Why We Stopped Progressing | Peter Thiel | EP 541

Jordan B Peterson April 24, 2025
Jordan B Peterson Logo

Jordan B Peterson

@jordanbpeterson

About

Jordan B. Peterson is a Canadian professor of psychology, clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, best-selling author and host of the #1 Education Podcast, "The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast." Watch the entirety of Dr. Peterson's catalog on DailyWire+ This channel features videos from his classes, podcasts, interviews, book tours, and lectures. You can watch the incredibly popular lecture series "Personality and Its Transformations", "Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief", as well as his "The Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories" lectures for free.

Video Description

Billionaire investor and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel sits down with Jordan Peterson for a powerful conversation about why real progress has stalled. Thiel argues that the last truly groundbreaking achievement may have been landing on the moon—and since then, we've slowed down. He explains how fear, red tape, and over-specialization have made us more cautious and less ambitious. They dig into how society has shifted away from building and inventing, toward digital distractions and endless talk. They also explore what’s been lost as faith and meaning have disappeared from public life. From broken universities to status-driven culture wars, this is a deep and thought-provoking look at the challenges facing the West—and what we might do to turn things around. Peter Thiel is a German-born entrepreneur, venture capitalist, activist, and billionaire who emigrated to the U.S. as a child, eventually settling in California after years of moving between countries. A Stanford Law graduate, he began his career as a clerk and derivatives trader before founding Thiel Capital with $1 million from friends and family. Despite early setbacks, he co-founded Confinity, which became PayPal, launching a streak of ventures including Palantir, Clarium Capital, and early investment in Facebook. Thiel is an openly gay supporter of the Republican party, advocating for both equal rights and certain conservative policies, making his political stance admirably nuanced. This episode was filmed on March 31st, 2025. Unlock the ad-free experience of The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast and dive into exclusive bonus content on DailyWire+. Start watching now: http://dwpluspeterson.com/yt ALL LINKS: https://feedlink.io/jordanbpeterson | Sponsors | ExpressVPN: Go to https://expressvpn.com/jordan and find out how you can get 4 months of ExpressVPN free! Hallow: Get 3 months free at https://hallow.com/Jordan Join Peterson Academy: https://petersonacademy.com/ | Links | For Peter Thiel: X https://x.com/peterthiel?lang=en Read “Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future” https://a.co/d/fAfeXm8 | Chapters | (0:00) Coming up (0:41) Intro (2:51) We are stagnating, “the most innovative times are behind us.” (8:01) Late modernity: hyper-specialization, reduced speed of travel, free thought becomes taboo (14:51) How the U.S.—built on ambition and will—became risk adverse (19:58) Why it feels like we’re living in an “apocalyptic age” (23:30) Red tape strangles science, the Christian God always gets blamed (31:44) Christian Europe ushered forth the scientific age, René Girard (52:00) Pagans, power, imitation, and meta-games (59:43) Thiel pushes back on the centering of sacrifice (1:12:36) Abraham and Isaac: interpreting the Old Testament through the New Testament // LINKS // Peterson Academy https://petersonacademy.com ARC https://www.arcforum.com Books - https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/books/ #JordanPeterson #JordanBPeterson #DrJordanPeterson #DrJordanBPeterson #dailywireplus Ep. 0541

You May Also Like

Thought-Provoking Books & Tools

AI-recommended products based on this video

Loading...
Snap Grip Mini Mop, Zero Touch Mini Mop, 360° Disposable Dust Mop with 4 Reusable Cloths, No Wash Lazy Mops Wet and Dry, 100cm Long Handle Mopping Sweeper Stick for Multi Cleaning (1pcs)

Snap Grip Mini Mop, Zero Touch Mini Mop, 360° Disposable Dust Mop with 4 Reusable Cloths, No Wash Lazy Mops Wet and Dry, 100cm Long Handle Mopping Sweeper Stick for Multi Cleaning (1pcs)

(0)
$26.29
$6.99 delivery Jan 13 - 23
Loading...
Corsair RM1200x Shift Fully Modular ATX Power Supply - Modular Side Interface - ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 Compliant - Zero RPM Fan Mode - 105°C-Rated Capacitors - 80 Plus Gold Efficiency - Black, 1200W

Corsair RM1200x Shift Fully Modular ATX Power Supply - Modular Side Interface - ATX 3.1 & PCIe 5.1 Compliant - Zero RPM Fan Mode - 105°C-Rated Capacitors - 80 Plus Gold Efficiency - Black, 1200W

