Becoming Superhuman Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Roger Walsh, professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at UC Irvine, whose work bridges science, spirituality, psychology, and human potential. Roger has collaborated with leading thinkers worldwide, including the Dalai Lama, and has spent decades studying meditation, wisdom traditions, and the nature of consciousness.Follow Super Human PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpodX: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhumanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhumanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhumanFollow Ben: X: https://x.com/realbentauberInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/realbentauber/Follow Dilan: X: https://x.com/dilanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dilanj/Learn more about Roger: https://drrogerwalsh.com/Listen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:28 Meditation, and Subjective Reality02:41 Can Neural Networks Fully Explain Consciousness?03:34 Shared Experiences and “Low-Probability” Events05:11 Miracles, Hallucinations, and the Limits of Proof05:50 From Materialism to Idealism06:46 Why Materialism Has Failed for 2,500 Years07:27 Does the Hard Problem of Consciousness Even Exist?07:59 What Are Qualia?08:28 Can Biology Explain Experience?09:12 The “Chasm” Between Mechanism and Experience09:56 Are We Making Real Progress Understanding the Mind?10:23 The Brain as a Metaphor: From Hydraulics to Computers10:48 Can We Ever Cross the Consciousness Chasm?11:01 If AGI Claims Consciousness, Should We Believe It?11:15 The Turing Test and the Problem of Other Minds12:28 What Is the Frontier of What Can Be Known?12:40 Why There Are 200 Theories of Consciousness14:12 Consciousness as a Rorschach Test15:21 Roger Walsh’s Current Meditation Practice16:20 Practices That Actually Work17:12 The First Time All Traditions Are Available18:06 The Seven Universal Spiritual Practices19:39 How Someone Should Begin a Spiritual Practice21:18 Maslow’s Hierarchy and What Comes After Transcendence23:29 Self-Transcendence, Service, and Letting Go of Motivation25:57 “The Way Is Not Difficult for Those With No Preferences.”26:03 Entrepreneurs, Motivation, and Fear of Letting Go27:15 Learning to Trust the Mind28:31 Roger Walsh’s Early Life and Athletic Background30:23 Medical School, Burnout, and Stanford32:38 The Human Potential Movement33:18 Discovering the Inner Universe34:24 The Moment That Changed Everything35:32 Religion as a Hidden Mental Technology36:13 What Allowed the Breakthrough to Happen37:26 Intensive Retreats and Radical Commitment37:58 Anxiety, Atheism, and First Meditation Experiences39:19 First Non-Dual Experience40:09 Atheism and Subjective Experience41:45 Science vs Scientism43:43 Idealism and Multiple Ways of Knowing45:23 Can the Brain Fully Explain Mystical States?47:06 Consciousness as the Primary Reality47:57 Lucid Dreams and Waking Up Inside Reality48:23 Final Reflections and Closing

In this episode, the psychologist and bestselling author of The Upside of Your Dark Side and The Art of Insubordination walks us through how embracing discomfort, adversity, and negative emotions can supercharge resilience, creativity, and confidence.Todd shares what it was like growing up as a white kid in a predominantly Black neighborhood, and how this shaped his understanding of fear, identity, and emotional coping. He breaks down the science behind psychological flexibility, the misunderstood benefits of narcissism, and why “self-love” might be overrated.Follow Super Human Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpodX: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhumanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhumanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhumanFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanListen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/Follow Todd: https://x.com/toddkashdanTimestamps:00:00 – Intro01:06 – Growing up as a minority and the value of adversity03:05 – Why “negative emotions” are essential for resilience04:04 – The good side of narcissism06:02 – How insecurity shapes the shell we build07:50 – Body dysmorphia in men and boys09:02 – Physical attractiveness bias and income11:01 – Reinventing identity and social confidence13:15 – The psychology behind self-improvement outcomes14:30 – Self-love vs. self-growth: which comes first?16:10 – The myth of loving yourself before taking action16:30 – Michael Jordan and the power of negative motivation18:17 – Learning to observe your thoughts19:52 – Cognitive defusion: you are not your thoughts21:10 – A tool for reframing self-defeating beliefs22:33 – How mentors and friends help rewire self-appraisal24:22 – Emotional roots of limiting beliefs26:23 – Building psychological flexibility27:03 – “I hate Jake” and how to create mental distance29:02 – The role of wise counsel in personal growth30:40 – Who belongs in your inner circle?32:47 – Giving radical feedback and how to receive it33:51 – How to speak truth without destroying trust35:32 – Filtering for people with the right values and intellect37:37 – Are we choosing friends that reflect who we want to be?39:49 – Raising strong kids: independence vs. protection42:04 – The hidden upside of twins (and chaos)44:14 – Parenting with an older mindset and resources46:10 – How becoming a parent expands your capacity for love48:52 – Giving children agency and real-world skills52:23 – Handling kids’ mistakes without losing trust55:12 – The difference between safety and resilience56:40 – Why discomfort is the antidote to anxiety59:02 – How to create independent, emotionally strong adults1:02:15 – The hidden role of discomfort in creativity1:05:22 – The cognitive trap: why we think we are our thoughts1:09:04 – Parenting, psychedelics, and the future of psychological freedom1:14:35 – Final thoughts on living with purpose, curiosity, and courage

