The Absurd World Podcast
The Absurd World is a podcast that dives headfirst into the chaos of existence, exploring life’s biggest (and weirdest) questions through the lens of existentialism, absurdity, and a healthy dose of humor. Hosted by existential psychotherapist Jesse Gill, LCSW, this show unpacks the meaning(lessness) of life, authenticity, and human nature—while also embracing the ridiculousness of it all. Whether you’re questioning reality, laughing at the void, or just trying to make sense of being alive, you’re in the right place. Because if life is absurd… we might as well have fun with it.
Episodes
Ep. 84 - Was I Made For This World?
We wake up every morning. We go to work, attend school, take care of the household, and follow the routines we believe we need to maintain just to exist in this world. We try to make friends, build relationships, and find ways to add something meaningful to our lives.These are the steps we are taught to follow to live a “normal” life, to be productive, and to be healthy. But what happens when we s
Ep. 83 - Am I Being Selfish?
If there is one question that comes up time and time again among those hesitant or concerned about the school of thought called existentialism, it is the fear that this way of thinking and living could lead to something terrible for those who embrace it: selfishness.But is it really so easy to fall down a selfish rabbit hole? And does being selfish necessarily mean that we are aware of what we are
Ep. 82 - Am I Responsible For My Feelings?
How much control do we really have over ourselves and our inner worlds?Sure, we can choose to take one action or another physically, but do we really control the things that drive those actions?Do we actually have control over the internal reactions we call emotions?In this weeks episode, we explore what it means to have a healthier relationship with our emotions and, in turn, feel more in control
Ep. 81 - Why Am I Alone?
Are you alone?Am I?Are we all?And is loneliness a fundamental part of being alive? Something forced upon us? Something we choose? Or something far more personal?In this weeks episode, we dig into the experience of true loneliness: where it comes from, why it occurs, and what, if anything, we can do about it. With a jam packed exploration of the works of French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, Russ
Ep. 80 - Can I Trust Philosophers?
Are philosophers good people?Do they actually live the kinds of lives they tell the rest of us to aspire to?Or are they all talk and no action?In this weeks episode, we take a hard look at the lives of some of our favorite philosophers and the ways they sometimes seemed to completely contradict their own teachings. With thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Michel Foucault, and Alber
Ep. 79 - Should I Be A Vegan?
Do you like eating meat?Is it delicious in every possible way?Does it remind you of good times with family, friends, or traveling?Same.So why am I vegan? And why am I asking whether you should be?In this weeks episode, I step away from the usual ethical and moral arguments surrounding veganism and animal consumption. Instead, we use the question of whether we should be vegan as a way to explore so
Ep. 78 - Should I Be A Patriot?
Do I love my country?If I do, does that make me toxic?If I don't, does that make me a traitor?Is there even a right answer anymore?And what does it really mean to be a patriot today?In this weeks episode, I explore what it means to love your country in a genuine and authentic way, and how patriotism can be expressed through action rather than blind loyalty. With the help of thinkers like Jonat
Ep. 77 - Am I A Liberal?
What does it mean to be liberal?To follow liberal ideology?To be left wing?And what does it mean for me to call myself a liberal in the modern world, in the nation where I was born?Surprisingly, that is a much more complicated question than it might seem.In this weeks episode, I turn to several thinkers to try to understand what it actually means to be a liberal and whether it is an identity I wan
Ep. 76 - Why Am I Bored?
Why am I so bored all the time?Why is nothing entertaining enough for me anymore?Am I boring?Are other people boring?Have I simply become too accustomed to having endless entertainment at my fingertips?Or is something else going on?In this weeks episode, we take a long, hard look at boredom and what it actually means to us. With the help of German philosopher Martin Heidegger, along with a brief a
Ep. 75 - Am I Living A Healthy Life?
What does it mean to be healthy?Really.Not what the latest fad tells us. Not what we are constantly told we should be doing. And not even what the government says. What does it actually mean to live a healthy life?In this episode, we stop and seriously ask how we know what is healthy for us in the first place. Is health really as straightforward and scientific as we tend to assume, or is there som
Ep. 74 - Am I A Good Parent?
