This is a solo Q&A episode of the Modern Wisdom podcast, where host Chris Williamson answers listener questions on topics ranging from relationships and self-improvement to politics, fame, and personal life. He also explains his creative direction for the show in 2026, including a new studio, multi-guest “hang” episodes, and a deliberate shift toward fun and variety after years of serious, expert-driven content.
The New Studio and the Shift Toward Fun
Chris launched a new recording studio without much fanfare and is now experimenting with a wider range of episode formats beyond the traditional one-on-one expert interview.
He’s introduced casual, multi-guest “hang” episodes (like ones with Andrew Huberman, George Mackintosh, and others) because he finds them more enjoyable and feels the internet already has too much serious self-improvement content.
He describes these group episodes as “dessert canapés” — light, fun, and not necessarily educational, but valuable as a space where people can relax.
He’s aware some listeners prefer the serious format and may leave, but he’s following his instincts and prioritizing enjoyment.
He’s planning round-table discussions with guests like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Mark Normand, Eric Weinstein, and Brian Johnson.
He still plans to do serious “Modern Wisdom core” episodes but wants a balanced mix.
Naming the Group Episodes
The team has struggled to name the multi-guest series, considering options like “Uncommon Conversations,” “Smoke Break,” “Hot Mic,” “Good Vibes,” “Good Dudes,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Open Tabs,” and “Blunt Rotation.”
They keep running into trademark and IP issues, which is causing Chris low-key anxiety.
No final name has been decided.
On Sleeping With Your Ex
A listener asks whether to stop sleeping with his ex, who feels guilty afterward.
Chris advises stopping, not because it’s wrong between consenting adults, but because it’s clearly weighing on the listener’s conscience and preventing the ex from moving on.
He suggests the “golden rule of dating”: treat every partner as you’d want your future partner to be treated by an ex.
When to Settle Down
A listener asks when it’s time to settle down, noting that being single is fun.
Chris says you can’t negotiate your own desire — forcing yourself to settle down when you don’t feel it leads to resentment.
If the desire isn’t there, he recommends self-work (journaling, therapy) to explore whether fear of intimacy, childhood patterns, or other issues are at play.
He notes that women now out-earn men up to age 32-33, which complicates dating dynamics.
The “Tall Girl Problem” and Asymmetric Emotional Growth
A listener (KP) asks about a compounding version of the tall girl problem: when a woman has high income, high EQ from therapy, and deep life experience, she becomes “taller” in ways that can’t be unlearned, making it harder to find a compatible partner.
Chris finds this an excellent observation and argues that emotional development may create more long-term relationship friction than educational or financial gaps.
He suggests the solution is to make emotional development attractive and obviously beneficial to men through tailored therapy and growth models, rather than shaming or guilting them.
He notes that highly developed people, like foodies with refined palates, have fewer people they can truly connect with — but the development is still worth it.
He jokes about starting a Modern Wisdom listener dating organization but worries about the logistics and potential scandals.
COMT Met/Met Status
Chris confirms he is COMT Met/Met, a genetic variant associated with slower clearance of catecholamines (adrenaline, dopamine), a higher dopamine baseline, and a tendency toward overthinking and attention to detail.
He says this makes him poorly suited for high-conflict environments (like internet debates or being a Navy Seal) but good at deep, focused work.
He doesn’t think the variant is purely beneficial — it requires lifestyle adaptation and may be more burden than advantage.
Smallest Hills He’ll Die On
Hold luggage is a scam designed to keep you poor and late (unless you’re transporting something commercial).
The most important part of a bed is the pillow — good pillow with a bad bed beats a good bed with a bad pillow.
Backlash from the Louis Theroux Manosphere Episode
Chris received significant backlash from both feminists and the manosphere after appearing in Louis Theroux’s manosphere documentary, with both sides criticizing him.
He describes being “ideologically spit-roasted” — called a blue-pilled feminist by the right and a misogynist red-piller by the left.
He’s committed to having conversations he finds interesting with people in good faith, regardless of how he gets pattern-matched politically.
He notes he’s had interesting conversations across the political spectrum, including with Bernie Sanders.
Alex O’Connor’s Rising Success
Chris praises his friend Alex O’Connor (Cosmic Skeptic) for his generational run, particularly around conversations on religion and theology.
He admires that Alex engages believers on their own terms, understands scripture deeply, and has moved from atheism to agnosticism in a way that feels less adversarial.
He’d love to have Alex back on, possibly for a round-table episode.
Has Fame Gone to His Head?
A long-time subscriber (Kayla) says Chris has let fame go to his head, doesn’t respond to comments anymore, and only books self-help gurus.
Chris pushes back gently, noting he responds a lot but there are now 4.2 million subscribers instead of 100, so responses are spread thinner.
He’s open to guest suggestions and notes his audience is more tasteful than most.
Golden Retrievers
Chris lives in Austin, Texas, which he describes as the epicenter of golden retriever culture.
He wants a golden retriever badly but feels guilty because his parents always gave their dogs excellent care, and he wants to meet that standard.
He’s looking for a show golden (fluffy, not working line) and asks for breeder recommendations.
Elon Musk on the Pod
Chris was added to a Signal group chat with Elon Musk after Elon posted about a Modern Wisdom episode.
