Studied classics (Greek & Latin) at Edinburgh
Marcus Mumford studied classics — Greek and Latin — at Edinburgh University before dropping out to play drums for Laura Marling.
Where this was said
Classics, T.S. Eliot, and the Poetry Behind the Lyrics
At 29:55 · chapter starts 28:50
Jason leads Marcus through what he was studying at Edinburgh: classics, Greek and Latin, the kind of degree that leads to law or parliament in the UK but has no clear vocational path. Marcus defends it warmly: it gives you access to poetry, philosophy, language, storytelling, ancient history, and anthropology — all through the original texts. He describes the moment at 17 when he fell into T.S. Eliot and suddenly words had new depth. He drew direct connections between Homer's classical references and Eliot's allusions. He talks about sitting in coffee shops in Hudson, New York during the Prizefighter recording sessions with Aaron Dessner at Long Pond, doing his morning pages and reading poetry 'like a real twat,' fully leaning into his identity. The hosts are visibly fascinated.
Studying Greek and Latin Led to T.S. Eliot Led to Songwriting
Marcus studied classics at Edinburgh before dropping out for music. Reading Homer led him to T.S. Eliot at 17. That love of language and poetry became the bedrock of how he writes lyrics today.
Similar snapshots
College enrollment rose from 14% to ~60% (1970s–1990s)
U.S. college enrollment surged from just 14% in the 1970s to roughly 60% by the 1990s, extending the educational and exploratory phase of young adulthood and delaying commitment.
Jedi Academy: 6-week AI training for all staff
Kavak's internal Jedi Academy trains every employee — from CEO to mechanics — to build and deploy AI agents to production in 6 weeks.
11-year med school track at age 33
May, a 33-year-old with $69,000 in combined debt, is considering a forensic pathologist career that would require 11–13 years of medical school training.
Boys 2x more likely to be suspended
Boys are twice as likely to be suspended for the exact same behavior as a girl, and five times as likely if the boy is Black.
No grief education in medical training
A person can become a psychiatrist, therapist, or coach without completing even one hour of grief education, which Kessler calls a critical gap.
Sunk cost trap in parking: free space vs paid lot
Godin illustrates sunk cost fallacy with a parking example: even after pre-paying $35 for a lot, passing a free street space triggers irrational hesitation to switch — yet the rational choice is always the free space.
Loss aversion: need £20 to offset £10 loss
Citing Daniel Kahneman's work on loss aversion, Bartlett explains that humans need to find £20 to emotionally offset the pain of losing £10 — pleasure and pain are not symmetrical.
Students save more after seeing future self
College students who saw an age-progressed photo of their future selves were more motivated to start a savings account, demonstrating imagination's real behavioral impact.
Nearly 300 researchers applied for scientific asylum in France
Nearly 300 top researchers have applied for scientific asylum in France as the Trump administration threatens to defund billions in university research.
