On Wisdom

64: The Potency and Potential of Social Networks (with Nicholas Christakis)

March 12th, 2025  |  59 mins 14 secs

ai, apollo’s arrow, biosocial science, blueprint, computational social science, connected, emotions, evolutionary biology, happiness, meaning, nicholas christakis, pandemics, philosophy, psychology, purpose, reasoning, social networks, social science, well being, wisdom

Are your choices really your own — or are they quietly shaped by the people around you? Nicholas Christakis joins Igor and Charles to reveal the hidden power of social networks, from the surprising spread of kindness and cooperation to the ripple effects that shape our health, decisions, and even our wisdom. Igor uncovers the invisible social forces influencing our daily lives, Nicholas shares how our deep-rooted instincts for love, friendship, and teaching have shaped human civilization, and Charles considers how tapping into these instincts could help us build stronger, wiser communities. Welcome to Episode 64.