Am I a bad parent?Did I have bad parents?Is there even such a thing as a good parent?As a therapist, I am not sure there is a question I have heard more often or spent more time exploring. Throughout my career, clients have asked what it really means to be a bad parent, and whether anyone can truly be called a good one.In this weeks episode, I dive into these questions with the help of British psy
Ep. 73 - Should I Have Kids?
Should I have kids? Should you? Should anyone, for that matter?Is anyone ever truly ready to become a parent? Do we really know why we want children? And if we do, how can we tell when we are actually ready?In this weeks episode, I explore what it really means to have a child and the questions we should be asking before making one of the biggest decisions of our lives. With the help of thinkers li
Ep. 72 - Could I Ever Understand Aliens?
Do you ever wish aliens would just abduct you and take you on an adventure? A chance to leave behind the endless stress, conflict, and uncertainty of life on Earth? It sounds nice... but there is one small problem.Would we even be able to communicate with them? Could they understand us, or we them? Is it possible that two intelligent beings could encounter one another and never truly know it? And
Ep. 71 - What Am I?
What are we, really?We are told we are human. But what does that actually mean? It seems like such a simple question, yet philosophers have wrestled with it for centuries.This week, we dive into the existential question of what it truly means to be human and whether our understanding of ourselves has missed something important. Guided by thinkers such as Simone de Beauvoir, Hannah Arendt, and Erne
Ep. 70 - Do I Exist?
I exist. I am a human being who exists. I know this. I feel this. But how do I actually describe it? Do I list my traits? My personality? My qualities? Do these things really explain my existence, or am I something more than all of them?In this weeks episode, I explore what it truly means to exist and how we might begin to understand ourselves beyond the labels we so often identify with. With the
Ep. 69 - Do I Actually Experience Time?
There are many things we question on this podcast. We challenge assumptions, call out ideas we take for granted, and examine the concepts we think we understand. But surely there are some things so fundamental to our existence that they are beyond questioning...Time, for example.In this weeks episode, we turn to Italian theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli, who argues that time is far less straight
Ep. 68 - How Do I Live With OCD?
You hear about it all the time. People claim to have it, joke about it, and reduce it to a collection of quirky habits. But for those who actually live with OCD, there is nothing funny about it.So let us explore what it really is.In this weeks episode, I introduce obsessive compulsive disorder and the deeply existential nature of this widely misunderstood condition. Together, we explore the neuros
Ep. 67 - Should I Take Psychedelics?
Are you tired of being a square? Tired of always doing what you are told? Tired of following the rules and seeing reality the same way everyone else seems to? Well... have you ever considered psychedelics?In this weeks episode, we swan dive into the world of reality altering substances as we explore whether there is really only one way to experience reality. Guided by journalist Michael Pollan and
Ep. 66 - Am I The Hero Of My Own Journey? - Jung Part 3
We hear so much about change. About finding ourselves, becoming authentic, and creating meaning in our lives. But would it not be nice if someone handed us a map?In this weeks episode, and the final installment in our three part series on Jungian psychology, we explore the possibility that such a map may already exist. With the help of American thinker and writer Joseph Campbell, and with an extra
Ep. 65 - Do I Live In A Paradox? - Jung Part 2
We know the absurd. By now, we are familiar with it. Heck, this podcast is named after it. But what if there is more to absurdity than randomness, contradiction, and chaos? What if there is something hidden within the paradox itself?In this weeks episode, and the second in our series exploring the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, we ask whether even the most absurd moments in life might hold
Ep. 64 - What If I Could Have Been Different? - Jung Part 1
We have all made countless choices in our lives. Some big, some small, some easily forgotten, and others that stay with us. Many of these decisions have shaped the course of our lives in ways we may never fully understand. But what if we are also shaped by the choices we did not make, the lives we did not choose to live.Our unlived lives.In this episode, we begin a series exploring the work and id
Ep. 63 - Should I Set Boundaries?
Life is ambiguous. There are no clear, cosmic rules handed down to guide us. The rules we follow are human made, shaped by culture, history, and belief. Without something claiming absolute certainty, it can be difficult to know what you should be doing at all. That uncertainty can feel terrifying. But what if it also opens a different possibility? What if you can create your own sense of direction
Ep. 62 - Am I Burnt Out?
I am tired. You are tired. We are all, collectively, tired. Some of us might call it burnout. Maybe all of us have felt it at some point. But what does that really mean, and how do we keep it from spreading any further?In this weeks episode, we explore burnout as something far more complex than simple exhaustion, depression, or weakness. With the help of South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han, an
Ep. 61 - Can I Trust What I See In A Time Of AI?
Many of us spend a huge portion of our lives online. Scrolling, swiping, clicking through an endless stream of images and videos that claim to show us the world. But is that world actually reality, especially now that AI is part of the picture?And was it ever reality to begin with?In this episode, I explore how photography and video may have quietly reshaped the way we believe we experience realit
Ep. 60 - What Do I Do About Evil?
We talk about a lot of complex topics on this podcast. Confusing, shifting, and often elusive ideas, and the language we use to try to make sense of them. But if there were one concept we could all count on understanding, it would have to be evil...... Right?In this weeks episode, I dive into why that is most definitely not the case as we explore what evil is, and more importantly, what it is not.
Ep. 59 - How Do I Belong?
We’ve spent a lot of time exploring the world around us, how it works, how it misleads us, how it often feels indifferent to our existence. We’ve looked at the many ways we try to survive within it. But we keep returning to something deeper: not just surviving, but creating a place for ourselves and living authentically within it. And that raises a difficult question; how do we actually come to be
Ep. 58 - Should Freedom Scare Me?
Freedom matters, maybe more than anything else. To some more than life itself. It’s one of the central ideas this podcast has explored from an existential perspective. But have we ever stopped to ask whether freedom is really all it’s cracked up to be? Is it truly the ultimate goal of human life?In this week’s episode, I question whether our idea of freedom is overly idealistic and maybe even a ki
Ep. 57 - Philosophical Check-In Part 3: Should I Go To Therapy?
Do you feel like your mind never slows down? Dread, anxiety, aimlessness… a fear of being vulnerable enough to truly connect, paired with a deep longing for belonging and intimacy that only true vulnerability can bring?Sounds like you should talk to someone.In the final episode of this philosophical check-in series, we explore the role of psychotherapy; what it is, what it can offer, and why it mi
Ep. 56 - Philosophical Check-In Part 2: What Do I Do With My Anger?
I’ve shared a lot with you over the past year; ideas about money, ethics, morality, society, ideology, and how we treat each other and the world we live in. For some, these ideas spark a desire to take action. For others, they can feel overwhelming… like there’s nothing you can really do.Which makes me wonder… you mad bro?In the second part of this philosophical check-in series, we explore what ha
Ep. 55 - Philosophical Check-In Part 1: Am I An Individual Or A Collective?
It’s been a year of episodes, and it feels like the right time to ask a simple but important question… are you okay?We’ve covered a lot together, exploring existential crises, personal struggles, and the many ways the world can feel overwhelming. We’ve looked into some heavy, unsettling ideas. Maybe it’s time for a philosophical check-in.In this first episode of a short series focused on reflectin
Ep. 54 - One Year Anniversary Special Part 2: The Modern Existentialists
It’s the beginning of the twentieth century. The founders of existentialism are gone, and Europe stands in a near-constant state of upheaval. The world is primed for a surge of thought, questions of purpose, meaning, and above all… freedom.In this episode, the second part of our one-year anniversary special, we turn to the thinkers who would carry existentialism into the modern era. Their ideas wo
Ep. 53 - One Year Anniversary Special Part 1: The Founders of Existentialism
Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote, “I would believe only in a God that knows how to dance.” For him, the actions we choose—those not born out of obligation but out of freedom—reveal who we truly are. In today’s episode, we explore that idea more closely.After a year of episodes, we finally pause to ask: who were the existentialists this podcast is built upon? How did they come to believe and teach wh
Ep. 52 - Am I An Existentialist?
What does it truly mean to be an existentialist? To fully embrace the label, not just as an idea, but as a way of living. After everything we’ve explored on this podcast, what would it actually look like to let existential thought guide your life? And does such a thing even really exist?In this week’s episode, I take on a question that’s been a long time coming as we try to uncover what it truly m
Ep. 51 - What If I’m Wrong?
What does it mean to be wrong about something? And maybe more importantly, what does it say about us to be the kind of person who can be wrong? In everyday life, people seem intensely convinced that they’re right, often in completely opposing ways. So should we begin questioning what it even means to be wrong in the first place?In this week’s episode, I dive into the ideas of right and wrong, trut
Ep. 50 - Am I Disconnected From My World?
Am I truly connected to my world? Do I feel a sense of belonging with the people and places around me? Do I engage with life in a way that brings unity, or am I simply moving through it on autopilot, barely noticing as it slips by?In this episode, we return to Transcendentalism to wrestle with one of its central questions: what does it mean to be genuinely connected to the world? With the guidance
Ep. 49 - Am I Self-Reliant?
What do I believe? What do I think? What are my opinions? In any given moment, how do I actually feel about myself and the world around me, apart from the constant influence of the society I live in? These can feel like impossibly difficult questions to answer, yet they may be among the most important. And perhaps the hardest question of all: if I truly knew the answers, would I embrace them… or r
Ep. 48 - Am I A Failure?
We all fail. It’s part of being human; trying, falling short of our own standards or those imposed on us by others. Most of us know this experience well, and for many it’s one of the most painful we face. Failure can bring shame, self-hatred, alienation, and the urge to disappear. But what if failure isn’t something to fear or avoid? What if it’s something we should actively seek?In this week’s ep
What Do I Do? - Thoughts on Minneapolis
Minneapolis has me thinking, as I assume it has a lot of us. I reflect on the state of the world, my country, philosophy, and I ask myself and you all, what are we supposed to do?
Ep. 47 - Am I Too Self-Aware? Part 2
We are self-aware to the point that some see it as a curse, the true source of human suffering. And yet we persist, searching for meaning and purpose in an existence that appears to offer neither inherently. But what happens when we grow tired of performing, of wearing masks, of playing the roles we think we must? What does it mean to live authentically in that raw, honest space? And what might it
Ep. 46 - Am I Too Self-Aware? Part 1
As humans, we possess a rare capacity: the ability to reflect on ourselves, to question our existence, to create meaning, and to build entire belief systems around a single question: why? But what if this gift is also a burden?After several heavy episodes, I step back to ask whether we might be too self-aware for our own good. Drawing on the bleak and provocative reflections of Portuguese writer F
Ep. 45 - What Do We Owe Each Other?
Over the past few episodes, we’ve explored the flaws, struggles, and misguided judgments that have shaped our society into something many people find difficult to live within, let alone find happiness, dignity, or peace. So what now?In this episode, we explore another possibility: anarchism. From David Graeber to Peter Kropotkin, Emma Goldman to Henry David Thoreau, we encounter voices that have c
Ep. 44 - What Does Society Owe Me?
The current way of doing things isn’t working for a lot of people anymore. People are angry. People are demanding lives that feel worth living—less alienated from the things that matter most. It may be why democratic socialism is gaining traction in the U.S. But what does it actually mean? And what are the trade-offs?In this week’s episode, we explore why so many people want change, where that cha
Ep. 43 - What Do I Owe My Job?
We work, constantly. For many of us, it consumes most of our waking hours, and we do it simply to survive, often just barely. We’re told we should feel grateful to have a job at all, lucky to be paid to do something many don’t enjoy. Gratitude and loyalty are expected… but when did work become something we owe?In this episode, we trace the history of work and examine how capitalism has shaped mode
Ep. 42 - How Do I Actually Change My World?
Philosophy has shaped how we understand ourselves, our relationships, and our world. It has challenged our stories about reality and pushed us to question what we take for granted. But sometimes thinking isn’t enough. Sometimes philosophy must move us toward direct action, especially when the world we live in becomes unlivable.In this week’s episode, we explore what it means to use philosophy as a
Ep. 41 - Should I Kill My Ego? - The Unconscious Part 3
When we think of the unconscious mind, we imagine mystery, depth, and vast uncharted territory. It can feel unsettling to consider what might surface when we stop keeping everything neatly tucked away. But what if the unconscious isn’t just chaos? What if it can be mapped?In this final episode of our series on the unconscious, we turn to Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung to explore what it might mean t
Ep. 40 - How Can I Know What’s Real? - The Unconscious Part 2
Since the beginning of this podcast, I’ve been asking the question: “Who am I?” As if finding ourselves would unlock endless possibilities.But what if the answer to that question is far more unsettling than we ever imagined?What if the “you” you think you know… isn’t the real you at all?In this week’s episode, we continue our series on the unconscious mind by diving into the work of French psychoa
Ep. 39 - Am I Living A Lie? - The Unconscious Part 1
What’s going on in your mind? What’s going on in mine?Sure, we know the surface-level stuff—the things we say, think, and do every day… but what’s deeper than that? What’s hiding in the dim, weird corridors of my psyche?This week kicks off a three-part series exploring and mapping the interior of the unconscious mind. We start with the general structure Sigmund Freud laid out and build from there.
Ep. 38 - Am I Virtue Signaling?
I’ve got a podcast where I talk about ethics, morals, human rights, solidarity, and why we should be fighting for each other instead of against each other. A lot of you care about the same causes. Many of you take action every day because you believe it’s the right thing to do. But… what if some of the “good” we do isn’t actually good? What if, even without realizing it, we’re doing something much
Ep. 37 - Should I Fight Gender Norms?
Gender norms. What a topic. People argue about it. Fight, scream, and yell. Your uncle won’t stop bringing it up at every family gathering, whether he’s talking about bathrooms, sports, or… well… everything else. Why does it feel like such a hot-button issue today, yet remain wildly misunderstood by those shouting the loudest?In this week’s episode, we unpack what gender and its norms really are.
Ep. 36 - How Should I Feel About Sex?
Sex. It’s woven through society, adulthood, and relationships. We’re told it should be one of the most important parts of a healthy, loving partnership, but what do we actually think about it? Do we place way too much weight on something we all seem to understand differently? Or barely understand at all?In this episode we get down and dirty with one of the biggest topics in modern life. With the h
Ep. 35 - Why Can’t I Feel?
Emotions, what are they, really? Why do we have them? Why do we struggle to express them? And for some of us… why is it so hard to feel them at all?In this week’s episode, I take a deep look at emotions, why they exist, the roles they play in our daily lives, and why so many of us find ourselves disconnected from them. With help from Bell Hooks, Brené Brown, and Rollo May, we’ll also explore how s
Ep. 34 - HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
It’s almost Halloween!And to celebrate, we’re digging into one of the most chilling topics of all — Existential Horror.Through film and literature, we’ll descend into the strange, the unsettling, and the deeply human fears of ambiguity, helplessness, and loss of control.Spoiler alert for the following works:EnemyFoeI Who Have Never Known MenA Collapse of HorsesThe Empty ManRoadside PicnicAnnihilat
Ep. 33 - Do I Have Trauma?
Throughout my career as a psychotherapist, I’ve worked closely with people healing from trauma. It’s been one of the main focuses of my practice, and in this week’s episode, we’re diving deep into that very topic, asking the question: how much can trauma be treated philosophically?With insights from thinkers like Judith Herman, Peter Levine, Robert Jackman, and David Spiegel, we’ll peel back the m
Ep. 32 - How Much Should I Suffer?
After 31 episodes of exploring what it means to be human, we’ve finally arrived at one of the most difficult questions of all: why do we suffer? And maybe even harder, does anything good actually come out of it?Suffering is something everyone experiences, yet most of us spend our lives trying to avoid it, numb it, or make sense of it. But what if, as painful as it is, suffering might hold a kind o
Ep. 31 - What Are My Rights As A Human?
What actually are human rights? Do they come naturally, or are they something we invented? Do they exist to define what it means to be human, or to control how humans behave? Are they legal, moral, or something cosmic? And most importantly… do they even work?In this week’s episode, I explore what a “human right” really is, how we’re meant to use them, and whether they actually serve the people the
Ep. 30 - Does Technology Free Me or Trap Me?
Technology. From hammers and shovels to smartphones and the AI best friend I beg for validation from (because asking a real human is apparently harder than rocket science). It’s shaped our lives for basically forever. But does it really free us to build the world we want, or quietly trap us in a cage we’ve built ourselves?With the help of thinkers Paulo Freire and Martin Heidegger, I explore wheth
Ep. 29 - Am I An Addict?
Do I have a problem? Am I too dependent on this? Am I an addict? These are questions I hear often in my work, and questions that rarely come with simple answers. Even when they do, there aren’t always easy fixes, because dependency isn’t just about chemicals, it’s also about who we are.In this episode, we dive into addiction from an existential perspective: what it means when your very sense of se
Ep. 28 - When Will I Stop Grieving? – Death Part 3
Grief — the ache we’re left with after a loss, the pit we fear we’ll never climb out of, and one of the hardest existential challenges we can face.In the third and final episode of our mini-series on death, we examine this painful aspect of mortality: what it means to be the one left behind. Joined by thinkers like Andrew Solomon, Kierkegaard, Rollo May, and Viktor Frankl, we try to make sense of
Ep. 27 - Should I Have The Right To Die? – Death Part 2
Suicide — the topic we avoid. The conversation new therapists are trained to face despite discomfort and fear. The nightmare for families and loved ones. Yet it’s something that has weighed heavily on humanity’s mind since the beginning of time. How do we confront it? How do we talk about it? And perhaps most importantly, should it be considered a human right?In this episode, I wade into the dark
Ep. 26 Should I Be Afraid Of Dying? – Death Part 1
Death — the thing so many of us fear most. Hardwired into nearly every living creature is the instinct to fight against it, yet it remains the one certainty we cannot escape. The opposite of survival, and still, the end awaiting us all. What kind of cruel joke is that? And why does it terrify us so deeply?In this episode, I open a new mini-series on death by asking: why do we fear it so much? And
Ep. 25 - Does Money Control me?
Oh money. The thing that buys us what we want and what we need. The thing that seems to do everything for us. People love to say, “money can’t buy happiness”—yet most of us can’t even imagine happiness without it somehow being involved. Sometimes, having money feels just as essential as food and water. Maybe even more. But what is it, really?In this episode, I get a little help from one of modern
Ep. 24 - Should I Embrace Labels or Fight Them?
What are labels, really? Are they made by us, or are they something bigger than us? Do they help define who we are, or just confuse us about the truth? Should we fear them, reject them, fight them—or embrace them and make peace with them?In this episode, I dig into what labels actually mean, how they function, and whether we truly embrace the ones we carry—or if they never really fit us at all. Wi
Ep. 23 - Am I Creating Art, or Being Created By It?
What is art? How do we make it? What does it mean to see it, hear it, experience it? And who does it really belong to—the artist, the audience, or something else entirely?In this particularly pretentious and confusing episode (your words, not mine), I turn to existentialists of the past—like Martin Heidegger and Rollo May—to help untangle what art is supposed to mean, why it matters, and how it im
Ep. 22 - Am I Crazy?
Am I crazy? Would I even know if I were? Should I rely on others to tell me? Could that be dangerous? Who could I really trust to decide what’s wrong with me?In this episode, I get to the heart of something many of us fear, misunderstand, or even go to therapy to wrestle with: the feeling that something must be wrong with me. That there’s something that sets me apart from everyone else... in a bad
Ep. 21 - Am I A Rebel?
In today’s world, we face fears, uncertainty, and living conditions that many have grown deeply tired of. Political terrors, social estrangement, and a good dose of paranoia — for many, it feels like the perfect time to rebel… or at least to demand serious change.In this episode, I focus on exactly how we can do that. People often find themselves lost at the starting line of what it takes to spark
Ep. 20 - Can I Be A Mystic? - Spirituality Part 3
Mysticism… What is it, really? Is it tarot cards, crystals, and reading the stars? Potions, curses, and chatting with spirits? Magic spells? Or is it just some nerds hanging out in basements, eating mushrooms, and flipping through ancient books?In this episode, we wrap up our three-part series on spirituality by exploring these spiritually adventurous souls who exist on the fringes of religious in
Ep. 19 - Am I Religious? - Spirituality Part 2
What does it mean to have a religious experience? Do I have to talk to God? Do I have to be touched by the divine? Or… could it be more than that? Maybe I’ve already had one and didn’t even realize it.In this episode, we dive into what it really means to be religious—and to be open to having a religious experience at all. With a little help from psychologist, philosopher, and father of pragmatism
Ep. 18 - Should I Have Faith? - Spirituality Part 1
What does it mean to have faith? Is it something reserved for those who believe in a god (or gods)? For the religious only? Or is it something everyone takes part in, whether we realize it or not?In this week’s episode, we kick off the first in a three-part series on spirituality. I start us off with a headfirst dive into the meaning of faith. With the help of the great grandpapa of existentialism
Ep. 17 - Are My Morals Real?
