0:00 - Welcome to the Podcast
8:03 - Understanding Stress Levels
20:57 - The Impact of Modern Life
29:37 - The Nature of Philosophy
47:27 - The Role of Personal Responsibility
54:51 - Navigating Relationships and Debt
1:06:23 - Identifying Gaslighting Behaviors
1:15:00 - Recognizing Dangerous Personalities
In this episode, I delve deep into the omnipresent issue of stress, inviting my listeners to engage in a candid discussion about its multifaceted impact on our lives. The conversation begins with a light-hearted acknowledgment that it's my birthday week, but quickly transitions to explore the serious implications of rising stress levels among our communities. I reflect on a week spent conducting numerous thought-provoking interviews, where salient topics such as censorship, humility, and moral dilemmas were discussed. This content will soon be shared, promising to provoke thoughtful consideration among listeners.
We undertake a collective self-assessment of stress levels within our audience, utilizing a simple 1 to 10 scale. I urge listeners to unpack their feelings and openly describe the sources of their stress—whether it be financial burdens, employment uncertainties, or personal relationships. This call to honesty ignites an enlightening dialogue, highlighting the shared struggle many face in a world where stress is increasingly commonplace.
I delve into relevant statistics, revealing that a staggering 66% of adults in America cite money as a significant source of stress. We explore various demographics, discussing how stress impacts different ages, genders, and socioeconomic groups. The findings paint a portrait of escalating anxiety, especially among the younger population who feel overwhelmed not only by financial pressures but also by societal expectations and unwarranted anxieties.
As we navigate this heavy terrain, I encourage listeners to reflect on their coping mechanisms. Drawing from research, I discuss the significance of nature in alleviating stress and the surprising reliance many have on pets for emotional support. In juxtaposition, I outline the detrimental long-term effects of chronic stress on physical health, paving the way for a discussion on preventative strategies we can adopt in our daily lives.
I address a pervasive societal trend—how the dynamics of modern politics often exacerbate stress levels. The sense of helplessness many feel in the face of economic instability, crime rates, and the complexities of contemporary living is palpable. I emphasize the importance of self-ownership and the responsibility we each bear in seeking rational, philosophical perspectives to navigate our challenges.
As the conversation draws to a close, I reflect on the fundamental role of philosophy in promoting mental well-being. I argue that the access to philosophical thought today is unprecedented, allowing individuals to confront and analyze their stressors through a rational lens. The episode closes with an invitation for further dialogue on these pressing issues, affirming that we are in this together as we each seek to manage and understand our daily stresses.
Listeners are encouraged to take charge of their well-being, not just by recognizing their own stress but by actively engaging in community discussions and seeking out philosophical knowledge that aligns with their lived experiences. The journey toward understanding stress, its effects, and ultimately finding peace continues, and I invite everyone's thoughts as we look ahead to our next gathering.
[0:00] Good evening, everybody. Welcome to your pinch-punch 20th of September, 2024. It is four days until my birthday. Birthday. I'm happy to take tips, happy to take donations to freedomain.com slash donate, and I have finished, ooh, I don't know, probably close to six hours of interviews this week. Let me tell you six hours of interviews on just about every topic known to man god beast and devil, so working away in philosopher takes 15 seconds after you say aft for us to see it also you need 15 seconds after stopping for any stream not to get cut off all right appreciate it so, yeah a lot of a lot of interviews this week um they're going to go out one by one and then we'll We'll put them out together as a big blob. But it is good, shareable, interesting, detailed stuff. Some great questions from Keith Knight of the Libertarian Institute. Good, challenging stuff. We covered censorship, morals, humility, taboo topics, all kinds of juicy good stuff. So check that out. It will be going out over the weekend.
[1:21] To donors, for sure. All right. So here's a question that I wanted to ask you. And listen, I'm happy to take your topics, obviously. I'm happy, thrilled, beyond words, measures, and beliefs to take your topics. But is singing philosophical telegrams a viable business option? I would say not. Yeah, the stream isn't that important. I mean, because the recording here is local, and that's the one that goes out. So we're not losing anything in the actual show. Just so you know, we're not losing anything in the actual show.
[2:02] All right. So I sense a great disturbance in the fourth. What I mean by that is I'm always trying to read the community as best I can. I read both audio, visual, a fair amount of tactile sensation, which is probably why you felt my pink spider fingers on your inseam. But I'm always trying to read the community and see where things are. And I want to get your feedback on this just because I think this is happening. Obviously, I'm not saying it is happening, but let me tell you what I think is happening, or let me ask you how you're doing relative to one metric at the moment. On a 1 to 10 scale, on a 1 to 10 scale, how is your stress? Give me a 1 to 10. 1, totally chill, ID man, island time, falling asleep in the hammock.
[3:12] But 10 being like can't sleep, wired beyond words, can't eat. How is your stress? We got an 8.5, we got a 4, we got a 3. 7, 6. Earth below us. All right.
[3:41] So medium to high it looks like eight seven point five seven eleven i'm sorry about that, some people low some people high now i appreciate that answer and i will of course go and check over on rumble as well but i want to know how is two okay.
[4:14] So what are you stressed about and i don't mean this like what are you stressed about i mean genuinely what are you stressed about what is causing you worry and concern these days let us unpack our hearts and speak openly to each other, what is it that is grinding your gears what is it that has you wake up at night and have a tough time getting back to sleep.
[4:52] Finances cost of living stolen elections and mob mentality i feel my dollar doesn't go far enough, Right. Right. The government's like these kids in the teenagers with their parents' liquor cabinet. They take out the liquor and just add a bunch of water. Back in so they don't look like budding alcoholics. Time running out. Yeah, what is it that's got you wired? Being in my late 30s with no wife and children and my business, social isolation, the cover-ups of communist murders, unfulfilling job...
[5:37] Somebody said, oh, Pulsar, yeah, nice to see you again. I went to the local bar last Sunday night and it was empty, like there was a snowstorm. The bartender said it was the economy. Genetic medical condition, I'm sorry to hear about that. Somebody says, I've got three things, moving out for the first time, major chest pains, and lastly worrying I may not will a fantastic life for myself. Mind you, I'm working on all of these. Uncertainty about my own abilities. Oh, the bar. It was Sunday night during the football season. There was no one there. Yeah, I do see a lot of people walking through the mall. Hi, Viper. I see a lot of people walking through the mall. I'm not entirely sure I see a lot of people buying things at the mall.
