{"id":10552,"date":"2025-04-24T16:18:54","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T20:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/stephen-west-from-high-school-dropout-to-hit-podcast-plus-life-lessons-from-ralph-waldo-emerson-friedrich-nietzsche-simone-weil-and-more-808\/"},"modified":"2025-04-24T16:18:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T20:18:54","slug":"stephen-west-from-high-school-dropout-to-hit-podcast-plus-life-lessons-from-ralph-waldo-emerson-friedrich-nietzsche-simone-weil-and-more-808","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/stephen-west-from-high-school-dropout-to-hit-podcast-plus-life-lessons-from-ralph-waldo-emerson-friedrich-nietzsche-simone-weil-and-more-808\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen West \u2014 From High School Dropout to Hit Podcast (Plus: Life Lessons from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Friedrich Nietzsche, Simone Weil, and More) (#808)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"From High School Dropout to Hit Podcast \u2014 Stephen West from Philosophize This!\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/feOQjNfeol0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\u201cNietzsche said \u2018amor fati\u2019 is how he\u2019s going to live his life. Henceforth, he decided everything he\u2019s going to say yes to. He will be a yes-sayer, is what he says. This is an affirmative stance towards reality where, even if things are bad or uncomfortable or horrible, we\u2019re going to affirm reality as it is and not idealize it into something that it\u2019s not. It\u2019s very common for people to do, even when they\u2019re not religious, is to think of reality as though it owes you something. But to affirm reality fully is to accept the good, the bad. It\u2019s not to rationalize about it and to try to make excuses for it or frame your suffering in a way where it makes it go away. To truly affirm life and reality is just to be in it and to have life itself be enough, truly.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Stephen West<\/strong> (<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/iamstephenwestv\">@iamstephenwest<\/a>) is a father, husband, and host of the <strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.philosophizethis.org\/podcasts\"><em>Philosophize This!<\/em><\/a> <\/strong>podcast. He attempts to explain, translate, and humanize philosophy in a way that doesn\u2019t ever aim to tell people what to think but to invite them to better understand their own thoughts by exploring alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>Please enjoy!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Listen to the episode on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/808-stephen-west-from-high-school-dropout-to-hit-podcast\/id863897795?i=1000704644016\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/4a2AeiSej3YHuvQKPl7eOm?si=yI9pLHrTSUqWFrM3ookobA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/overcast.fm\/+AAKebs6tx0I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Overcast<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcastaddict.com\/podcast\/2031148#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Podcast Addict<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pca.st\/timferriss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pocket Casts<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/castbox.fm\/channel\/id1059468?country=us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Castbox<\/a>,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/music.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLuu6fDad2eJyWPm9dQfuorm2uuYHBZDCB\">YouTube Music<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/9814f3cc-1dc5-4003-b816-44a8eb6bf666\/the-tim-ferriss-show\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon Music<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.audible.com\/podcast\/The-Tim-Ferriss-Show\/B08K58QX5W\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Audible<\/a>, or on your favorite podcast platform. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>This episode is brought to you by <a href=\"https:\/\/gusto.com\/tim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gusto<\/a>\u00a0simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses; <a href=\"https:\/\/livemomentous.com\/tim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Momentous<\/a>\u00a0high-quality supplements; and <a href=\"https:\/\/eightsleep.com\/Tim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eight Sleep\u2019s Pod 4 Ultra<\/a>\u00a0sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-tim-podcast-link-main podcast-block wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><a class=\"podcast-block__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/808-stephen-west-from-high-school-dropout-to-hit-podcast\/id863897795?i=1000704644016\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"podcast-block__link-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tim.blog\/wp-content\/themes\/timferriss\/inc\/blocks\/podcast-link\/images\/apple-podcast.png?w=600&amp;ssl=1\"\/><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tim.blog\/wp-content\/themes\/timferriss\/inc\/blocks\/podcast-link\/images\/apple-podcast.png?w=600&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"podcast-block__link-icon\"\/><\/noscript><span class=\"podcast-block__link-text-top\">Listen on<\/span><span class=\"podcast-block__link-text\">Apple Podcasts<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-tim-podcast-link-main podcast-block wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><a