“Let Go Or Get Dragged” - Mindful Metal Jacket #99 - Sam Harris

This week Joe is excited to bring on spiritual guide, Sam Harris.
Joe and Sam discuss the power of acceptance, realistic expectations of meditation and how it can be used in stressful situations.
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at
www.betterhelp.com/metal & get on your way to being your best self! #samharris
SEE JOE LIVE:
For tickets go to punchup.live/joe-list
Blue Room Comedy Club Feb. 22nd - 24th
Springfield, MO
Soul Joel’s Feb. 28th
Pottstown, PA
Goodnights Comedy Club Mar. 14th - 16th
Raleigh, NC
Pittsburgh Improv Mar. 28th - 30th
Homestead, PA
Higher Ground Apr. 12th
South Burlington, VT
Helium Comedy Club - Buffalo Apr. 25th - 27th
Buffalo, NY
The Regent Theater May 2nd
Los Angeles, CA
Wiseguys Comedy Club - SLC June 6th - 8th
Salt Lake City, Utah
American Comedy Co. Dec. 5th - 7th
San Diego, CA
FOLLOW SAM:
www.samharris.org/
Twitter: / samharris
Instagram: / samharrisorg
KZbin: / @samharrisorg
FOLLOW JOE:
www.comedianjoelist.com/
Twitter: / joelistcomedy
Instagram: / joelistcomedy
Tuesdays with Stories: / @tuesdayswithstories
The Regz: / @theregzshow
New episodes of Mindful Metal Jacket drop every Thursday
Watch Joe List's Comedy Special ‘Enough For Everybody'
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More from Joe List:
KZbin: kzbin.info/door/ZPJ...
Facebook: / comedianjoel. .
Twitter: / joelistcomedy
Instagram: / joelistcomedy

[@saiganeshmenon6883]

Likely the best Sam Harris Interview on the internet.

[@JoeListComedy]

Thank you. Spread the word!

[@JustinWoodwardComedy]

Holy shit Joe you got Sam! Congrats!

[@TJ-qn3cm]

Sam’s voice just goes in one ear out the other. I can’t retain or understand anything he’s saying. Give me Raanan shouting & coughing all day lol

[@JackiePrime]

@@TJ-qn3cmsomething is wrong with you. he’s one of the clearest thinkers and speakers around.

[@TJ-qn3cm]

@@JackiePrimeI guess I just find him boring and emotionless but I’ll give him a try. My favorite mental health ep was with Raanan also, he’s much more human and relatable

[@miaranee]

​@TJ-qn3cm I love him but he is more of a slow growth on u thing

[@oliverlang1006]

It’s so crazy dam Harris is here 😂😂

[@joeb588]

You crushed this interview, Joe. I know this was a huge guest for you to get, but I think you asked some great questions that allowed Sam to talk about things I haven’t heard him talk about before, and you also had some fun back and forth. Awesome and helpful pod!

[@AgendaInMind]

I love this cast more than any other, but every time I listen to Sam, he bores the crap out of me. I just can’t get into him. Is it his monotone? I don’t know, but I can’t do it, Jerry.

[@thestruggleisreal9626]

​@@AgendaInMind He's just long winded. You should watch his earliest stuff when he was sharper and more adaptive in his speech.

[@raleigh4737]

>14:43 We are out of time 😂 Top tier stuff, Joe.

[@seaglider844]

The reason that Sam is willfully misrepresented so often is actually a backhanded compliment....they believe he is more dangerous to their cause than most. This is the case because he is so well read, articulate, reasonable, principled and at turns very funny. If he goes after your cause/ideology he tends to do real damage.

[@adamfstewart81]

Wow great point

[@evanwakelin7944]

OMG. This was already my favourite podcast, and then you do this. I bow to you Joe! This is epic!!

[@colle31]

When worlds collide. Two of my most beloved podcasts: Making Sense and Tuesdays

[@moralhazard1]

You for sure have the Waking Up app too, correct?!

[@davidlericain]

I would have thought I was the only one who listened to both of those podcasts. So different from each other but I guess there's a common thread.

[@BillHicks420]

@@moralhazard1I do! Useful tool. This is a pretty weird crossover I wasn't ready for!

