What if the Luddites weren't the enemies of technology we've been taught to believe they were?

In this conversation, acclaimed tech journalist Brian Merchant (@bcmerchant) unpacks the true history of the Luddites — skilled workers who fought back not against innovation itself, but against the concentration of power, wealth, and control that accompanied the Industrial Revolution. Their story offers a striking lens through which to view today's rapid advances in artificial intelligence and automation.

Daniel and Brian explore how many of the same forces that reshaped society two centuries ago are at work again today, as powerful technologies transform the economy, redefine creative work, and challenge our sense of agency. From worker resistance and corporate influence to surveillance, automation, and the future of human dignity, this discussion reveals why understanding the past may be essential to navigating what's coming next.

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Surthrival — Superior formulas designed with nature's most potent ingredients.

For transcripts and resources from this episode go here.

Check out past episodes here.

Connect with Daniel on Instagram @dvitalis.

In this far-reaching conversation, master forager and ecological thinker Sam Thayer (@wellfedwild) explores why direct relationship with the natural world may be one of the most important skills of our time. From wild foods and primitive skills to AI, climate narratives, and ecological collapse, Sam reveals how firsthand experience with nature can foster resilience, clarity, and a deeper sense of belonging.

Daniel and Sam examine how modern life has distanced us from the living world, why industrial land use is reshaping ecosystems, and how reconnecting with wild foods and ancestral skills can serve as both a practical survival strategy and a profound spiritual practice. More than a conversation about foraging, this episode is an invitation to reclaim our place within the larger community of life.

This episode is brought to you by:

Surthrival — Superior formulas designed with nature's most potent ingredients.

For transcripts and resources from this episode go here.

Check out past episodes here.

Connect with Daniel on Instagram @dvitalis.

In this episode, Daniel sits down with renowned anatomist and bodyworker Tom Myers (@anatomytrainsofficial), creator of Anatomy Trains, for a far-reaching conversation on fascia, human evolution, and the hidden ways modern life shapes our bodies and minds. Drawing on more than fifty years of hands-on experience, Tom explains why fascia is far more than connective tissue — it's a living communication network that influences movement, perception, emotion, and our sense of connection to the world around us.

They explore how domestication, technology, and the comforts of modern living have altered the human experience, often distancing us from the environmental conditions that shaped our biology. Tom shares fascinating insights into the body's remarkable adaptability, the role of movement in maintaining health and vitality, and why understanding fascia may offer one of the most important keys to healing in the modern age.

From biomechanics and embodiment to consciousness and our relationship with nature, this conversation challenges conventional ideas about health and offers a compelling vision for how we can remain resilient, adaptable, and fully human in a rapidly changing world.

This episode is brought to you by:

Surthrival — Superior formulas designed with nature's most potent ingredients.

For transcripts and resources from this episode go here.

Check out past episodes here.

Connect with Daniel on Instagram @dvitalis.

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