PODCAST · society
Other Life
by Justin Murphy
Adventures in the humanities and social sciences.
Episodes
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The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control with Jacob Siegel
Jacob Siegel is author of The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control. We discuss his thesis that the U.S. has shifted into a new form of governance where digital protocols and data infrastructures have displaced traditional legal and institutional sovereignty. Drawing on his...
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On Fatherhood (Reply to Matt Walsh, TMZ, etc.)
I had a tweet go viral about fatherhood and the responses were fascinating. Matt Walsh did a segment on it, TMZ did a segment, thousands of parents shared their own takes. In this episode, I reflect on what the discourse revealed to me. While I love my children deeply, I often find the act of...
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"Neo-China Arrives From the Future:" On Nick Land's Sino-Futurism (The Meltdown Lectures)
In this episode, we analyze the sentence "Neo-China arrives from the future" from Nick Land's 1994 essay "Meltdown." For Land, Capital is an autonomous intelligence from the future and China is the privileged site of arrival due to its lack of Western moral constraints. We cover China's Special...
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Montaigne, IVF & Embryo Selection, Q&A
I jumped on the livestream for the first time in a while. I discuss the Montaigne chapter in The Independent Scholar, the current debate around IVF & Embryo Selection, and take some questions. I wrote about IVF and Embryo Selection here: https://justinmurphy.studio/ivf/ ✦ The coolest free...
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I Fell Off (It's So Over)
I can't deny it, so let's explore what it means, how it happens, what it feels like, and why it might be... great? In this episode, I share my struggle over the past few years, after having kids and experiencing significant creative and professional challenges. I reflect on the challenges of...
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Urbit, Nockchain, and the Current State of Sovereignty Technology
In this episode, I review the state of Urbit and my history with this ambitious project to rebuild the internet. I explain why I stepped back, detailing what's happened with the network in the past few years, including the challenges faced by startups attempting to build on the platform and the...
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Soft-Engineering, Transversality, Human Security System (Nick Land, Meltdown, Sentences 7-8)
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...
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Markets Learn to Manufacture Intelligence and Politics Modernizes (Nick Land, Meltdown, Sentence 3)
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...
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Intoxicated by Truth: Plato's Symposium with Alex Priou
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...
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From Tech to Public Philosophy: Johnathan Bi on Production Quality and Patronage Networks
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...
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Plato's Republic with Nina Power and DC Miller: Philosophy, Repression, Madness, and Courage
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…
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The Truth Will Set You Free: Nietzsche vs. St. John
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…
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Don't Be a Slave: Nietzsche on Philosophy and Slavery
For references, see Nietzsche on the Pride of the Philosopher in Contrast to the Slave ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the world https://OtherLife.co ✦ If you're working on independent creative work, join the next cohort of https://IndieThinkers.org
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We're Back: On how I fixed the company (a big lesson for independent scholars)
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…
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we almost just died (and it was great, I think?)
On muddling through, faith, and the absurdity of pursuing a singular creative vision on the open market... A story about the past few months of Other Life (and the next few). ✦ If you’re in the Los Angeles area, come to our meetup tomorrow Friday Dec. 1 at 3pm in Santa Monica. RSVP here. Other…
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The Rigor of Angels: Kant, Borges, & Heisenberg with William Egginton
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,...
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Ezra Pound: The Solitary Volcano
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....
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Literary Outlaw: The Life of William S. Burroughs
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...
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John Kennedy Toole and A Confederacy of Dunces With Dan Baltic
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...
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AI for Writers: Striking a Balance Between Automation and Humanity
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....
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Ezra Pound: The Curse of Genius
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....
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Write for Yourself and Yourself Alone
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…
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Vanishing Virility: Understanding the Modern Testosterone Crisis
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...
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Dr. Samuel Johnson: Hustler, Savage, Grifter, Great
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...
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Plato Uncovered: Building Influence in the Ancient and Modern World
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...
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Oscar Wilde and J.R.R. Tolkien with Paul Fortunato
Oscar Wilde and J.R.R. Tolkien used consumer culture to create works of art. In this podcast, we try to draw some lessons from their lives. I'm joined by Paul Fortunato, an English professor at the University of Houston Downtown. Paul is also a member of Opus Dei, and the author of a book about...
