Best thelaughingphilosopher Podcasts (2024)

1
How to Dodge Philosophy’s Six Deadly Landmines or Ruin Your Life 24:38

26d ago24:38

24:38

It’s not easy to ruin your life. To get to the wrong place, you must do the right things. The Laughing Philosopher’s guide presents six foolproof steps to a boring, miserable life: Think only about yourself. Empty yourself of humility and gratitude. Sacrifice everyone as a means to an end. Be perfectly imperfect. Don’t think for yourself. Drown you…

1
Boethius’ Stoic Path: Resilience and Serenity in Adversity 29:21

2M ago29:21

29:21

Unjustly imprisoned and awaiting execution, Boethius, Roman philosopher and statesman, would write his most famous work, “The Consolation of Philosophy”. Boethius explores the problem of evil, the certainty of pain and suffering, and the unpredictability of good and bad fortune, but shows how, through wisdom and virtue, happiness and serenity are s…

1
Is talking to yourself a sign of normalcy or inner discord? 24:31

3M ago24:31

24:31

The person you will talk to the most in your life is you. The most important conversations you will ever have are with yourself. Whether it is chatting with yourself in your inner voice, or verbalizing your thoughts and reflections out loud, you will engage in some form of self-talk on a daily basis. But, is it normal to talk to yourself?…

1
In the labyrinth of belief, which path leads to wisdom? 16:57

3M ago16:57

16:57

"Know yourself” is Socrates’ imperative. Why? There is no perfect life. No one is infallible. Everyone makes mistakes because some of our beliefs and assumptions are false. Just because we think it or believe it doesn’t mean it is true. Yet, beliefs are neither proof nor evidence, but only claims. So, we can’t trust everything we believe to be true…

1
Why is beauty beautiful? Philosophy decodes its secrets! 40:22

4M ago40:22

40:22

What are the secrets of beauty? How does each of six major schools of philosophy interpret the beauty of da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” the 1972 film, “The Godfather,” and the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue? As we strive to appreciate what we see, beauty is beautiful because of the lenses we wear. Duchamp’s urinal is as beautiful as Van Gogh…

1
Why do we keep tripping on life’s same banana peel? 28:52

5M ago28:52

28:52

Life is too complicated. So, we use shortcuts to safely navigate life’s risks and dangers unharmed. And the more we take shortcuts, the more established and permanent they become. Bad shortcuts result in bad habits and repeat the same bad behaviors again and again. Our mistakes feel automatic. The cure is inside a coffee machine.…

1
Can you live better by letting go of you? 26:10

6M ago26:10

26:10

The illusion of selfhood is holding you back. You are more than who you think you are. Selflessness will free you to try new paths to self-improvement. You will be less obsessed with other people’s acceptance and approval. You will be more humble and compassionate. You won’t need to choose between your well-being and the well-being of others. The s…

1
How does Jung’s Shadow illuminate your unique brilliance? 27:51

6M ago27:51

27:51

Carl Jung describes the Shadow as the repressed half of yourself assembled from features of your personality judged to be unacceptable. The Shadow is the other self you must hide from others to achieve their approval because it does not conform to their expectations of who you ought to be. To reunite the Shadow with the conscious self is essential …

1
Are you unleashing Jung’s Shadow and igniting your creative superpowers? 26:36

7M ago26:36

26:36

You are a stranger to yourself. The self you know and experience is partial and incomplete. Who you think you are doesn’t match who you really are. The unconscious Shadow is your creative self, the source of your individuality and originality. So long as the Shadow is not integrated with the conscious self, you are broken and will never achieve you…

1
Is radiant happiness amid life’s chaos truly attainable? 31:39

8M ago31:39

31:39

How can we free ourselves from life’s chaos? While kayaking across a lake, your best friend is killed by a swan after getting too close to the bird’s nest. Your only child is wounded in a school shooting. At the Grand Canyon, your older brother jokingly pretends to fall to his death, then loses his footing and falls to his death. At the airport whe…

1
Toxic Friendships? How to recognize bad friends. 26:21

8M ago26:21

26:21

Run away from friends who want you to fear something, who never question themselves, who won’t let you think for yourself, who try to change you into the person they think you should be, who revise your joy downward, who deprive you of your feelings, and who are afraid to tell the truth.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Are you cultivating Voltaire’s garden? 18:32

