Escaping Your Lane: The 289th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying

Today we discuss the reasons not to stay in your lane, wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, and whether Americans want a handout, or to be left alone. First: Bret responds to critique from Geert Vanden Bossche on his characterization of intramuscular vaccines and their capacity to produce mucosal immunity. Then: how science discovers reality, the risks of reductionism, and a hypothesis that generalists are more immune to corruption than specialists. Then: bald eagles and foxes compete to scavenge seal meat on the shores of the Salish Sea. Meanwhile in Canada, people are told they can’t go into the woods. Finally: young, and urban, Americans are more likely than older, or rural Americans, to want a handout from the federal government.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Geert tweet: https://x.com/GVDBossche/status/1955304851270738108

Nova Scotia: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/08/05/travel-activities-woods-restricted-prevent-wildfires

New Brunswick: https://www.cp24.com/news/canada/2025/08/09/stay-out-of-the-woods-new-brunswick-closing-crown-lands-due-to-extreme-wildfire-hazard/

Fox poll: https://x.com/IAPolls2022/status/1948170719860281405

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Timestamps:
00:00:00 Holding Screen
00:05:10 Why You Go Into Math
00:17:12 Answering Geert Vanden Bossche’s Criticism
00:40:45 Why You Don't Stay in Your Lane
00:55:49 Does Being a Generalist Guard Against Corruption?
01:01:47 Observing Nature: Eagles, Foxes, and Seals
01:14:16 Nova Scotia Bans Walking in the Woods?
01:22:27 Federal Government: Help or Get out of the Way?