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YouTube Radicalization is a Myth with Mark Ledwich
It's widely believed the YouTube algorithm radicalizes viewers but Mark's research puts this theory to rest. Researcher and longtime member of the Other Life community, Mark Ledwich, has been studying the YouTube algorithm independently for several years. His research has been published in…
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Virtue and Excellence: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics with Colin Redemer
Colin Redemer is a professor at Saint Mary's College of California and VP of the Davenant Institute. This podcast is all about Virtue Ethics and the Aristotelian ethical tradition. Is Virtue Ethics superior to utilitarianism and effective altruism? What is human excellence? What is eudaimonia?…
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The Violent Focus of Francis Bacon
Some lessons from the life of painter Francis Bacon. I think the unique force and violence of Bacon’s paintings derive partially from the ascetic Lebenswelt he cultivated. Into his small but chaotic atelier, Bacon allowed almost nothing other than painting supplies and his varied source…
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Writing in the Age of Machine Intelligence
I spent a lot of time reading and thinking about AI this week. I’m especially interested in the implications it will have for writers and the so-called creator economy. Obviously things will change if it becomes nearly free to generate decently intelligent content with machines. But how will…
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Young Balzac: Disordered Knowledge, Strange Student
I'd like to share with you some biographies of great writers, artists, maybe some inventors—people who represent the other life ethos—people who have produced great work from the fringes, or in weird niches they carved out for themselves in life. Here is a passage from a biography of the French...
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From PhD to LandChad: Digital Sovereignty, Christianity, and IRLmaxxing with Luke Smith (Live at Mansion #3)
Luke Smith was a PhD student in linguistics before he grew his Youtube channel to 168,000 subscribers—with his unique perspectives on digital, financial, and mental sovereignty. This is the first time he's told his story at length. I invited Luke to be the special guest at this year's mansion...
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"360 Degree Conviction:" 10 Years of Counterculture with Asher Penn of Sex Magazine
Asher Penn is the founder and editor of Sex Magazine, now in its 10th year. We talk about the magazine business, how to persist on countercultural projects for the long haul, what's cool and what's not, how to spot underground talent, the enduring value of print, what Asher learned from...
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Bad CEX: On FTX and SBF (with The Network Age podcast)
Subscribe to The Network Age podcast wherever you get your podcasts https://rss.com/podcasts/thenetworkage ~timluc-miptev: https://twitter.com/basileSportif ~nilrun-mardux: https://twitter.com/alephdao ~bichul-ritsen: https://twitter.com/bichulr Recommended reading mentioned...
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Alex Lee Moyer's War with Filmmaker Alex Lee Moyer
Alex Lee Moyer is the director of TFW NO GF and most recently Alex's War. We discuss Alex's perspective on filmmaking, Hollywood, independent vs. institutional pathways, and why it's worthwhile to produce politically difficult work. This was recorded at Urbit Assembly 2022. Alex Lee Moyer ✦ Watch...
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Ye the Holy Fool; Nick Land Dead?; Sam Kriss on the Internet
Don't Obey the Algorithms; Ye is the GOAT; my review of Sam Kriss on "The Internet is Already Over", and Nick Land Dead or Alive. Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the world https://OtherLife.co ✦ Get a free Urbit ship at https://imperceptible.computer IndieThinkers.org ✦ If...
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Deregulation and the State Arms-Race Into Cyberspace
Every sentence from Nick Land's Meltdown, one at a time. https://nicklandcourse.com Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the world OtherLife.co ✦ Get a free Urbit ship at imperceptible.computer ✦ We're building a new country at imperceptible.country IndieThinkers.org ✦ If you're...
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How the "Intellectual Dark Web" Ended with David Fuller
Now that we're past Peak Wokeness, has "heterodoxy" exhausted itself? That's the argument of David Fuller, co-founder of Rebel Wisdom, a popular but now retired media brand. We discuss the problem of audience capture, whether Eric Weinstein and Jordan Peterson lost the plot, why David and…
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The World's Best Crypto Investor Invested in Urbit with Joey Krug of Pantera Capital
Joey Krug is Co-Chief Investment Officer at Pantera Capital, the biggest crypto hedge fund in the world. Joey's AngelList syndicate is also one of the most successful ever. We talk about Urbit as an investment and how to identify underpriced value more generally. Joey Krug ✦ Joey on Twitter ✦...