[@nuckels188]

Ham sarris is an idiot

[@mikejunior5825]

I almost ended my life after Joe referenced that Eddie Vedder quote to complete silence

[@BrickTop06]

I think if he got it out clean Sam would have had a chance to take it in and react but, with it being unexpected and unknown to him, and with Joe mumbling part of it, it didn't really hit unfortunately.

[@jonathanbrkich1982]

My road it may be lonely, bc it's not paved. Eddie Vedder - Drifting.

[@magourn]

Sam Harris is the GOAT! Thank you Joe for this interview, Love this podcast!

[@thomasjohnston995]

Joe you are a legend for this.

[@_ruddegar]

thanks Joe. I didnt know i needed to hear this. I was under the impression Sam was gay

[@M_C__studio]

That last response about being present really hit home for me. If you can’t be happy right now, and are consistently chasing happiness, you will never make contact with your life. That is how I interpreted that for myself and I’m going to reflect on that more.

[@D3us3xMachinaa]

What!!!! 🎉🎉🎉 Samuel Harris??? List, you beautiful bastard, you've hit a real milestone here. Loved your questions, but mostly your injections of levity. Would love to see him on w Mark to talk about SA like he suggested also lol 😂 I'm genuinely happy for someone else for the first time . This was great.

[@poznajsiebie377]

Feels as fresh as the great early years of podcasting again! Thank you Joe List ❤May you be happy, healthy and free of worry 🪷

[@pranzata]

1:20 to add to this portion of the conversation; I’m a pianist, and I developed tendinitis in both my wrists at one point of my piano career ; I was running around to different doctors, desperately looking for relief from my tendinitis. I eventually met one Doctor Who told me he wanted to put me on antidepressants as a remedy… his explanation was: “ it’s not that you didn’t have a wrist injury, and the pain isn’t real; it’s that your psychological reaction to the pain isn’t allowing you to heal”. After a few weeks of antidepressants, my pain went away, and I was able to play piano again.

[@benjaminsantamaria6299]

i don't think i've seen sam harris laugh so much before. two greats together. great ep

[@Littleneddygtw]

that was wonderful. Very grateful for all of Sam's podcasts. Somehow my biggest take away from this was I'm so happy for Joe. great ending. thank you both

[@yodebone2190]

It also never ceases to amaze me how funny and quit-witted Sam is, as well. This has been a great interview.

[@smokingfast]

This is the big guest Joe's been talking about on TWS. Nice!

[@andrewmack5710]

Hell Yeah List!

[@stevehove4948]

From dads jizz to highest level philosophical discussion… fSam had to contain himself, Fkn awesome Joe 👍😁

[@michaelbruhl]

Man, talk about a wild surprise! So there I was, scrolling through KZbin, and boom - I see you and Sam Harris having a chat. It felt like all my favorite things coming together at once! Honestly, you and Sams podcast are my sanity check, and this episode was no exception. The conversation was top-notch. It's not every day you get to see two of your heroes just chilling and dishing out wisdom. You both absolutely killed it, and I couldn't be happier to witness it. Just know, Joe, you've got a die-hard fan over here, especially when you swing by Detroit. I'll be front and center, cheering you on every time. How the hell did you get Sam? I mean you are getting big, but even I did not think you could pull that guru in. Just makes me love Sam more!! Great taste in comedians too! Good for you buddy!! Catch you at the next show!

[@TheDUSTINTUBE]

Was 100% betting on Louis so what an absolutely fitting guest for this pod. My father’s gay!

[@Kikdolo]

I was guessing Kevin Hart, but also Louis lol

[@Elijah-fc3ex]

I would prefer that jew to this one

[@mejohn101]

At least he’s a Jew 🤷‍♂️

[@mikerinaldi7170]

Thank you for the high level input.

[@hopscotch3466]

who is this louis, character?

[@thebigcheeseful]

You can tell how excited Joe was the entire time. What a great cast!

[@stephenholmgren405]

This is like your two best friends, from two different social groups, coming together for the first time and listening to their amazing conversations

[@caless8693]

Joe List and Sam Harris, occupying the same video thumbnail is exciting beyond belief. I can not wait to sit and listen to this one intently. Amazing!!!

