Is Social Status Determined By Your Genetics? - Gregory Clark - #728

**Chris Williamson** (0:00)
Hello, everybody. welcome back to the show. My guest today is Gregory Clark. He's a professor of economics at the University of California, Davis, a researcher and an author. Everyone has a dream of making a better life for their family, but fascinating new research suggests that your social status is heavily predetermined by your genetics and that your descendants escaping the position they've always been in is actually very unlikely. Expect to learn if social status is actually heritable, how much genetics really plays a role in social hierarchy, how researchers can tell where the next 10 generations of children will fall on the social ladder, how higher and lower status can impact the birth rate, why more attractive people have more social status, the difficulties of publishing research like this, and much more. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Greg's work has been a little unpopular in certain circles, but it is fascinating. It is so, so interesting. And I really, really hope that you enjoy this one. Also, I'm back in Austin. Look at me. I've left the UK behind after my Christmas break and I am back here ready to do some real damage to the next few months. And we've gone, I'm off to Vegas and LA next week, we can a week and a bit. And the lineup is just so wild. I cannot wait to show you the episodes that we've got scheduled. Yeah, get ready for these ones. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. From the launch your online shop stage to the first real life store stage, all the way to the, did we just hit a million orders stage? Shopify is there to help you grow. Whether you're selling scented soap or offering outdoor outfits, Shopify helps you sell everywhere. From that all in one e-commerce platform to their in-person POS system, wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify has got you covered. Shopify helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet's best converting checkout. 36% better on average compared to other leading commerce platforms. You would be amazed at how many massive brands you love use Shopify. Gymshark, perhaps one of the biggest independent sportswear companies in the world uses Shopify. And if it is good enough for them, it is good enough for you. So if you are looking to get started at selling something online, Shopify is the easiest, quickest and most convenient way to do it. Plus, you can sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/modernwisdom, all lowercase. That's shopify.com/modernwisdom to grow your business, no matter what stage you're in. This episode is brought to you by Surfshark VPN. Protect your browsing online and get access to the entire world's Netflix library for less than the price of a cup of coffee per month. If you use a public Wi-Fi network like a cafeteria or a library or an airport, regularly that internet admin can see all of the data going back and forth between your computer and the internet. Your internet service provider is selling your data to companies that target you with ads and phishing websites are trying to steal everything from you at all times. All of this is fixed with a VPN and it is available across unlimited devices. So it protects your phone, your iPad, your laptop and even your smart TV. And it's got a 30 day money back guarantee. So you can buy it and try it for 29 days. And if you do not like it, they will give you your money back. Head to surfshark.deals slash modern wisdom for an exclusive discount plus that 30 day money back guarantee. That's surfshark.deals slash modern wisdom. This episode is brought to you by Manscaped. It is the best ball and body hair trimmer ever created. It's got a cutting edge ceramic blade to reduce grooming accidents, a 90 minute battery so that you can take a longer shave, waterproof technology which allows you to groom in the shower and an LED light which illuminates grooming areas for a closer and more precise trim or if you're just a particularly crevicey human. They've also got a 7000 RPM motor with quiet stroke technology and a wireless charging system that helps the battery to last even longer. So if you or the man in your life is hairier than you would like them to be, this is a fantastic gift to get yourself or someone else. Head to manscaped.com/modernwisdom and use the code modern wisdom at checkout for 20% off plus free shipping worldwide. That's manscaped.com/modernwisdom and modern wisdom at checkout. But now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Gregory Clark.