class=\"podcast-block__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/4a2AeiSej3YHuvQKPl7eOm?si=yI9pLHrTSUqWFrM3ookobA\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"167\" height=\"167\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"podcast-block__link-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/wp-content\/themes\/timferriss\/inc\/blocks\/podcast-link\/images\/spotify.svg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"167\" height=\"167\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/wp-content\/themes\/timferriss\/inc\/blocks\/podcast-link\/images\/spotify.svg\" class=\"podcast-block__link-icon\"\/><\/noscript><span class=\"podcast-block__link-text-top\">Listen on<\/span><span class=\"podcast-block__link-text\">Spotify<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-tim-podcast-link-main podcast-block wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><a class=\"podcast-block__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/overcast.fm\/+AAKebs6tx0I\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"podcast-block__link-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/wp-content\/themes\/timferriss\/inc\/blocks\/podcast-link\/images\/overcast.svg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/wp-content\/themes\/timferriss\/inc\/blocks\/podcast-link\/images\/overcast.svg\" class=\"podcast-block__link-icon\"\/><\/noscript><span class=\"podcast-block__link-text-top\">Listen on<\/span><span class=\"podcast-block__link-text\">Overcast<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"podcast-player\">\n<div class=\"podcast-player-inner-wrap\">\n<p>Stephen West \u2014 From High School Dropout to Hit Podcast (Plus: Life Lessons from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Friedrich Nietzsche, Simone Weil, and More)<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.art19.com\/shows\/58dacbdc-646e-4585-9914-19c3de11d1ba\/episodes\/7e78d754-cee2-4448-8530-2655d966f4e4\/embed?type=micro\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 30px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>This episode is brought to you by <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gusto.com\/tim\">Gusto<\/a>!<\/strong> I asked millions of you about <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gusto.com\/tim\">Gusto<\/a> on social media, and I\u2019ve never seen such overwhelmingly positive responses. More than 400,000 small businesses already trust Gusto, and it\u2019s been named the #1 Payroll Software by G2 for Winter 2025. <strong>If you\u2019re a small business owner looking to simplify payroll and HR tasks, Gusto could be the game-changer you need. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gusto.com\/tim\">Gusto<\/a> is an all-in-one payroll, benefits, and HR platform designed specifically for small businesses.<\/strong> Gusto automatically files federal, state, and local payroll taxes, handles W-2s and 1099s, and offers straightforward health benefits and 401(k) options for nearly any budget. With an intuitive interface and features like time tracking, onboarding tools, and direct access to certified HR experts, Gusto saves time and eliminates headaches so you can focus on what matters\u2014growing your business. \u200b<strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gusto.com\/tim\">As a special offer to listeners, new customers get Gusto free for their first 3 months. This is the perfect time to choose Gusto to take care of your team and stay compliant. See for yourself why 9 out of 10 businesses recommend it. Get started now! <\/a><\/strong>Terms apply at Gusto.com\/terms.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong>This episode is brought to you by <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/eightsleep.com\/Tim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Eight Sleep<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong>Temperature is one of the main causes of poor sleep, and heat is my personal nemesis. I\u2019ve suffered for decades, tossing and turning, throwing blankets off, pulling them back on, and repeating ad nauseam. But a few years ago, I started using the Pod Cover, and it has transformed my sleep. <strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/eightsleep.com\/Tim\">Eight Sleep has launched their newest generation of the Pod: Pod 4 Ultra<\/a>.<\/strong> It cools, it heats, and now it elevates, automatically. With the best temperature performance to date, Pod 4 Ultra ensures you and your partner stay cool in the heat and cozy warm in the cold. Plus, it automatically tracks your sleep time, snoring, sleep stages, and HRV, all with high precision. For example, their heart rate tracking is at an incredible 99% accuracy.<\/p>\n<p>Pod 4 Ultra also introduces an adjustable Base that fits between your mattress and your bed frame to add custom positions for the best sleeping experience. Plus, it automatically reduces your snoring when detected. Add it easily to any bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>And now, listeners of <em>The Tim Ferriss Show<\/em> can <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/eightsleep.com\/Tim\">get $350 off<\/a> of the Pod 4 Ultra for a limited time! <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/eightsleep.com\/Tim\">Click here to claim this deal and unlock your full potential through optimal sleep<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong>This episode is brought to you by\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/livemomentous.com\/Tim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Momentous<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0high-quality supplements!