Meaning of Life | John Danaher and Lex Fridman

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  • Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
  • Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: • John Danaher: The Path...
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    John Danaher is a coach, scholar, and educator of jiu jitsu, submission grappling, judo, MMA, and the martial arts.
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Комментарии • 298

  • @daniel_najar
    @daniel_najar 3 года назад +348

    "It was hard to win the battle for survival but it's 10x harder to win the battle for meaning" John Danaher

    • @denisbejtja9937
      @denisbejtja9937 2 года назад +6

      That fucked me up

    • @kolikari3813
      @kolikari3813 Год назад +1

      With that perspective we can all learn to stop and fucking chill for a second

    • @BagHolder323
      @BagHolder323 Год назад +1

      That’s the quote.

    • @DylansThoughts
      @DylansThoughts Год назад

      Mate such a shit quote ngl, nothing this guy said was profound, or even slightly inspiring. 1/10

    • @alhfgsp
      @alhfgsp Год назад +4

      One is grounded in easily understood physical conditions, the other is beyond the frontier of our understanding. Heavy stuff.

  • @007SuperSoldier
    @007SuperSoldier 3 года назад +502

    Truly one of the best answers Lex has received for this question.

    • @tangohtai3995
      @tangohtai3995 3 года назад +6

      Could not agree more

    • @codyevans6454
      @codyevans6454 3 года назад +19

      I said the same thing to myself... This answer was the most coherent, critical, and Honest answer to that question, I've personally ever heard.

    • @hustleup3840
      @hustleup3840 3 года назад +7

      100%

    • @Chris-hw4mq
      @Chris-hw4mq 3 года назад +6

      Answer is simple there is no meaning of life its what you make of it

    • @Romans1-8
      @Romans1-8 2 года назад +1

      @@Chris-hw4mq just something to pass the time.

  • @TheSoggiestSao
    @TheSoggiestSao 3 года назад +170

    I’ve honestly watching so many podcasts and videos about this topic and no one has answered this better than John Danaher. Excellent job in explaining the connection between survival and meaning! I never thought of it like that. True legends, you two.

  • @HM-mw7cg
    @HM-mw7cg 3 года назад +85

    I would love it if John wrote stuff, literally anything. He's made it clear before why he left philosophy and academia, so it's probably a very private endeavour for him, but I'd love it if he could share more of these thoughts.

    • @HM-mw7cg
      @HM-mw7cg 3 года назад +6

      @Ádhamh Ó Donnabháin he said he left it when he saw the coming wave of political correctness. He may have also said something about identity politics. But he mentioned that he loved the hurly burly world Of jiu jitsu and how there wasn't any of that bullshit. I believe this was all spoken about in the interview he did with Brian Rose

    • @travisfoyil4625
      @travisfoyil4625 Год назад +1

      He writes a lot on social media, intriguing stuff

  • @anthonyjesse5880
    @anthonyjesse5880 3 года назад +144

    Lex filled the void that was JRE.

    • @anotherangrymonkey7435
      @anotherangrymonkey7435 3 года назад +4

      Waaaaah?!

    • @livinginthisgalaxy7961
      @livinginthisgalaxy7961 2 года назад +6

      Indeed. Rogan lacks the intelligence for interviews with scientists/experts/doctors.

    • @fusuyreds1236
      @fusuyreds1236 23 дня назад

      JRE is more surface-level, conversational stuff, whereas this is the complete opposite. Lex and Rogan together form the complete podcast experience, in my opinion, although I do believe that Rogan is far more skilled as an interviewer.

  • @diddiecapitan2951
    @diddiecapitan2951 3 года назад +92

    The meaning of life is to wear your rush guard everywhere

  • @jasongodmere9882
    @jasongodmere9882 Год назад +13

    It's always been my opinion that physical pursuits mold the greatest philosophers. This man is testament to that idea.

  • @deifor
    @deifor 3 года назад +65

    This was beautiful. Danaher is a truely enlightened being.

  • @jl6569
    @jl6569 3 года назад +176

    This guy has a PHD in Epistemology (Philosophy). This is the right guy to ask haha.

    • @brandono6784
      @brandono6784 3 года назад +6

      Does he really? I didn't know who this guy was when I clicked the video and was thinking "Wow this guy sounds like a literal philosopher with this answer." Every other sentence was just so clear and reasonable. Then when I exited full screen and saw it was John Danaher and I was like ..the MMA guy? Lol

    • @bigfatjuice
      @bigfatjuice 3 года назад

      Epistemology does not directly deal with the meaning of life... That would be (analytic) existentialism in case you want to read into it. I had a uni course on it and it was extremely interesting

    • @rhinobridge
      @rhinobridge 2 года назад +14

      Actually he didn't finish his PhD. He dropped before presenting his thesis. But yeah he has the knowledge.