[@daddysnowflake8186]

The big time guest

[@dukatdesign9513]

I register Sam what he is doing for years, I listen to Joe's standups for years and not his podcast, but only now Sam convinced me to listen to it and only now after years I am sold for the Sam's app thanks to Joe.. ultimate power rangers combo hit. didn’t see it coming

[@RaminNazer]

THE KING OF CONTENT DELIVERS! 👑

[@arthurstovell8057]

Thanks to this conversation I now use the Waking Up meditation app every day. A month in and finding it hugely beneficial. Thank you Joe

[@hubrisnxs2013]

I've always wanted to hear his answers in the context of AA! You did an absolute bang up job, Joe. Very much appreciated

[@HenryMiller17]

Holy shit! Thataway Joe!!

[@haroldcheeseburger]

Everybody is listening to this podcast.

[@naturalisted1714]

Timestamps: 0:00 - Introductions. 24:00 - Meditation isn't easy, the Self, Dualism. 37:00 - Non Dualism. 39:51 - Suffering. 44:00 - Therapy. 52:35 - Alcoholism, atheism, and determinism. 56:21 - Starting again and Stoicism. 1:02:00 - Sam in conversations and life conduct. 1:12:15 - Meditation, bad actors, and compassion. 1:14:50 - Eckart Tolle and other things. 1:25:28 - PTSD. 1:30:20 - Meditation and health. 1:33:49 - Peace on Earth. 1:36:30 - Cancel Culture. 1:38:44 - Hope and Antinatalism. 1:45:10 - Happiness. 1:51:55 - My disappointment that Generic Subjective Continuity (Death) was not discussed in this conversation :-(

[@akramelmansouri6752]

Thank you !

[@caless8693]

I will listen to this multiple times. I have a hard time fully grasping "look for the looker" etc. (been using the Waking Up app for a few months now, long time fan of Making Sense) and I feel like Sam framed it here in a way that was a bit more nuanced than I'd heard before, which was helpful. You did a great job with this, Joe! The crack near the beginning about your other pod being about your dad's jizz really got things off to a no-holds-barred start, that was fun!

[@benjaminbrown324]

Harris, welcome to the domain of the king of content !

[@Tom-sz3tu]

Congrats! Way to break new ground and pose genuinely new questions to Sam that we haven’t heard his thoughts on before, while adding humor along the way. Refreshing and insightful

[@jontreeatreeify]

Joe, great job! Don't be so hard on yourself. Love Sam Harris!

[@miareeves4362]

Joe, what a wonderful conversation! The best interview I've heard with Sam Harris, you asked questions from the perspective of a genuinely interested, curious person on the meditation journey, as I think many of us are, who listen to him. Congratulations 🎉

[@Kpac]

This was great. You made Sam laugh quite a few times. That's a hard task to accomplish. Congrats.

[@mariadinn4441]

Joe, you are speaking to an idol of mine and you asked him all the questions I would love to hear him speak more on (12-step, higher power, Eckhart Tolle, mind-body pain) I'm disappointed on Sam's view on Dr. Sarno's work. I would like to hear more of what has to say after investigating neuroplastic pain further.

[@YusefGof]

I’ll save this for before bed. I fell asleep at work

[@MechaStreisand1]

The only podcast stranger I love more than Sam Harris is Joe List. This is such a treat. Thank you.

[@KayaBoBaya]

This is dumbfounding, how is there an intersection between my favorite comedian and my favorite public intellectual???? Loved this!!!

[@AC-cd4vv]

This is unbelievable. I never thought the big guest would be Sam. Joe, you did better than you think. Love it!

[@steve-adams]

It's great to see Sam spending time interviewing with someone who doesn't have millions of subscribers.

[@christianperez7846]

Joe proves to me here, that he really is vulnerable. I love how Joe represents himself, while giving Sam a wide birth. I couldn’t love Joe more as we all navigate this road together.

[@joelcaron]

I guessed it! Been a fan of Sam Harris since the days before seeing his first appearance on JRE when it came out. He was my gateway into comedy podcasts, and thus into your comedy, Joe.

