Inevitability of Social Conditioning How to Hone Your Intuition Escaping the Illusion of Certainty What Looks Like a Leap is Actually a Series of Small Steps Mistakes Are Portals of Discovery Can You Learn Self-Confidence? If Everyone Says Your Book is Great, Something is Wrong Journals > Diaries Lawrence as World Emperor Books & Articles Mentioned: The Inner Compass: Cultivating the Courage to Trust Yourself; by Lawrence Yeo Two Thoughts: a Timeless Collection of Infinite Wisdom; by Jim O’Shaughnessy and Vatsal Kaushik A Letter to my Newborn Daughter; by Lawrence Yeo Mistakes were Made. (And, Yes, by Me.); by Jim O’Shaughnessy Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing); by Lao Tzu Death; by Thomas Nagel

    1h 25m

  2. JUL 10

    Will Storr—The Status Game (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)

    Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief two-week break from new episodes to spotlight a couple of golden oldies from the archive. Years later, these remain some of my favorite conversations. We’ll be back soon with fresh episodes, but in the meantime,  here's my September 2022 chat with the always interesting Will Storr.  _________________ Will Storr is an award winning journalist and author. His book ‘The Status Game’ transforms our understanding of human nature by demonstrating how our unconscious desire for status ultimately drives our behaviour. Important Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/wstorr?s=21&t=ZdtIqP9eE3_a5qZocDjEXQ Website: https://willstorr.com The Science of Storytelling: https://www.thescienceofstorytelling.com Show Notes: Will’s origin story The strange case of David Irving The fundamental nature of status games The Stanford prison experiment and dominance games The status games played by cults Luxury beliefs Why we are all moral hypocrites The importance of being funny Social status and socioeconomic status Human OS and the education system How status seeking leads to the “very best of human nature” The murderous nature of reputation destruction The post WW1 humiliation of Germany Loaded magazine Finding the true reason behind seemingly crazy beliefs The value of religion Trading status Spreading humility Why we could be wrong about our closest beliefs Books Mentioned: The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the Enemies of Science; by Will Storr The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History; by Howard Bloom The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous; by Joseph Henrich The Science of Storytelling; by Will Storr Slaughterhouse-Five; by Kurt Vonnegut Selfie: How We Became so Self-Obsessed and What It’s Doing to Us; by Will Storr The Status Game: On Social Position and How We Use It; by Will Storr

    1h 25m

  3. JUL 3

    Rupert Sheldrake — On Scientism, Morphic Resonance and the Extended Mind (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)

    Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief two-week break from new episodes to spotlight a couple of golden oldies from the Infinite Loops archive. Years later, these remain some of my favorite conversations. We’ll be back soon with fresh episodes, but in the meantime, enjoy this trip back to February 2024, when we welcomed the one and only Rupert Sheldrake. _________________ Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of 9 books and over 100 scientific papers. A critic of what he sees as the scientific establishment’s dogmatic dedication to materialism, he is perhaps best known for his theory of “morphic resonance,” via which information and activity can be transferred across space and time. Rupert joins the show to discuss being branded a heretic, how to test for telepathy, his advice for young scientists, and MUCH more! Important Links: Rupert’s Website Rupert’s Banned TED Talk The Science Delusion; by Rupert Sheldrake A New Science of Life; by Rupert Sheldrake Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals; by Rupert Sheldrake Is The Sun Conscious?; by Rupert Sheldrake (Journal of Consciousness Studies) Show Notes: The Apostate of Scientism The Origins of Scientism How to Achieve a Phase Change in the Sciences Testing for Telepathy & Incentivizing Intuition Structural Resistance to Panpsychism When Science Gets Personal Loosening the Grip of Determinism Advice for Young Scientists Rupert as Emperor of the World MORE! Books & Articles Mentioned: The Science Delusion; by Rupert Sheldrake New Science of Life; by Rupert Sheldrake Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals; by Rupert Sheldrake Is The Sun Conscious?; by Rupert Sheldrake The New Inquisition: Irrational Rationalism and the Citadel of Science; by Robert Anton Wilson Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters; by Steven Pinker The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature; by Steven Pinker Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures; by Merlin Sheldrake The End of Faith; by Sam Harris The Fifth Science; by Exurb1a What the Tortoise Said to Achilles; by Lewis Carroll Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; by Robert M. Pirsig The (Mis)Behaviour of Markets: A Fractal View of Risk, Ruin and Reward; by Benoit B. Mandelbrot & Richard L. Hudson The Structure of Scientific Revolutions; by Thomas Kuhn