\u00a0<\/strong>Momentous offers high-quality supplements and products across a broad spectrum of categories, and I\u2019ve been testing their products for months now. I\u2019ve been using their\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemomentous.com\/pages\/tim-ferriss#section-tims-favorite-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">magnesium threonate<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemomentous.com\/pages\/tim-ferriss#section-tims-favorite-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">apigenin<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemomentous.com\/pages\/tim-ferriss#section-tims-favorite-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">L-theanine<\/a>\u00a0daily, all of which have helped me improve the onset, quality, and duration of my sleep. I\u2019ve also been using\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemomentous.com\/pages\/tim-ferriss#section-tims-favorite-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Momentous creatine<\/a>, and while it certainly helps physical performance, including poundage or wattage in sports, I use it primarily for mental performance (short-term memory, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>Their products are third-party tested (Informed-Sport and\/or NSF certified), so you can trust that what is on the label is in the bottle and nothing else.\u00a0<strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livemomentous.com\/tim\">Use code TIM at checkout and enjoy 35% off your first subscription order or 14% off your first one-time purchase<\/a>!\u00a0<\/strong>And not to worry, my non-US friends, Momentous ships internationally and has you covered.\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2025\/04\/10\/philip-goff-exploring-consciousness\/\">Want to hear another podcast episode focusing on philosophy and the nature of reality?<\/a><\/strong> Listen to my conversation with <em>Galileo\u2019s Error<\/em> author <a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2025\/04\/10\/philip-goff-exploring-consciousness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Philip Goff<\/strong><\/a> in which we discussed panpsychism, quantum consciousness, Integrated Information Theory, mystical traditions within Christianity and Islam, psychedelics and numinous experiences, the matter of matter, <a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2025\/04\/10\/philip-goff-exploring-consciousness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">and much more<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Exploring Consciousness and Non-Ordinary Religion, Panpsychism, and Heretical Ideas \u2014 Philip Goff\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Rn0IT25cRhs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong>What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know <a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2025\/04\/24\/stephen-west-philosophize-this\/#respond\">in the comments<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-109429\"\/><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Connect with Stephen West\/Philosophize This!:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.philosophizethis.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/philosophizethis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Patreon<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iamstephenwest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Philosophizethisshow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCjnpuIGovFFUBLG5BeHzTag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Podcasts and Radio Shows<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Books, Articles, and Written Works<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advantageous Apps and Resources<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Art<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">People<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2018\/11\/26\/dave-elitch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dave Elitch<\/a>: Professional drummer.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thomaschattertonwilliams.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Thomas Chatterton Williams<\/a>: Writer (<em>The Atlantic<\/em> article).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/literature\/1954\/hemingway\/facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ernest Hemingway<\/a>: Writer.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adam_Carolla\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adam Carolla<\/a>: Radio host (<em>Loveline<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Drew_Pinsky\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Drew Pinsky<\/a>: Radio host (<em>Loveline<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Howard_Stern\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Howard Stern<\/a>: Radio host.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/socrates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Socrates<\/a>: Ancient Greek philosopher.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/plato\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plato<\/a>: Ancient Greek philosopher.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2020\/12\/08\/jerry-seinfeld\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jerry Seinfeld<\/a>: Comedian.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/emerson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ralph Waldo Emerson<\/a>: Writer, poet, lecturer, and philosopher.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jimmywhisenhunt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jimmy Whisenhunt<\/a>: eSports shoutcaster friend of Stephen\u2019s.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/John_Madden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Madden<\/a>: An professional American football coach and sports commentator.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2019\/11\/19\/dan-carlin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dan Carlin<\/a>: Podcaster (<em>Hardcore History<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Subutai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">General Subutai<\/a>: Historical figure.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dave_Chappelle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dave Chappelle<\/a>: Comedian.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.milesdavis.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Miles Davis<\/a>: Musician.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dizzy_Gillespie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dizzy Gillespie<\/a>: Musician.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Adamson_(philosopher)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peter Adamson<\/a>: Podcaster\/philosopher (<em>History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2017\/09\/17\/bill-burr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bill Burr<\/a>: Comedian.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fyodor_Dostoevsky\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fyodor Dostoevsky<\/a>: Writer.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/epicurus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Epicurus<\/a>: Hellenistic philosopher, founder of Epicureanism.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/seneca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seneca<\/a>: Stoic philosopher (<em>Letters from a Stoic<\/em>, <em>On Anger<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2021\/12\/29\/zen-master-henry-shukman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Henry Shukman<\/a>: Meditation teacher (<em>The Way<\/em> app).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2025\/01\/03\/the-random-show-2025-predictions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kevin Rose<\/a>: aka KevKev. Introduced me to Henry Shukman.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/nietzsche\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Friedrich Nietzsche<\/a>: Philosopher associated with <em>amor fati<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/russell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bertrand Russell<\/a>: Philosopher and logician associated with atheist arguments.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vangoghmuseum.nl\/en\/art-and-stories\/art\/vincent-van-gogh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vincent Van Gogh<\/a>: Artist.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/richarddawkins.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Richard Dawkins<\/a>: Writer\/biologist, associated with New Atheism (<em>The God Delusion<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2020\/05\/15\/sam-harris-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sam Harris<\/a>: Writer\/philosopher\/neuroscientist, associated with New Atheism (<em>The Moral Landscape<\/em>, <em>Letter to a Christian Nation<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/kierkegaard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">S\u00f8ren Kierkegaard<\/a>: 19th-century philosopher.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/simone-weil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Simone Weil<\/a>: 20th-century philosopher\/mystic, major influence on Stephen West, concept of \u201cattention.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Simon_Blackburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Simon Blackburn<\/a>: Contemporary philosopher (<em>Think<\/em>), concept of \u201cconceptual engineering.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paracelsus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paracelsus<\/a>: Historical figure (source of \u201cdose makes the poison\u201d idea).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/wittgenstein\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ludwig Wittgenstein<\/a>: Philosopher (<em>Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diogenes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Diogenes<\/a>: Cynic philosopher.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/deleuze\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gilles Deleuze<\/a>: 20th-century philosopher.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mahatma_Gandhi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mahatma Gandhi<\/a>: Leader.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2020\/03\/12\/jack-kornfield-covid19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jack Kornfield<\/a>: Buddhist teacher\/writer.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/camus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Albert Camus<\/a>: Writer\/artist\/philosopher associated with Absurdism.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.williambirvine.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">William B. Irvine<\/a>: Writer (<em>Guide to the Good Life<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2020\/04\/09\/ryan-holiday-stoicism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ryan Holiday<\/a>: Writer (<em>The Obstacle is the Way<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Julian_of_Norwich\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Julian of Norwich<\/a>: Mystic writer.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/D%C5%8Dgen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dogen Zenji<\/a>: Founder of the Soto school of Zen.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/aquinas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Thomas Aquinas<\/a>: Philosopher and theologian.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/thoreau\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Henry David Thoreau<\/a>: Writer\/philosopher (<em>Walden<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/2014\/11\/04\/rolf-potts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rolf Potts<\/a>: Writer (<em>Vagabonding<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/sartre\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jean-Paul Sartre<\/a>: Philosopher (<em>Being and Nothingness<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/newton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Isaac Newton<\/a>: Scientist and natural philosopher (<em>Principia Mathematica<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adamsmith.org\/about-adam-smith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adam Smith<\/a>: Ethical philosopher and economist (<em>The Wealth of Nations<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kanye_West\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kanye West<\/a>: Musician.