{"podcast":{"title":"First Principles","slug":"first-principles-7708985","podcast_index_feed_id":7708985,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN4765221373","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/06eebd2a-0779-11f1-826e-37926ac18342/image/fca7c8febd1441fc3b0d54084418b06d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Adrian Wells","episode_count":426,"summary":"First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most \"revolutionary\" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-20T02:18:54.580675+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985"},"episode":{"title":"Why Jimmy Carr Says Most People Are Wrong About Happiness (He's Right)","slug":"why-jimmy-carr-says-most-people-are-wrong-about-happiness-he-s-right","published_at":"2026-07-26T19:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-jimmy-carr-says-most-people-are-wrong-about-happiness-he-s-right","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN8646926301.mp3?updated=1776257909","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN8646926301.mp3?updated=1776257909","summary":"What if everything you think you know about happiness is backwards? Jimmy Carr - yes, the comedian who makes tax jokes and roasts hecklers for a living - might have cracked the code on mental health better than most therapists. Adrian Wells sits down with Carr to unpack why taking complete responsibility for your own happiness isn't just good advice, it's the only advice that actually works. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How Carr turned severe learning difficulties and public humiliation into his greatest strengths • The \"code cracking\" approach to pattern recognition that works for comedy AND life decisions • Why blaming external circumstances for your unhappiness keeps you stuck (and what to do instead) • The specific identity shift that pulled Carr out of panic attacks and depression 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners who want practical philosophy they can actually use when life gets messy. Carr's story isn't your typical celebrity comeback tale. This is about someone who deliberately chose to rewire how he thinks about problems, responsibility, and what he can control. The guy who struggled to read as a kid now sees patterns everywhere. The comedian who got destroyed in the press learned to own his mistakes instead of hiding from them. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Jimmy Carr's unconventional happiness philosophy [02:15] From learning difficulties to pattern recognition mastery [04:30] How public failure taught Carr about taking responsibility [06:45] The \"code cracking\" method for understanding what actually works [08:30] Why external blame keeps you miserable (and how to stop) [10:15] Practical steps for taking control of your own mental health 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episod…","meta_description":"What if everything you think you know about happiness is backwards? Jimmy Carr - yes, the comedian who makes tax jokes and roasts hecklers for a living -…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1416,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/why-jimmy-carr-says-most-people-are-wrong-about-happiness-he-s-right/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-jimmy-carr-says-most-people-are-wrong-about-happiness-he-s-right.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}