Best thelaughingphilosopher Podcasts (2025)

1
Apocalypse Now?: Philosophy and the Fallacy of Doom! 24:01

1M ago24:01

24:01

The sky is falling. Do you feel there is no hope for the future? Does everything you hold dear feel like it’s about to blow up? Stoking apocalyptic fears and dystopian visions of the future is a whole industry of doom merchants. Calm down! Philosophy can explain why doomsday is unlikely, why you feel the end of the world is near, and why you should…

1
Memento Mori: Stoic Secrets to Transform Fear of Death into Fearless Living! 28:34

2M ago28:34

28:34

We live in terror of death. We cling to youth and claw at life, afraid to let go. Once we conquer the greater fear of death, our lesser fears lose their power over us, and every other adversity becomes so much easier to overcome. Ignorance is the cause of fear. Death is the other half of the bargain we make when we accept life. Death means returnin…

1
The Anatomy of Belief: Why Do Smart People Believe Stupid Things? 25:07

3M ago25:07

25:07

Smart people can be stupid and believe absurd, weird, and crazy things. We are remarkably poor at distinguishing truth from falsehood and even worse at detecting liars and deception. Truth has nothing to do with what we believe. A belief doesn’t need to be true to be believed. We believe as we do, not because we think our belief is true, but becaus…

1
The Paradox of Likability: Why Do Other People Actually Like Us More Than We Think They Do? 25:15

4M ago25:15

25:15

People like us more than we think they do. Why are we so negative about ourselves? You didn’t develop that negative voice in your head all by yourself. We are socialized not to like ourselves and to strive for perfection. Perfection is a race with no finish line. What would a perfect life even look like? Be happy. Be perfectly imperfect. Be good. B…

1
Challenging Our Instinct to Judge: Stoic Wisdom on Labeling Others and Ourselves 31:52

5M ago31:52

31:52

Normal and abnormal people do not exist. Sane and insane people do not exist. Conformists and nonconformists do not exist. The labels exist, but not the behaviors! So, how useful and reliable are our judgments of who is good and bad, who is moral and immoral, and who is wise and stupid? Labeling is easy. Getting it right is hard. Seneca recommends …

1
From Emptiness to Empowerment: The Liberating Optimism of Nihilism 28:59

6M ago28:59

28:59

What does it mean to live your life as if nothing matters? Nihilism rejects conventional wisdom that everything matters. Nihilism means nothing matters. It doesn’t even matter that nothing matters. Life has no inherited, supernatural purpose or meaning. Life is pointless so our freedom is absolute. There is no one to ask for permission and no one t…

1
The Metaphysics of Heartbeats: Three Philosophical Truths for Instant Happiness 23:00

7M ago23:00

23:00

Do you want to feel happy right where you are, right now? Listening to your heartbeats will lead you to three philosophical insights and instant happiness: You got lucky. Your heartbeats are numbered. Some doors must close so others can open. Stop living your life piece by piece. Learn to live your life as a whole.…

1
Emil Cioran as Architect of Purpose in a Purposeless Universe 25:47

8M ago25:47

25:47

He was a French philosopher. His philosophy of life is simple yet profound. We would have been better off not being born. Life sucks. We are born for no reason. We exist to do nothing. No one matters. Nothing matters. It doesn’t even matter that nothing matters. What are we to do? Cioran argues that the meaninglessness of life is not only a reason …

1
Weber’s Divine Workaholic: Are You Chasing Capitalism’s Earthly Burnout Or Calvinism’s Heavenly Rewards? 28:10

9M ago28:10

28:10

Religion is the accidental force behind why we chase endless productivity, why working harder feels morally right and hardly working feels morally wrong, and why our self-worth and self-esteem revolve around our productivity and usefulness. Don’t you feel guilty and ashamed whenever you could have been more productive but chose not to? Wouldn’t you…

1
Plato, Schopenhauer, and Spinoza: Is Peering Behind the Human Curtain A Backstage Pass to the Cosmos? 26:25

10M ago26:25

26:25

Our first experience of the world is our true self. Concealed behind our outward appearance, a bag of skin, inside ourselves, our unique, subjective consciousness is who we really are. And so, we look for absolute truth behind the natural world of appearances in Plato’s Forms, Schopenhauer’s Will, and Spinoza’s God. You are the blueprint of the god…

1
Your Perfect Day: What Would It Be Like? 18:49

11M ago18:49

18:49

What is a perfect day? Perfection is within our grasp each and every day. One must choose today to be a perfect day by choosing wisely to do three easy and simple things. And to be a perfect day, one must choose wisely not to do three other simple things one would normally do in an ordinary, boring day.…

1
Kierkegaard’s Upside of Down: Ever Notice How Bad Times Lead to Good Things? 27:10

12M ago27:10

27:10

Let us unpack Kierkegaard’s insight that today can only be known by living forwards, but only be understood by looking backwards. Life, at any given moment, is unknowable. When something happens, you instantly experience it as either good or bad. You experience yourself as either happy or sad. You experience your fate as either lucky or unlucky. An…

1
Making Friends: Aristotle’s Practical Wisdom for Modern Relationships 31:19

1y ago31:19

31:19

Aristotle’s wisdom can make you a more likable person with more and better friends. For Aristotle, without friends, no one would want to live. Friendship is the chief cornerstone of living well and doing well. To be more likable and have more friends, don’t do three things: Don’t prove you have nothing of value to say by speaking. Don’t judge the i…

1
Socrates and Xanthippe: Five Hidden Triggers Can Sabotage Your Relationship 37:09

1y ago37:09

37:09

Romantic relationships are difficult and perilous and no soft affair. They seem to fail as often as they succeed. Five hidden triggers can sabotage even the best relationship. Communication, trust, togetherness, predictability, and submissiveness are beneficial in moderation, but toxic in excess. We suspect it’s true, but are afraid to admit to our…

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

1y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

1+ y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2y 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

2+ y 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

2+ y 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

2+ y 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

2+ 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

3y 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

3y 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

3y 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

3y 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

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