    1h 8m

  4. JUN 26

    Aaron Stupple & Logan Chipkin — The Sovereign Child: Liberating Kids from the Tyranny of Rules

    What if everything we think we know about raising children is not just wrong, but actively harmful? Aaron Stupple and Logan Chipkin, authors of "The Sovereign Child," join Infinite Loops to make a case so compelling and radical that it challenges the very foundation of modern parenting and education. From birth, we're told that children need rules, structure, and authority to thrive. But what if this approach is crushing their natural creativity, problem-solving abilities, and authentic self-development? Stupple and Chipkin argue that children are people—full stop. They have reasons, preferences, and the capacity to make decisions about their own lives, yet we systematically ignore this reality in favor of compliance and control. We dive deep into their concept of the "foul four"—the four devastating ways that imposing non-consensual rules damages children's relationships with themselves, their parents, problem-solving itself, and their understanding of how to navigate the world. From the arbitrary nature of bedtimes to the deeper psychological damage of forcing gratitude and politeness, this conversation will make you question every "because I said so" moment in your childhood and parenting. Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone interested in human flourishing, this episode offers a radically different lens through which to view childhood, autonomy, and what it means to raise great adults. Important Links: Conjecture Institute The Sovereign Child Book Aaron Stupple X Logan Chipkin X Logan Chipkin Substack Show Notes: Opening & The Radical Quote The Childhood Inversion Problem False Dichotomy: Control vs. Neglect AI Steel-manning the Opposition Edge Cases and Prohibition Parallels Podcast Host Reactions & Food Wars Evolutionary Food Arguments Raising Great Adults Scaling Challenges & Sleep Dilemmas Market Opportunities & Historical Context Why Alternative Schools Didn’t Scale The Foul Four Explained Game Rules vs. Imposed Rules Etiquette, Manners & Sibling Conflicts The Bully Problem & Popper’s Paradox Class and Economics Arguments Rules Built on Sand Falsification & Moral Philosophy Conformity, Culture & Progress Emotional Intelligence & Propaganda Self-Silencing & Social Dynamics The School Persona Revelation Emperor of the World Matilda & Closing Thoughts Books Mentioned: The Sovereign Child: How a Forgotten Philosophy Can Liberate Kids and Their Parents (Aaron Stupple with Logan Chipkin) Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Dr. Robert Cialdini) The Open Society and Its Enemies (Karl Popper) What the Tortoise Said to Achilles (Lewis Carroll) No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy) One Summer: America 1927 (Bill Bryson) Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll) Matilda (Roald Dahl) Authors Mentioned: Jed McKenna Jonathan Haidt Edward Bernays Robert Solomon David Deutsch

    1h 59m

  5. JUN 19

    Nadia Asparouhova — An Antimemetic Rollercoaster

    Nadia Asparouhova, author of "Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading," joins me for a fascinating exploration of why some ideas go viral while others—often the most important ones—resist transmission entirely. We dive into antimemes, Curtis Yarvin's journey from being canceled to becoming mainstream, St. Paul as history's ultimate memetic engineer, and why "Don't Mess with Texas" became a masterpiece of viral messaging. Plus her current research on advanced meditation techniques, internet dynamics, and MUCH MORE! Important Links: Nadia's Twitter Nadia's LinkedIn Personal Website Nadia’s Substack: Monomythical Show Notes: Nadia’s fall into the Antimemetics Rabbithole Girardian Theory vs. Antimemetics The Story of Curtis Yarvin How Subcultures Form and Coalesce Engineering Supermemes Why Maxims are Compressed Memes The History of Antimemes Truth Tellers and Meme Spreading Gaining Immunity from Memetic Viruses Nadia’s Jhana Journey Nadia as Empress of the World Books Mentioned: Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading; by Nadia Asparouhova Virus of the Mind; by Richard Brodie There Is No Antimemetics Division; by qntm Steal This Book; by Abbie Hoffman Collective Illusions; by Todd Rose How to Change Your Mind; by Michael Pollan Thank You for Smoking; by Christopher Buckley Last Chance to See; by Douglas Adams

    1h 31m

  6. JUN 12

    Miyoba Hamuhuma and Israel Balogun —  Grassroots Solutions for Africa’s Impoverished Youth (EP.272)

