Not Overthinking

After a short sabbatical from recording, we’re back once again. In this episode, we catch up with what’s been going on in our lives over the past few weeks before discussing why certain tweets end up becoming more contentious than intended and how identities can be revealed through how people respond to certain tweets. We also debate some of Taimur's recent book suggestions which Ali has found to...

After a few weeks away, we’re back with another episode that dives into Ali’s dating life and explores more theories and ideas around children and parenting. We first discuss the etiquettes and expectations of texting on dating apps and what’s considered a ‘normal’ amount of interaction before asking someone out for a coffee or a meal. We then shift gears and move onto exploring Taimur’s theories...

This week we’re joined by returning guest to the podcast, Lucia, to talk about her charity work. We discuss her reasons for starting her charity, LEEP, her experiences since it was formed and the impact that it’s had. We talk about what motivates us to pursue different causes and where we can have the most impact and then finally, at the end of the podcast, Taimur takes a very important pledge. En...

After a couple of weeks away, we’re back with updates on what we’ve been up to since our last recorded episode. From Taimur’s live rendition of Brown Eyed Girl to Ali’s discovery of WeWork to a conversation on the value of business coaches, we cover a lot of ground in this typically wide-ranging episode. Enjoy :) Join our Membership Community Thing If you'd like to potentially join the Not Overthi...

This week we’ve got another in-betweenisode because our diaries didn’t match up for us to record a podcast so we’re releasing an interview that Ali recently did with journalist, author and podcaster Anna Codrea-Rado. Anna worked for VICE and the Guardian before going freelance 4 years ago and her articles now appear in the New York Times, the Guardian, BBC, Wired, the Atlantic, Vice, and loads of...

In this short episode, we continue our recent discussions around how kids are treated in society. We talk about a recent post by Duncan Sabien which raises four main points about how we treat, or should treat, children and talk about how it relates to our own experience as kids. After a brief update about Ali’s latest gaming troubles, we bring the episode to an early end. We’ll be back with a long...

After a week away, we’re back with a typically wide-ranging episode. Our discussion ranges from toxic productivity to mindsets around competition and competitiveness to how we should frame the abstract nature of work that we ‘have’ to do. Ali’s also looking for a name for his new stationary brand so if you have any suggestions then please send them in. Thank you for listening and please leave us a...

Hey everyone - another bit of an 'in-between'-isode this week. In this episode, Ali talks to Brandon Sanderson - his favourite author of all time. Brandon is a best-selling author who has written books that have sold millions of copies including the incredible fantasy books, Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive. He also wrote the final 3 books of The Wheel of Time series. Brandon's output is legend...

In this episode, we look back over the past two years of recording this podcast. We discuss why we think it’s lasted so long, reflect on how the podcast has changed over the two years since we began recording in March 2019 and finally consider whether we should think more about our target audience and we try to break down why people listen. Sponsored by Brilliant This episode is kindly supported b...

In this episode, we're joined by Joey Savoie , co-founder of Charity Entrepreneurship. Joey's an expert at 'spreadsheetising' all aspects of his life, including health, relationships and careers to have the biggest impact on the world. Our wide-ranging conversation discusses the extent to which we can (or should) quantify our lives, and Ali gets a lot of dating advice as well. Enjoy Links Charity...

In this episode, we begin by talking about Ali’s theory for what makes for a good blog post or YouTube video before a tweet from none other than Agnes Callard about introverts sends us down a path debating introversion, extroversion and signalling. -------------------------------------- Sponsored by Brilliant This episode is kindly supported by Brilliant, the best way to learn maths, science, and...

In this episode, we talk about earnestness and sincerity when posting on social media. We discuss Ali’s decision to start writing online, why it feels different posting a blog post as opposed to publishing a YouTube video and how we each want to come across on Twitter. We also delve a little into Ali’s dating life and how we each deal with people reaching out to us. -------------------------------...

Hey everyone - a bit of an 'in-between'-isode this week. In this episode, Ali talks to Justin Kan a renowned internet entrepreneur, investor and founder and the co-founder of Twitch, the video game streaming platform. He's also helped found a number of other platforms including Socialcam, a mobile app for sharing video and is an active angel investor and mentor for many startups. They chat through...