When Chris invited him on the podcast, Elon said “maybe after the SpaceX IPO.”
Chris wants to do something incredibly special for that conversation, regardless of what people think of Elon.
Gaining the World’s Respect as a Young Person
A young listener asks how to gain respect when the world dismisses you based on age.
Chris sympathizes and says the harsh truth is that you mostly have to wait — respect shifts around age 24-25 and again around 30.
His hack: directly address the elephant in the room at the start of meetings. Acknowledge you’re young, express respect for the other party, state your track record, and expect respect back.
He also recommends Cal Newport’s “So Good They Can’t Ignore You” — competence is the ultimate solution.
Why There Are Ads
A listener complains about too many ad reads.
Chris pushes back, noting that four minutes of ads in a three-hour episode featuring three major podcasters is a small price for free content.
He acknowledges it can be annoying when you’re locked in, but the studio and production are expensive, and ads keep the show free.
He only works with brands he personally uses and tries to make ad reads entertaining.
Who’s Next to Die in the Red Rising Series
Chris thinks Mustang (Darrow’s wife) will be killed off in the final book, Red God.
He believes Pierce Brown is known for killing beloved characters and that Darrow winning the war but losing his wife again would be the most brutally unromantic and legendary ending.
Should We Bring Back Harambe?
Yes, unequivocally. Chris jokes that Harambe would fix the Middle East and serve as an excellent UN ambassador.
Chris’s Buzzcut Numbers
When he buzzes his hair: #2 on the sides, #2.5 on top, with a moderate fade.
He needs a trim every 2-2.5 weeks because his hair gets bigger (not longer) as it grows, and after 3.5 weeks it looks messy.
For more longevity, he suggests #1.5-2, which gets you to about 3 weeks.
Studio Tour
Chris hasn’t done a proper studio tour video yet because he wants everything to be perfect first — a custom tree from Singapore, additional lighting, and other touches are still being finalized.
He promises it will happen once the final details are in place.
Has Self-Help Been Exhausted?
A listener asks whether Chris has already covered the 80/20 of what matters in self-help and is now at risk of productive procrastination.
Chris acknowledges “grind slop exhaustion” is real and that much of the foundational content (GTD, sleep optimization, spaced repetition) was recorded before most people listened.
He’s consciously trying to avoid repeating himself and to find new, interesting guests.
He’s considering revisiting basics through recap episodes or “greatest hits” with past guests, since many current listeners never heard the early episodes.
His current instinct: have fun, avoid political rage-bait, and don’t chase novelty for its own sake.
Would Carnage Traffic Light Parties Solve Declining Birth Rates?
Chris ran “Carnage” bar crawls in the UK where participants wore green (single), orange (considering it), or red (taken) stickers.
He thinks bringing it back could help with declining birth rates, though it would require massive scale and would likely be canceled quickly in the age of camera phones.
Chris’s Reading Lists
He has two curated lists of 100 books each (“100 Books You Should Read Before You Die” and a second volume) available at chriswilx.com/books.
Each book has a description and purchase link. The top 5 in each list are the must-reads.
Chris’s Thoughts on Alcohol
Chris did 1,000 days sober and multiple six-month stints over the past decade, which was transformative.
He’s not an absolutist — he drinks occasionally (about 20 times a year, usually just two beers) and believes alcohol can enhance special occasions.
The problem is when you feel obligated to drink or lose control. His issue was that drinking reset his progress (diet, training, meditation) every couple of weeks.
New Merch
New merch designs are coming soon. Chris is extremely particular about quality — fabric, fit, print quality — because he sees merch as a direct touchpoint between him and his audience.
They’re switching from Comfort Colors CC1717s to AS Color Stencil Minus 2s for a deeper black and more flattering fit.
The first drop was in late 2025; the next is expected around June 2026.
More Science Episodes?
Chris loves astronomy and physics and wants to do more episodes in that space.
He’s trying to organize a Neil deGrasse Tyson round table and would love to have David Kipping back on.
He’s open to suggestions for other physics and astronomy communicators.
More Regular Q&As
A listener asks for Q&As on a fixed schedule (every 2-3 months) rather than tied to subscriber milestones.
Chris acknowledges the unpredictability is frustrating and says he’ll try to do more solo content now that he has the new studio.
Locking In at 19
A listener asks whether to go through a “lonely chapter” of grinding until financial freedom or enjoy youth with some drinking and relationships.
Chris says at 19, having fun is perfectly acceptable — the divergence between those who lock in and those who don’t won’t be visible until later.
He recommends a period of intense “monk mode” grinding in the mid-to-late 20s through early 30s, when you have enough experience and respect to capitalize on it fully.
You can’t always semi-pro it — there needs to be a period of going pro to reach escape velocity.
Will Finn and Horatio Be Back?
Chris hopes to have Finn and Horatio (of Finn Versus History / Finn Versus the Internet) back on, likely during his UK/Ireland tour in October.
He considers Finn Versus History one of the best podcasts on the internet and is proud of their collaboration.
When Is Chris Getting a Dog?
Very soon. He wants a golden retriever and plans to have it as a regular feature in the studio during episodes.
He warns listeners they’ll get tired of him talking about the dog once he has it.