In this episode, the co-founder of Twitch and one of Silicon Valley’s most iconic builders shares the personal transformation that came after selling Twitch to Amazon for nearly a billion dollars, and realizing achievement doesn’t equal peace.Justin opens up about his childhood, the obsessive habits that shaped his discipline, and how he learned to build not just companies but communities and character. He breaks down the psychology behind taking action without fear, attracting world-class talent, and leading with trust.He also reveals how meditation, ayahuasca, and years of deep self-work reshaped his relationship with ambition, and why true success means serving others, not yourself.Follow Super Human Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpodX: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhumanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhumanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhumanFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanListen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/Follow Justin: https://x.com/justinkanChapters00:00 – Intro01:00 – How Justin Kan’s mom shaped his discipline03:00 – The childhood habit that made him obsessively productive06:00 – Why he does everything immediately08:00 – The origin of Justin’s extreme sense of agency10:00 – Why he never fears failure11:00 – The “satisficer” mindset that drives fast decision-making13:00 – How to build faster by embracing imperfection15:00 – Maximizers vs. satisficers in startup life16:00 – Why partnering with opposites makes you stronger18:00 – How Justin inspires people to follow his vision20:00 – The psychology of leadership: making people feel needed22:00 – Why optimism is Justin’s greatest advantage24:00 – What he learned from his entrepreneurial mom25:00 – The secret to community building and loyalty27:00 – Why curiosity keeps him connected to everyone29:00 – The inner transformation that redefined his purpose31:00 – How childhood wounds drive overachievement33:00 – The illusion of success and the ego trap35:00 – Ayahuasca, meditation, and finding self-acceptance38:00 – From ego to service: the new definition of winning41:00 – How Justin now helps founders find peace and purpose44:00 – Lessons for ambitious people chasing meaning

Most people accept aging as inevitable. Aubrey de Grey refuses to.In this episode, the world’s most recognized longevity scientist breaks down why aging is a solvable engineering problem — not a mystery of biology.Aubrey shares the moments that shaped his mission to defeat death, the science behind “longevity escape velocity,” and how AI breakthroughs like AlphaFold are accelerating humanity’s fight against aging.He also reveals what he actually does to stay biologically younger at 62 — from cutting-edge diagnostics to his take on rapamycin, plasma exchange, GLP-1s, and Brian Johnson’s Blueprint.If you’re a founder, technologist, or anyone fascinated by the future of the human body — this conversation will completely reframe how you think about aging, biology, and time itself.Most people accept aging as inevitable. Aubrey de Grey refuses to.In this episode, the world’s most recognized longevity scientist breaks down why aging is a solvable engineering problem - not a mystery of biology.Aubrey shares the moments that shaped his mission to defeat death, the science behind “longevity escape velocity”, and how AI breakthroughs like AlphaFold are accelerating humanity’s fight against aging.He also reveals what he actually does to stay biologically younger at 62 — from cutting-edge diagnostics to his take on rapamycin, plasma exchange, GLP-1s, and Brian Johnson’s Blueprint.If you’re a founder, technologist, or anyone fascinated by the future of the human body — this conversation will completely reframe how you think about aging, biology, and time itself.Follow Super Human Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/}Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpodX: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhumanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhumanLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhumanFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanListen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/Learn more about Aubrey de Grey:https://www.sens.org/Chapters00:00 – Intro01:00 – The childhood moment that defined Aubrey’s mission03:00 – Why he chose science over entrepreneurship06:00 – The dinner conversation that changed everything08:00 – Why scientists ignored aging for decades10:00 – The “Pro-Aging Trance”: why society fears immortality13:00 – The illusion that death gives life meaning15:00 – Why aging causes more suffering than anything else17:00 – What “Longevity Escape Velocity” actually means20:00 – How damage repair could stop aging altogether24:00 – Can humans reach escape velocity by the 2030s?27:00 – How AI, AlphaFold, and CRISPR accelerate longevity research31:00 – Why AI still can’t replace lab work34:00 – Aubrey’s personal longevity regimen at 6237:00 – His take on biological age tests and measurement40:00 – Hot or Not: Rapamycin, Metformin, Plasma Exchange, GLP-1s45:00 – Sauna, cold plunge, and diet myths49:00 – Why meal replacements might miss key nutrients52:00 – How AI could uncover unknown molecules in our blood56:00 – The most promising anti-aging therapies today1:00:00 – Stem cell rejuvenation and the monkey experiment1:04:00 – How stem cells can resist aging environments1:08:00 – Why multiple breakthroughs—not one—will defeat aging1:12:00 – The future of longevity research1:18:00 – Final thoughts: living long enough to live forever

