Most people tranquilize themselves with the trivial | Sheldon Solomon and Lex Fridman

Full episode with Sheldon Solomon (Aug 2020): • Sheldon Solomon: Death...
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Sheldon Solomon is a social psychologist, a philosopher, co-developer of Terror Management Theory, co-author of The Worm at the Core.
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[@Ryick11]

Man, these are some beautiful conversations with some serious utility. Keep doin' what you're doin' Lex.

[@AgendaFiles]

archive.org/details/sheldon-solomon-the-worm-at-the-core-audio

[@onlydreaming1017]

@@asdfghjkl3669 Why are you so filled with vitriol

[@TheNervousnation]

I love it

[@andreskorge1828]

Agreed - Sheldon is so eloquently articulate. Thank you Gents.

[@officialcalvinwayman]

Completely agree. These ideas Lex is bringing forward through his guests are amazing.

[@mrdbourke]

Quote at 12:10: "Turning away from a flight from death, you see a horizon of opportunity that puts you in state of anticipatory resoluteness with solicitous regard for others that makes your life seem like an adventure perfused with unshakable joy." Many hours and long walks will be spent pondering this one.

[@yunho-cho]

Wait.... I loved your machine learning roadmap. Really appreciate your work!

[@fredriksvard2603]

@Tony Tran finally someone who gets it

[@joegillian314]

I am this person, especially on the point about solicitous regard for other. Yet I do just feel the unshakable joy. At one time I did(or at least I thought I did), but eventually I became unable to deny the reality of my lifelong, deeply depressive state, the details of which I decline to offer at this time. What's important is that I understand these words completely and totally, because they actually describe very well my own thoughts and feels, as well as self-actualizations I have managed to achieve. When you stop thinking of everything in your life as an obstacle, or merely an annoyance or inconvenience to be sidestepped, bypassed, or blown through, and instead see these things as challenges to be overcome, and experiences which give you opportunities to learn and understand the world, which is the real and true why to defeat anxiety (of death or any such nameless dread, which is just the constant anticipation of negative outcomes), then life real does become like an adventure, which produces in you an eagerness to face the day, and the anticipation joyful exuberance as you seek to carry out the important work which you truly believe is important and worth doing (I didn't explain how work ethic is implied, but go with it for now). The only thing worse than never getting to this point, is getting to this point, and then having it taken away, or being wrong about authentically coming to be in this state, i.e. you honestly believed you were but turned out to be wrong.

[@brawndo8726]

"Turning away from a flight from death, you see a horizon of opportunity that puts you in a state of anticipatory resoluteness with solicitous regard for others that makes your life seem like an adventure perfused with unshakable joy."

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

🤯👏👏

[@eyesearsmedia9183]

bars!

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

@@paulden3158 carrot>stick

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

@douglas wahid it’s just as possible to leave violence and suffering behind for inner growth, meditation, etc.

[@toohdvaetihom7088]

Dumb word salad

[@kylehinnenkamp7566]

he looks like a hippie ray dalio. interesting conversations

[@Rmacon4002]

Holy shit you stole my comment verbatim 😂

[@NoobishAlpha]

He looks like Tony Hawk ;)

[@newenglandbarbell4647]

Legit does, similar subtle tremor

[@xlifelessdaysx]

Yeah dude!

[@redwood-in-stereo]

New England Barbell p

[@andrewribeiro2464]

I believe death anxiety comes from believing that we are some grand construct that is significant and independent from nature. We fear the death of our identities, which society urges us to develop our entire lives, more than death itself. I believe people that live in balance with nature, those who have not been conditioned to build intricate identities as we have, have an easier time facing death.

[@siliconterbulance]

Yes, but the price you pay for that is you are continually anxious, limiting your being to the present and Now, so short term is all that matters becoz the fabric of reality is not stable and the wheels can come off anytime. To really be able to do something meaningful, you need to invest time in the present and use it to bargain with the future. The biggest invention of mankind is understanding Future is a place, which you can bargain with using your present. At the same time, realising that this bargain may not be insured againt ur life makes it obviously very anxiety provoking. The only insurance you are provided are either cultural or spiritual/religious which works if you BELIEVE them. But the truth remains unchanged. There is no respirte. The nature of life doesnt care about ur feeling. Or as the great literary genius Ben shapiro would pit it: FACTS DONT CARE ABOUT FEELINGS. (Kimd of ironic when u see he believes in god)

[@ThatWhichErodes]

@@siliconterbulance that's pretty interesting, you're right. To live exclusively "in the moment" is held up as the ultimate spiritual goal, but it is severely limiting to not act with some trust in the future. Investment isn't just a financial principle-- we invest in our relationships, our health, and in our minds, and if we didn't we would have a much harder time progressing as individuals and as a human race

[@JamesBond-uz2dm]

We came from nature and we return to nature.

