Why Do Smart People Double Down On Bad Ideas? | Dr. Gad Saad | EP 553

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson and evolutionary psychologist Dr. Gad Saad reunite for a conversation that blends ancient myth, evolutionary theory, and cultural psychology. Together, they dissect cognitive dissonance, the dangers of willful blindness, and the evolutionary logic behind sacrifice, delayed gratification, and identity formation. This episode was filmed on May 23rd, 2025. Unlock the ad-free experience of The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast and dive into exclusive bonus content on DailyWire+. Start watching now: http://dwpluspeterson.com/yt ALL LINKS: https://feedlink.io/jordanbpeterson | Sponsors | Parenting: Teaching Responsibility - Dr. Jordan B. Peterson helps two parents confront their 13-year-old son's tantrums, entitlement, and lack of responsibility. Peterson explores how to foster independence by negotiating boundaries, distributing responsibility, and teaching teens to carry their own weight—before the world makes them do it. Available now, exclusively on DailyWire+ https://www.dailywire.com/show/parenting Beam: Head to https://shopbeam.com/PETERSON and use code PETERSON at checkout for up to 40% off. Hallow: Get 3 months free at https://hallow.com/Jordan Oracle Netsuite: Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning at http://NetSuite.com/JBP | Links | For Dr. Gad Saad: Read “The Saad Truth About Happiness: 8 Rules for Living the Good Life” https://a.co/d/1IqTyM9 On X https://twitter.com/GadSaad On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Gad.Saad/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/doctorgadsaad/ On YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLH7qUqM0PLieCVaHA7RegA Spotify Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/5T2wjkFxsjvuxO1SDcZh29 Apple podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-saad-truth-with-dr-saad/id1516343565 | Chapters | (0:00) Coming up (0:54) Intro (3:40) One night at Mar-a-Lago, what Harvard used to be (15:40) Why people fall into and defend cognitive dissonance (22:25) What the ancient Egyptians knew about order (29:01) Understand the “inverted you” (42:53) Why you go to work (48:51) Null effects and conscientiousness (56:41) How birth order affects sibling outcomes (1:04:54) Why we evolved to reproduce through sex (1:06:44) Storehouses of value and the parasite problem // LINKS // Peterson Academy https://petersonacademy.com ARC https://www.arcforum.com Books - https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/books/ #JordanPeterson #JordanBPeterson #DrJordanPeterson #DrJordanBPeterson #DailyWirePlus