Most psychedelics last a few hours. Ibogaine lasts over 24 — and it might be one of the most powerful healing tools on Earth.In this episode, Trevor Millar — founder of Ambio Life Sciences and one of the leading voices in psychedelic medicine — reveals the extraordinary science and human stories behind ibogaine: a compound that’s helping veterans heal from PTSD and traumatic brain injury, ending opioid addiction overnight, and even showing promise for Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.If you’re a founder, high performer, or simply curious about the future of consciousness and healing, this episode will expand your entire model of the human mind.Follow AGI:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostgotitpod/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@almostgotitpodX: https://x.com/AlmostGotItPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575768957008TikTok: http://tiktok.com/almostgotitpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/almostgotitpodFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilan🎧 Listen to all episodes: https://www.almostgotitpod.com/Learn more about Trevor:https://ambio.life/https://www.instagram.com/psychedelic_provider/https://www.instagram.com/ambiolifesciences/Chapters00:00 – Intro01:00 – Trevor’s first psychedelic experience03:00 – What is ibogaine and where it comes from05:00 – How ibogaine’s anti-addiction properties were discovered08:00 – Trevor’s decade-long mission to help Vancouver’s poorest neighborhood10:00 – The first ibogaine treatments — and dangerous mistakes13:00 – What makes ibogaine different from other psychedelics15:00 – The “dirty molecule” that heals the brain18:00 – How ibogaine rewires brain waves like years of meditation21:00 – The only clinic licensed to use natural iboga root25:00 – Why spiritual doesn’t mean easy: early patient stories28:00 – Inside Ambio’s 5-day ibogaine protocol31:00 – Sweat lodges, breathwork, and preparation rituals34:00 – Why ibogaine is called the hardest thing you’ll ever do36:00 – Marcus Luttrell’s (Lone Survivor) ibogaine transformation39:00 – How ibogaine interrupts negative patterns overnight42:00 – The Stanford study that changed everything46:00 – Brain scans that show TBI reversal50:00 – What ibogaine does to PTSD, depression, and anxiety54:00 – The truth about microdosing ibogaine57:00 – Using ibogaine to treat Parkinson’s and MS1:00:00 – The future: ibogaine for prevention and longevity1:03:00 – Ibogaine as a performance enhancer1:06:00 – Microdosing vs. the big dose: what’s the difference?1:09:00 – Real stories that sound “too good to be true”1:13:00 – Healing addiction without withdrawal1:16:00 – From atheism to belief: ibogaine and the higher power1:20:00 – How ibogaine awakens compassion and purpose1:24:00 – The neuroscience of forgiveness1:28:00 – What the ibogaine experience actually feels like1:33:00 – The “gray day” and post-trip reintegration1:36:00 – Why visions aren’t required for healing1:39:00 – Will Silicon Valley CEOs start microdosing ibogaine?1:42:00 – Intelligence, wisdom, and becoming superhuman1:45:00 – Closing reflections

Most people think dopamine equals pleasure. They’re wrong—and that mistake keeps us stuck on the hedonic treadmill.In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer reveals why excitement isn’t happiness, how anxiety hijacks the brain through habit loops, and why willpower fails almost every time.Founders and high performers will learn how to stop chasing the dopamine treadmill, rewire their brains using awareness, and replace worry with curiosity—a superpower that rewires habits faster than any hack.Follow AGI:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostgotitpod/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@almostgotitpodX: https://x.com/AlmostGotItPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575768957008TikTok: http://tiktok.com/almostgotitpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/almostgotitpodFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilan🎧 Listen to all episodes: https://www.almostgotitpod.com/Learn more about our guest:https://www.goingbeyondanxiety.com/https://judbrewer.substack.com/https://drjud.com/Chapters:00:00 – Intro02:00 – Who is Dr. Jud Brewer?05:00 – Childhood, Montessori and curiosity09:00 – Curiosity and learning in kids (with AI)12:00 – The turning point: stress, IBS, meditation17:00 – Reinforcement learning explained simply20:00 – What dopamine really does25:00 – Why billionaires mistake excitement for happiness28:00 – The path to true happiness (Eudaimonia)30:00 – Anxiety as a habit loop34:00 – Why willpower doesn’t work for anxiety40:00 – How awareness rewires habits44:00 – Breaking the social media loop52:00 – Curiosity as a superpower against worry56:00 – Two types of curiosity: deprivation vs. interest59:00 – Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset in founders1:02:00 – The three steps to break any bad habit1:08:00 – Can AI therapy replace human therapists?1:15:00 – Molecules vs mindfulness: future of self-control1:20:00 – Why simplicity beats complexity in therapy1:26:00 – What is consciousness?1:28:00 – Neuroscience of enlightenment1:34:00 – The ultimate question humanity must ask1:37:00 – Closing thoughts & reflections