[@ThatWhichErodes]

@woof beast I agree! Many people including myself make efforts to "be present" or "live in the moment" as if we've forgotten that we always are. People in general are often chasing something they don't have to solve a problem that doesn't exist in the first place.

[@Shatamx]

Sadly humans are so dishonest with themselves they actually forgot what they are.

[@Wesz808]

At 6:45 Heidegger was like "yo!" I would be really cool if he actually talked like that. But in all seriousness. Loved the interview.

[@couchlion]

I love that this guy sounds like such a surfer bro

[@bobkazak9499]

You made me literally LOL

[@christinearmington]

Philosopher dude! 😆🤦‍♀️😎🌊

[@hansistein6325]

"One must imagine Sysiphus happy." - Camus

[@travisbickle131]

Blown away by this complete discussion, but this portion is utterly mindblowing. Thank you both.

[@johnsvids7202]

Excellent as is the entire full Podcast Great clip! Thank you for all your great work and stimulating varied guests.

[@catsandsound]

'Guilt of unlived life'. Looks back at youtube history. Oh dear....

[@eeronat]

ikr

[@universe36]

Too real

[@BeastnHarlotDFO]

One of us... one of us...

[@patallan1465]

😁😂

[@MrAhuraMazda]

Christ. My youtube history is my BEST life lol. I live for a good comedic or thoughtful pod. Best part of my day is a long drive and solid episode

[@sumneetkaurbamrah1982]

Very insightful and a thought provoking conversation with Dr Solomon. Thank you for sharing the interview, Lex. You are a role model for being an excellent listener!

[@jon_restorick]

I loved this interview. Solomon seems like such a nice guy

[@tenzinpassang4812]

greatest quote i adopted much later in life was, "regrets will chew away your life and it will come from indecision, not the decisions you'll make in life." That is what haunts me but also makes me happy with current self. Great convo.

[@dehumanizer668]

You're doing a great job Lex. Really enjoy listening to your podcast. Keep it up!!

[@josephclark5414]

Definitely going to have to listen to the whole conversation!!! Thanks Gents!!!

[@jacoblandrum4094]

Great things Lex thank you so much. QUALITY CONTENT

[@motivationforbreakfast]

This is truly inspiring! I feel nourished by listening to this conversation.

[@dreyn7780]

It feels normal to me and quite boring, infact. I've been living with this mindset since age 3. I've gone WAY beyond this level of knowledge. Its NOT good. Its not leading you anywhere good. Mass population allows great criminals to hide and flourish. You don't want to spend your life warning others of great danger all the time. The alternative life means you see all the dangers coming and they don't.

[@waelesmair6250]

Glad to see Sheldon get his day, Ernest Becker as well. Cheers to yall, Tom, and Jeff.

[@statickevin]

Thank you! I'm a senior studying psychology who wants to become an academic and this conversation reignited my passion and love of the field and its intersection with philosophy.

[@essentialpost]

Read the book “Passion” by Roberto unger, he is a philosopher that revolutionised psychology/psychiatry with that book and takes all the insights taken in this video about Heidegger and rids it off it’s criticisms

[@EKDupre]

Awesome podcast! Thank you!!!

[@ayoubkhalil1]

What a great video. I wasn't expecting this def watching the whole thing.

[@Yonana529]

I'm addicted to this podcast. Love this guy😊

[@Shatamx]

17 minute conversation felt like it was 60 seconds. What a powerful mindset.

[@CO8848_2]

It's the obsession with death and anxiety that is dumb. Shopping, drinking and watching TV is the right way to live.

[@skillerftwerr]

Thanks for the video

[@SouthernOregonOrgani]

The words of Heidegger are so beautiful I seriously started choking back tears after Solomon said them. Just finished my first Burroughs book, I know who I’m reading next!!!

[@Loveandrelationshipcoach]

this is a beautiful clip. I'm not great at reading Heidegger and Sheldon's exploration of the connection to all these ideas just gave me so much more than I could get from reading anything.

[@vadimchevvie]

Brilliant clip, brilliant speaker, brilliant podcast. I am hooked. Thanks Lex!

