Can We Outgrow Human Nature? | Maynard Okereke (hiphopscienceshow)
4/30/20261 hr 19 min
In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer sit down with Maynard Okereke, also known as Hip Hop MD, for a deep conversation about the future of humanity, evolution, and the idea of starting a new civilization from scratch.
They explore how human behavior is shaped by evolution, whether traits like competition and greed can ever be removed, and what it would take to build a better society on a new planet. The discussion also dives into genetic engineering, space colonization, and the philosophical implications of immortality.
Along the way, they tackle big questions about identity, meaning, and whether humanity could ever outgrow its own nature.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDakotah Tyler· Host0:00
20,000 years in the future, and you are starting a colony on a new planet. What is sort of your base laws?
Justin Shaifer· Host0:05
Currency's gonna be crypto.
Maynard Okereke· Guest0:08
Wait, wait, what, what? Ultimately, you're just trying to improve on what we had here on Earth, right? Try to eradicate all the bad things.
Dakotah Tyler· Host0:14
My assertion is that a lot of the things that we are considering bad are actually just natural things that humans will slide into- Mm-hmm ... because they were things that were helpful for us to survive.
Justin Shaifer· Host0:28
The same things.
Dakotah Tyler· Host0:28
I agree with what you're saying. Uh, urgency that we have for Curiosity Theory, for example, is driven by the fact that me and Justin are gonna die one day.
Justin Shaifer· Host0:35
Yeah, I think there'll still be time constraints even if everybody lives forever.
Maynard Okereke· Guest0:41
Forever.
Dakotah Tyler· Host0:41
Welcome back to Curiosity Theory. It is your co-host, Dr. Dakota Tyler, AKA Dr. Star Kid, astrophysicist, physics professor- Ooh ... and author.
Maynard Okereke· Guest1:02
Tyler's on titles.
Dakotah Tyler· Host1:03
[laughs] With me, I have- Uh, the lovely and, uh, zaddy co-host, Justin "Mr.
Justin Shaifer· Host1:09
Fascinate" Shafer, a science communicator- Cut his mic ... STEM media... Science communicator, STEM media producer, and lover of phone calls. I like phone calls.
Maynard Okereke· Guest1:21
What?
Dakotah Tyler· Host1:21
Phone calls.
Justin Shaifer· Host1:22
Who are you?
Dakotah Tyler· Host1:22
Uh, with us joining today, we have, well, a man who needs no introduction, in a respectful way.
Maynard Okereke· Guest1:29
What up, what