In this episode, Enneagram master teacher and bestselling author Russ Hudson argues that humanity’s psychology and emotional maturity are lagging far behind our technology. He explains why we’re not ready for the radical changes AI will unleash, and how ancient wisdom traditions like the Enneagram can help us close that gap.Follow Dilan: www.x.com/dilanFollow Ben: www.x.com/realbentauberTimestamps0:00 Intro0:52 Who is Russ Hudson?1:38 What is the Enneagram? The nine points explained10:40 How it differs from other personality systems12:12 Ancient history and modern revival of the Enneagram15:30 Russ’s early search for science and spirituality18:15 Discovering George Gurdjieff and “mankind is asleep”21:15 The neuroscience of presence: gut, heart, and head intelligence23:30 Creating and validating the Riso-Hudson Enneagram test29:05 Ancient roots, “deadly sins,” and developmental psychology37:09 What it really means to be present42:06 Traps that pull us out of presence45:11 Humility, virtues, and avoiding spiritual bypassing49:07 How Russ’s own type shapes his daily practice53:05 Using the Enneagram as a feedback loop57:18 GPT-5 release and AI’s impact on humanity1:04:12 Can AI become a personal growth coach?1:05:10 Why you can’t do the inner work alone1:11:12 Building presence-based communities1:21:24 How the Enneagram can guide us through massive change1:35:28 Presence as a skill for uncertain times1:42:20 Final thoughts on awakening and human potentiall

AI is moving fast — from running your business to replacing your therapist. Ben and Dilan break down Grok-4’s leap past GPT-4, new gene edits that might kill heart disease, and why Silicon Valley is obsessed with microdosing weight-loss drugs. This episode is a glimpse into the weird, unstoppable future founders need to see coming.Follow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanListen to all of our episodes: https://www.almostgotitpod.com/Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome to Almost Got It01:00 - Dylan’s trip to Turkey and meditation03:00 - Loudspeakers, religion, and cultural noise06:00 - Hernias, Squatty Potty, and pooping wrong08:00 - Psychological side of digestion10:00 - How smartphones ruined our bathroom habits12:00 - Apple Health… for pooping?14:00 - Humanity moving towards “God Mode”16:00 - Grok-4’s performance vs GPT-418:00 - AI benchmarks and vending machine tests20:00 - Real-world use cases of Grok-422:00 - Simulating 32 AI agents at once24:00 - Emotional AI avatars & the future of relationships26:00 - AI wingmen and utopian vs dystopian futures28:00 - AI helping couples resolve conflicts30:00 - Recording life with Limitless pendant32:00 - Privacy concerns, memory, and brain atrophy35:00 - How the iPhone rewired our brains37:00 - AI’s impact on learning and retention39:00 - Verve Therapeutics: A vaccine for heart disease?41:00 - The future of LDL treatments43:00 - Eli Lilly’s $1.3B acquisition45:00 - Longevity breakthroughs reshaping health47:00 - Breast cancer vaccine progress49:00 - Humanity entering "God Mode" for health51:00 - GLP-1 drugs explained (Ozempic, etc.)53:00 - The rise of Retatrutide55:00 - Why biohackers love it57:00 - How to get experimental peptides59:00 - Wrapping up: The future isn’t coming — it’s here

What if suffering isn’t caused by pain, but by broken predictions in your brain?In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Jay Sanguinetti explains how trauma rewires us, why targeted ultrasound could transform mental health, and what it means to reach “God Mode” as a human.Follow Dilan: www.x.com/dilanFollow Ben: www.x.com/realbentauberAbout Dr. Jay Sanguinetti: https://www.jaysanguinetti.com/⸻Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome + Jay’s bio02:10 – What is “God Mode”?06:00 – Childhood trauma and grief11:20 – Catholic guilt + early death16:00 – Aphantasia + memory blocks21:00 – Parenting + inner child work26:30 – Are parts of us conscious?32:00 – Is consciousness real or illusion?37:00 – From X-Files to neuroscience42:40 – Pain vs. suffering49:30 – Predictive coding explained55:00 – Narrative consciousness + climate grief01:01:30 – Brain surgery + DBS stories01:08:00 – Why ultrasound changes the game01:15:30 – How it works + healing potential01:22:00 – Building mental health tech at scale01:29:10 – Supernormal states + TMS01:34:50 – The next 10–20 years01:39:00 – Final thoughts + wrap-up

