Sam Harris speaks with Robert Waldinger about the Harvard Study of Adult Development. They discuss the limitations of relying on self-report to assess a person’s well-being; Daniel Kahneman’s remembering and experiencing selves; why it can be hard to figure out what makes us happy; the effects of alcohol, smoking, and exercise; the connection between work and fulfillment; the primacy of relationships; the diminishing importance of wealth; status vs feeling valued; the connection between good relationships and physical health; having kids and marital satisfaction; introversion vs extroversion; mortality and loss; collecting experiences vs things; the benefits of walking; taking relationships for granted; quantity vs quality time; the self and self states; the guru-disciple relationship; and the possibility of enlightenment.
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Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.
#279 — The Rules of the Stage
#278 — The Man Who Will Be King
#277 — How Does the War in Ukraine End?
#276 — Defending the Global Order
#275 — The Russian War in Ukraine
Absolutely Mental Season 3
Special Episode: Recipes for Future Plagues
#274 — The Future of American Democracy
#273 — Joe Rogan and the Ethics of Apology
Vaccine Mandates, transgender athletes, billionaires… (AMA #19)
#272 — On Disappointing My Audience
#271 — Earning to Give
#270 — What Have We Learned from the Pandemic?
#269 — Deep Time
#268 — The Limits of Self-Knowledge
#267 — The Kingdom of Sleep
#266 — The Limits of Pleasure
#265 — The Religion of Anti-Racism
#264 — Consciousness and Self (Rebroadcast)
#263 — The Paradox of Death
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