This week on The Slow Learner, we’re joined by internationally acclaimed comedian Des Bishop — and things get smart, silly, and seriously heartfelt.
We dive deep into the science of language learning, addiction recovery, and comedy as cognitive therapy, all while poking around the cultural complexities of attraction, ego, and humour’s role in our social survival.
Oh, and Pete drops a Jordan Peterson impression you don’t want to miss — it almost justifies the slightly janky audio (we’re The Slow Learner, after all — the sound gets way better next episode, promise).
🎙️ In this episode:
How Des performed stand-up in Mandarin & Irish Gaelic
Using language immersion to rewire the brain after addiction
Why humour attracts — and why it doesn’t always work the same for women
Comedy’s role in social bonding, love, and long-term relationships
The neuroscience of bilingualism, bias, infatuation, and recovery
🧠 We cover real science too — including:
Dopamine, reward, and motivation systems
Popper’s falsifiability and why science is slow but vital
Implicit bias and how reaction time reveals hidden assumptions
Hedonic adaptation and maintaining joy in long-term relationships
How laughter signals safety and social synchrony
🔗 Resources Mentioned or a further Dive into:
📘 The Brain That Changes Itself – Norman Doidge
📘 Why We Love – Helen Fisher
🧪 Harvard Project Implicit
🎥 Awakening from the Meaning Crisis – John Vervaeke
🔗 Follow Des Bishop:
🌐 Website: https://www.desbishop.net
📷 Instagram: @desbishop
🎤 Podcast: The Des Bishop Podcast
🎭 Stand-up Clips: Search “Des Bishop Mandarin” or “Des Bishop Irish” on YouTube
🔗 Follow Pete Johansson:
📷 Instagram: @petejohansson
📺 YouTube: Pete Johansson - The Slow Learner
💡 For full transcripts, research links, and behind-the-scenes content, visit:
🌐 https://theslowlearner.com
🧠 The Slow Learner is where comedy meets neuroscience — hosted by comedian Pete Johansson and neuroscientist Dr. Paul Whissell. New episodes every two weeks.
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