[@VileClavicusVile]

Thank you for the beautiful insight.

[@LoGicAGaming]

Awesome conversation, more like this please.

[@DeVaughnMoody]

Awesome conversation!

[@bodymindsoul60]

This is spot on and layers upon layers I’ve faced myself. How FREE I feel now!

[@kingdiamonds2316]

Great podcast 🔥

[@bodymindsoul60]

Mr Lex , I love that I have found you. My fav u tube channel now 🧜‍♀️

[@pup4301]

The ultimate goal is to create. What you create is up to you.

[@mastershake886]

@douglas wahid People who abandon themselves enjoy destruction. Every developed man is a creator at heart

[@ggh_-ts6pn]

that mindset leads to overpopulation. Most people dont have capabilities to create anyhting other than children

[@pup4301]

@@ggh_-ts6pn You can fit all of Americas trash on piece of land the size of Rhode Island for 100 years. When recycling becomes more efficient and less expensive it would become cheaper to recycle products companies produce than to send it to a island. If you want to stop over population make sure the US school system doesn't go to crap by politics and hope to heck we don't waste money overseas or on any more 1 trillion dollar plans. Make stuff so that you can bring value to your country. If you don't something know search for it. Don't just stop at, "people are only good at making childern."

[@pup4301]

@@ggh_-ts6pn Here is my source I was off by a zero: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYTMeH-Za8umopI

[@dearfrankg]

Keep going Lex!

[@quackaddict9810]

Love this!! ❤️

[@brucestuff]

I'm fighting my angst by watching these videos lol

[@gridcoregilry666]

YES, keep pushing

[@auerstadt06]

'You could die at ANY moment." He's says that like it's a bad thing.

[@captaincatvids]

One major difference between Peterson and Solomon: Solomon is so much more in harmony with his own fears and anxieties and it allows him to live kindly ambitiously and heroically. Peterson seems so constantly controlled by his own hang-ups, anxieties and fears (and check his earliest videos in his trilby hat ranting about men and it’s *not* a change in his character due to criticisms after getting famous) that he is constantly lashing out, finding relatively inexperienced uneducated straw(trans)men to engage with to make himself seem smarter or more heroic. He hasn’t wrestled with his own terror and so he is constantly lashing out at a minority to make himself grander in the face of his own mortality. Peterson’s unhinged anxiety and aggression are such a purely tragic example of what Ernest Becker/Otto Rank were talking about. And if more people have heard of Peterson than Solomon, it’s because more people are like Peterson, they haven’t faced their own terror of death and gain vicarious heroism from Peterson’s anxious breakdowns and angry outbursts.

[@srpfilms4497]

This is brilliant

[@dorothywitt7966]

I love thegreatstory channel as well because they talk about post soon and death. Keep up the good work. We all need to speak on this especially in this time we live.

[@dorothywitt7966]

Post Doom I mean

[@jimmarkwalder8341]

Lex Just an excellent interview snippet to stumble across on a beautiful Sunday morning. Perhaps one of your best to those of which I’ve listen. Am not sure that faith in life and God are if not the same thing not intimately related. My reading list just got bigger. Thanks and keep up the great work

[@AmarjitSinghDhaliwalDrDhali]

As I heard this interesting interview and the thoughts flying between thinking minds in different times and ages , the central thought that I have struggled , examined and reflected for most of my life , which by the way is now over 7 decades is this . Death is the absolute and final end of this bodymind construct . Further , what we call living is an ever changing phenomena where death is ever present too . Everything is happening right now . This now is all we really have . Its now that we live and make choices . The rest is some memory or speculation which we call past or future . When we accept that death can happen now for me , then I simply understand that reality and accept it fully . As such I don't have any choice in this matter . Accepting death fully brings a great sense of relief . In all this process of thinking one becomes aware of a sense of awareness in the ever present now . This sense of awareness takes one above the endless thought process . One feels and experience a sense of timeless and spaceless sense of beingness . In this state one feels free from the daily trivial , everydayness . Will end here as my sharing has become abit lenghty .

[@cindyarnold8165]

I find this very interesting and helpful during this pandemic. Have some anxiety about death, but it spurs me on to pursue my lifelong passion for making art. It keeps me focused on joy.

[@matthicks6473]

When this guy said you have to die to be reborn there is alot of truth to that. I was a drug addict for years. Overdose a few times. Got sober starting going to 12 step programs. I had to experience so much suffering to be reborn! I know longer play the victim in life. And just grow as a human.

