Erik Hoel - The Tao of having babies

This is the first part of our conversation. The full episode and the complete archive of Subversive episodes, including exclusive episodes and my writing, are available on Substack. You can also subscribe to the podcast sans writing on Patreon for a bit less. This is how the show is financed and grows, so I appreciate every contribution! Please subscribe at: ⁠https://www.alexkaschuta.com/⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/aksubversive⁠ Our conversation explores the concept of pronatalism, the role of parents in shaping the values and behaviors of their children, the influence of genetics and culture, the limitations of heritability studies, and the challenges of navigating the complex nature vs. nurture debate. We also talk about the complexity of personality traits, the challenges of measuring and understanding them, the different flavors of traits, and the role of parenting in shaping them. The discussion also touches on the search for meaning in life, the impact of career choices, the importance of parenting styles, and the need for pro-natalist policies. Erik Hoel is an essayist, a neuroscientist, a novelist, and the author of one of my favorite Substacks: The Intrinsic Perspective Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Pronatalism and the Repugnant Conclusion 09:17 The Role of Parents in Shaping Values and Behaviors 18:59 Genetics, Heritability, and the Nature vs. Nurture Debate 40:22 The Complexity of Personality Traits 42:07 The Challenges of Measurement 46:12 Finding Meaning in Life 51:04 The Experience of Parenthood 56:49 Pronatalist Policies