What’s right and what’s wrong? How do I know if I’m doing the right thing — or if I’m just being a bad person? Jesse told me morality is all human-made… but then why do I feel so bad when I do something I think is wrong?In today’s episode, we dive into the concept of morality — not to brush it off as just another social construct, but to explore the deeper, human side of ethics beneath all the phi
Ep. 16 - Am I in Control, or Just Desperate?
What does it mean to have control—and to be under someone else’s? And do we really know how to tell the difference?In today’s episode, I dive into the elusive, slippery concept of control and how it shows up in our daily lives, often in ways we don’t even notice. Along the way, we’ll turn to one of the most celebrated psychotherapists of the 20th century—often mentioned alongside Freud and Adler—V
Ep. 15 - Can I Trust What I Was Taught in School?
What’s true? What’s false? Who can I trust, and who should I question? Do I even know when I’m being lied to or fed misinformation?In this episode, I dive into the increasingly unsettling reality of our time: in a world where anyone can say anything and call it “truth,” how are we supposed to know what to believe?With the help of two major figures in the history of education and personal autonomy—
Ep. 14 - Does Science Answer All of My Questions?
We’ve got AI, electric cars, photos of black holes, and—most importantly—a runaway alarm clock named Clocky. We are officially living in the future.But despite all this progress… do we actually understand ourselves any better than we did centuries ago?In this episode, I dig into the big question: Can science really answer life’s biggest, most human questions? And is that even what science is meant
Ep. 13 - Why Do People Not Understand Me?
Can I say that I’ve ever truly been heard—really understood? That when I speak, others are actually listening from my perspective? Can you say that? It might not be so simple.In this episode, I explore just how complicated—and downright competitively messy—communication can be when it comes to truly seeing from another person’s point of view.To help me out, I call on philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstei
Ep. 12 - Am I Perceiving Things Right?
What does it really mean to perceive something? How do I get someone to understand my point of view? And how do I even know if what I perceived was real?In this episode, I journey deep into the phenomenological roots of modern existentialism to explore what it actually means to experience anything—whether it's drinking a cup of coffee or genuinely seeing a unicorn. Along the way, I’ll touch on psy
Ep. 11 - Can I Ever Be Truly Happy?
Is happiness something we create, something we chase, or something that sneaks up on us when we least expect it?In this episode, I dive into the tangled world of joy, pleasure, freedom... and suffering? With a little help from our Russian friend Fyodor Dostoevsky, maybe we can start to make some sense of it all.Side note: when’s the last time you went to the dentist?
Ep. 10 - Am I In Love?
What is love? How do I know if I am feeling it? How do I know if someone is truly in love with me? And more importantly, how do I find my soulmate in a sea of fish I don’t trust?In this episode I ask for help from mid 20th century psychotherapist, Erich Fromm, as I attempt to understand how love can be seen as an art form and not something you demand from others. Hopefully it won’t be too radical
Ep. 9 - Am I A True Friend?
Am I a good friend? Are you? Would I even know one if I saw one—or is friendship just a feeling?In this episode, I dive into the mysterious and difficult process of forming and maintaining true friendships in a world so polarized that just meeting someone new can feel scary.With help from the philosophies (and complicated personal lives’) of Albert Camus and Simone Weil, I explore the existential
Ep. 8 - Am I Too Passionate?
A career. A partner. A home. Goals to strive for and a life to live on top of it all. Sounds passionate, right? What could possibly be wrong with that? What if, however, individual passion isn’t all there is to life?In this last episode of the series on living a value driven life, I take a look at what it means to be too passionate. With Simone de Beauvoir’s help, I once again ask, “What’s missing
Ep. 7 - Am I Rootless?
What's the difference between living boldly and just running away from commitment? In this episode I explore Nietzsche, de Beauvoir, and the idea of the "adventurer" — the person who faces life's ambiguity with excitement, spontaneity, and a drive to create their own path. It sounds empowering, right? But there's a catch.Join us as I question if the thrill of adventure is a c
Ep. 6 - Am I A Nihilist?
Nihilism has a reputation — a sad one. It's often associated with hopelessness, apathy, and a sense that nothing matters. But is that what nihilism really means? And more importantly, is it possible that you're a nihilist without even realizing it?In this episode, I ask the question “are you unknowingly embracing a nihilistic outlook, or are you wrestling with it in a way that could actual
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