[@nicholasmaniccia1005]

This was an amazing guest I am a huge Peterson fan and this guy is the perfect counter balance, i love the healthy disagreement here and I am now a huge Sheldon Solomon fan now too.

[@siliconterbulance]

Hi Nic, i am trying to understand the same, can you list the main points of disagreement?

[@graciousSenor]

I'd like to know too. I listen to a lot of Peterson, and I don't want to become lopsided in my thinking.

[@toohdvaetihom7088]

Peterson is a fraud

[@dreyn7780]

Knowledge is wasted on you.

[@tylerhadenglocken4880]

thank you for the words this man spoke life changing

[@You-Tube-FBI]

Tony Hawks father. Great interview Lex! I Could not unsee Tony Hawk

[@WomboBraker]

Banger

[@jaroddunbeck5893]

I love Lex.

[@antonyliberopoulos933]

Thank you

[@weldham578]

"He's like yo" 😂

[@StephenHess]

Heidegger's like "Yo!" .. This is the translator of Being and Time I always needed..

[@masterofallhesurveys]

Just beautiful.

[@sobersherpa]

Very practical advice. So much Self Help available online - so little ability for people to apply it

[@dosgos]

What a motivational speech!

[@benroper7290]

Love the podcast bro bring in more comedians and make a few more jokes.

[@MaTTheWish]

I love Worn in the core! Great Book!

[@jaredbeckwith]

The denial of death 💀

[@peter-mcewen]

This is great

[@eng3680]

Fantastic very interesting.

[@AANasseh]

I'm definitely more of an Epicurean than what Solomon, Kierkegaard, or Heidegger in their perspective. To me, worrying about state on which you have no control (your death) is an idle worry in anticipation! The way I see it, death is only 3minutes. The rest is all life. The less we think about death the more we can live life. You may achieve more if you have this dark passenger constantly reminding you of your limited time; but you haven't achieved much if you live in constant anxiety. If life is meaningless, then it's equally meaningless to worry about your death. It's best to focus on life until it ends.

[@Brian-nt1hh]

Some good thoughts to ponder from this dialogue

[@TheronJames]

"When your identity is defined by society, you cannot resist it. You don't have the knowledge, you don't have the wisdom, you don't have the resources to understand that something is being put over on you. You cannot but help believe the definition of you as a free agent. But you believe yourself to be a free agent as a result of not being free, that is to say, of being hopelessly unable to resist society's identification of you. So, in the whole sense of our personality there is a contradiction, and that is why the sense of ego, of being oneself, is simultaneously a sense of frustration." ~Alan Watts

[@kshaunw425]

Jeez!!!

[@saul_guudman]

Watts is one of the most insightful beings to have graced existence and his unerring efforts to heal humanity remain more relevant now as the tides are shifting towards the need to adhere to his insights more than ever. Compassion is a force of creation whereby we partake in the creation of a wholistic view for the betterment of all life, of all creation. Watts, and in my humble opinion, all great philosophers, walk the path of compassion, but wearing different shoes, when you the shoes are the social constructs one is born into. Watts realised he needed to take the shoes off and walk bare footed. “We are an aperture through which the universe is observing itself” is another of his quotes that has help explain a lot of my experiences and has helped deconstruct the identity placed upon me by society.

[@saul_guudman]

May I add that the quote you wrote, as some one who was ‘diagnosed’, or more importantly, ‘labelled’ as ‘manic depressive’ at age 11, to being ‘bi-polar’ in my 30’s, the quote displays a better understanding and insight into mental health issues of today’s society than the majority of physicians still working only within their socially construct view of the mind. I was never ‘mentally ill’, I was “frustrated” because I wasn’t being taught what is was to be human and my being innately knew this.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

@@saul_guudman society, perhaps. but we also do this to ourselves via our self selected Persona.

[@saul_guudman]

Kirstin Strand I agree, but one of the roles of society is teaching, and if we are not taught, then the mistakes are repeated, or even encouraged.

[@bramsanjanssan4908]

Heidegger is like:"Yo! ... LOL

[@milan_ns]

this stuff is crazy fun... I'm addicted :D

[@wowsus1]

The idea that we are insignificant is also a cultural trap, it's just the modern current one. We decide the measure of significance.

[@TheNumbuh121]

This may be somewhat overlooked, although that last phrase has some huge implications.