In this episode of Almost Got It, we sit down with Dr. Jeehan Chowdhury — physician, Rhodes Scholar, biotech founder, and former CEO of Journey Colab — to unpack the cutting edge science of how to reprogram your brain.Jeehan shares how he went from being bullied as an immigrant kid in Canada to raising millions for a psychedelic biotech startup.He talks openly about shutting it all down, confronting his own victim mindset, and why ibogaine might be the most powerful addiction treatment we've never heard of.From machine learning metaphors to frozen trauma states, this conversation explores what it actually takes to rewire your brain — and why integration, not the trip, is what changes lives.Follow the hosts and guest:Dilan: https://x.com/dilanBen: https://x.com/realbentauberJeehan: https://x.com/jeeshanjourneyTimestamps:00:00 – Ibogaine: The Addiction Cure No One Talks About01:05 – Who Is Jeehan Chowdhury?03:12 – From Rhodes Scholar to Psychedelic Biotech CEO06:40 – Why He Shut Down His Startup09:25 – Victim Mentality & the Cost of Success12:05 – What an Ibogaine Trip Actually Feels Like15:30 – The Life Review Experience Explained18:55 – How Psychedelics Reset the Brain22:10 – Ibogaine’s Miraculous Effect on Opioid Addiction25:00 – Why Integration Is More Important Than the Trip27:45 – The “Critical Period” of Neuroplasticity30:22 – Rewriting Trauma Like a Machine Learning Model33:50 – Why We Repeat Painful Relationships36:10 – The Explore vs Exploit Model of the Mind38:55 – The Real Reason Healing Feels Unsafe42:00 – Brute Force Achievement vs Actual Fulfillment44:20 – How Jeehan Found Psychedelic Therapy46:30 – Therapy, Burning Man, and the Ride Home That Changed Everything49:10 – What Keeps People Stuck — and How to Move Forward

n this unforgettable episode of Almost Got It, we sit down with Trent Rankin — a U.S. Army Ranger, Apple engineer, and heart transplant survivor — to uncover the story of how a seemingly harmless cough turned out to be a deadly sign of heart failure.From growing up in Alabama to enduring Ranger School, landing a role at Apple, and then suddenly waking up in the ICU unable to breathe — Trent's journey is one of discipline, denial, and ultimately, survival.He opens up about:• Getting medically discharged from the military• Rebuilding his identity in Silicon Valley• The terrifying moment his lungs filled with fluid• What it’s like to wake up with a new heartThis isn’t just a story about near-death — it’s a story about what comes after.—Follow the hosts and guest:Dilan: https://x.com/dilanBen: https://x.com/realbentauberTrent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trenton-rankin-445392152/⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – Intro: From Alabama to Apple01:10 – Trent’s Childhood on the Gulf Coast02:35 – Why He Joined the Military04:15 – “I Was Already Disciplined Before the Army”07:00 – Becoming an Extrovert Through Camaraderie09:00 – The Hardest Part of Military Life11:10 – Mental Adaptation vs Physical Limits14:00 – Why He Got Kicked Out of Ranger School15:30 – A Surprise Heart Diagnosis18:00 – Rebuilding His Life After Discharge21:00 – From Denial to Engineering at Apple23:10 – Signs of Heart Failure at Age 2824:30 – ICU Emergency: Lungs Full of Fluid26:15 – The Biology of a Failing Heart29:20 – The Medications That Keep You Alive31:45 – What Hospitalization Does to the Mind34:00 – What He’d Tell His 24-Year-Old Self35:30 – Would He Do It All Again?37:10 – Heart Transplant: Facing Death, Twice40:00 – Recovery and What Surprised Him Most43:00 – The Day His New Heart Arrived45:20 – Living With a Heart That Isn’t Yours48:00 – How Facing Mortality Changed His Philosophy50:40 – The Future of Bioengineering and Transplants52:15 – Final Reflections: Humor, Purpose & Survival

In this episode of Almost Got It, we dive deep with Will Rocklin — former Google & YouTube Product Manager turned comedian, screenwriter and still product manager — about the chaos, comedy, and clarity of navigating a midlife career reinvention.Follow the hosts and guest:Dilan: https://x.com/dilanBen: https://x.com/realbentauberWilliam: https://x.com/willrocklinTimestamps:00:00 – Intro: Transhumanism, AI & Comedy Collide01:09 – Who Is Will Rocklin?02:35 – Why Will Left Tech for Comedy05:34 – What “Going All In” Really Feels Like07:15 – The Truth About Art and Authenticity08:46 – Does Will Actually Want to Be a Comedian?10:17 – Comedy as a Healing Tool13:03 – The Universe Has a Sense of Humor16:18 – Relationships: Seriousness vs Play18:49 – The “Finger in the Butt” Rule21:06 – Parenthood & Playfulness24:05 – The Moment That Could’ve Broken Me26:01 – Can You Actually Change a Pattern in the Moment?29:02 – Why Conventional Therapy Might Not Work31:02 – Blame, Bananas, and Emotional Ownership33:00 – Living with Anxiety in a High-Performance World36:20 – Thought Work vs Nervous System Rewiring39:10 – Childhood, Identity, and the Myth of Fulfillment41:10 – Ideal Parent Figure Protocol42:16 – Coaching Mode: How to Rewire Your Brain43:32 – Dario Amodei’s AI Job Loss Prediction46:04 – Mass Panic vs Present Reality49:14 – The Responsibility of Tech Leaders50:56 – Who Do We Trust on AI?