[6:28] Okay, let me ask you this then. Again, of the people that you know, give me now the general stress levels, if you could. Give me the general stress levels of people that you know. Do you think, I mean, is it higher for them? Is it lower? Is it about the same? Give me the stress levels, you know, family, friends, wives, whoever. ever. Chris says, I'm regretting bad choices I made when I knew better. Particularly not asking out a really high quality girl when she was interested in me, now she's dating someone else.
[7:14] Somebody says, will I, should I think of marrying? If my high standards and low social skills are unrealistic or unfair, to rob such a woman of a younger, better man and pay enough to live better. Probably two or three co-workers are worried of layoffs there was a riff on thursday i don't know what riff means there about the same people are higher apathy and incompetence in every corner most people i know seem low stress but it's probably all a facade, seven dad lost his job about the same eight six to seven right five.
[8:04] So, do you know what the data is about stress? It's wild. It's wild. According to the American Psychological Association, Stress in America, this is a 2022 survey, money is a major source of stress for 66% of adults. Now, you think of course there's the wealthy, you think of course there's those who are students who don't particularly care about money, you think about people who have retired and so on. Money is a major source of stress for 66% of adults, with 57% stating current expenses such as food and rent as their main source of money-related stress. The remaining 43% of this group state saving for the future as their main source of money-related stress. I mean, do you all know people?
[9:07] Do you all know people who have no savings for retirement? Have you heard of such people? Isn't that wild? They literally have no savings for retirement. And they're in their 50s, they're in their 60s, and they got nothing. I may have been a little bit anal when I was younger because I was saving for my retirement in my 20s, even when I was a student, but holy crap. What do they think is going to happen? What do they think is going to happen?
[9:53] Stress kills? I don't think it's great. Stress takes years off diabetes, childhood abuse, all minuses, non-smoker, non-drinker. Right. Approximately 75% of U.S. adults feel that violence and crime are significant sources of stress in their lives. Around 34% of adults report feeling that stress is completely overwhelming for them on most days. Around 34, because that's a third of adults, report feeling that stress is completely overwhelming for them on most days. People are freaked out. This is why there's road rage. This is why there's all this volatility. This is why there's drinking and drugs. People are just managing panic on a daily basis. You know, we're talking about the great slowdown where everything gets worse. 21% of U.S. adults report experiencing forgetfulness. 20% report an inability to concentrate and 17% report difficulty making decisions in the last month as a result of stress. Now, 2021, data from adults in 122 countries, 41% of adults worldwide report experiencing a lot of stress.
[11:22] 2022 data. Which country has the highest reported stress level? Which country in the world do you think has the highest reported stress level? I thought it might be South Korea before exam time, but no.
[11:43] Somebody says, a few of my friends at work have no savings for retirement. I believe they're just banking on the value of their homes in the future. Yeah, my mom was that way. I'm going to find a rich husband. You're probably not. They think Social Security will take care of their retirement. My friend's father died 81 years old and still making payments on the house and leaving nothing for his wife. The son returned the car to the bank and dropped off the keys the car was financed. Wow.
[12:23] I was trying to invest for a retirement. Could never get a career. Started to keep the condo and truck. I should have taken a vow of poverty. I like to joke that would be easier. Israel, Japan, Japan. I've just tried and failed at dating men twice my age for security. Very stressed for future. No, the country with the biggest rate of stress, the highest rate of stress is Afghanistan as of 2022. Stress level of 68%. But the U.S. Is not too far behind at 53%.
[12:59] 2022 survey data from Pew Research Center, 129% of US parents reported that being a parent is stressful all or most of the time. All or most of the time. The 2018 study of stress levels in the UK throughout that year found that 74% of people reported feeling so stressed they were overwhelmed or unable to cope. 74%. This is pre-pandemic. I don't think we can ascribe this entirely to my lovely tour of Australia. Stress levels in the UK, 74, three quarters of people reported feeling so stressed they were overwhelmed or unable to cope. Do you know how easy it is for governments to bull stress people, to bully stress people? It's one of the reasons why COVID went the way it did.
[13:59] 37% of U.S. adults report being unable to do anything when they are stressed. 56% of employed U.S. adults report job stability as a source of stress. Around 27% of U.S. adults report feeling so stressed they can't function on most days. And of course, that is circular, right? That's a vicious circle.
[14:26] Because when you can't function people snap at you right like if you are you can't function you just sit there at the light so stressed you don't know how to get there right if you're a barista or something you're making coffees you're too stressed you can't function people snap at you so it just gets worse and worse and worse younger u.s women are more likely to report report feeling overwhelmed by stress than older women, with 62% of women ages 18 to 34, reporting feeling completely overwhelmed by stress most days. 62% of women ages 18 to 34 report feeling completely overwhelmed by stress most days compared to 48% of women, aged 35 to 44, 27% of women 45 to 64, and 9% of women 65 years and older. So you put two you put three young women in a room two of them almost are so overwhelmed, by stress completely overwhelmed by stress most days i mean do you know this, do you know this when you're moving through the world.
[15:47] Are you aware just how on-freaking-edge most people are? It's important to know this. It's really, really important to know this stuff.
[16:09] Younger U.S. men are more likely to report feeling overwhelmed by stress than older men. 51% of men aged 18 to 34 are completely overwhelmed by stress most days.
[16:27] APA's 2023 Work in America survey, 77% of workers reported experiencing work-related stress in the past month. 57% of those citing negative impacts as a result, emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation to do their best. If you feel that you don't have meaningful work, 71%, stressed, 45% of those who report having meaningful work, also stressed. 2021 Italian study compared the stress levels of males and females who reported medium to high stress levels upon returning to work after being unemployed and found that females, 22.7%, were more likely to report high stress levels than males, 11%. We really annoy women when we're not stressed. Men as a whole. How can you not worry? Not in my life, but, you know, as a whole, right?
[17:44] According to a 2019 study that explored the effects of nature experiences on stress, nature experiences that lasted 21 minutes to 30 minutes had the greatest reduction in stress levels with an 18.5% per hour drop in cortisol levels for the duration of the nature experience. Go back to nature. Be in the woods.
