Home / What's Our Problem?
What's Our Problem?
By Tim Urban
- Release Date: 2023-02-06
- Genre: Political Science
- $15.99
Description
From the creator of the wildly popular blog Wait But Why, a fun and fascinating deep dive into what the hell is going on in our strange, unprecedented modern times. Between 2013 and 2016, Tim Urban became one of the world’s most popular bloggers, writing dozens of viral, long-form articles about everything from AI to colonizing Mars to procrastination. Then, he turned his attention to a new topic: the society around him. Why was everything such a mess? Why was everyone acting like such a baby? When did things get so tribal? Why do humans do this stuff? This massive topic sent Tim tumbling down his deepest rabbit hole yet, through mountains of history, evolutionary psychology, political theory, neuroscience, and modern-day political movements, as he tried to figure out the answer to a simple question: What’s our problem? Six years later, he emerged from the hole holding this book. What’s Our Problem? is a deep and expansive analysis of our modern times, in the classic style of Wait But Why, packed with original concepts, sticky metaphors, and 300 drawings. The book provides an entirely new framework and language for thinking and talking about today’s complex world. Instead of focusing on the usual left-center-right horizontal political axis, which is all about what we think, the book introduces a vertical axis that explores how we think, as individuals and as groups. Readers will find themselves on a delightful and fascinating journey that will ultimately change the way they see the world around them. Anyway he wanted to say a lot more about all of this but there was a word limit on this book description so just go read the book.
Reviews
What’s Our Problem?
1By Dr. TMI TKDDVLTim Urban begins by making entertaining and creative descriptions in laying out the framework for his argument. However when he shifts to emphasize the radical nature of SJF (social justice fundamentalism) he does exactly what he’s preaching against. He lost all credibility for me when he defended Bret Weinstein and attacked Naima Lowe in less than neutral fashion. He neglects to say that both Naima Lowe and Bret Weinstein were forced to resign. And in fact, it appears that Bret Weinstein received a greater severance than Naima Lowe. (Easy enough research to google). And he also doesn’t mention the extremely harmful and dangerous misinformation that Bret Weinstein has spread about COVID vaccines and HIV/AIDS. I enjoyed Tim Urban’s popular YouTube video and was very sad to find out he is probably a stealth right winger or libertarian. He should have spent more time in his book focusing his otherwise interesting theories on the very real threat that Trump and his overtly dangerous and hateful followers present to our country and the world rather than the more subtle and nuanced “micro aggressions” he is criticizing.Explains Everything
5By STReese65This book is required reading for those who want to understand why our society is so polarized and weird lately.Political
2By ananiasdiasToo politicalA behemoth!
5By ---Jeffen---Well written, entertaining but also largely depressing. Only at page 340 of 352 is Tim finally tuning around to give some advice how we can fix things. So the problem is huge and complex compared to how simple the solution is. It made me look critically at my own beliefs and pledge to be a better steward of our liberal society because I know now where things turn if we continue to be too complacent and simple minded about our own thinking - for this I recommend this book to everyone.A great framework for understanding society
5By Chris825396I learned a lot from this book, even though I’d already read some of the themes on Wait But Why. This is well worth your time to read right through to the end. The clear way of looking at where we are as a society is really helpful when dealing with our own biases.Gives words to my abstract thoughts
5By 1234DanLong, but worth the read!👍🏻👍🏻
5By edwardnotwA great analysis and a wake-up!Fantastic and enlightening read
5By Dodgerdude22Very engaging and informative book. It made me really think about how I think about the world. It got a bit dense towards the end, but I’m glad I pushed through as it was well worth it. I love the Wait But Why blog, so I was really excited to finally read this book. Thanks for all your hard work Tim!Required reading
5By 61 EvinrudeTim’s book should be required reading for everyone under the age of 25. The battle for a sane world where freedom of speech is respected and not denigrated may be lost on the older generations.This is what they should read in high school!
5By Michael McCollumGreat book!