[@moralhazard1]

Haha yes was it on Tuesdays he said he's having a neuroscientist on, right? I was hoping and guessing Sam Harris too lol

[@joelcaron]

@@moralhazard1 Yes, on Tuesdays. I also remember Joe mentioning somewhere that he follows Sam's work. Not to mention, I saw Fourth of July and recognized Sam's voice through the speakers in that driving scene. 😄

[@f0x845]

"Is anger useful now? Do I want to be motivated by this energy?" That hits home so much. This is why practicing mindfulness is so important to me, because that's difficult to realize in the moment. The more you do it, the easier you get to that realization that you can get off the ride whenever you want, as Sam puts it. Such a great episode

[@turnst4152]

Joe list bringing in the heat!!

[@briandelaney8496]

Amazing. Two of my favorite parasocial relationships colliding! But seriously Joe, you crushed this interview. Huge moment for the podcast. Congrats, dude!

[@marcogifuni999]

Beautiful podcast Joe, I've listened to hours of podcasts with and by Sam and I still wasn't aware of some of the things you guys talked about here. Well done!

[@michaelbruhl]

Thanks!

[@user-se1en1bp1q]

This was a great interview…..I’ve never heard of Joe, and I loved the questions he asked. Joe you asked, pointedly, what I guess the common guy (me) wants to know from Sam. Sam you got down with us….the common guy working 8 hours a day and occasionally thinking about these things.

[@treignsinblood]

Hellyea!!! Joe List, proving once again he is the undisputed King of content!

[@icic6135]

Omg can’t believe you made this happen joe, dream guest looking forward to this one 👊

[@Mike-bh9vs]

I think therefore I Sam. What a perfect guest, my two favorite people having a cool conversation!

[@torstrasburg8289]

I knew it was going to be Sam when you mentioned a big get on TWS. This could be your career-highpoint of non-comedian guests. Well done, Joe! Says a lot about you. And Sam.

[@desi4227]

Nice one! As long as we aren’t talking American politics I can listen to Sam for hours🙂

[@KatchenkoKomashy]

Oh my God! That's one of the most unexpected and serendipitous moments ever experienced ❤ Thank you

[@charlesfries]

Greatest crossover of all time!!!

[@clarencethomas01]

So the big guest isn't Seinfeld...? 😢 Jk love you joe, appreciate this pod and you!

[@slavkodesik855]

Great interview! Nice to see the balance between seriousness and levity you bring to this. I've been following Sam for years, and you asked excellent questions that gave me extra insight into how he is looking at different things.

[@middaySquare]

Nice get Joey. Surprised you got my guy! Love his waking up app. Changed my life. Happy you got this and is the beginning of similar peeps

[@middaySquare]

Trying to finish this video but got to the point where you compare your podcast about talking about your father’s cum versus Sam and Sam got a good chuckle. And you aren’t trying to change who you are so much respect there. He’s such a great personality and doesn’t take him self to seriously he is super smart and a super nice guy.

[@shitpostheavy]

King of Content 🤝 King of Consciousness

[@MikeTetrick]

Thank you Joe List for introducing me to Sam Harris. You have helped me laugh and learn through hard times and I hope to one day see a show of yours live. Enjoy that beautiful family!

[@nitrousnine]

Love ya Joe.. this was brilliant. Thanks.

[@kmills116]

Awesome get Joe!!!

[@bethm8874]

Wow! My two Dads are together! I’m so happy!!

[@amydekotch3196]

Fantastic podcast! Great job, Joe!

[@darrellhoffman376]

Great interview, Joe!!

[@forty6zone]

A huge get!! King of content crushing it. Listening now

[@gregevenden6515]

When Sam says, "If you couldn’t speak Chinese before becoming perfectly mindful, then you're not going to be able to speak Chinese a result of that," and Joe drops a perfectly timed defeated-sounding f-bomb, I achieved comedic enlightenment.

[@Ongsansoy]

Thank you!!!

[@Nater187]

The king of content strikes again!!

[@ThomasAndersonPhD]

15:25 I love that Sam's reaction was laughter.

[@JonathanHassingerChannel]

Yes!! Wow. Only know the guy from you. Excited for this one!

[@roudys]

On the subject of AA, Bill Wilson (AA co-founder) was on drugs when he had his "white light" experience and later too took LSD reporting it was the closest he had come to his original experience that gave rise to AA. "We had to let go of our old ideas absolutely." *taken from "how it works."

