17 August 2025
#978 - Spencer Greenberg - How Much Does IQ Matter?
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Spencer Greenberg is a mathematician, founder, CEO & creator of ClearerThinking.org
How much does IQ really matter? Most of us have met people on both ends of the spectrum and wondered where we stand and what that means for our future. But is IQ truly fixed, or can it be shaped in some very surprising ways?
Expect to learn how much IQ matters in all areas of your life, what the pubic misunderstands about IQ, if we should be treating intelligence more like a skill than an inherent trait, why the obsession with IQ might just be a form of intellectual status-signaling, why imposter syndrome is shockingly common and some counterintuitive benefits to imposter syndrome, if traits like narcissism or sociopathy can ever be adaptive or useful, the most common misinterpretations of the Dunning-Kruger effect, and much more…
Sponsors:
See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom
Get 60% off an annual plan of Incogni at https:/incogni.com/modernwisdom
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
Timestamps:
(0:00) The Intelligence Test
(3:25) What is IQ?
(7:19) The Main Claims Around IQ
(12:35) How Important is IQ?
(17:50) More Claims Around IQ
(19:52) Can a High IQ Be a Disadvantage?
(22:25) Are IQ and Happiness Correlated?
(35:20) What Does the Future of IQ Research Look Like?
(36:31) - Deep Dive into Imposter Syndrome
(55:07) Re-examining the Dunning-Kruger Effect
(01:02:22) Deciding Your Own Attractiveness Level
(01:06:14) Misunderstandings About Personality Disorders
(01:16:56) The Differences Between Sociopaths and Psychopaths
(01:17:56) Are Narcissism and Sociopathy Adaptive Traits?
(01:23:27) Are We Over-Pathologizing Unpleasant People?
(01:25:02) Find Out More About Spencer
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/43hv6y59
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: https://tinyurl.com/2rtz7avf
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3ccn5vkp
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Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
---------
Spencer Greenberg is a mathematician, founder, CEO & creator of ClearerThinking.org
How much does IQ really matter? Most of us have met people on both ends of the spectrum and wondered where we stand and what that means for our future. But is IQ truly fixed, or can it be shaped in some very surprising ways?
Expect to learn how much IQ matters in all areas of your life, what the pubic misunderstands about IQ, if we should be treating intelligence more like a skill than an inherent trait, why the obsession with IQ might just be a form of intellectual status-signaling, why imposter syndrome is shockingly common and some counterintuitive benefits to imposter syndrome, if traits like narcissism or sociopathy can ever be adaptive or useful, the most common misinterpretations of the Dunning-Kruger effect, and much more…
Sponsors:
See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live
See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals
Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period from Shopify at https://shopify.com/modernwisdom
Get 60% off an annual plan of Incogni at https:/incogni.com/modernwisdom
Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom
Timestamps:
(0:00) The Intelligence Test
(3:25) What is IQ?
(7:19) The Main Claims Around IQ
(12:35) How Important is IQ?
(17:50) More Claims Around IQ
(19:52) Can a High IQ Be a Disadvantage?
(22:25) Are IQ and Happiness Correlated?
(35:20) What Does the Future of IQ Research Look Like?
(36:31) - Deep Dive into Imposter Syndrome
(55:07) Re-examining the Dunning-Kruger Effect
(01:02:22) Deciding Your Own Attractiveness Level
(01:06:14) Misunderstandings About Personality Disorders
(01:16:56) The Differences Between Sociopaths and Psychopaths
(01:17:56) Are Narcissism and Sociopathy Adaptive Traits?
(01:23:27) Are We Over-Pathologizing Unpleasant People?
(01:25:02) Find Out More About Spencer
Extra Stuff:
Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books
Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom
Episodes You Might Enjoy:
#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/43hv6y59
#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: https://tinyurl.com/2rtz7avf
#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3ccn5vkp
-
Get In Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast
Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact
-
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices