#635: The Existentialist's Survival Guide

#635: The Existentialist's Survival Guide

Life isn't an easy road to navigate. We're moody creatures, susceptible to an array of psychological setbacks, emotional ups and downs, fruitless searches for meaning, and trials posed by anxiety, depression, and despair. It's the kind of journey one needs a survival guide for, and my guest today says one of the best can be found in the writings of existential philosophers.

His name is Gordon Marino and he's a football and boxing coach, a professor of philosophy, and the author of The Existentialist's Survival Guide: How to Live Authentically in an Inauthentic Age. Gordon and I begin our conversation with how he personally found existentialism, and how his coaching intersects with his teaching. We then get into what existential philosophy is all about, and the thinkers and authors who are considered to be existentialists. Gordon shares what he thinks is the greatest existential novel, and which of Soren Kierkegaard’s books he most recommends reading. From there we delve into what Kierkegaard has to say about anxiety, how he thought existential angst was the ultimate teacher, the distinction he drew between depression and despair, and why he argues that procrastination is one of our greatest moral dangers. We then unpack the different models of living an authentic life that the existentialists espoused, and what Nietzsche meant with his injunction to "live dangerously." We then get into the existentialists’ take on love, why love is actually hard to accept, and why you should presuppose love in others. We end our conversation with what boxing can teach about existential philosophy.

Get the show notes at aom.is/existential.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(1159)

Good Anger — Harnessing a Misunderstood Emotion

Good Anger — Harnessing a Misunderstood Emotion

Most people think of anger as a problem — something to avoid or repress. It’s irrational, immature, and best left behind.But what if anger isn’t bad? What if it can actually be an incredibly positive,...

2 Sep 202550min

The Code They Killed For — Honor, Manhood, and the American Gunfighter

The Code They Killed For — Honor, Manhood, and the American Gunfighter

When you picture a gunfighter, you probably think of a Hollywood cowboy — spurs jangling, six-shooter on his hip, squaring off at high noon in a dusty frontier town. But gunfighters weren’t just produ...

26 Aug 202551min

Aristotle’s Art of Self-Persuasion — How to Use Ancient Rhetoric to Change Your Life

Aristotle’s Art of Self-Persuasion — How to Use Ancient Rhetoric to Change Your Life

The ancient art of rhetoric has shaped political policies, influenced social movements, structured legal arguments, and molded cultural narratives throughout history. It's been used for three thousand...

19 Aug 202551min

How to Make a Big Decision (Faster!)

How to Make a Big Decision (Faster!)

Making big decisions can feel paralyzing. Whether it's choosing a new job, moving to a different city, or deciding if you should break up with someone, these choices can keep you agonizingly stuck, fo...

12 Aug 202552min

Rooted Living in a Shallow Age — A Shepherd’s Guide to the Good Life

Rooted Living in a Shallow Age — A Shepherd’s Guide to the Good Life

In a world that often feels dominated by technology and constant change, it’s easy to forget that some people are still living by the rhythms of ancient traditions. James Rebanks, an author and shephe...

5 Aug 202544min

From Plane Crashes to Terrorist Attacks — Who Survives, and Why

From Plane Crashes to Terrorist Attacks — Who Survives, and Why

You're on an airplane that crash lands. Smoke fills the cabin, and you've got only seconds to react. How would you respond? Would you immediately take action — or freeze in place?While you might think...

29 Jul 20251h

The 6 Levels of Wealth and How to Reach Them

The 6 Levels of Wealth and How to Reach Them

You've heard the advice that to build wealth, you need to earn more, spend less, and invest consistently. But what if there was a clearer way to understand exactly where you stand financially — and wh...

22 Jul 202547min

The Microbiome Master Key — How 100 Trillion Bacteria Influence Your Weight, Mood, and All-Around Health

The Microbiome Master Key — How 100 Trillion Bacteria Influence Your Weight, Mood, and All-Around Health

When you think of the microbiome, you probably think of your gut. But bacteria live all over your body. And they’re incredibly numerous; you play host to about as many microbes — a hundred trillion of...

15 Jul 202554min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
mikkels-paskenotter
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
treningspodden
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-bisarr-historie
rss-kull
rss-sunn-okonomi
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
sinnsyn
fryktlos
rss-kunsten-a-leve
gravid-uke-for-uke
hagespiren-podcast
hverdagspsyken
level-up-med-anniken-binz
rss-var-forste-kaffe