[@Dust_YourselfOff]

What a pull! Love that for you Joe

[@funky_features51]

Wow wow wow big guest !!!

[@marcof.moratilla4547]

Incredible podcast. So much wisdom and so helpful! Thank you!

[@welham539]

Loved this podcast episode!

[@psycho6542]

How ever many reach-arounds you had to give to get Dr. Harris on, was worth it, well done, thanks sam an joe

[@andrewrtl]

This is a treat!

[@soundofbombing]

LETS GOO!!!! SO EXCITED FOR THIS

[@KAT4N4]

I've been a huge fan of Sam for the longest time. Having Sam as a guest on my favorite comedian's [underrated] podcast is a dream come true.

[@BigDaddy-vk6rv]

I listen to these at work and during work I got mad at something to the point where my heart was pounding hard - even after I wasn't angry anymore! I started to get scared until I turned into the pod and surprisingly this episode helped me calm down a little! I think I owe it to Sam's breathing technique so thank you Sam!

[@cameron_ross]

My fave Sam Harris quote: "I think what we want is a circumstance where attention can be located in the present in a way that's truly fulfilling. And unless you have had some kind of radical insight that allows you to do that on demand, you are in some sense hostage to the circumstances of your life to do that for you. You're constantly trying to engineer a state of the world that will propagate back on a state of self that will make the present moment good enough. The question, it's like, how much can you puncture that seeking-happiness project with the recognition that you're already free? That's what meditation makes possible. You can keep just 1,000 times a day letting some daylight into this search space."

[@a_badali]

This is gay

[@B-Nice]

that is def a better quote than his dead babies fantasies

[@JSGuitar80]

"Man, like, wouldn't it be cool if we could sorta...be in the moment???"

[@motorhead48067]

@@JSGuitar80Cynicism and contempt and minimizing profound things are all so cool dude wow you’re awesome. Someone shares a quote they like of Harris giving a very articulate explanation of how we try and fail to make ourselves happy and why meditation offers an alternative path, and all you can think to do is minimize it. Someone just explained in very articulate and defensible terms what is pretty much the secret to living a good life and you’re all “like wow bro, so profound bro… NOT.” 🤦 You wrote your comment like most people know this. They don’t. In fact, the fact that you don’t see the profundity and universality in it and are trying to reduce it to something a surfer bro would say just further demonstrates the importance of the quote.

[@JSGuitar80]

@@motorhead48067 This is what Harris does (with a goofy, furrowed brow & unearned sense of superiority). That's a large part of why we make fun of him. If you're going to be a nepo baby who adds very little to the world at least own it.

[@vanessa1569]

This was really good. Thanks 🙏

[@evolvingmindspodcast4331]

Wow. Super impressed, Joe!

[@EdgeLoopGaming]

Fantastic episode, thank you Joe and Sam!

[@MrBelongings]

Huge guest! Congrats joe

[@quinnturlington5071]

Great job Joe! Proud of you!

[@m0cker184]

Great job Joe. I think you did great at asking general questions for those listeners that were not familiar with Sam and then some unusual questions that people familiar with Sam would like to ask. Bringing up topics like AA, Eckart Tolle, mind-body pain connections, therapy, etc. was really interesting. Mentioning the bad closer of asking about guru improprieties and how funny it was when Sam’s guest decline doing a guided meditation. Questions regular users of the app would be curious the hear. Looking forward to some day in the future where we get a second conversation and you get to ask more of those questions you didn’t have time for in this conversation.

[@slappygappy48]

Well done Joe. This was a great convo.

[@BOOMROASTED116]

Fantastic podcast Joe. I listened to the whole 2 hours in one go. You only made one father’s jizz joke. I’m amazed at your restraint

[@Lucaboninimusic]

Woah this isa HUGE get! So awesome...read his book it is great

[@kellymckay1750]

I've spent many years doing the self help thing, trying to find some way to make peace with my mind. Sam Harris and Waking Up (along with his books/ lectures) have helped more than anything.SO much love for this dude. Great interview.

[@pete7674]

Thank you

[@1stTimeCaller]

Thankful for Mindful Metal Jacket. +A Sam Harris…. I truly believe Sam Tallent would also be a great guest.

[@borg304]

Wow you got Sam Harris? 2 of my favorite people. Well done.