Jared Diamond on the Downfall of Civilizations — and His Optimism for Ours | Episode 55

Jared Diamond is the author of popular books like Guns, Germs, and Steel; Collapse; and Upheaval. He’s also a geographer, environmental historian, ornithologist, and evolutionary biologist, though he started his career as an expert on gallbladders. In the course of his life and research, he has learned 13 languages and traveled to New Guinea dozens of times.

In this episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, hosted by Steve Levitt, Diamond discusses his many brushes with death, why the Norse Greenlanders wouldn’t eat fish, how tree rings explain Gengis Khan’s success, and why he has never been invited to a cannibal ceremony.

This episode was originally published December 10, 2021.

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“Freakonomics” co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions. Join Levitt as he goes through the most interesting midlife crisis you’ve ever heard — and learn how a renegade sheriff is transforming Chicago’s jail, how a biologist is finding the secrets of evolution in the Arctic tundra, and how a trivia champion memorized 160,000 flashcards.

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[nomadicroadrat]

What a fascinating discussion. One of the better podcasts I have heard. Thank you.

[jackie]

What Prof. Diamond told Prof. Levitt about how he writes emails to experts in order to receive their advice is exactly the same line that he gave me many years ago in our email exchange. Diamond must really abide by this rule and is still practicing it and true sign of humility and willingness to learn, both are necessary to answer big questions.

[barbaraschumacher]

We need Prof. Diamond's "cautious optimism" in these days of climate change.

[jpjeon]

I've only ever read his book, so I never realized that he speaks with such a heavy Bostonian accent! Almost sounds like Bernie Sanders, to my ears at least.