9M ago18:32

18:32

Voltaire’s garden is inside ourselves, within our own mind. Empty your life. Mind your own garden. Do what you love. Build a wall. Your mind is your kingdom. If you find peace there, you won’t need to look for it elsewhere.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
What is a dog’s philosophy of life? 33:33

10M ago33:33

33:33

Dogs have a philosophy of life with 12 guiding principles: Dogs love to learn. Humans are special. Dogs don’t compare themselves to other dogs. Dogs value a natural life. Dogs are trustworthy. Dogs are compassionate. Dogs practice moderation. Dogs are humble. Dogs pay attention. Dogs can neither deceive nor be deceived. Dogs are virtuous. Dogs love…

1
Why do mistakes happen? 26:42

10M ago26:42

26:42

The goodness and badness of human behavior is determined using intentions and outcomes. Yet, as Shakespeare’s Prince Hamlet proves, judging mistakes is hopelessly messy. This episode offers four practical ways to overcome fear of making mistakes.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Is having children morally wrong? 24:01

11M ago24:01

24:01

We invest more thoughtful, rational decision making in adopting a dog than in creating a new person. Procreation should not be automatic. To be a conscious choice, procreation should ask and answer — How much? Why? For what?By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Why does truth hurt? 19:32

11M ago19:32

19:32

Why does it hurt to tell and to be told the truth? Why does truth hurt more than lies? Without false beliefs, fantasies, and illusions, truth wouldn’t hurt. It hurts to face the truth behind the lies we live by.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Would Socrates point silverware up or down in the dishwasher? 24:35

12M ago24:35

24:35

Why do utterly pointless things having no purpose or benefit? The real cost of pointlessness is the number of heartbeats one must pay for it.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
How should I live, knowing I will die? 20:08

12M ago20:08

20:08

Why is finding life’s meaning so difficult? Look right in front of your eyes! Eight of life’s most profound truths are hidden by familiarity.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
What is life asking of me? 18:56

1y ago18:56

18:56

Why is finding life’s meaning and purpose so difficult? Actually, it’s easy, once you understand why you’re looking for two things as different as the menu and the meal, the map and the journey.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Philosophically, is abortion right or wrong? 34:06

1y ago34:06

34:06

Let’s reason out the abortion debate through the mind of a philosopher, addressing the big questions and finding answers that agree with your own wisdom and good sense.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Confucius matters today? 27:18

1y ago27:18

27:18

Is this who I want to be? Is this the best I can be? What is my best purpose in life? The philosophy of Confucius will teach you how to live a virtuous life of good character and good behavior.By thelaughingphilosopher

1
Why is everyone looking at you? 24:30

1y ago24:30

24:30

Once you make the psychic connection between your need for belonging and acceptance, and your feeling that everyone is judging you, you will no longer be a prisoner of society. You will be free!By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“How is true happiness achieved?” 16:52

1y ago16:52

16:52

“Happiness is the purpose of life. And it’s simple. We just make it complicated. Follow this easy recipe. You can eat all you want and you won’t gain weight.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“What is a clinging person to do in a changing world?” 25:08

1y ago25:08

25:08

“The answer is: Suffer. That is all. Think clearly about an ordinary pencil and it will teach you five insanely Zen ways to be happy in a changing world.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Logic or emotion? Mr. Spock or Dr. McCoy?” 23:01

1+ y ago23:01

23:01

“Logic or emotion alone cannot navigate all human experience. Choose poorly when to use logic and reason or passion and emotion and life makes no sense. Choose wisely and everything is clear.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Are these the biggest lies you still believe?” 28:30

1+ y ago28:30

28:30

“Almost from the moment of birth, you’ve been taught to accept many half-truths, total falsehoods, uncritical assumptions, and lies about the world that you probably still believe. Here’s 8 of the biggest lies.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“What is a cat’s philosophy of life?” 21:03

1+ y ago21:03

21:03

“Unlike humans, cats have figured out how to live a happy life guided by wisdom and good sense. Humans can learn much from cats. The truth is right in front of your eyes, on four legs, hidden by familiarity.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Why live if life is meaningless?” 23:20

1+ y ago23:20

23:20

“Why? Not despite life’s meaninglessness, but because of it. Only in meaninglessness can freedom exist, and you are free to choose how to give purpose to your life.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“What the hell is wrong with people?” 23:50