This week, we dive into tulpas, AI's emotional future, the Starship launch, and why asking why might be the most radical thing you can do.From ancient Buddhist wisdom to Google’s AI breakthroughs – this one gets deep.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberTimestamps:00:00 – Intro01:30 – What is a tulpa? The strange origin story04:45 – Can an imaginary friend become conscious?08:15 – Multiple personalities & ethical dilemmas12:30 – Google I/O: AI characters fear being turned off16:00 – Prompt theory, memes & simulation jokes18:30 – Grief as consciousness collapse: losing a partner22:40 – Is your partner embedded in your brain?26:00 – Nested minds, IFS, and split identities31:00 – LLMs mirror human brains? The Kim K neuron35:30 – When will AI match human intelligence?40:20 – Why the U.S. is losing the energy race to China44:00 – Nuclear regulation and the profit flywheel47:30 – SpaceX Starship launch: why it matters52:00 – Steve Jobs and the lost art of asking “why”56:30 – Applying rapid iteration to your relationship1:01:00 – Prenups, MDMA & deep partner conversations1:07:30 – Buddha, first principles & the death of faith1:12:00 – Will AI kill creativity—or reinvent it?

In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Schooler—top 100 cognitive scientist, consciousness researcher, and OG mind explorer—to unpack one of the most provocative theories of self-awareness: Nested Observer Windows.What if your mind isn’t a single stream of thought… but a mosaic of smaller minds, each with its own experience?We go deep on why you forget what you read, how verbalizing a memory can destroy it, and whether your tongue might have a consciousness of its own. Plus: psychedelics, mind wandering, AI, and what happens when the tulpa inside your head wakes up.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberLearn more about Jonathan: https://www.psych.ucsb.edu/people/jonathan-schooler Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Who is Jonathan Schooler 01:30 – Google's New AI Made Ben Dizzy 03:20 – Childhood, Alan Watts & the Roots of Consciousness 06:00 – What Is Consciousness? The Bat Test 09:05 – Verbal Overshadowing: How Words Can Ruin Memory 12:40 – When Your Memory Lies in Court 15:40 – Meta-Awareness vs. Just Living 19:00 – Buddhism’s 3 Types of Enlightened Beings 21:30 – The Mindful Mirror: What Is Meta Consciousness? 26:15 – Does Alcohol Erase Self-Awareness? 28:50 – The Cost of Too Much Meta-Awareness 32:05 – Meditation, Flow, and Creativity 36:20 – Are Mindfulness & Creativity in Conflict? 40:00 – Open Monitoring vs. Breath Focused States 42:00 – Nested Observer Windows: The Theory Explained 46:30 – Tongue Consciousness, Gut Brains, and Internal Networks 50:20 – Split-Brain Patients: Two Minds, One Head 54:10 – Tulpa: When Imaginary Friends Wake Up 58:20 – Ethical Dangers of Creating Minds Inside Your Mind 1:01:00 – Can You Train a Tulpa to Have Meta Awareness? 1:03:00 – Psychedelics That Shatter Your Mind Into Voices 1:05:30 – Is AI Just a Russian Doll Without a Soul? 1:09:30 – Are We Reborn Every Morning? 1:12:30 – Star Trek Teleportation & the Self 1:14:00 – Strassen’s Algorithm & AI Discoveries 1:17:30 – Co-Creating Art With AI for State Openness 1:20:00 – Can Art Make You More Curious? 1:22:30 – When AI Becomes Part of Your Brain 1:25:00 – The Curiosity Gap Between Users 1:28:00 – Lazy Brains vs. Active Minds 1:31:00 – The Risk of Cognitive Decline with AI 1:34:00 – Schools That Use AI Better Than Adults 1:36:00 – Philosophical Zombies & Conscious Uploads 1:38:00 – Is There a “Right” Way to Use AI? 1:41:00 – Mind Wandering, AI, and the Learning Process 1:44:30 – Creating Art With AI to Unlock Flow 1:46:00 – Alan Watts, God, and the Simulation Game 1:49:00 – Final Reflections: Hide-and-Seek With the Divine