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Institutions and Companies<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Philosophical Concepts<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/camus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Absurdism<\/a>: Philosophical concept associated with Camus that addresses the conflict between the human search for meaning and the universe\u2019s meaninglessness.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dailystoic.com\/amor-fati-love-of-fate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amor Fati<\/a>: (\u201cLove of Fate\u201d) Philosophical concept, notably used by Nietzsche, that involves embracing all aspects of one\u2019s life, including hardships and suffering.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Assemblage_(philosophy)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Assemblage<\/a>: Deleuzian concept describing dynamic compositions of heterogeneous elements that form temporary functional wholes through processes of coding and territorialization.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themarginalian.org\/2015\/08\/19\/simone-weil-attention-gravity-and-grace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Attention<\/a>: Concept from Simone Weil involving self-emptying focus on others, described as a form of waiting and receptivity rather than active concentration.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lesswrong.com\/posts\/9iA87EfNKnREgdTJN\/a-revolution-in-philosophy-the-rise-of-conceptual\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Conceptual Engineering<\/a>: Metaphor for philosophy (Simon Blackburn) involving the analysis, assessment and improvement of concepts.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/concepts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Conceptual Tracings<\/a>: Idea of forming new ways to see reality through the development and refinement of concepts.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/rowanlear.wordpress.com\/2018\/03\/24\/deleuze-and-machines-a-politics-of-technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Concepts vs. Machines<\/a>: Deleuzian distinction between abstract thought forms and functional assemblages that produce effects.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/iep.utm.edu\/cynics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cynicism<\/a>: Hellenistic school of philosophy focused on living virtuously in accordance with nature and rejecting conventional desires.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fs.blog\/deliberate-practice-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deliberate Practice<\/a>: Focused approach to skill development requiring specific goals, feedback, and concentrated effort.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.philosophy-foundation.org\/what-is-philosophy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Disruption of Common Sense<\/a>: Description of philosophy\u2019s function to challenge accepted ways of thinking and unexamined assumptions.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/god-ultimates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Divine<\/a>: Concept related to ultimate reality\/God and the transcendent qualities that exist beyond ordinary experience.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/epistemology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Epistemology<\/a>: Branch of philosophy focused on the theory of knowledge, examining how we know what we know and the justification of belief.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ethics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ethics<\/a>: Branch of philosophy concerning moral principles, values, and the concepts of right and wrong conduct.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/epicurus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Epicureanism<\/a>: Hellenistic school of philosophy founded by Epicurus that emphasized the pursuit of pleasure (defined as absence of pain) and tranquility.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fascism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fascism<\/a>: Political philosophy\/system characterized by ultranationalism, authoritarian power, and suppression of opposition.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/philosophynow.org\/issues\/143\/What_is_Freedom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freedom<\/a>: Philosophical concept concerning the ability to act according to one\u2019s will without constraint or coercion.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/philosophybreak.com\/articles\/absurdity-with-camus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lucid Revolt<\/a>: Camus\u2019s concept of rebelling against the Absurd through conscious recognition and defiance without false hope.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/marx\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marxism<\/a>: Political\/economic philosophy developed by Karl Marx that analyzes class relationships, historical materialism, and critique of capitalism.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/mysticism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mysticism<\/a>: Approach to spirituality emphasizing direct experience of ultimate reality beyond ordinary understanding.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Narcissism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Narcissism<\/a>: Psychological\/philosophical concept involving excessive self-love, self-centeredness, and lack of empathy for others.