[18:07] 95% of dog and cat owners rely on their pet for stress relief. Sounds vaguely Middle Eastern. Stress can impact multiple bodily systems. This is from Forbes Health. contribute to a range of health concerns including headaches, muscle tension, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, shortness of breath or rapid breathing. Long-term effects of stress can include anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, obesity, hypertension, heart attack and stroke. And this... Is this the world we created? Yeah. This is the world we've made. This is the world that people have voted into existence. This is the world that people have chosen to make, where we are dying from stress. Dying from stress.
[19:12] 35% of workers say their boss is a cause of their workplace stress. 80% of U.S. workers experience work stress because of ineffective company communications. Usually that means that you have a boss who gives you contradictory instructions, and then you can't win.
[19:31] 49% of 18 to 24-year-olds who report high levels of stress felt comparing themselves to others as a stressor. 71% of U.S. adults with private health insurance say the cost of health care causes them stress while 53% with public insurance stay the same 54% of Americans want to stay informed about the news but following the news causes them stress, 42% of U.S. adults cite personal debt as a source of significant stress, Mass shootings are a significant source of stress across all races races. 84% of Hispanics report this the highest among the races. 30% of US adults eat comfort food more than the usual when faced with a challenging or stressful event. 51% of US adults engage in prayer when faced with this. Coping mechanisms of Gen Z in millennials experiencing stress in the US. 44% of Gen Z and 40% of Millennials sleep in, while exercising counts for 14% and 20% respectively.
[20:44] That's rough, man.
[20:57] So... In America, psychologists have noted that many people have generally positive perceptions of their physical health, even when they also reported being diagnosed with a chronic condition. For example, despite high ratings of physical health, 81% rated their physical health as good or better, two-thirds of adults said they had been told by a health care provider that they have a chronic illness, including high blood pressure, 28%, high cholesterol, 24%, or arthritis, 17%. 81% of adults reported their mental health as good or better, while more than one-third, 37%, said they have a diagnosed mental health condition, a 5% increase from pre-pandemic levels, most cited anxiety disorder, 24%, or depression.
[21:56] Many are struggling to cope with stress bearing the burden alone. Around 3 in 5 adults, or 62%, said they don't talk about their stress overall because they don't want to burden others. Although finances are a top stressor, talking about them is off the table. In fact, only 52% of adults said they are comfortable talking with others about money or finances, and more than 2 in 5 adults, 45%, said they feel embarrassed talking about money or their financial situation with others. Around 3 in 5 adults, 61% said people around them just expect them to get over their stress. Nearly half, 47%, said they wish they had someone to help them manage their stress. Rough man. More than 2 in 5 adults, 44%, said they don't feel anyone understands what they're going through, and more than half, 52%, said they wish they had someone to turn to for advice and or support. 28% of adults said they've struggled with or had difficulty planning for their future in the past month because of stress.
[23:05] Almost 60% said it stresses them out that politicians aren't talking about the things that are most important to them. Few reported confidence about the direction our country is going, 34%, or said that they feel the government representatives have their best interests in mind, 31%. Stress levels from 2019, right before the pandemic, to 2023, young people, this is percent of adults who rate their average stress between 8 and 10, 18 to 34 year olds 2019 it was only 26 percent 2023 34 percent and it has gone up except for the old where it's gone down, parents have gone from 24 percent rating their stress between 8 and 10 to 33 percent from 2019 to 2023.
[24:18] Younger adults report the effects of stress the most. And I'm just wondering if they have male and female. Money, the economy are 30, age 35 to 44. It's money, the economy as a whole. Yeah, it's been the pandemic has been brutal on kids and parents.
[24:52] And it's not, you know, consumed by worries regarding money, 44% of men, 50% of women. Family responsibilities cause them stress, 52% of men, 58% of women. Relationships cause them stress, 44% of men, 49% of women. So that's interesting. I would have expected that to be more of a gap between men and women, but of course, as testosterone plummets around the West, I think that the disparities between males and females begin to close up.
[25:40] Hearing this much stress makes me stressed, yeah. I knew it was high, I didn't think it was that high. Well, that's why I started looking into this. Somebody says, I do need time to be alone. Being alone with the Holy Ghost, of course, in a park, especially in autumn night, is so recharging. If I'm really stressed, I find it difficult to make decisions. Economic collapse, no new jobs for native citizens in favor of immigrants, documented or otherwise getting all the work, wages drop, prices rise. Why wouldn't that stress anyone? on. People are paying now for the, quote, free COVID money. Yeah, that's true. He says, somebody says, I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attend Temple Monthly on average and intend now that I can go more. This really does bring peace of mind slash heart. Works for me, for what it's worth. Haven't been on a vacation since 2017.
[26:49] Is stress worse in big cities i would imagine so mark twain says worrying is paying interest on a debt you might not even owe, yeah so to me stress inflicted by the elites on the population is a form of weaponized propagandized, it's like a bioweapon, right? It is something that they put you in impossible situations, they crank up your taxes, they lower your job opportunities, they propagandize your children. And to me, this is kind of like, you know, these sort of fabled heart attack guns and so on. I think that to me, creating situations where populations as a whole are stressed and this not being sort of the number one consideration, is weaponizing people's nervous system against themselves it's a form of sadism or torture or cruelty or you know i think i think it's really it's absolutely terrible.
[27:58] So i was just wondering how you all were doing with with this stuff and how you felt. Somebody says, I don't stress as much on finances because of Bitcoin. Yeah.
[28:14] Yeah, what are we at? Yeah, it's doing all right. What's it gone over five days? It's gone from 78.6 to 85.7. Not bad. Not bad. I remember when it first broke 100. Wow. Ah, thank you, Rai Velo. Happy early birthday. Thanks so much for all the great work you do. My life would be immeasurably worse without you and likely more stressful. Well, thank you. I really, really appreciate that. That's very kind. I appreciate that. Thank you. Is anyone else seeing double? Only when I poke myself in the eye. But if you do want to see double, you can also match Rai Velo's tip. That's a beautiful way to see double. Again, thank you. That's very kind. Free demand.com slash donate if you'd like to help out there as well now or later so, is there anything that people want to talk about with regards to stress i'm happy to take on any other topics that y'all have in mind that y'all have in mind, i don't i don't really do vacations myself, every day is a vacation vacation.