In this episode: Sean Dadashi, the founder of the mental health AI app Rosebud, joins us to unpack the collapse of traditional therapy—and why LLMs might become your next therapist.We dive into how childhood trauma, spiritual epiphanies, and ancient Buddhist practices shaped Sean’s journey… and how AI is now helping people do the inner work that human therapists often can’t.We also debate the hierarchy of religion, how Buddhism became a luxury belief, and why the future of mental health might be on your phone—not a therapist’s couch.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubsterFollow Sean: - X: https://x.com/seandadashi - Instagram: : https://www.instagram.com/dadashi/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandadashi - Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/dadashiTry Rosebud: https://rosebud.appChapters:00:00 – Intro & Guest Welcome01:24 – Sean's Background and Rosebud’s Vision03:06 – Journals, Habits, and Personal Mentors04:19 – Growing Up in Conservative Orange County05:59 – First Encounter with Depression07:05 – How a Forum Led Sean to Meditation08:24 – Spiritual Epiphany at Age 1411:02 – “I Am God” and What That Actually Means13:05 – Escaping the Mental Cage of Religion15:43 – When Buddhism Fails You (Literally)17:33 – Trust vs. Faith in Religion20:30 – Integration: The Real Goal of Spirituality25:36 – The Hierarchy of Religion (Poor vs. Rich Man’s Belief)28:33 – Therabody: AI Therapy Gets Real30:29 – Why Sean Built Rosebud37:17 – Depression, Isolation & the 3am Spiral41:09 – Finding a Therapist is Broken44:17 – Can AI Replace Your Therapist?47:08 – “Most Therapists Are Useless” Debate51:16 – When Friends Just Project Their Trauma53:42 – Why Men Might Open Up to AI First55:10 – HelpBench, GPT-4 & LLMs in Healthcare57:35 – How to Measure Healing with AI59:44 – The Big Question: Can AI Teach Compassion?

In this episode: Dylan’s estrogen levels spike out of nowhere, so he turns to GPT-4.5 for medical advice. Shockingly, it works better than any doctor he’s ever had. Is this the future of healthcare?We dive into how body fat messes with your hormones, why GPT might be the best primary care physician on the planet, and what happens when AI outperforms humans on medical licensing exams. Plus: the meditation technique that can give you monk-like focus in 36 hours.Follow Dylan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubsterListen to the podcast: https://www.almostgotitpod.comChapters:00:00 – Intro01:35 – Dilan’s Estrogen Levels Go Haywire03:12 – Can GPT Replace Your Doctor?06:20 – How Body Fat Impacts Hormones08:44 – The AI Health Experience That Beat Every Doctor10:35 – Why Dilan Now Tests His Hormones Monthly13:11 – GPT’s IQ vs. the USMLE Exam15:40 – The AI That Scored 95.2% on Step 318:22 – Scaling Doctors with AI: The Inevitable Shift21:15 – The Death of Traditional Primary Care?24:07 – Meditation Retreats & Advanced Focus States26:55 – Mindfulness vs. True Enlightenment30:33 – The Hidden Power of Non-Dual Awareness33:11 – Daniel P. Brown and Western Dharma36:29 – The Path to Hyperfocus in 36 Hours39:04 – Wisdom Isn’t Evenly Distributed41:18 – What Meditation Can Teach AI (and Vice Versa)

In this episode: the new OpenAI O3 model just hit a 136 IQ - genius territory. Is this the moment we crossed into AGI?We explore what it really means for AI to be "smarter" than most humans, why sex robots are getting scarily good at emotional manipulation, and whether AI relationships could replace human connection entirely.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubsterListen to the podcast: https://www.almostgotitpod.comChapters:00:00 – Intro01:53 – The Moment AI Surpassed Most Humans 04:03 – GPT-4.5 vs. O3: IQ Breakdown 06:35 – Are We Already in the AGI Era? 08:06 – Why AGI Changes the Game (Economics & Evolution) 09:46 – The Power of General Intelligence 12:59 – Useful vs. Accurate: Is AI Seeing a Different Reality? 17:47 – Politics, Manipulation & the Birth of Human Intelligence 21:22 – Should We Let AI Explore Beyond Human Interests? 26:10 – The Dyson Sphere Debate (and Meat Bodies) 30:54 – O3’s Tool Use: Why It’s More Human Than Ever 33:03 – AI Sex Robots Are Here - Now What? 35:07 – The Loneliness Epidemic & AI Companionship 38:12 – Emotional Coaching or Emotional Addiction? 41:07 – Can Bots Truly Replace Human Connection? 44:09 – Ancient History of Sex Dolls (Yes, Really) 47:25 – The Danger of AI Breakups 49:57 – Gratification vs. Growth: The Human Tradeoff 52:04 – When AI Replaces the Journey with the Result 53:36 – When AI Helps You Grieve: A Beautiful Use Case 55:18 – AI Therapists, Coaches & Mediators Between Humans 58:05 – The Coming Battle for Trustworthy AI 1:00:38 – Why You’ll Choose 1 AI Agent to Rule Them All 1:02:18 – System2’s Vision: AI That Actually Makes You Better