[@antoniorenteria6799]

I mean, ya, but it’s a cultural observation rooted in comparing ourselves to the vastness of the universe. We could easily claim greater importance because we are conscious observers slowly unfolding the scale of reality, but I think that proves a greater cultural trap than the former. Plenty of former cultures have questioned their significance to that of reality.

[@wowsus1]

​@@antoniorenteria6799 I agree, the universe expands in front of us without end. Our minds expand within us with out end. We can paint any picture we like and none of them existed before we made them. So to find something truly original you have to give up painting, you have to call off the search of the intellect. It is possible to experience this state of mind but not many people go for it, the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is a guide to it.

[@ThePrivateJourney]

Beautiful

[@Coilz0r]

7:40 - existential dread kicking i hard lol :D

[@thoughtzoo5276]

7:46 Sheldon gave Lex a stutter for a second

[@Madactionmedia]

This is better than Joe Rogan, straight up real conversation. Real philosophy.

[@SammyC27]

KZbin videos are my tranquilliser

[@eduardojasso4506]

I like to think "Maybe not me and maybe not now"

[@MarkSHogan]

Brilliant.

[@landotter]

Sheldon rocks

[@dealtdead41]

The thought about death, seems very stoic.

[@thejackanapes5866]

Almost everybody runs from the horror of existence, and tries to hide from it with lies.

[@trevorreynolds1917]

Jaheezus, why do I feel like I just I stumbled into the campfire scene from Point Break…got this dude juggling a spliff with one hand whilst taking a swig of ripple wine with the other, as he tries to “one up” Patrick Swayze on who dropped into the most idyllic barrel wave at Waimea. I keep waiting for Brody to come flying in like Wile E. Coyote ridin’ an Acme fire cracker to make the big bust.

[@jachinboaz750]

Must say I not heard of the guy in my ignorance but what wise words!

[@Adrian_Estando]

“Eat life, or life will eat you.”

[@JP-mc4gl]

This is beautiful man.

[@muneebiqbal5584]

Life does not require a leap of faith. You're in it son!

[@maremiy9007]

Becker “ you must go to the school of anxiety “ ………*Class of eternal here 🖐🏻

[@delerium2k]

The Hermetic writers wrote well on the illusory nature of death

[@13reakFree]

Could you recommend a good piece of literature that goes into more detail?

[@delerium2k]

@@13reakFree check out The Hermeticism Collection (I listened to it on audible)

[@delerium2k]

@@13reakFree also there are some excellent lectures from Terence McKenna floating around youtube about the Hermetic tradition

[@coaltobaccoandwildhorses1160]

David Lee Roth as a Psychologist in a parallel universe- Sheldon Solomon.

[@ricardopena3995]

Sheldon looks like Mike Rowe with long hair LOL

[@peteroreilly8060]

Brilliant

[@MillennialRabbi]

Living in "flight from death" can of course be debilitating / destructive to living. But being aware of it often can also push you to be and do your best. And to be more humble and caring. I wonder if Heidigger was saying we should completely ignore it in our minds or just to not be anxious about it?

[@christinearmington]

Sheldon reminds me of Steve Guttenberg, The Audiophiliac.

[@eviliosierra4222]

His tone of voice his mannerism his gestures somehow or another he is related to Ray dalio and one life for another.

[@des7638]

Fucking amazing

[@libbylepage2323]

9:43 bye Felicia

[@michaelstahl1108]

i like when smart people talk about Heidegger, its so rare

[@tnix80]

Considering smart people are rare, it's understandable

[@myherocamus8847]

Great conversation, Lex continually blows my mind! Kierkegaard, Heidegger, I believe we can throw Camus into the mix because he is on the same train. Has Lex done the Dostoevsky podcast yet? I can't wait for that one.

[@MrTgcantelo]

he spoke a little about Dostoevsky with Ben Goertzel

[@brawndo8726]

Chris Hedges regularly mentions Kierkegaard in his presentations.

[@myherocamus8847]

@@MrTgcantelo Thanks, I'm listening to that one now, although I had to pause 1 hour into it to refresh my memory on neurons.

[@fokusdeutsch3672]

he's like: YO !! 6:44

[@rhholland2578]

This guy has a beautiful mind

[@rileygrill2369]

This is crazy. I got very close to the abyss. And I turned around. The object of the game regardless of how you frame it (simulation/AI God/reality) should be to win by helping everyone else win. Choices within the opportunity allowed to us. Beautiful stuff.

[@BobQuigley]

attended several family members deaths. Those that resisted and those that embraced death died.

[@joaquinbarraza4835]

Did you see some of them die in a peaceful way?