[29:37] All right, I'm just going to wait for your comments and questions. Two times a Stef, that sounds pretty nice. That is right. All right, well, while I'm waiting for the comments, how about you, Stef? Are you stressed? You don't appear very stressed. Who are you to tell me how stressed I am? No, I'm good. I'm good. I mean, I had some wiry moments back in the heyday, but uh i would say life is pretty good life is pretty good life is pretty good so now i don't uh once you once you let go of caring about the world as a whole um the rain is on the roof hurry high as butterflies um it's the moody blues for you it's a great song but yeah, once you let go, ah, I will let go. I will no longer try to wrangle the crazies. I will no longer try to make sane the insane. I will no longer speak calm words of reason to the feral, chittering mob. I will no longer try to turn monkeys into angels. It is a beautiful thing.
[31:01] How are the ducks um they are well we actually found a farm for them for a variety of reasons so as my daughter working and all of that it's a little tough to spend time with them so we found a lovely farm for them to go for uh the time being so are you feeling sympathy for the stressed people, or do they deserve it?
[31:25] Well, life is pretty tough if you refuse to think. If you avoid thinking, if you rebel against thought, reason, evidence, life is pretty tough when you refuse to think. I mean, 75% of Americans are worried about violent crime, and they keep voting in people who let the criminals out.
[32:00] What can I tell you? People are worried about finances, but they keep wanting the government to pay for everything, and then they wonder why there aren't jobs, and...
[32:16] Inflation is high. People want to open the borders to everyone under sun and moon and then wonder why the price of living keeps going up and the wages stay low, these aren't hard things to figure out they're really not hard things to figure out but if people refuse to think, I cannot rationally care what happens to them. You see, given that I oppose insanity, I try my very best not to manifest it. You got a favorite uncle who smokes like a chimney. Smoke him if you got him. Hello, my name's Smoke too much. Well, you'd better cut down a little then. What? Oh, all right. I never really noticed that before. So, if you've got But an uncle who smokes like a chimney and you're on your knees, you're bending knees, begging him to stop, you love the guy, you don't want him to die young, and he's like, nope, I'm going to keep smoking. All right. Then at some point, to preserve your own sanity, you have to cut yourself loose from caring about what happens to him.
[33:43] If you know someone who keeps dating crazy women and getting into crazy trouble you have to tell them you got to stop dating crazy women there's this guy on the internet gives you free calls which might be able to help with that free domain.com slash call and if he keeps dating crazy women you gotta velcro yourself off people velcro the fuck away mayday mayday The pilot won't leave the cockpit The plane is going down Get on the chute and get windy, baby, Get out Run like the wind Mike Batts style.
[34:26] You got some nihilists around, I guess you can try and give them some values, if they won't take them. Vamos! Three tries, three tries, give them three tries, is my advice. I had a friend who was terminally cynical when I was younger. And married an even more cynical woman. after I advised him not to. They got into significant marital trouble, wanted my help, and I'm like, well, if you didn't listen to me then, I'm not talking to you now. There's no point screaming at me for a parachute after you've already jumped out of the plane. In this case, it would be three days after you hit the ground.
[35:28] I don't want people to do badly and to suffer. But I cannot control whether they think or not. What I can do, what I have done, is I work my very hardest to provide information in a positive, friendly, engaging, and enjoyable fashion. Couple of jokes, some good analogies, some data, some facts, some graphs, some charts, you name it. I'll sing to you in Japanese. Please, I'm only here to entertain you.
[36:01] I'll do my very best. I honestly don't think I could have done more. I mean, I scour back in the past like everyone does from time to time and said, what should I have done differently? What could I have done differently? Nothing yet. Nothing yet, in particular. So, I think through what I did, you know, I've had like a billion views and downloads. It's quite a lot. My books were being read 100,000 times a month. That's a lot. The bestseller in Canada is 5,000 sold. So, it's a lot. And I can't control whether people who are into what I do talk about it with others. Share some books. I can't control that. All I can do is try and make it as engaging, positive, entertaining, stimulating, and enjoyable as possible to get nestled into the deep, bristly, boar's head boob of philosophy. Boy, that one kind of went askew. Oh, it happens. That's all I can do is try and be as engaging, interesting, enjoyable, and peppy with regards to philosophy, and useful, and practical, actionable. It's all I can do. You put your flag out there, you blow the trumpets, and you see who salutes.
[37:23] So with regards to the world, and I'm certainly happy to hear if I have gone astray in this way, with regards to the world, I've done my part.
[37:37] Maybe you've done your part. I hope you have, because it's pretty important to have a good conscience. I've done my part.
[37:49] The rest is up to you. All of you out there.
[37:56] Philosophy is one click away. way. Philosophy is one click away. You don't have to go to university. You don't have to learn ancient Greek or Aramaic. You don't have to decipher hieroglyphics without the Rosetta Stone. It's one click away. Real easy, real interesting, real engaging, real practical. I'm not sure that the world has had many better popularizers and teachers of philosophy and certainly the medium is the major reason for that, So I've done my part. The information is out there. Oh, what a relief. And I won't take responsibility for what other people do with philosophy because that would be anti-philosophical. Self-ownership. Free will. Once you have proven that smoking kills, you get all the information out there, you go on your speaking tour, you make it as popular and engaging and enjoyable, so to speak, to get this information.
[39:19] Then you hope people quit smoking, but you've done all you can. You've done all you can. I feel, and I'm not done, I'm not done in the world as a whole, but I feel like I've done as much as could be done without, I don't know, self-immolation. Right to the edge back right it's like there's this old Seinfeld bit about maximum strength Tylenol maximum strength and he's like what is that okay here's how much Tylenol will kill me, back it off just a tiny bit just a tiny bit right to the edge of death back and for me that was my career right back it off a little bit you know as I've for maximum philosophy, philosophy. So, people are stressed. Just search up philosophy, search up facts, search up reason, search up evidence. It's easier to get a hold of philosophy now than at any other time in human history. Take it to the limit. So, wasn't it the guy from the Eagles because he just got sick and tired of having to do the high notes at the end of that after being out drinking all night.
[40:45] So I feel, and again, I'm happy to take corrections on this. If there's things I've missed or things I could have done better, I'm very happy to take feedback on that. But, you know, I was surrounded by this flaming torch and scimitar mob saying, put down the philosophy! And I'm like, okay, right before you rush, right before, right before, I'll drop it. At least the political side, right? Okay. I wish to reside in the realm of reason, so I don't do force.
