A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century

Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life

By: Heather Heying, Bret Weinstein

Narrated by: Heather Heying, Bret Weinstein

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

A provocative exploration of the tension between our evolutionary history and our modern woes - and what we can do about it.

We are living through the most prosperous age in all of human history, yet we are listless, divided, and miserable. Wealth and comfort are unparalleled, but our political landscape is unmoored, and rates of suicide, lone­liness, and chronic illness continue to skyrocket. How do we explain the gap between these truths? And how should we respond?

For evolutionary biologists Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein, the cause of our troubles is clear: The accelerat­ing rate of change in the modern world has outstripped the capacity of our brains and bodies to adapt. We evolved to live in clans, but today many people don’t even know their neighbors’ names. In our haste to discard outdated gender roles, we increasingly deny the flesh-and-blood realities of sex - and its ancient roots. The cognitive dissonance spawned by trying to live in a society we are not built for is killing us.

In this book, Heying and Weinstein draw on decades of their work teaching in college classrooms and explor­ing Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystems to confront today’s pressing social ills - from widespread sleep deprivation and dangerous diets to damaging parenting styles and back­ward education practices. Asking the questions many mod­ern people are afraid to ask, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century outlines a science-based worldview that will empower you to live a better, wiser life.

This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF containing illustrations and charts from the book.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Husband and wife team Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein bring their vast knowledge of evolutionary biology to bear on the problems that beset us. Wide-ranging and illuminating, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century posits an intriguing, surprising, and profound view of human nature.” (Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, author of Beyond Order, 12 Rules for Life, and Maps of Meaning)

“A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century is the human story retold in beautiful language and moving metaphors. Heying and Weinstein are professorial in the best possible sense: They exemplify the intellectual humility, nuanced thinking, and love of learning that a great liberal arts education should nurture. Everyone who is raising or educating kids, or who wants to change social systems, should first read this book.” (Jonathan Haidt, coauthor of The Coddling of the American Mind and author of The Righteous Mind)

“I have never read such a bold, well-researched, and succinct exploration of the puzzling predica­ment we find ourselves in. Anyone who wonders why the most comfortable society in history - our own - has such astronomical rates of depression, anxiety, and poor health will find abundant answers in A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century.” (Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm, War, Tribe, and Freedom)

Fantastic book, wonderful narration

Many of us already feel like we know Bret and Heather from their podcast. The narration of their book emphasizes that feeling -- hearing them read their work is a very intimate, soothing audiobook experience. Fantastic stuff, and the book is wonderful.

Possibly the Most Useful Book I've Ever Read

Clear, concise and as unbiased as humans are capable.

A foundational understanding of how we Are and how the universe works is integral to figuring out how to become the person we want to be and create the world we want to live in.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to make sense of the world.

Wonderful!

Finally, voices of reason without bias. Great book, interesting to listen to and think about. So happy I downloaded this one. Thanks!

Very good.

Few books are so good at introducing new ideas in such a way that, when you first read/hear it, it seems althogether obvious. This is one of those few.

This is an excellent book

There are some very good ideas for raising kids in this book. Additionally, it made me think in a different way about the idea of removing functions that seemingly have no use practically or in society as traditions.

Wow. amazing work!!!

Love how well written this book is. Makes u think very differently about the simplest most common things. love it!

Aspiring Young 24 Yr Old.

As a person who has struggled to make out his own understanding, lacking a village structure or substantial parentage to say the least.
You guys have not only; helped boost the confidence around existing ideas I have expressed in my own personal writing, but went over them in the book, expanded them exponentially, and have given infinite new paths to follow.
I hope to keep listening to The Dark Horse Podcast for years to come, and I look forward to the day I've proved myself worthy to have conversation regularly with someone like you.

Thank You Immensely,
Mark Waffensmith

Salient Self Help

This book is the most evidence driven, logical work of self help in my recent memory. The use of evolutionary history, context, and mechanisms to explain how we as a society have gone wrong and how put ourselves back on course is awesome. Worth the listen and even more deserving of wide spread sharing and recognition!

Best Book of the Year!

Truly insightful, well researched and thought provoking. I’ve listened to hundreds of books over the last few years and this is by far one of the best…on par with “Life 3.0” by Max Tegmark which covers AI, but a similar theme of the plight of the future humanity at its heart. So glad I found this one. Will also check out the authors’ podcast. Kudos to both authors and I hope they decide to write additional books going forward!

Fantastic application of evolutionary thinking.

Bret and Heather are noble sojourners and torch bearers in a world largely inhabited by charlatans and grifters. this book is a core rudimentary application of evolutionary thinking too the greater issues of life. i highly recommend gifting this to young people and children.