Why Modern Life feels meaningless | Lex Fridman and John Vervaeke 

What ive learnt is when you isolate yourself for extended periods of time you realise how much bullshit goes on in our day to day existence.

Going to the phone to get wisdom about how the phone isn’t where we go to for wisdom

Feelings of meaninglessness, depression, and despair are precisely what drive us to fulfill subjective meaning by doing all sorts of things like starting families, producing art, buying things we need and don't need, going to school, getting interested in politics, etc...etc...etc... It's adaptive.

The problem is none of our natural instincts and strengths are required. Men used to have to hunt everyday to provide, build, train, protect our families, and survive. Nowadays, we just hit buttons on a keyboard and stare at a screen while locked indoors sitting in a chair to provide.

The more access we have to each other, the less we value each other.

The book of Ecclesiastes addresses this in depth and was written ~2500-2900 years ago.

I feel like I’ve gotten a second chance at life, now I don’t question the meaning of it, I just take it for what it is. I feel like we expect too much out of life and the happiest I’ve ever been is when I don’t focus on my desires and just find peace in what I have.

Incredibly interesting topic from a unique perspective. My biggest feedback- simplify responses to something everyone can understand.

Thank you for bringing light to philosophy by having an actual professional philosopher on. Thank you.

We're becoming too outwardly. Too much dependency on external things to give happiness. External happiness is not real. Its a delusion which only lasts a while and then we want something new to feel that happiness again. The true bliss comes when we move inwards, that's everlasting and ever growing happiness. Then it doesn't matter if you're sitting alone in a cave for years, as long as you're moving inwards and connecting with your higher self you won't need anything or anybody to be happy. I have started the inward journey and it's true bliss. I hope that we all reach the highest level in finding and connecting with our higher selves.

Very thought provoking. Thanks for this.

The reason is the common-unity, the trust and faith shared when we do something together based on an underlying understanding and knowing of that which is infinite and sacred in our life and lives. It's very simple, so obvious we overlook it all the time, yet it is always there if we would stop and appreciate the little moments of magic in connecting deeply. And depth is in the unknown, the mystery of life. We all know it and without feeling or re-member-ing it life becomes meaningless.

Life is absurd - A Camus

This was an awesome episode. Wasn’t familiar with Mr. Vervaeke before this, but getting to listen to his perspectives on such difficult topics and then you trying to understand them while I was felt like the three of us were attempting to tackle an unanswerable question together.

Very interesting chat and makes me glad I studied philosophy, as it prepares you for the fact that life requires imagination and the crafting of one’s own meaningfulness. Respect

Fantastic talk, thank you 🎉

Damn I picked the right video to spark up a j to

Absolutely brilliant John and Lex, well done

Whoa. Perfect timing. Thanks

I LITERALLY THINK OF THIS 24/7!!!!! I was starting to think that I’m crazy 🥲😭. I’ve been thinking of how to accomplish this since I was 19yo. It really is serendipitous to know that someone else is pondering this matter. Especially someone educated at the level you are Dr. Vervaeke. I currently feel the only modality to accomplish this is through art, or an entirely new institution. We have the means in modern day society, just lacking the “soul” to get there. At the end of the day, people will have to be compelled by social forces to adapt this form of thinking/operating. Thank you for this clip. 🙏 Lex led me here.