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Insanely Bullish on Urbit With Uqbar Founder ~timluc-miptev
Timluc is a top Urbit engineer and founder of Uqbar, a zero-knowledge ETH Layer 2 built on Urbit. Timluc is one of the highest-conviction Urbit bulls in the world. We talked about why he has so much confidence in Urbit, what people misunderstand about Urbit, why he went from BTC Maxi to ETH Maxi,...
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The ESG Scam: Bitcoin, Indie Media, and Natural Gas with Marty Bent
Marty Bent is the founder of TFTC.io, a media company focused on Bitcoin and freedom in the digital age. We discuss the "ESG" movement, how Marty built his media company, and how he's now building a natural gas company with Bitcoin mining. Marty Bent ✦ Marty's newsletter ✦ Marty's podcasts ✦…
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The Harvard Finance Bro Building an Urbit Network State in El Salvador
~Nilrun-mardux is co-host of The Network Age podcast and founder of AlephDAO, an early network state project on Urbit via El Salvador. ~Nilrun-mardux ✦ Nilrun is on Twitter at @alephdao ✦ Subscribe to The Network Age podcast (formerly Web0) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts Other…
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Charles Taylor and Paperclip Maximizers with Ellie Haine and Joe Edelman
Ellie Hain and Joe Edelman are itinerant thinkers designing a new kind of social movement. We discuss what they've learned from Charles Taylor and Amartya Sen, why Effective Altruism can be so cringe, Joe's role building Couchsurfing.com, and much more. Ellie Hain Joe Edelman Other Life ✦…
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Logistically Accelerating Techno-Economic Interactivity Crumbles Social Order
Logistical acceleration refers to the logistic function, otherwise known as an S-shaped growth curve. Techno-economic interactivity is a key postulate of Land's ideas. Elsewhere, he will frequently use the adjective techonomic. Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the world...
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How Chris Williamson Grew Modern Wisdom From Zero to 450k Subscribers
Chris Williamson runs the Modern Wisdom podcast and YouTube channel. We discuss how Chris went from zero subscribers to nearly half a million; how to get big guests; and how to think about wisdom in the internet era. Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson Podcast YouTube Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the...
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Curtis Yarvin on Crypto: Bitcoin, DAOs, Inflation, and Government Crackdowns
Curtis Yarvin is the author of the Gray Mirror newsletter. Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the world ✦ Get a free Urbit ship ✦ We're building a new country
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Flannery O'Connor and the Mysterious Secrets of Writing
otherlife.co/mysterious Other Life ✦ Get a free Urbit planet at imperceptible.computer ✦ We're building a new country at imperceptible.country
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"The story goes like this: Earth is captured by a technocapital singularity..."
In the most underrated work of social theory from the 1990s, Nick Land presents a sweeping theory of modernity. With about 3,500 words and only 4 citations, Meltdown seems to comprehend—and arguably foretell—a range of momentous historical developments that will only arrive decades later. From...
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The Hyperreal Plague: How Girard & Baudrillard Explain the Pandemic with Geoffrey Shullenberger
Geoffrey Shullenberger (@daily_barbarian) is a lecturer at NYU and runs the newsletter and podcast. Geoffrey teaches the Other Life course on René Girard. The Girard Course ✦ Download our free 18-page syllabus to get started reading Girard Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the...
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Zero-Knowledge Crypto-Anarchy with Rachel-Rose O'Leary from DarkFi
Rachel-Rose O'Leary was an artist before getting into crypto through Nick Land and Julian Assange. She's now a programmer working with Amir Taaki to build a crypto-anarchist DeFi ecosystem called DarkFi. ✦ DarkFi ✦ Rachel-Rose on Twitter Other Life ✦ Subscribe to the coolest newsletter in the…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Adventures in the humanities and social sciences.
HOSTED BY
Justin Murphy
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Other Life have?
Other Life currently has 243 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Other Life about?
Adventures in the humanities and social sciences.
How often does Other Life release new episodes?
Other Life publishes regularly with 243 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts Other Life?
Other Life is created and hosted by Justin Murphy.
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