  • @user-qp6vg9ho8u
    @user-qp6vg9ho8u 3 года назад +17

    “It’s hard to win the battle for survival but it’s not 10x harder to win the battle for meaning”
    Wow!

  • @jcglez9491
    @jcglez9491 3 года назад +32

    Danaher the most underrated philosopher of our times‼️

  • @Tyrell_Corp2019
    @Tyrell_Corp2019 2 года назад +48

    “Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer”. - Joseph Campbell

    • @shadowdawg04
      @shadowdawg04 Год назад +6

      BS....

    • @kolikari3813
      @kolikari3813 Год назад +1

      Not really meaning but consequence

    • @chaitalichatterjee4742
      @chaitalichatterjee4742 Год назад +2

      ​@@shadowdawg04 better Live Asking pointless questions which lead us no where 😂😂 LoL

    • @jfdhkdfskn1024
      @jfdhkdfskn1024 3 месяца назад

      I am an admirer of Joseph Campbell. That might be the dumbest thing that guy ever said.

    • @Tyrell_Corp2019
      @Tyrell_Corp2019 3 месяца назад

      @@jfdhkdfskn1024 Really? Tell us the meaning of life?

  • @matthunt7390
    @matthunt7390 3 года назад +48

    When there is nothing more to eat, it eats itself.

    • @Pclub4ever
      @Pclub4ever 3 года назад +2

      So damn deep.

    • @anotherangrymonkey7435
      @anotherangrymonkey7435 3 года назад +1

      Where is this quote from?

    • @matthunt7390
      @matthunt7390 3 года назад +1

      @@anotherangrymonkey7435 tbt on my path to bettering myself, thru self reflection as to why I did some of the belligerent things in my past, is when that realization came to me.

  • @jotarokujo7955
    @jotarokujo7955 Год назад +3

    what an exeptional human being is John Danher. I could listen him for hours. Always meaningful answers

  • @headbussinninja
    @headbussinninja 3 года назад +7

    Wow, watched this 10 times and still 😳 at the lost of words. Well played and I will continue to watch these videos

  • @nuriddinburkhonov5214
    @nuriddinburkhonov5214 2 года назад +3

    Thanks to both of you guys!

  • @S4MBONE
    @S4MBONE 3 года назад +5

    meaning is implicit to life and is instinctual like good music. You know it when you feel it

  • @SCheco3
    @SCheco3 3 года назад +27

    One of the best answers to meaning of life ever, thank you to this podcast.

  • @thefriendlyscaff6462
    @thefriendlyscaff6462 3 года назад +19

    That’s the coolest thing Iv seen on the tube for a while

  • @jacobwestfield3164
    @jacobwestfield3164 Год назад +1

    I could listen to this guy talk all day.

  • @kamesh5846
    @kamesh5846 Год назад +2

    Thats one of the best answer i have ever come across regarding the meaning of life. This guy is the common man's philosopher. Made hell a lot of sense than any philosophers or psychologists answers to this question.

  • @Lehmann108
    @Lehmann108 Год назад +1

    The philosopher coach. I had one in H.S. John Small, RIP,

  • @eddiereyes3478
    @eddiereyes3478 2 года назад +7

    I agree… what a great interview, Lex has had on many great minds but this man’s introspective really touched me in a profound way.. thx Lex and John

  • @Karlytho
    @Karlytho 2 года назад +4

    "The minute mankind's existence became more or less guaranteed, the problem shifted from survival to meaning."

  • @rhyshebbs7970
    @rhyshebbs7970 3 года назад +38

    When thinking of the question “what is the meaning to life” realise it is Life who is asking the question. In the words of Viktor E Frankl
    “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible”

    • @deifor
      @deifor 3 года назад +1

      That could be an explanation for the existence of God, or god, or a generator of intelligence, of spirit.

    • @brhanufentaw2833
      @brhanufentaw2833 2 года назад

      I agree with you

  • @barryjb
    @barryjb Год назад +3

    The meaning of life is to get to a position where each person can choose when their life ends.

  • @lindasapiecha2515
    @lindasapiecha2515 3 года назад +10

    Excellent discussion 👍

  • @danylemieux8903
    @danylemieux8903 3 года назад +2

    What a powerful answer !

  • @amospizzey1
    @amospizzey1 3 года назад +4

    Brilliant conversation ⭐️

  • @danielmohave8280
    @danielmohave8280 3 года назад +8

    Thank you so so much for these videos , there's nothing more enjoyable than to hear two intellectual people have meaningful conversations! I'm subing.

  • @giorgialeksandria6665
    @giorgialeksandria6665 3 года назад +25

    John Danaher is a living legend Stoic Philosopher.

  • @ethostattoo2172
    @ethostattoo2172 3 года назад +1

    We need certainty,uncertainty,connection,meaning,growth,and contribution to something greater than self.

  • @raisnaix
    @raisnaix Год назад

    This clip, and the contemplation on it that followed for the next week, literally changed core beliefs in my belief system and, by proxy, my entire outlook on life.
    Thank you for this!

  • @anirudhupadhyay695
    @anirudhupadhyay695 2 года назад +4

    What an articulate gem of a person. Best answer I have heard till now. Much respect Sir John Danaher.

  • @nycgweed
    @nycgweed 3 года назад +1

    Great answer ! Thanx lex for the great content

  • @issei4975
    @issei4975 Год назад

    Lex,brother,make a playlist of these!

  • @FR-ty5vn
    @FR-ty5vn Год назад +2

    Brilliant man - I’m not sure I’d say survival if guaranteed when every human is born with a death sentence, disease/violence/accidents kill many during their youth or early adulthood, but I get the point: we are much less vulnerable and more secure than in the past. Danaher strikes me as an existentialist: life’s meaning is what you assign it…

  • @behrad9712
    @behrad9712 2 года назад

    Amazing John Danaher!

  • @eIicit
    @eIicit 3 года назад +12

    I enjoy his measured, thoughtful way of speaking

  • @_taxman_
    @_taxman_ Год назад

    All I want is reassurance that we can see ourselves out from existence without repercussions.

  • @colin2utube
    @colin2utube Год назад +1

    That was a beautifully circular conversation. From the idea that a human alone and without technology is at the bottom of the food chain, but in a group with tools they're at the top, to the idea that a Meaningful life requires one to be part of a community larger than ones self. That makes perfect Evolutionary sense, we SHOULD feel a compulsion to be part of a community of tool developers !

  • @Indiadagreat18
    @Indiadagreat18 3 года назад

    What an answer 🙏

  • @FM-zj8jl
    @FM-zj8jl 3 года назад +2

    We clearly think too much. It's quite simple, the meaning of life is to create life. We're made for it... If you can't create life, create a good life for yourself and others around you by giving away good things, good love, good work, good friendship...
    In this 'modern world', our ego is our worst enemy, comparing yourself to others isn't healthy, thinking about the past and worrying constantly about our future make people depressed and anxious and some insane to the point of committing suicide. Simplify your life, try to make good things for you and around you, and your life's meaning will be fulfilled.

  • @aidenwilson9874
    @aidenwilson9874 3 года назад +1

    Call listen to these two all day

  • @francescospezzanoarchimove6226
    @francescospezzanoarchimove6226 3 года назад +1

    Wonderful video literally

  • @ishankhan1277
    @ishankhan1277 3 года назад +12

    This man is Fascinating , He should become a Guru for life , like other yogis who speak about everything in this world , Huge Respect for John Danaher.

  • @alastormeowly5102
    @alastormeowly5102 3 года назад +7

    Meaning of life, to assist entropy creatively

  • @GoodDay2Smoke
    @GoodDay2Smoke 3 года назад

    To learn and pass the knowledge.

  • @MrFribeiro9877
    @MrFribeiro9877 3 года назад

    First time hearing this perspective. nice,

  • @redgemini9851
    @redgemini9851 2 года назад +1

    JD needs his own channel ASAP!

  • @wertytrewqa
    @wertytrewqa 3 года назад

    I really liked this response.

  • @Thomas-zh4dy
    @Thomas-zh4dy 3 года назад +4

    Great job lex. John is a true genius.

  • @WilliamJonesChess
    @WilliamJonesChess 3 года назад +11

    Lex asks John Danaher: What do you think is the meaning we have on this spinning ball?
    John: as humans, our existence is guaranteed.
    Now our mind shifts from survival to meaning.
    It is hard to win the survival battle, but it can be 10 times harder to win the battle for meaning.
    What I find the best people do is take charge of their lives as a form of authorship.
    They look at life as a tale to be written. We all have to write out own story.

  • @user23724
    @user23724 3 года назад +18

    This is about as good an answer as you could ever receive for "what is the meaning of life?".