[41:36] So as far as people being stressed and upset and tense and blah blah blah blah it's like, it's six degrees of separation everyone on the planet is six people away from philosophy probably a lot less if you sort of english-speaking western countries or whatever right, because i've had so many listeners over close to 20 years i've had so many listeners so many downloads, so many views, that everyone is probably three steps away from me and what we do here in the West. So there's me, there's someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, and that's about it. So probably three degrees of separation. If it's six degrees for the whole world, it's three degrees for the English-speaking Western world.
[42:29] So I give out the goods for free I am a mad philosophy stripper whore I give out the goods for free, no barrier to entry I don't use a lot of technical terms not a lot of logic trees you need to analyze and understand, I'm not using, Latin, it's about as accessible and as engaging as I can make philosophy be. And that's about as engaging as philosophy can be. At least, I don't know anyone who's popularized it in a more practical way. Because if I did, I'd go work for them. Thank you. I appreciate the birthday wishes. freedomain.com slash donate if you would like to put your birthday wishes into mad action. freedomain.com slash donate.
[43:22] So I hand out the nipple guards of reason and evidence for free. And everyone can get it. It's just up to three people. Hey, you should check this guy out. Hey, you should listen to this. Hey, you should read this. Hey, and if you don't want to reference me because I'm too controversial, you can just repeat the ideas. is. So everyone is three people away or two people away from getting philosophy. So it's up to those couple of people to spread philosophy. It's not up to me. I can't go door to door. I'm not Santa. I mean, I kind of am, but only in terms of gifts. But that's not up to me. I put the word out there. I put the work in. I take all the risks. I take all the blowback. I I take all the lies and defamation. I'll take all of that. I'll take all of that. All you have to do is talk about philosophy with people. I'll be the martyr, but you've got to be the yapper. And so if people choose not to spread philosophy, even though it's pretty simple and pretty engaging to get involved in these kinds of conversations, I can't do that. I can't do that.
[44:46] I've done it to the limit of my conscience. In fact, I think if I would have gone further, I would have regretted that. So I've gone to the limit of the sweet spot of my conscience. I've tried to hit that Aristotelian bit, you know, sweet spot of my conscience. You know, when you're tuning in a radio station, this is back in the day, right? Welcome to Chum FM, right? And so you're tuning in a radio station and you get there and you get a sweet spot and you're like, oh, it's not bad. It's not quite surya though let me get oh oh I'm losing it okay I go back right so you get that sweet spot which is where you get the best signal it's all over the place in life right it's like in your salary you want to get.
[45:29] Enough so that you don't feel like you're selling yourself for nothing and you give yourself away. But not so much that you're going to get fired because you can't possibly produce that much value. You get a sweet spot. Mmm, beautiful, right? Sweet spot. You want a woman attractive enough that you want to kiss, grope, and sleep with her, but not so attractive that she was a magnet for pedophiles, has eating disorders, and anorexia. Right in the sweet spot, right? Everybody wants a beautiful mid they can call their own.
[46:07] So i think i hit the sweet spot i don't know how perfectly i only have one life to live and there's no copy paste comparisons here so i did the maximum i feel that i could do, after that it's out of my hands and i cannot possibly stress or worry about thank you very much. I appreciate the donation. Person with name, I'm... Oh, okay. That's not it. I was like, squint, squint. I appreciate that support. Thank you. So I've done the maximum that I can do. And if you have done the maximum that you can do, then I think that you should feel comfortable and happy at what you have done. That is the best we can do. And we can't say, well, is it enough? Because it's not up to us. It's not up to us. Is it enough? Can't really say. Can't really say. Randy Meissner, was that his name? Take it to the limit. All right. Let's see here.
[47:28] Let me get to how are the powers that be causing all these stressful psyops? I get it's the communists, but who exactly? I don't know what you mean by who exactly. Do you want middle names? Do you think rational philosophy is a natural de-stressor? Yeah, I think so. Because you advocate for virtue and then hand the choice to others and let them choose what they want. Jesus himself warned of casting pearls before swine, wasting time and energy giving truth to those who don't want to hear it others who would receive the pearls miss out yeah and here's the thing too you got to maintain your optimism and the more you go battling with crazy people who just hurl insults and mass flag your accounts, you you have to fiercely guard your enthusiasm for whatever you love you have to fiercely guard it, cynical people especially when I was a kid rubbed me the wrong way yeah they know the price of everything and the value of nothing, thank you again for the birthday wishes.
[48:44] I bought most of your books in physical copy so I can pass them down well thank you I lost many contacts and made a few off of promoting philosophy, met a nice store manager who homeschooled her children and we had a lot in common, it seemed. There are sane people hiding in plain sight. You have done opulent work. I just get attacks and threats whenever I try to spread parental responsibility or philosophy.
[49:14] Your wife deserves her husband in life Is he needs and deserves a father? Yes Yeah, I Martyrdom has been tried By many thinkers, philosophers, reasoners and moralists And I have yet to see it take in any, Watch the ripples change the side But never leave the stream in any permanent way Alright Lion's son, Hi Stef Jeff, I'm going on a date tomorrow for the first time in forever with a girl who I met on a dating app. We had a great convo through tech so far, I will say. I didn't find her super my type in terms of physical appearance, but I don't want to overlook potentially great qualities because of this.
[49:54] Do you have any thoughts on this? I heard you say when you and your wife met, you weren't initially each other's types, but the virtue trumped all of that. Great conversation. So, So, I mean, my wife has a great figure, but she dresses, for sports, she dresses, she calls it the tent, right? Just like big baggy stuff because she was, she didn't want guys to just be interested in her looks and her figure. So, I obviously, you know, you've seen these TikTok things, it's like, show them your baggy fit and what lies beneath, right? And so, I didn't know that really. And so I wasn't like this big, like that wolf with the tongue unrolling on the table in some cartoon. So, yeah, don't worry about the physical appearance stuff. I mean, again, assuming that she's not obese. Obesity is a deal breaker for me, right? For me. Obesity is a deal breaker for me.
[50:49] Because that is something you can control. Right? That is something you can control.
[50:58] So but you can't control your height you can't control your face bones right you can't control any of that your boob size or anything like that right so uh assuming that or knowing that, then look for her virtue i mean there's nothing sexier than a good woman Smokin' is nothing sexier than a good woman.
[51:31] So, yeah, I wouldn't worry about that. Just focus on just really working on getting to know her as a person. You know, it is a... She does look 20 pounds overweight, but she's working on herself, going to the gym, getting tennis lessons. Well, I mean, I've been 30, 40, 35 pounds heavier than I am now. So, you know, weight's going to have some fluctuation, but so I wouldn't worry about that too much. Jaws are a size. I don't know what that means. I just found out the gal I'm dating has about $80,000 of school debt for a degree she doesn't even really like or care to get a job in.
[52:20] Well, do you want to take on $80,000 worth of debt? That seems like very expensive dating. Let's see here. Yeah, what is that? 400 visits at 200 bucks a head. Anyway, so how long have you been dating? Her. Man, that's rough. Does having high IQ make it easier you to gain wisdom um i don't know i i can think about it both ways so i can think about it in that having high iq helps you figure out patterns and so on but high iq people have a fantastic ability particularly if they're creative to lie the pants off themselves so they're quite easy to propagandize in a way uh nanko says happy birthday minus the 23rd we were literally born within 24 hours of each other, or less. I was 6 p.m. on Saturday, the 24th of September, 1966. 6 p.m. Just over a month. I really need to donate for all the great advisors coming soon. I promise you that. Thanks, Stef. I appreciate that.
[53:44] Okay, well, let me ask you this. Let me ask you this. I think I found a great girl, may need to do a call-in, as she is a very successful woman at age 26, yet I don't find her hot enough. I hate to be this shallow. Well, don't hate it. Just accept it. Just accept it. You know, physical attractiveness is a proxy for health, genetic fitness, and IQ. Right? Like, if you want to know someone's IQ, and you had the choice between figuring out how attractive they are, and also figuring out their level of educational attainment, both would be about equal in figuring out how smart they are. So don't be ashamed to be shallow. It's not just, oh, looks don't mean anything. thing. There's a reason why we're attracted to looks. There's a reason why we're attracted to good looks. Two months. You've been dating her for two months. Okay. Lloyd. Lloyd.
[54:51] How long did it take for her to tell you that you were $80,000 in debt? I assume that's American dollar, so that's a lot. How long did it take you to find that out?
[55:12] Sometimes a simple mind has more wisdom because they don't overthink things. Yeah, I mean, I've said this before. I broke up with a girl when I was in my 20s and none of my friends really talked to me about it much, but I remember there was this one Guatemalan dishwasher at a restaurant I worked in who was like, my friend, how is your heart? How is your heart? She still hasn't told me. A mutual friend told me. Okay, let me ask you this. This, when you're listening to this on the various platforms, is it a deal breaker if the girl hid $80,000 in debt from you? Is it a deal breaker if a girl hides $80,000 in debt from you when you're dating? Would you break up based on that? Yes or no? Now, that is my question for you, for you, for me, for you. All right, the answers are coming in.
[56:25] Yes, yes, yes. Even far less would be a deal breaker.
[56:41] She's going to run up your credit cards, get on a horse, and skedaddle, is what I think. Yeah. All right. I would break up unless she did something unimaginable to work to make it up. Are you having sex? Not right now. Both hands in camera. Oh, sorry, you were asking him. My mistake. My bad. I'll just make a note to edit that out. I'm not going to edit that out. I'm just kidding. It was all a joke. Ah let's see here speaking of iq my step-sister graduated come lord with an mba and was fairly successful model she'd have been perfect for somebody if she didn't have the rage issues well that's because she's so attractive and smart that she can't find a man to contain her right, no i edit my shows thank you very much, oh you like that joke.
[57:40] Oh my i have carpal tunnel syndrome again it's a mystery i must be holding my tennis racket wrong, all right uh not a deal breaker oh so you could you need to date her eighty thousand dollars in debt all right my friends so this is the guy who's dating the girl for two months, no my wife had college debt didn't tell me about it at first but she paid it off on her own no she didn't no she didn't certainly not when you were dating or married she didn't pay it off on her own because her paying off the college debt means there's less money available to you in the relationship she didn't pay it off on her own now if she paid it off before you went out, that's different but if she's paying let's say you get married and she pays off forty thousand dollars in debt, that's not paying it off on their own.
[58:42] All right um so uh this is synonymous just give me a rough you know how much do you make a year guy who's dating the woman for two, two months who's got 80 grand in debt she's hiding from him how much.
[59:06] How much do you make a year just roughly you know can't say 30 to 50 60 to 80 whatever it is right just give me a rough guesstimate hiding that much debt is concerning that's a lot of debt, but the deal breaker would be the hiding oh you make so you make 135 35. So the woman who's heavily in debt is very happy to date the guy who makes really good money. Okay, so, you know, after taxes and expenses, because you've got to pay all that stuff after taxes and expenses, what is that, like two years of your disposable income, her 80k? What is she bringing to the table? She's 50-ish now. I don't blame the man for leaving at all. She's divorced, single mom with two kids. Sorry. Oh, is that your... Sister, the debt is a deal-breaker, hiding it even worse. Yep. Yep.
[1:00:21] So, oh, I wasn't asking for everyone's salary. Sorry, just for the guy who was doing the dating. Although, that's very interesting to see. So, that way I know how much you're not donating. I'm just kidding. No, I'm not. I am really. Maybe. A little. Somewhat. I'm just going to wait for that bouncing ball to stop in my head, which is not going to happen. It's never going to happen. It'll be. I'll be philosophizing probably at least up to 30 minutes after death. You know how your hair and fingernails grow. I'll just still be rambling and yapping.
[1:00:57] So, what, I mean, you don't know anything about her debt or payment plan or anything like that, right? Because she hasn't even told you that she's that heavily in debt. I don't think that is your actual salary, 69, 420, 69. My only debt is college 40K. My yearly balance is, okay. So that is a lot of, that is a lot of debt. Yeah, what is that? That's U.S., right? U.S. dollar, C.A.D., what is that, $80,000? $80,000, so that's $108,544 of after-tax income. In Canada, I mean, various taxes add up to about 50%, So that is $217,000 and change. $217,000 of pre-tax income. $217,000. Oof. Oof. Oof. Some. Thank you for the tip. I appreciate that.
[1:02:25] That is not wise to have acquired so much debt for a field she doesn't even want to pursue. Boy, am I lucky I ended up using my history degree. I agree, eh? Oof. Oof. Rough man. Rough. Rough. Yeah, I wouldn't date someone like that, but... True, but to be fair, she makes a lot more money than me now. Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Does that mean you don't have kids? Is that right? Because it's kind of tough to make money while you're breastfeeding. Unless... Well, let's not even go there. And what what degree what is her degree in.
[1:03:15] Oh, you don't, and you may not know what degree she's in, what degree, right? You may not know. Yeah, sorry, I know this. I find finances and all that stuff very interesting. Oh, she got a degree in accounting and she doesn't want to be an accountant. Boy, that's ironic. Because accountancy is all about making prudent and intelligent financial decisions. And she got an accounting degree and doesn't want to be an accountant. It's probably for the best oh this stuff drives me crazy oh it drives me crazy, drives me crazy uh these people who get these degrees and don't even want to work in the field because you just totally block someone else from getting in the field just driving up the price for everyone else. It's like the women who are like, well, I started to be a good doctor and all, and then I quit to become a stay-at-home mom. It's like, great job. And people wonder why healthcare is so expensive.
[1:04:28] Yeah. What makes it worth it for you? What makes it worth it for you to take on a woman with this kind of debt? Sorry, I know, I wish this was less of a delay, but it is that way. It do be like that. It do be, do be, do, and by do, by do me. It do be like that. It do be like that.
[1:05:03] All right, let's see here. Yeah, I assume that she's very pretty. That is what I have been considering. Okay, sorry, I lost the thread. All right, well, obviously it's up to you. I personally would not want to be with somebody who hit that level of debt for me. All right, so let's do a couple more tangs. A couple more tangs. Narcissist's Gaslighting Checklist. This is from Narcissist Box on X. Narcissist's Gaslighting Checklist. Are you ready? I was just joking. I didn't do that. You're imagining things. You were there with us. You make stuff up in your head. Don't be so sensitive. You have issues. You're upset over nothing. Stop imagining things. You need help. It's always something with you. Here we go again. No one likes you. I never said that. They're lying. I don't have time for this. there's always drama with you what else would you add to that i mean that's not a bad start what would you add to the gaslighting checklist.
[1:06:24] I told you you just forgot that's another one that's another one i'm sorry if you feel that way i think that's another another one.
[1:06:50] Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it. More than words. All right. Bum-ba-ba-ba-bum-ba-bum-ba-bum-ba-bum. All right. Let's see here. Oh, we already dealt with that problem, didn't we? Access your right and that I'm in the right. Yes, that's right. Very good. Well, if you're going to overreact, calm down. It's not what you're saying. It's how you're saying it. It's your tone. That's a selective edit. Yeah, for sure. or anything that doesn't engage with the content. Or when you ask a question, to me this is real gaslighting, when you ask a question, and the person you're asking the question of says, what's this all about? Why do you even care? Why do you want to know about this? Why do you want to talk about this?
[1:08:03] Gaslighting isn't real, you're just crazy. It's really good. It's not all about you. or it's time to move on. We've got to move on. You're obsessed with that topic. Yeah, that's good gaslighting. There you go again, almost thinking about yourself. Right. That's also very good. Very good. A lot of scar tissue coming up here. I think we've all been there. I'm just trying to help you without listening. Oh, yeah, that was so long ago. Unverifiable stuff. Well, I did the best I could with the knowledge I had. Completely unverifiable stuff also works really well that way. Oh, here we go again with this. Yeah, that one was said. Stef, sounds like you're revealing secret debate strategies. They're anti-debate strategies, but I know what you mean. When did I ever do that? Right, right. Or the ploy for sympathy is good gaslighting too, right? Mom, I didn't like the way you raised me as a kid sometimes. You should have seen my childhood. I had it. Make it about them, right? I'm not your therapist. Yeah, you're overthinking this. You're thinking too hard about this. Yeah, yeah. So you ask someone to talk about your feelings with them and they're like, I'm not your therapist. Yeah, we need to be unburdened by what has been. Yeah, that's a straight up commie phrase, right?
[1:09:32] She does want to be a stay-at-home mom she is fairly attractive so this woman got eighty thousand dollars in debt for an advanced degree because she wants to be a stay-at-home mom really, really i have immense and intense doubt, uh Stef is right i have one kid might have another but college educated women don't have have big families, usually. Woo her into having a big family. Convince her. I don't know, why is it that everyone's so passive? I'm sorry to say everyone. A lot of people are passive in their relationships. Well, she's hesitant about having another kid. Convince her. Yeah, another gaslighting thing. You have it way better than X person, right? Hey, when I went to college, half the girls were there just to get married. Go get their MRS degree, right?
[1:10:33] Um, here's a horrible statement from a woman. Good guys are boring for us when we're still fresh. They're not entertaining and mentally challenging. They can't be themselves, always trying to impress us. Well, we want real men. Good guys are only good to be stepfathers after the ho phase, after tiredness of running with guys who make us wet. Good guys offer stability after the prime of a woman. and that's why we can manipulate them saying good men raise another man's kids. Even inhabiting that persona for 15 seconds is absolutely appalling. Right.
[1:11:17] Narcissist prayer, that didn't happen. And if it did, it wasn't that bad. And if it was, that's not a big deal. And if it is, that's not my fault. And if it was, I didn't mean it. And if I did, you deserved it. Oh, that's brilliant. That's chillingly brilliant. Wow. James says, I don't know if this is common gaslighting, but I got this from my father. I expect the same of both of you, referring to my brother. I'm not sure I understand that one. Yeah, I mean, this is like the Haitian pets thing. There's no way they're eating pets. Well, they might be eating pets, but it's very rare. It's not a big deal. Okay, maybe it's a little bit more than a big deal. But how does this impact your life directly? Okay, well, if it does impact your life directly, you're just racist. So, yeah, we know all of this, right? Sure, I did that messed up thing, but you're lucky I didn't do something way worse. Yes, that's right. I kneecapped you, but only once.
[1:12:28] Um, her goals don't align with mine and I am not happy now, but I don't want to chase her off lest I lose the chance to be miserable later. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Well, I might regret this choice later. Is pure paralysis forever and ever. Amen. Somebody says, when I confronted my mother about verbal abuse, she said, what, so I should have just hit you like I was hit? You know, it's absolutely chilling. Absolutely chilling. Thank you, Lloyd. It's absolutely chilling the number of people who simply cannot focus on anyone else. I mean, I guess it's narcissism. Wouldn't that be narcissism? Just the number of people, they simply cannot focus on someone else. It's like trying to push two powerful opposing magnets together. They just, they can't do it. It's wild to me. It seems to be functionally and practically absolutely impossible. Somebody says, it's so chillingly obvious why you're banned. You have such clear language and intellect. I'm grateful to hear you speak. Thank you, and happy birthday also. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. That's very kind. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Most gratefully accepted.
[1:13:49] All right. What else do I have to chat, to yappy, yappy, yap about? Out uh tiktok is banning accounts of women encouraging other women not to be obese now this woman was very skinny but yeah there was a woman who was a band on tiktok because she said uh how hard she works to stay thin, and then this woman i want my person why is it so hard to find a good man at the age of 53 It's like, oh my God. Oh my gosh. In the UK, one in 10 adults of working age are now claiming sickness benefits. It's gone up 150%, particularly for mental health issues among young people. Rapid surge in the number of young people claiming mental health benefits over the last five years. Maybe it's immigrants, maybe not, but yep. Yeah.
[1:15:01] What's horrifying to me is the quantity of people who are narcs, narcissists, or dysfunctional. It's the fact that they all say the exact same stuff. As if they took classes or read a narcissist's Bible. Yeah, that's right. Where did it go? All right. Red flag, behaviors, traits, and personalities. These are things that are dangerous. Dehumanizerists. One. Accusers. People who try to shut down arguments by implying you're bad, evil, problematic, and idiot if you don't agree with them. Two. Dehumanizers, or the dehumanization. Anyone who dehumanizes entire groups of people that crows callously at death, pain, or the misfortune of others, who can rationalize believing some lies are more equal than others, right? This is the whole deplorable stuff, right? Three, self-appointed hall monitors who run around tediously policing thought and language and instigating witch trials, relishing the opportunity to mete out cruel and unusual punishment or extract a pound of flesh with zero awareness that they are the perpetrators they claim to fight. Yeah. Four, this is from Sirut K. Chola, people who forget you are in the the relationship too. It's always about them, their venting, their problems, their woes, their feelings, and predictably immediately lose interest if you dare to express yours.
[1:16:27] Pseudo-therapists, people who make every conversation a pseudo-therapy session, replete with pop psychology jargon and meaningless saccharine word salads. It's not indicative of emotional maturity, it's indicative of emotional incontinence.
[1:16:41] Six, victim slash perpetrators. They've assigned themselves the role of permanent victims so they feel entitled to behave like perpetrators, often accompanied by a mind-blowing level of entitlement, demands for validation, agreement, and your time, and probably the moon on a stick. 7. The flippantly callous. They don't believe in personal responsibility, they believe in blame. So certain of their superiority, their first response to human suffering is contempt, judgment, and an extra side of kicking a man while he's down. 8. Atomic-level reactivity. People whose reactivity goes atomic on a hair trigger. You have to walk on eggshells, censor yourself, or be subjected to the explosion. Life is too short to manage the feelings of people who can't manage their own, so i thought that was pretty good um and covert provokers this is sort of comments below those who believe they have a moral immunity because of their insert reason here weaponized stupidity deliberate misinterpretation spineless sadists encourage dog piles on strangers mind readers readers. Yeah, that's true. The people who say that, oh, I know your intentions. I know your intentions.
[1:18:03] Yes. Happy birthday, Stef. I hope it's a great one. I remember talking during a live stream a few years back on your birthday and asking your greatest birthday memory. Cheers. Thank you. Appreciate it. Donated 50 at FDR. Happy birthday. Thank you so much, Kairos I appreciate that, yeah so basically every commie ever well the fascists are pretty bad too all right, all right thank you a beautiful beautiful evening of conversation, and if you have any other thoughts or questions or comments I'm happy to take them I really really of course very much appreciate your very kind support it is you know September's tough everyone's back at school and it's going to be a little lean through the election. And for that, I, of course, I sympathize as well. Yeah, you know, maybe don't be massively in downtown areas when the election is going on.
[1:19:05] Thank you for tonight's show. You're welcome. Ah, interesting. Okay. Thank you. That's a very interesting diagram. I will save the image. I appreciate that. What would we call this? Moral levels. Thank you. Very kind.
[1:19:29] Yes, that is very interesting. I appreciate that. it.
[1:19:34] Yeah, it's worth mentioning here. So this is levels of morality. So pre-conventional morality, stage one, punishments and obedience orientation. It's okay to do it if you don't get caught. Stage two, instrumental relativist orientation. If it feels good, do it. Stage three, good boy, nice girl, do it for me. He should do it because he loves his wife. Stage four, law and order orientation, do your duty. Saving a human life is more important than protecting property. That's such a false dichotomy. We can't survive without property. Stage five, social contract orientation. It's the consensus of thoughtful men. Society has a right to ensure its own survival. I couldn't hold my head up in public if I let her die. Stage six, universal ethical principles. What if everyone did that? Human life has supreme inherent value. I couldn't live for myself if I let her die. Hmm. Yep. That's good. Is the Peaceful Parenting book going to be physically available around when the hat comes out? I don't know what that means. Any plans for that?
[1:20:37] Um, yeah, I mean, I don't really want to. I don't want to be a pirate. I don't really want to do the physical version of Peaceful Parenting. It's time consuming. It's incredibly boring. It takes like five tries to get it right, and very few people end up buying it. So, sorry, I don't see it happening anytime imminently, but if you're desperate for a printed copy, just print it out. Honestly, just print it out.
[1:21:07] Yeah, maybe I can do my own. Those don't quite satisfy me, and the examples aren't great, but I'll check out the wiki. Lawrence Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development. All right. But yeah, maybe I should do my own Stages of Moral Development. That might be interesting to diagram, to sketch it out. All right well thanks everyone for a beautiful beautiful night of conversation we're back on for sunday at 11 a.m and for donors look for the interviews which will be coming out starting over the weekend it's a series of five interviews i did with keith knight of the libertarian institute about a wide variety of topics and i promise you mostly new stuff mostly mostly new stuff, Thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate you guys tonight. Lots of love from up here. Don't forget to donate later. If you listen to this later, freedomand.com slash donate. And I guess, yeah, Sunday is the 22nd, right? Yeah. So my birthday is on the Tuesday. So I appreciate that. And I'll talk to you guys on Sunday. Have a wonderful evening. Bye.
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