Other Life

This episode unpacks the seventh and eighth sentences of Nick Land's "Meltdown," where "soft engineering slithers out of its box into yours" and "human security is lurching into crisis." We consider how Land's vision of programming the body manifests in surprising ways, from COVID-19 as a biological agent turned symbolic force, to the AI of Ex Machina. The idea of the human body as a programmable interface, with roots in W...

This episode unpacks the third sentence from Nick Land's "Meltdown."

"As markets learn to manufacture intelligence, politics modernizes, upgrades paranoia, and tries to get a grip."

What does it mean for markets to "manufacture intelligence"? Drawing on Hayek and Mises, we discuss how this phrase is not merely a figure of speech. The earliest stock markets around the year 1600 illustrate the concept.

We then consider the reac...

Socrates shows up late, looks like hell, and still somehow rules the room. What's really going in the Symposium? Plato uses a dinner party to show how authentic love is more intoxicating than alcohol. We explore the relationship between erotic desire and philosophy, and how philosophy is often a cold shower on our lesser temptations.

We examine why talented poets like Aristophanes might be the fiercest skeptics of l...

Johnathan Bi shares his journey from successful tech founder to independent philosophy lecturer, explaining why he walked away from founder equity to pursue his passion for bringing philosophical works to a broader audience. Through a unique modern patronage model backed by tech leaders, he's creating high-production lecture videos while maintaining his own independence.

The conversation explores how modern education system...

I'm joined by Nina Power and DC Miller to discuss Plato's Republic. Topics include physical training and physical pleasure, philosophy under political repression, the training of philosophy, wealth, social class, and the role of irony in philosophy.

Starting with the opening scene of The Republic, we explore how philosophy operates under political pressure and the relationship between justice, truth, and madness. We discuss...

I explore Nietzsche's critique of Christianity in The Genealogy of Morals, and specifically how it stands against what we find in the New Testament, especially the Gospel of John. Nietzsche’s understanding of Christian belief as naive and slavish is inconsistent with the sophisticated epistemology presented by John. I discuss the pursuit of truth, the function of miracles, and the essence of sin according to John. Christ s...

A personal reflection and update on my 5-year journey to design a new kind of scholarly life for the internet era. In a previous podcast, I shared how the Other Life company hit some hard times. Here I explain what I learned from that, and how I've turned it around. I share some meditations on the pursuit of weird goals, finding one's own path, and some new things I've come to learn about entrepreneurship. The ultimate mea...

I'm joined by author William Egginton to discuss his new book The Rigor of Angels. We talk Borges, Kant, and Heisenberg—and the big idea(s) they had in common. We discuss the antimonies of knowledge and the possibility that art is their solution. We discuss Coltrane, intelligence, creativity, biography, academia, and specialization vs. generalism. At the end, we discuss writing and publishing, the changing landscape of the...

We dissect the complex life of Ezra Pound, one of the most interesting and controversial poetic geniuses of the 20th century. You'll gain insight into: Why Pound was so influential, his extraordinary talent-spotting skills, and his knack for turning vibrant social scenes into artistic movements. However, be prepared for a rollercoaster ride, as we also delve into the darker sides of Pound's life, including his descent into...

A deep dive into the life of William S. Burroughs based on a close reading of Ted Morgan's 1988 biography, Literary Outlaw: The Life and Times of William S. Burroughs. Burroughs is one of the most independent creative spirits of the 20th century. My goal is to understand how he did it; how he remained so free but was also so influential and successful.

I discuss his transformation from a heroin addict living off his parents...

We discuss the life and times of John Kennedy Toole (1937-1969), the influential author behind the classic novel, A Confederacy of Dunces. We're joined by independent writer Dan Baltic, who teaches us some of the lessons he has learned from Toole's life and career.

Dive into the captivating world of A Confederacy of Dunces, as we discuss the book's main character, Ignatius J Riley; learn how Toole's persistence (or lack the...

Can artificial intelligence ever truly replace the human mind? In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the delicate balance between embracing AI's power for mechanical tasks, such as summarizing and translating, while preserving the uniquely human elements that make great works truly great.

Join us as we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, breaking down categorical humanism and unreconstructed Faustianism, ...

Why do some incredibly talented individuals never reach their full potential? In today's episode, we dive into the fascinating life of Ezra Pound, a true genius in the realm of language and literature, yet somehow failing to make the lasting impact of his contemporaries like TS Eliot or WB Yeats. We'll explore the idea I call "the curse of genius" and how Pound's obsession with power and acknowledgment may have held him ba...

In this episode, we explore the principle of writing for oneself and how many of history's greatest writers have operated on this principle. We discuss the importance of writing in a way that pleases only oneself and how sacrificing even a hair of one's vision in order to please someone else is the most abject of treacheries. Listen in as we examine the stakes of writing and how it truly matters whether you're writing for ...

Why do 22-year-olds today have the testosterone levels of 67-year-old men from the year 2000? Could it be because high testosterone activities and behaviors are increasingly being criminalized? I dive into the theory that the modern world is contributing to the decline in testosterone levels by stigmatizing and punishing testosterone-loaded activities, leading to a downward spiral in overall testosterone levels.

Join me as ...

Today we're looking at the life of Dr. Samuel Johnson, an eighteenth-century English critic who embodied the true spirit of self-reliance and perseverance. Despite facing various hardships in his life, Dr. Johnson managed to defy the odds and become one of the most influential figures in the history of English letters. Join us as we uncover the fascinating journey of this unconventional thinker, and learn how his life can ...

What can the ancient philosopher Plato teach us about building a network and thriving in today's intellectual economy? I talk with Alex Petkas, a Princeton PhD in classics, who shares insights on Plato's rise and his brand-building strategies within the decentralized world of Athens in the late fifth and fourth centuries BC, where widespread literacy and the new media technology of writing created an intellectual landscape...