    • @cdb0816
      @cdb0816 3 года назад +3

      Jordan Peterson has a great answer too

  • @jedimindtricks1463
    @jedimindtricks1463 3 года назад +42

    fbi agent asks serial killer the meaning of life

  • @TrillWillI
    @TrillWillI 3 года назад +27

    This deserves 5 million views instead of 5,000. Amazing answer to the meaning of life.

  • @sojourndrummond1846
    @sojourndrummond1846 2 года назад +1

    The purpose of life is happiness. Yea! That’s it happy happy joy joy.

  • @puddintime8107
    @puddintime8107 2 года назад +1

    Solid answer but the game isn’t over. We went from the top of the food chain to self destruction capabilities along with a better understanding of existential risks. We have some working on many aspects that would greatly increase our long term chances, but we are a long ways from that reality.

  • @TheCormacMcGuinness
    @TheCormacMcGuinness 3 года назад

    Holy shit. Food for thought

  • @zackpane7973
    @zackpane7973 3 года назад +6

    The purpose of life is to live a life on purpose.

  • @villatour
    @villatour Год назад +3

    Very cool and thoughtful answer. That said I’m surprised a man of his intellect would fail to address the role that religion and art have long played in our existence - long before our survival was more or less guaranteed.

  • @chadlawrence2240
    @chadlawrence2240 11 месяцев назад

    I love this guy. He sounds like a secular existentialist that seems to believe we create meaning by the choices we make. For John these choices entail living in a way that helps other's and allows you to partake in a community. However if Nietzsche is correct there is not ultimate meaning if there is no God. No matter how we live or how long the universe survives eventually time will swallow it all, and nothing will be remembered. However if God exists and there is an afterlife our actions will echo in eternity. Whatever you believe one thing we can likely agree on.....JD is a great guy.

  • @brianjoyce9040
    @brianjoyce9040 2 года назад +2

    Finding meaning in the safest world humanity has ever known? It is clearly a luxury some cannot find an answer to. Selfishness is not the answer. Greed is not the answer. Appreciation of what humans accomplished, and sharing that seems a reasonable place to start. Peace.

  • @joemurray9334
    @joemurray9334 3 года назад +5

    Wow was that Jordan Peterson or John Danaher... powerful, simple and brilliant. Wonderful answer to an impossible question

  • @jamesabar207
    @jamesabar207 3 года назад +1

    The meaning of life is to live ✌

  • @narsty2637
    @narsty2637 3 года назад +2

    This is one of the best things I've ever heard

  • @fingerpickinggood
    @fingerpickinggood 3 года назад +1

    I recomend 2 books by the philosepher David Benatar. He is pessimistisch concerning questions around meaning but i think he got it right: 'The human predicament and 'Better to never have been.

  • @growyourown123
    @growyourown123 3 года назад +2

    In order to truly know life you must know and appreciate death. Someone who has almost lost their life or who has died and returned. That's who knows and appreciates life.

  • @gsadventures678
    @gsadventures678 3 года назад

    What a fucking answer John!

  • @fernandoruiz5794
    @fernandoruiz5794 2 года назад +2

    What an amazing magician

  • @prez_chesspresso
    @prez_chesspresso Год назад

    Sage of the ages

  • @vladyslavkorenyak872
    @vladyslavkorenyak872 3 года назад +2

    It's doing what you want.

  • @Red_AIert
    @Red_AIert 2 года назад +1

    This is a fascinating take on meaning of life. 🙂👍🏽

  • @TheBhartiyaTrainee
    @TheBhartiyaTrainee 2 года назад

    This is the best ever meaning of life answer to me!

  • @garofiespinoza3503
    @garofiespinoza3503 3 года назад

    Unreal

  • @b00m3rh4nd_sol
    @b00m3rh4nd_sol 3 года назад +4

    People's lives are essentially in danger even today, but the risks are largely hidden away from us in some weird set of shell games. It used to be easy to understand risk, nowadays people need a PhD to comprehend the various systems and what to do about them... I wonder if our survival instinct is perhaps driving AI and robotics as a way to hedge survival.

  • @Thewonderingminds
    @Thewonderingminds 3 года назад

    it's beyond and certainly above man's mere intellect intertwining in the dream world, that which scientists know neither why we fall unconscious at sleep nor what being is while unconscious and dream.

  • @nuggzay8556
    @nuggzay8556 3 года назад +1

    one thought i have about the "afterlife" or "incarnation" of our individual consciousness, is that IF we do live in an eternal universe/multiverse, then it is an inevitability that we will exist again...

  • @MrJihadkoplo
    @MrJihadkoplo Год назад

    Mr John Danaher should write a book....