    I’m joined today by two remarkable men I met through the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships and Grants program. Israel Balogun was homeless and illiterate until the age of 22. Now, he leads a Nigerian youth rehabilitation nonprofit for street kids and is building a self-sustaining village for 200 out-of-school children with the support of an OSV Fellowship. Miyoba Hamuhuma lost both parents by 12 and battled polio as a child. Now he runs Enlight Abilities, a Zambian organization advocating for inclusive education and economic dignity for children with disabilities and their families, backed by an OSV Grant. “Inspiring” is overused nowadays, but here, it barely does them justice. As well as digging into their stories, we explore how personal pain became public mission, how grassroots enablement beats top-down intervention, and why they believe rewriting destiny begins with changing who gets seen, who gets supported, and who gets to dream. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack. Important Links: Israel Balogun's Akhin Foundation Israel Balogun's LinkedIn Miyoba Hamuhuma's Enlight Abilities Miyoba Hamuhuma's LinkedIn Show Notes: First Goodnight in 12 Years How OSV Helped to Build a Home for Street Kids The Street King – Reclaiming Agency The Dignity of Choice Microenterprise for the Mothers Rethinking the Street Kid Stigma Inclusion is Not a Luxury, It is a Necessity Trust over Control: We help the kids Lead We seek to enable and empower Emperors of the World $10 = 30 bricks = Home for a Street Child

    1h 23m

  7. JUN 5

    Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell — Speculations in Post-Materialism (EP.271)

    Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, neuropsychiatrist and author of "The ESP Enigma," joins me for a mind-bending exploration of consciousness, savant abilities, and the limitations of materialist science. Trained at Johns Hopkins under a neurologist-turned-psychiatrist, Diane has spent decades investigating phenomena that challenge our fundamental assumptions about how the brain works. We dive deep into why the scientific establishment reacts so emotionally to consciousness research, her fascinating work with autistic savants, and why she believes the brain functions as a navigation tool for consciousness rather than its creator. This is one of those conversations that might just upgrade your entire worldview. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!,” check out our Substack. Important Links: Personal Website The Telepathy Tapes Twitter LinkedIn Show Notes: Dr. Powell’s Journey through Science Early Interest in Savants Filter Failure and Consciousness Why People Reject Obvious Data Why are Savants different from Neurotypical People? The Sheep Goat Effect in Parapsychology The Brain as a Navigational Tool Improving our own Intuition and Focus Dr. Diane’s work on Twins Speculations in Post-Materialism Dr. Diane as Empress of the World Books Mentioned: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat; by Oliver Sacks The ESP Enigma; by Diane Hennacy Powell What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell; by Erwin Schrödinger Mind Over Back Pain; by Dr. John Sarno

    1h 26m

  8. MAY 29

    Todd Rose — Are We Living in the Truman Show? (EP.270)

    Todd Rose, co-founder and CEO of Populace and author of books including "Collective Illusions" and "The End of Average," joins the show to discuss the science behind collective illusions and their impact on society. We explore why so many Americans self-silence, the dangers of conformity, and how one person can spark change. Todd and I are simpatico on… pretty much everything! So this was a fun one. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!,” check out our Substack. Important Links: Website Twitter Collective Illusions The End of Average Show Notes: Are We Living in the Truman Show? The Danger of Self-Silencing How to Know What People REALLY Think Why We Are Suckers For Groupthink Social Media: Why Bots Are Everywhere Why Persuasion is the Wrong Strategy for Fighting Collective Illusions There is More Social Trust in America Than You Think How We Can Fight Collective Illusions The Human Need to Be Understood Steelmanning & the Popperian Solution The Role of Fiction The Dawn of a New Era? Todd as World Emperor Books Mentioned: Collective Illusions; by Todd Rose The End of Average; by Todd Rose The Power of the Powerless (essay); by Václav Havel Troubled; by Rob Henderson The Idea Factory; by Jon Gertner Theory of Moral Sentiments; by Adam Smith The Wealth of Nations; by Adam Smith White Mirror; by Tinkered Thinking The Guns of August; by Barbara Tuchman

    1h 30m
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Hosts & Guests

4.6
out of 5
168 Ratings

About

Every Thursday, join Jim O'Shaughnessy and his favorite people as they arm you with the tools & fresh perspectives required to upgrade your HumanOS and thrive in our messy, probabilistic world. Visit our Substack at newsletter.osv.llc for full transcripts, highlights, weekly doses of timeless wisdom, and a bounty of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm that’s interesting!"

Information

  • Creator
    Jim O'Shaughnessy
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    278
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Infinite Loops

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