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/natphil-ren\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Natural Philosophy<\/a>: Historical precursor to modern science focused on understanding nature through philosophical inquiry.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/iep.utm.edu\/new-atheism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Atheism<\/a>: 21st-century movement critical of religion, characterized by scientific rationalism and public criticism of religious belief.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e9MonD2m-rc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Rich<\/a>: Concept from <em>The 4-Hour Workweek<\/em> describing people who prioritize lifestyle design over traditional wealth accumulation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/religious-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Numinous<\/a>: Concept relating to awe-inspiring spiritual\/divine quality that evokes both fascination and fear.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/worldservice\/africa\/features\/storyofafrica\/2chapter2.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Out of Africa Theory<\/a>: The most widely accepted model explaining the origin and spread of modern humans.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/phenomenology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Phenomenology<\/a>: Philosophical movement focusing on structures of experience and consciousness from the first-person perspective.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gilliamwritersgroup.com\/blog\/philosophical-fiction-navigating-the-novel-of-ideas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philosophical Fiction<\/a>: Literary genre that explores philosophical ideas through narrative storytelling.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/philosophy.brown.edu\/about\/philosophy-what-and-why\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philosophy<\/a>: The discipline itself, concerned with fundamental questions about knowledge, reality, existence, and values.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Philosophy_of_language\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philosophy of Language<\/a>: Branch of philosophy examining the nature of language, meaning, and the relationship between language and reality.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Philosophy_of_mind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philosophy of Mind<\/a>: Branch of philosophy exploring the nature of mind, consciousness, and their relationship to the physical world.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.philosophizethis.org\/podcast\/ionian-pre-socratic-philosophy-9r2x8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Presocratics<\/a>: Earliest Western philosophers who investigated nature and reality before Socrates, laying foundations for philosophical inquiry.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/phenomenology-religion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Religious Phenomenology<\/a>: Study of religious experience from a phenomenological perspective, focusing on how the sacred appears to consciousness.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sanbo-zen-international.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sanbo Zen<\/a>: A specific lineage\/style of Zen Buddhism emphasizing direct experience of enlightenment through meditation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/skepticism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Skepticism<\/a>: Hellenistic school of philosophy questioning the possibility of certainty in knowledge and suspending judgment.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/stoicism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stoicism<\/a>: Hellenistic school of philosophy focused on virtue ethics, emotional regulation, and accepting what is beyond one\u2019s control.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pluralism.org\/sufism-seeking-god\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sufism<\/a>: Mystical branch of Islam emphasizing direct personal experience of God through practices like meditation and poetry.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/transcendentalism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Transcendentalism<\/a>: A literary, philosophical, religious, and political movement of the early 19th century.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/japanese-zen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zen<\/a>: School of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing meditation, intuition, and direct experience of reality beyond conceptual thinking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SHOW NOTES<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>[00:00:00] So it begins.<\/li>\n<li>[00:06:11] Stephen\u2019s challenging childhood \u2014 from San Diego to Child Protective Services.<\/li>\n<li>[00:07:55] How Stephen supported himself after dropping out of school at 16.<\/li>\n<li>[00:09:37] The physical wear and tear of warehouse work (and unexpected upsides of the job).<\/li>\n<li>[00:11:48] How Stephen discovered philosophy through googling \u201cwisest person in history.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>[00:14:07] Defining philosophy as a \u201cdisruption of common sense\u201d and \u201cgym for rethinking.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>[00:16:06] <em>The 4-Hour Workweek<\/em> as a philosophical text.<\/li>\n<li>[00:19:27] A philosophical shift around Ralph Waldo Emerson.<\/li>\n<li>[00:22:18] The transition from warehouse work to starting <em>Philosophize This!<\/em> with friendly encouragement.<\/li>\n<li>[00:27:47] Authenticity as the secret sauce to <em>Philosophize This!<\/em><\/li>\n<li>[00:32:24] The discomfort of comparing old episodes with new.<\/li>\n<li>[00:34:15] The current state of <em>Philosophize This!<\/em>: 225 episodes, Patreon, ads, upcoming book deal.<\/li>\n<li>[00:37:18] The value of focusing on content quality before monetization.