In this episode, we break down our feelings over the outpouring of nice comments that viewers kindly left on YouTube on our last episode. We touch on the difference between pity, sympathy and ‘feeling sorry’ for someone. Taimur feels strongly about this, Ali less so. We explore these feelings. (Apologies for the slight issue with the audio). --------------------------------------------------- Spon...

In this episode, we explore some emotional rollercoasters we've both been on - Ali with regards to his book and reading mean comments online, and Taimur with regards to his startup and their narrative journey. Links Kevin Kwok Blog Post Entrepreneur First -------------------------------------- Sponsored by Brilliant This episode is kindly supported by Brilliant, the best way to learn maths, scienc...

In this episode, we discuss The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt, which explores questions of morality. We take a look at the three principles about morality that form the basis of the book and why people have different understandings of right and wrong. We also briefly talk about Ali’s concerns and struggles with his YouTube channel. Links Shortform The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt ----------...

This week we talk about the phenomenon of 'social media grifting' - trying to build an audience online through deliberate tactics. Most people think it's cringe, but we try to figure out whether it's objectionable. We also workshop Ali's book proposal. Sponsored by Skillshare This episode is kindly supported by Skillshare. Sign up at  skillshare.com/notoverthinkingpod . Leave us a Review If you en...

In this episode, we talk about epistemic humility - acknowledging the limitations of our beliefs. Taimur has recently made an effort to be *less* "epistemically humble" when he talks about things, and we into why. -------------------------------------- Sponsored by Brilliant This episode is kindly supported by Brilliant, the best way to learn maths, science, and computer science online. Brilliant...

In this episode, we discuss Michael J Samuel's book the Tyranny of Merit, which talks about the problems with the ideals of Meritocracy. We take a look at the history of the Rhetoric of Rising, and end with a discussion about why praising people for their achievements feels problematic. Do we really respect people more because of their credentials? Links The Tyranny of Merit Sponsored by Skillshar...

In this episode, we're joined by Neel Nanda to discuss life optimisations, career choices, how to live in alignment with your own values and how to treat your relationships more intentionally. We discuss some of the principles behind how we can do the most good with our lives, while also being fulfilled and enjoying the journey. Links 80000 Hours Key Ideas Misconceptions about EA   Map of local EA...

In this episode, we’re joined by our friend Sheen to discuss some complaints that a few listeners have raised over the years about this podcast having misogynistic undertones. We discuss some complaints about last week’s episode, and discuss the extent to which generalisation about groups (eg: women) is accurate and / or useful. Links Dream, Girl Podcast The WOC Tribe -----------------------------...

In this episode, we discuss the highlights of the podcast from 2020, Ali shares some of the advice he's received about how to be better with women, and we try and figure out how to create a members community for listeners of the podcast.  Sponsored by Brilliant This episode is kindly supported by Brilliant, the best way to learn maths, science, and computer science online. Brilliant focuses on hel...

In this episode, we answer some reflective end-of-year review questions. We introspect about new ways we've had fun in 2020, new ways we've suffered in 2020, and what lessons we'd teach to others. Enjoy! ------------------------------------- Sponsored by Skillshare This episode is kindly supported by Skillshare. Sign up at  skillshare.com/notoverthinkingpod . Leave us a Review If you enjoy listen...

In this episode, we discuss some thought-provoking questions designed to help us (and you) figure out what we want from life. This turns into a commitment we make to one another to consciously work towards our ‘rock star’ goals. Links The Forcing Function Sponsored by Brilliant This episode is kindly supported by Brilliant, the best way to learn maths, science, and computer science online. Brillia...

In this episode, Ali shares a disappointing moment from his week when System 1 thinking took hold of him. We then discuss Alan Watts' famous framing of life as a game with two modes of operation - serious vs sincere. Taimur shares some lessons from his therapy sessions, and we end with an elaborate description of a problematic meme. Enjoy! ----------------------------------------------------------...