Books Brothers

The Molecule of More - Books Brothers Podcast Join JD and Andrew as they dive deep into "The Molecule of More" by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long - exploring how dopamine drives human behavior, relationships, creativity, and our never-ending pursuit of "more."

In this episode, the hosts explore René Girard's mimetic theory through Friar Elias Carr's 2024 book "I Came to Cast Fire: An Introduction to René Girard." The conversation examines how human desires aren't entirely our own but are shaped by imitating others, creating cycles of rivalry and conflict that have defined human societies throughout history. The hosts discuss Girard's insight that humans are the "culture-making animal" whose social structures evolved from the "scapegoat mechanism" - a process where communities channel violence toward a single victim to restore peace. They look at how this pattern created religious rituals, myths, and prohibitions that formed the foundation of ancient civilizations. The discussion moves from ancient ancestor worship to biblical interpretations, examining how Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection uniquely exposed this scapegoat mechanism from the victim's perspective, offering humanity a path beyond mimetic violence. The hosts work through these dense philosophical con

In this mind-bending episode, Andrew and JD explore René Girard's revolutionary mimetic theory through Luke Burgis's accessible book "Wanting." Discover why your deepest desires might not actually be your own! We dive into: Why we mimic the desires of our "models" (from celebrities to rivals) How mimetic rivalries escalate into violence and conflict The surprising connection between scapegoating and civilization Why René Girard became Christian after developing his theory Practical ways to escape mimetic desire and find authentic purpose From Peter Thiel's investment philosophy to why hipsters all look alike while no one identifies as one, this episode will transform how you understand human motivation, marketing, social media, and even ancient religious practices. NEW: We're releasing TWO episodes monthly in April and May! Watch on YouTube! Our amazing video editor and graphics team illustrates all the key ideas and quotes throughout the episode, creating a visually stunning experience that brings these co

In this episode of Books Brothers, JD and Andrew break down Stephen Covey's seminal work "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Published in over 50 languages and named the most influential business book of the 20th century, Covey's framework distills centuries of self-improvement literature into actionable habits for personal growth. The brothers discuss how Covey spent years studying success literature since 1776 to create principles for living your best life aligned with timeless values. From taking control of your life to building meaningful relationships, this episode unpacks how to move from dependence to independence to interdependence through Covey's transformative seven habits.   Chapter Markers 00:00:00 - Introduction to the book's influence and reach 00:02:00 - Covey's research process and the book's core message 00:04:20 - The Character Ethic vs. Personality Ethic 00:08:10 - Principle-Centered Paradigm and taking responsibility 00:10:57 - Habit 1: Be Proactive 00:13:25 - Viktor Frankl and choo

Join the Dennison Brothers as they dive into "A General Theory of Love," a fascinating scientific exploration of what makes us connect on a deeper level. What exactly is love from a neurological perspective? Three psychiatrists from UCSF propose that it's "limbic resonance" - the way our emotional brains synchronize with others. In this episode, we break down how the limbic system (the emotional part of our brain) creates connections that literally help regulate our emotions and physical well-being. From how mothers shape their children's emotional patterns to why isolation is so damaging to humans, this book offers a scientific framework for understanding our deepest relationships. Discover why humans are "open loops" that require others to function properly, how childhood experiences encode our emotional responses, and the scientific evidence showing that connection isn't just nice - it's necessary for survival. Whether you're building personal relationships or professional networks, understanding the biolo

In this epic deep-dive episode, brothers JD and Andrew Dennison tackle Robert Sapolsky's masterwork "Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst." We explore how our brains, hormones, genes, and environment shape human behavior from seconds to millions of years before an action occurs. From the neuroscience of decision-making to the evolutionary roots of tribalism, they break down Sapolsky's fascinating insights into why we do what we do. Key topics include:   How different brain regions like the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and dopamine systems influence our choices Why testosterone isn't just about aggression The surprising truth about oxytocin (it's not all free love!) What adolescent brain development reveals about human nature How cultural evolution and biology intertwine to shape societies   00:07:42 Chapter 2: 1 second before: Neuroscience 00:44:46 Chapter 4 Hours to Days Before: Hormones 1:04:51 Chapter 5: Days to Months Before: Neuroplasticity 01:09:59 Chapter 6 Adolescence or Dude Where’s my

Many smart people out there say AI is an existential risk. AI Armageddon is certainly is a top-5 concern of  enough people that we feel it warrants a deeper understanding. And in Superintelligence, Bostrom is the perfect robot-impersonating-author to teach us AI 101 while simultaneously capturing AI’s full scale and magnitude. He talked to everybody and covers the biggest questions: what are all the potential outcomes? How likely is AI? When might it happen? What’s the history of AI technology and are we excited about nothing? If an artificial intelligence does take over what would it do? High-probability take-over-the-world is on the early menu.  Plus, what’s the world’s current #robotpopulation? Could #serversruntheworld?  This book will make you think differently about the way your BRAIN and your SOCIETY operate. This Books Brothers summary will do ALL that and make you laugh.

Selfish Gene answers a deep and fundamental question: How does evolution work? We start our story in the Primordial Soup served hot at the Big Bang’s favorite diner, the single-cell-stew that brewed in Earth’s original oceans (after millions of years cooled the atmosphere obviously). The effect those little replicating cells, containing the world’s first DNA structures, have on our behavior today is

The Righteous Mind answers a deep and fundamental question: why can’t we all just get along? Why can’t Democrats and Republicans understand each other better? Haidt answers these better than anyone (ever) by breaking down the social psychology and brain science of why our species is so apt to join groups, take sides and fight. The Righteous Mind covers 17 years of Haidt’s research into moral psychology and human behavior, and he uses it to explain our divided world today.  Plus, Hadit drops some bombs on our next book, Selfish Gene. #EmotionsFirstReasoningSecond #10%bee #BelongingNotBelieving This book will make you think differently about the way your BRAIN and your SOCIETY operate. This Books Brothers summary will do ALL that and make you laugh. With Book Brothers we do our best to share the author’s perspective. If you’ve read it before, you’ll know the book better. If you haven’t read it yet, you'll love it so much you'll go out an buy it Enjoy! -Andrew and JD

Sapiens is a 416-page story of humankind from 6M years ago to today. Harari wraps it all up: our psychology, technology, religion, economy, politics… Nobody puts things quite the way Yuval does - he’s got some weird/deep thoughts and spits some fire trash talk at basically everything. We guarantee this book will make you stop and think about who we are and where we come from.  Plus it’s got plenty of #CavemanTalk and #YuvalSlamPoetry This book will make you think differently about the way your BRAIN and your SOCIETY operate. This Books Brothers summary will do ALL that and make you laugh. We do our best to share the author’s perspective. If you’ve read it before, you’ll know the book better. If you haven’t read it yet, you’ll love it so much you'll buy the book Enjoy! -Andrew and JD