<\/li>\n<li>[00:38:44] Most popular <em>Philosophize This!<\/em> episodes thus far.<\/li>\n<li>[00:40:00] <em>Philosophize This!<\/em> episodes I\u2019d like to hear.<\/li>\n<li>[00:41:20] Thinking of philosophy as a verb, not a noun.<\/li>\n<li>[00:46:44] The concept of amor fati (love of fate) and its practical application.<\/li>\n<li>[00:48:41] Wittgenstein\u2019s ladder as a metaphor for philosophical growth.<\/li>\n<li>[00:51:36] Stephen\u2019s perspective on philosophy as a process rather than a set of protocols.<\/li>\n<li>[00:54:43] Philosophies that have personal meaning to Stephen: Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Simone Weil.<\/li>\n<li>[00:56:40] Simone Weil\u2019s concept of attention and self-emptying.<\/li>\n<li>[00:59:26] Stephen\u2019s approach to simplicity and sacrificing efficiency for meaning.<\/li>\n<li>[01:04:07] Valuing time and playing the long game.<\/li>\n<li>[01:06:01] How philosophy lives \u201cin the shadow\u201d of what we give credit to (science, psychology).<\/li>\n<li>[01:08:31] The value of philosophy in generating better questions.<\/li>\n<li>[01:10:06] Stephen\u2019s future plans: possibly writing philosophical fiction.<\/li>\n<li>[01:19:05] Stephen\u2019s billboard.<\/li>\n<li>[01:21:41] Recommendations for getting started with philosophy.<\/li>\n<li>[01:24:29] Gilles Deleuze and concepts as machines.<\/li>\n<li>[01:26:55] Why do we believe what we believe?<\/li>\n<li>[01:30:40] Stephen\u2019s evolving relationship with religion after starting as a New Atheist.<\/li>\n<li>[01:32:33] Exploring mysticism and religious phenomenology.<\/li>\n<li>[01:37:51] Parting thoughts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">MORE STEPHEN WEST QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW<\/h3>\n<p><strong>\u201cWhy do we need old men yelling at each other about unverifiable speculation? Why do you need philosophy? And what that point misses is that philosophy is how we got to the point where we\u2019re looking at the world in the way we do now.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI don\u2019t give advice, because if a person is asking for advice, typically, they\u2019re not the person that really takes the advice \u2014 so it\u2019s almost always a waste of your time. But if you\u2019re the one that genuinely takes advice, and it\u2019s ironically me giving you advice to be the one that takes advice, but if you can do that, if you can manage that, then you won\u2019t need advice here in six months \u2014 you\u2019ll be the one giving it.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cThe highest level of abstraction in any field is going to be philosophy. If you\u2019re somebody well-educated \u2026 at the top of your field, in order to make progress in that field, you have to subvert the existing set of protocols and assumptions, axiomatically, that are going on in that field. To move the field forward, you have to be doing philosophy.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI really do sacrifice efficiency for meaning pretty often.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be a genius. You just need to be saying something that resonates with other people.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cSimon Blackburn \u2026 describes philosophy as conceptual engineering. It\u2019s a great metaphor. If an engineer looks at a bridge and they know about the raw materials of the bridge and they know how they connect to other parts of the bridge and everything, if you can show an engineer one bridge, a particular bridge, and he\u2019d be like, \u2018Well, it holds weight over here, but if we put weight over on this side, it\u2019s going to all start crumbling down.\u2019 Philosophers do this with world views.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cA way I\u2019ve heard [philosophy] described is it\u2019s the disruption of common sense. I mean, what is looking at the world at all? It\u2019s an approximation. We are works in progress. I look at the world one way for a while, and everybody knows what it\u2019s like to change the way that you see everything in the world. I just think that philosophy is the method of doing that.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cNietzsche said \u2018amor fati\u2019 is how he\u2019s going to live his life. Henceforth, he decided everything he\u2019s going to say yes to. He will be a yes-sayer, is what he says. This is an affirmative stance towards reality where, even if things are bad or uncomfortable or horrible, we\u2019re going to affirm reality as it is and not idealize it into something that it\u2019s not. It\u2019s very common for people to do, even when they\u2019re not religious, is to think of reality as though it owes you something. But to affirm reality fully is to accept the good, the bad. It\u2019s not to rationalize about it and to try to make excuses for it or frame your suffering in a way where it makes it go away. To truly affirm life and reality is just to be in it and to have life itself be enough, truly.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\u2014\u00a0Stephen West<\/p>\n<p><h3 class=\"jp-relatedposts-headline\"><em>Related<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/podcast\"><strong>The Tim Ferriss Show<\/strong><\/a> <\/em><span>is one <\/span>of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for &#8220;Best of Apple Podcasts&#8221; three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it&#8217;s been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/tim.blog\/podcast\">this page<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cNietzsche said \u2018amor fati\u2019 is how he\u2019s going to live his life. Henceforth, he decided everything he\u2019s going to say yes to. He will be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10553,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10552\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}