Nick Riggle (Ex-pro skater, philosophy professor at the University of California, YOLO expert) has become known for dissecting contemporary phenomena in a distinctly Socratic manner.
In this chat, we delve into the philosophical significance of awesomeness (and its antonym, suckiness), the existential imperative of YOLO (!) and the aetiology of the high five. Nick’s theses on these cliched expressions ultimately lead to a wonderfully wild answer to the quandary of what makes life worth living in such a fraught era. To flesh it all out we draw on sporting analogies, the poetry of Mary Oliver and each other’s really rather near-death experiences.
We mention philosopher Kieran Setiya, here you can listen to Kieran’s Wild episode featuring his take on how to love living a hard life.
You can read more about Nick via his website and follow him on Twitter
Nicks books can be purchased via the below links:
On Being Awesome
This Beauty: A Philosophy of Being Alive
If you need to know a bit more about me… head to my "about" page
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter for more such conversation
Get your copy of my book, This One Wild and Precious Life
Let’s connect on Instagram! It’s where I interact the most
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PAUL HAWKEN: We’re ending the climate crisis in one generation
BONUS EP: Sarah + Oliver Burkeman chatting on Intelligence Squared
MARGARET WHEATLEY: An episode on civilization collapse (warning: truly confronting)
AMA: How do you make your podcast?
ANAND GIRIDHARADAS: How to persuade people in a polarised world
BONUS EP: Sarah + Berry Liberman talk Sensemaking in the Metacrisis
TRACEY SPICER: AI is the new frontier of feminism!
AMA: Sarah, What do you think of marriage?
ANNIE MURPHY PAUL: We don’t think with our brains, we think with the world!
AMA: Sarah, why did you move away from Australia?
MISSY SIMS: The TikTok star suing Big Oil
NATE HAGENS: On the “Great Simplification”
ADAM MASTROIANNI: Do we need to make the world great (and kinder) again?
EMILY M. BENDER: AI won’t kill us any time soon (don’t believe the bro’ hype!)
IAN LESLIE: Why your future depends on getting curious
DR GLADYS MCGAREY: “I’m 102, here’s how to spend your energy wildly”
JONATHAN ROWSON: Welcome to the “metacrisis”. Now what?
GAYA HERRINGTON: Complete global collapse by 2040? The prediction is “right on track”...
LUKE BURGIS: How humans “want”: Mimetic desire explained
CLANCY MARTIN: How not to kill yourself
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Hamish & Andy
The Howie Games
Motley Fool Money
Just the Gist
The Briefing