ChadT

I got a lot out of this weeks video and this infographic. Really helped me understand Spiral Dynamics better. Thanks!

I have been thinking about Leo's recent wage slavery video this week... A couple things about it bothered me. Mainly it was the words "slave" and "sheep" used in the video. First, let me say I generally admire people who are able to build their own business. It's usually not an easy thing to do and often takes a lot of hard work and courage. Having said that, I don't think it's for everyone. Nor does it need to be. I think you can be an employee and still find "freedom". In fact, I think if done correctly, that path is probably more realistic for most people. I think you can find a lot of meaning and value in life by providing a service to society in exchange for a wage. The key is to find something you like doing (or at least don't hate) , living below your means, saving, building a financial safety net and ideally, being good enough at what you do to secure your place in the market. At least that is what I have found worked well for me. I have struggled with this issue a few times over my life. Still do to some extent. I have had jobs where I have felt like a slave. However, I haven't felt like that in over a decade now. I work in accounting for a fairly large company. Love my boss. She has been a true mentor to me and become a personal friend. I like most of my coworkers. Met my wife there. Have learned and grown a lot both personally and professionally. The stress level is fairly low and the hours are great. I feel confident at this point in my career that if the company closed it's doors tomorrow, I would be able to find a comparable job relatively soon and if I couldn't, I have enough money saved to live on for several years. Sure there is the occasional bad day, but they often end up being learning experiences. I'm not sure I would even want to retire before my 70's. I find a lot of meaning and personal growth in work. Where I do still get conflicted on this issue sometimes, is regarding creating a side stream of income. I would like to find a "passion project" that I could do on the side, provide a creative outlet, some side income and I would enjoy doing. I have found many of Leo's video's very helpful in terms of thinking about this. Sometimes I wonder if people push too hard for financial independence, or business success, at too great a cost. Plus, I don't think everyone is wired for it. People shouldn't necessarily feel like a slave, or a sheep, if that isn't their path. Sometimes I think our culture can make people feel inferior about this. There is more than one way to skin a cat here. The Buddhist concept of grasping rings true to me a little on this topic. "A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness." -Albert Einstein

@Nahm lol I was wondering what the Weird Science gif was for... Wasn't the brothers name Chet? "The Chad" most people reference, is based on a Tom Green character from Charlie's Angels I think. Never seen the movie though. I've been called "The Chad" a time or two.

@Prabhaker Thanks for the post. These are the kind of stories that make me open to this type of thing.

I wasn't really asking for you to prove anything to me. I was curious to see some compelling evidence and decide for myself. I'd be happy to give you some evidence that I exist. DMT? That's a whole other issue. I'm 9 years sober. Open to the idea, but not sure how I feel about that effecting my sobriety.

Seems a bit harsh. Anything in the hands of a fool is probably a dangerous thing... no? Airplanes and computers did not exist 500 years ago. It took mankind understanding our natural world and learning how to manipulate it, in order to create those things. I am perfectly willing to admit that there are forces at work that I do not understand. I don't think science has all the answers. I agree the evidence supporting ESP is extraordinary. I even said so. What about levitation though? Sure, there may be witches flying around on broom sticks, ghosts, vampires, unicorns, levitating monks, people who can predict the future, teleport, live to 1000 years old. If those things do exists however, It seems to me they must be extremely rare and hard to prove, or we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You appear convinced that many paranormal phenomena exist. I would love to see your evidence. I sincerely mean that. You have always struck me as a sincere, intelligent person. That's why I follow you. I would really like to see some of the evidence that convinced you. Perhaps a future video?

I guess you would call me a materialist. I'm not exactly sure what that even means, but it's fair to say that I see reality very similarly to Sam Harris. I don't agree with him on everything, but if having a similar world view puts me in that camp, I will accept the materialist label. I'm openminded to paranormal phenomena though. I've seen pretty good statistical evidence to support ESP. I haven't really seen any good evidence to support demonstrable controlled ESP though. I'm a skeptic at heart, but I could be convinced. Videos and hearsay don't really do it for me. I've seen Penn and Teller do some remarkable stuff. I don't think there was anything paranormal going on there though. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" -Carl Sagan

I'm an Al Kavadlo fan. I stumbled on to him when getting into calisthenics. He is mainly a fitness coach, but I find a lot of spiritual wisdom in much of what he says. These vids are pretty basic and to the point, but that's what I like about the guy.

Leo, I have found many of your videos very thought provoking. Kudos to you for putting yourself out there the way you do. You have started to lose me lately though... It appears you have recently decided to attack science and atheism and defend religion. Generally speaking, I completely disagree with this. Science is the best tool we have for understanding reality. Sure it isn't perfect, but what's the alternative? Mystical stories? Mythology? Personal experiences others are expected to take on faith? You seem to put these on the same level with the scientific method? Of course there is beauty and truth to be found in many religions. There is also a ton of dogma, oppression, fanaticism and corruption to be found there as well. I think you have also been unfair to Sam Harris, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Hitchens. All personal heroes of mine. Harris and Tyson are more agnostics than what I would consider atheists. I concede Hitchens was a more in your face atheist, but his goal was noble IMHO. He was brilliant at pointing out the absurdity of so many religious beliefs. I would argue the world would benefit from less religion and more scientific minded thought. One side appeals to reason and logic and the other tends to oppress it. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Felt compelled to post after watching your last few videos

Abraham Lincoln gets my vote. I could read Lincoln quotes all day long. One of my favorites... "I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end... I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me." Abraham Lincoln

Why not have a few events in Vegas first? It's one of the easiest cities to travel to. Who doesn't like having a reason to go to Vegas?

In Leo's recent Collective Ego video, he stated that there was clear evidence for the paranormal. I'm genuinely curious about what this evidence is? I once saw a documentary that showed some compelling evidence for ESP. I have always been rather skeptical about anything "supernatural", but I'm open to the possibility.

I have. I just disagree on this issue. I don't really think I was being "defensive". Just trying to argue my point. If I came across that way, that certainly wasn't my intent. I ain't mad bro.

Most of my psychedelic use occurred in my late teens / early twenties. I'm 43 now. I have done LSD maybe a dozen times and mushrooms two or three. I never really took to mushrooms, but really enjoyed LSD. I had some of the most fun experiences of my life on LSD. One thing I always took away from my LSD trips was how unconcerned I was with what anyone thought while I was on it. Which was huge for me. I have always been fairly introverted and socially self conscious. Having that weight lifted during a trip was a wonderful experience. I have always considered myself a fairly spiritual person and I'm sure those trips influenced my consciousness in some way. Been a long time ago. One of the most profound spiritual insights I have ever had was when smoking opium. I was just sitting there thinking about life and had a thought that really spoke to me. I wrote it down at the time. I still use it as a guide. I've been completely sober for 9 years now. Those days are behind me. Alcohol was my drug of choice. Sobriety has been a far more spiritual, consciousness raising experience in my life.

Thank you!

I'm sure this is going to surprise you but... I would be highly skeptical of that claim. I haven't looked into witchcraft in any real depth. Perhaps I will. When I get sick, I'm pretty sure I am still going to look to medical science for help and not a witch doctor. Guessing that's not what you mean by "deeper facets of reality" though. I have checked out Buddhism in some depth. I still have Buddhist sympathies. Although, much of the mystical tradition is lost on me. I can only speak to my current level of consciousness. I don't claim to be enlightened, or know the "truth" in any absolute sense. I'm not even convinced that such a thing exists, or is attainable. I'm certainly open to the idea though. When I said that "I believe science is the best tool we have for understanding reality", perhaps I should have said that I have found it to be an extremely valuable tool for understanding reality and of great value to mankind. I'm not immune from making overreaching claims from time to time. Lastly, the Harrisite in me has the add... I don't see being a dogmatic rationalist as all that bad of a thing to be. Maybe not the dogmatic part of the label, but I wouldn't argue if someone called me a rationalist. It wouldn't capture the totality of who I am, but it wouldn't be a bad start. Clearly we see things differently and you may not believe this, but I hear a lot of what you are saying. It's something I will continue to consider as I navigate my way through this life.

But science has found clear value in meditation. Art and science don't have to be in opposition.