(25)
$254.98$203.98
FREE delivery Wed, Oct 8
50+ bought in past month
Loading...
MIFAWA Barefoot Shoes Men Women Minimalist Shoes Zero Drop Workout Cross-Trainer Running Hiking Water Wide Toe Box Grounding Footwear Lightweight Breathable
Best Seller

MIFAWA Barefoot Shoes Men Women Minimalist Shoes Zero Drop Workout Cross-Trainer Running Hiking Water Wide Toe Box Grounding Footwear Lightweight Breathable

(2,491)
$36.32
Prime
50+ bought in past month
Loading...
USB-C Portable Monitor - 15.6 Inch FHD HDR FreeSync Zero Frame USB-C Computer Display with Dual Type-C Mini HDMI for Laptop PC Phone Mac Surface Xbox PS5 Switch, with Cover VESA Mountable

USB-C Portable Monitor - 15.6 Inch FHD HDR FreeSync Zero Frame USB-C Computer Display with Dual Type-C Mini HDMI for Laptop PC Phone Mac Surface Xbox PS5 Switch, with Cover VESA Mountable

(5,982)
$132.99
Prime
Loading...
BIC Brite Liner Grip Pastel Highlighter Set, Non-Toxic with Chisel Tip for Fine and Broad Lines, 6-Count Pack in Pastel Assorted Colours

BIC Brite Liner Grip Pastel Highlighter Set, Non-Toxic with Chisel Tip for Fine and Broad Lines, 6-Count Pack in Pastel Assorted Colours

(22,854)
$4.69
FREE delivery Mon, Sep 15 on your first order
7K+ bought in past month
Loading...
Hi.FANCY Portable Laptop Stand with Dual Cooling Fans for 14-17inch Laptops, Grey, 23.5 x 25.9 x 0.95cm

Hi.FANCY Portable Laptop Stand with Dual Cooling Fans for 14-17inch Laptops, Grey, 23.5 x 25.9 x 0.95cm

(0)
$36.99
FREE delivery Aug 18 - 28
Loading...
Laptop Stand, OMOTON Laptop Mount, Aluminum Laptop Holder Riser Stand for Desk, Compatible with MacBook Air/Pro, Dell, HP, Lenovo and All Laptops (10-15.6 inch),Silver

Laptop Stand, OMOTON Laptop Mount, Aluminum Laptop Holder Riser Stand for Desk, Compatible with MacBook Air/Pro, Dell, HP, Lenovo and All Laptops (10-15.6 inch),Silver

(9,083)
$22.99
200+ bought in past month
Loading...
BESIGN LSX7 Laptop Stand with 360° Rotating Base, Ergonomic Adjustable Notebook Stand, Riser Holder Computer Stand Compatible with Air, Pro, Dell, HP, Lenovo More 10-15.6" Laptops (Black) Recycled Claim Standard Blended

BESIGN LSX7 Laptop Stand with 360° Rotating Base, Ergonomic Adjustable Notebook Stand, Riser Holder Computer Stand Compatible with Air, Pro, Dell, HP, Lenovo More 10-15.6" Laptops (Black) Recycled Claim Standard Blended

(3,511)
$29.99
400+ bought in past month
Loading...
Zewwen Laptop Stand for Desk, Ergonomic Adjustable Foldable Computer Stand with Heat-Vent, Aluminium Alloy Laptop Riser Compatible with MacBook Air, Pro, Dell XPS, Samsung, 10”-16"

Zewwen Laptop Stand for Desk, Ergonomic Adjustable Foldable Computer Stand with Heat-Vent, Aluminium Alloy Laptop Riser Compatible with MacBook Air, Pro, Dell XPS, Samsung, 10”-16"

(1,679)
$28.49
FREE delivery Sat, Jun 14 on your first order
500+ bought in past month
Loading...
Monster N-Lite 211 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 6.0 Stereo Headphones with Noise-Cancelling Mic and LED Display, Built-in Mic for Clear Calls, Waterproof Design for Sports

Monster N-Lite 211 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 6.0 Stereo Headphones with Noise-Cancelling Mic and LED Display, Built-in Mic for Clear Calls, Waterproof Design for Sports

(8)
$39.99
FREE delivery Tue, Nov 4
Loading...
Monster N-Lite 211 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 6.0 Stereo Headphones with Powerful Bass, Built-in Noise-Cancelling Mic for Clear Calls, LED Display, 36H Playtime, IPX5 Waterproof Design for Sports

Monster N-Lite 211 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 6.0 Stereo Headphones with Powerful Bass, Built-in Noise-Cancelling Mic for Clear Calls, LED Display, 36H Playtime, IPX5 Waterproof Design for Sports

(40)
$39.99
FREE delivery Thu, Nov 13