  • @porscheisamust
    @porscheisamust 3 года назад +42

    Meaning of Life - Spiritual beings living a temporary physical experience to grow their spiritual awareness.

    • @enesog
      @enesog 3 года назад

      And than die off at their peak due to nature?
      Hmmmm seems meaning only exists when you are alife.
      Relligions idea of eternal life in a spiritual world .... aren't that bad after all.

    • @Oldhandlewasabitcringe
      @Oldhandlewasabitcringe 3 года назад +2

      Theres no real evidence of spiritual beings though, youve built a pre supposition into your conclusion

  • @claytontucker8179
    @claytontucker8179 2 года назад

    Smart fellow

  • @houssambouhou7846
    @houssambouhou7846 Год назад

    Anyone knows the name of the painting on the video's miniature?

  • @cubeincubes
    @cubeincubes 3 года назад

    Some days I believe in the ever present infinite intensity of the universe and other days pure indifference

  • @thisisgettingold
    @thisisgettingold 2 года назад +3

    John coming through on this podcast with a MENSA level IQ, easily.

  • @ragemachine420
    @ragemachine420 2 года назад

    👏 bravo

  • @Jerry-uc1pn
    @Jerry-uc1pn 11 месяцев назад

    Sometimes I forget that Danaher has a Master’s in philosophy.

  • @Kareem-Ahmed
    @Kareem-Ahmed Год назад +1

    Well done! I think John Danaher answered that hard question better than Sam Harris did.

  • @mikeg4350
    @mikeg4350 2 года назад

    Damn near perfect answer to this question, on the fly . All the while keeping it summarized and orderly. WOW
    “What do we do now ?”

  • @jaykay6387
    @jaykay6387 Год назад

    Loved how Danaher basically called BS on Hunter Thompson's quote without taking a personal shot at him. It's easy to be a reckless dickhead if your physical survival is not an issue. As far as his suicide, I'm agnostic on it, I don't look at it as good, bad, or heroic, for him or anybody else who chooses that path. I do think you owe it to your family to do it in a fashion to spare them the most possible grief, but beyond that, it's your life. I ascribe to something similar to what Danaher is essentially saying, which is this; Become competent at something, then try to contribute to society if you are able. If not, then at least try not to be an asshole and stay out of everybody's way. That, to me, is at least the "purpose" of life, if not the "meaning". Everything else beyond that is gravy, if you can't do the first step successfully, there will be no "gravy".

  • @grahamvandyke
    @grahamvandyke 3 года назад +4

    Amazing answer. A side note: if Danaher believes there's a possibility of an afterlife you can say he's agnostic instead of atheist.

  • @abdelhakym8283
    @abdelhakym8283 3 года назад +1

    The answer is simple, this life is a big test,this world is fine tuned cuz it has a creator,this creator expects you to do good and will reward you for it,treat people well,do good,feed the poor,visit the sick,be kind,fight evil,those things will feel extremely wholesome,cuz That's what you are supposed to be doing.

  • @kazlee7985
    @kazlee7985 3 года назад

    Wow!

  • @jesusmtz29
    @jesusmtz29 Год назад

    What a human

  • @satellite3253
    @satellite3253 3 года назад

    8:48 damn

  • @filipcesnjak2944
    @filipcesnjak2944 3 года назад +6

    Love is the meaning of life, how come a lot of people do not get this, think about it and you will find out that it is true.

    • @unitewithch
      @unitewithch Год назад +2

      Yes and why aren’t people talking about this?

  • @JoeCharogoff
    @JoeCharogoff 2 месяца назад

    The meaning of life for mammals and beings with stronger consciousness isn't survival; it's what a life form survives for.
    The lion survives (without consideration) to eat, mate, drink, etc. It doesn't do those things to survive. Neither do humans. They're surviving by default. Life does what it can and what it wants. We just want exponentially more; sometimes even ending our survival as they said.
    If humans continue limiting their potential, we continue limiting our lives and meaning.
    It's all relative and all up to us.

  • @roller121984
    @roller121984 Год назад

    Seems to so clearly point to intelligent design, the fact that we humans are so different, separated from the animal kingdom.

  • @the_spiritual_hulk7449
    @the_spiritual_hulk7449 2 года назад

    But I do agree with his over all answer

  • @misterneckbreaker88
    @misterneckbreaker88 3 года назад

    what is the riddle of steel? i was just thinking conan quotes

  • @josephpravda9452
    @josephpravda9452 3 года назад

    "mean"-ing, or how to rise above the statistical mean, hence competition....in the end with ourselves