1+ y ago23:50

23:50

“People let themselves be controlled. People fear solitude. People get love wrong. People live and die for illusions. People waste time like they’re immortal. People are bewitched by the future.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“At what point should you just stop caring?” 25:00

1+ y ago25:00

25:00

“Do you care more about someone than they care about you? Do you give more to a relationship than you take from it? Here are six ways to achieve balance without caring so much that you deplete yourself and feel cheated.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“At what age do you stop being a child?” 17:07

1+ y ago17:07

17:07

“At the age you forgive yourself. Stop worrying. Treat good and bad times just the same. Own yourself. Hope for something. See differences as differences. Live every heartbeat.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Remember your dreams?” 13:49

1+ y ago13:49

13:49

“Your life is like a ship. Your dreams are your compass. Forget your dreams and you will be lost, run aground, and sink.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Is it okay to be yourself?” 21:01

1+ y ago21:01

21:01

“Think like a loner. Trust your inner voice. Be yourself, but always, be a better friend to yourself.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Was Michael Corleone right to kill his brother Fredo?” 26:52

1+ y ago26:52

26:52

“Was Michael’s decision to order Fredo’s death moral or immoral? What does Kantianism say? What would Kant do?”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“What are the 10 best philosophy jokes?” 18:26

2y ago18:26

18:26

“Here are just some of my favorite philosophy jokes. I have more than 10, but I’m not trying to be Thoreau.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Is social media bad for you?” 26:05

2y ago26:05

26:05

“Be a rebel! Don’t dance. Be extremely honest! Don’t pray. Be insanely happy! Don’t wait. Be what you’re good at! Don’t try.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Can people change?” 26:05

2y ago26:05

26:05

“Human behavior is stubborn. Humans don’t easily change. Still, Scrooge changed. Three revelations drive personal change.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Is quitting the answer?” 21:40

2y ago21:40

21:40

“You will always have troubles. Don’t quit! Start over! Suffering with purpose is not suffering.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Are you killing your life? (Part 2)” 14:36

2y ago14:36

14:36

“Don’t fear solitude! Don’t confuse the price of something with its value! Don’t kill your life!”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Are you killing your life? (Part 1)” 19:30

2y ago19:30

19:30

“Don’t be afraid to think for yourself! Don’t fear your individuality! Don’t be afraid to go your own way!”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“How perfect are you?” 19:15

2y ago19:15

19:15

“You not only do your best, but you wear yourself out in tireless pursuit of unnatural, unattainable, and insatiable perfection.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Should you change the past?” 18:32

2y ago18:32

18:32

“Your life is an unfolding of the past. The past is not dead. You are here and now. The past is not fixed, but it can be fixed. You can change the past in the present by the choices you make.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Should your life have a purpose?” 23:54

2y ago23:54

23:54

“Living is your only reason for being. You were not born to be a means to an end. You were not created for a purpose. Follow this eight-fold path to your purpose in life.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Should you just blow along with the wind?” 20:33

2y ago20:33

20:33

“No matter how ferociously you rebel against it, you can’t stop change. Nothing you do will keep you safe and protect you from it. Change is inevitable. Go with it!”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“What is your relationship with money?” 27:23

2y ago27:23

27:23

“Why isn’t enough, enough? We can’t get enough of what we don’t really want. We focus on what we don’t have rather than on what we do have. You can choose your relationship with money. You can choose not to be its slave.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Do you need to be alone?” 29:57

2y ago29:57

29:57

“Your only duty in life is to be yourself. Only in solitude are you free to find and experience your true self. Solitude is not empty. It is full of answers.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Do you want more freedom in your life?” 32:48

2y ago32:48

32:48

“What is the best way to live in order to possess both the negative freedom of Diogenes and the positive freedom of Aristippus?”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Do you have as much freedom as you want in your life?” 24:17

2y ago24:17

24:17

“Choose your relationships. Conquer yourself. Embrace your other half. Be in charge of your own freedom.”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“Are you a good person?” 23:17

2y ago23:17

23:17

“Does Christianity make a difference? Is your society a better place because of the influence of religion? Are you a better person?”By thelaughingphilosopher

1
“What would you do today if you didn’t need money?” 26:46

2y ago26:46

26:46

“Life is complicated with serious challenges. Growth and change are a response to challenges. We begin to live by not running away from the very things you should be running toward.”By thelaughingphilosopher

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