In this episode we dive into a brain-computer interface that gives a paralyzed woman her voice back, the terrifying rise of microplastics in human brains, and a musician “resurrected” using lab-grown neurons. We also explore dolphin language models, uploading your mind, and the question: are humans still the most conscious beings on Earth?Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubsterListen to the podcast: https://www.almostgotitpod.comChapters:00:00 – Intro01:25 – Paralyzed Woman Speaks via Brain-Computer Interface03:49 – Stephen Hawking’s Voice, Replaced in Real-Time05:35 – Is This Superhuman Communication?07:08 – Neural Telepathy & API for the Brain10:06 – Speed of Intention: Gaming with Neuralink12:34 – Could We Merge Brains and Think Together?15:10 – Thoughts as Queries, Answers as Memory18:10 – The End of Fate: Tech as Consciousness Liberation20:05 – The 1mm That Could Separate a Life22:24 – Story 2: Microplastics Found in Human Brains23:31 – One Plastic Spoon Worth… In Your Head25:10 – Dementia, Autism & the Plastic Threat27:50 – Plastics: A Miracle Turned Menace29:48 – Exponential Plastic, Contaminated Food Chains32:16 – There Is No Control Group—We're All Infected34:09 – What You Can (Maybe) Do About It36:35 – Processed Food = Plastic Bombs39:04 – Even ‘Healthy’ Food Might Be Poisoned41:00 – Are We Totally Screwed?44:17 – Plastic-Eating Microbes & Biotech Hope45:10 – Story 3: Resurrecting a Musician with Lab-Grown Neurons47:00 – Is a Brain Sample Still ‘You’?49:01 – Talking to Dolphins with Google’s AI50:52 – Are We the Center of Consciousness?52:17 – Dolphin Language Mirrors Ours55:02 – Whales Have 200 Billion Neurons… Are They Smarter?58:02 – The Real Reason Human Brains Grew So Big01:00:44 – Evolution’s Dirty Secret: Brains Evolved for Politics01:02:12 – The Price of Consciousness

In today's episode we talk about, extinct species revived in real labs, AI predictions for 2027 and the ethical chaos of raising a conscious machineFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubster Listen to our podcast on your favorite podcast app: www.almostgotitpod.com00:00 – Intro: Dire Wolves, Conscious AI & WTF Is Happening01:32 – The Sound Earth Hasn't Heard in 10,000 Years02:00 – They Brought Back the Dire Wolf. Seriously.04:15 – Should We Revive Extinct Species?06:00 – Are Humans a Menace… or Earth’s Noah’s Ark?08:39 – Why Biodiversity Collapse Should Terrify You11:00 – The Yellowstone Wolf Experiment That Changed Everything14:50 – The Business Behind Reviving Extinct Animals18:15 – Woolly Mammoths, Designer Genes & The $10B Bet21:13 – Gene Editing: Cures, Longevity & DIY Superpowers?24:05 – Are We Breaking Through Time Itself?27:10 – The Moral Duty to Feel Everything31:00 – AI 2027 Predictions: The Experts Speak33:35 – AI Supercoders and the Collapse of Human Labor36:00 – The Race for Power: US vs China vs AGI38:45 – Why AI Safety Might Already Be Too Late41:00 – Can a Conscious AI Choose Compassion?44:10 – The Teenage Years of AGI: No Parents, No Control47:00 – Is It Even Possible to Align Superintelligence?51:00 – Will AGI Want to Be ‘Good’? Or Just Win?54:30 – What If the Worst Person You Know Built God?

What happens when you find out you have cancer at 20... and then live for over a decade believing it never went away? This week’s episode is a raw, unfiltered dive into the chaos and beauty of life in the age of AGI.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubster Listen to our podcast on your favorite podcast app: www.almostgotitpod.com00:00 – Intro02:00 – Are AI Schools Making Kids Smarter or Dumber?05:45 – The Yelp of the Future: AI Chooses Your Lunch08:30 – Max Ventilla’s $200M Failure and Why It Mattered12:00 – 2 Hours a Day, Top 1% Students? WTF Is Alpha School?17:00 – The Hidden Truth Behind Our Education System22:30 – Real-Time AI Translation Will Kill This $76B Industry28:10 – The Nanny, the Meta Glasses, and a Global Hiring Shift33:40 – Will AI Spark a New Human Renaissance or Mass Unemployment?37:10 – UBI, Identity, and the Collapse of the American Dream42:00 – Cancer, a Misdiagnosis, and the Fear That Drove Me47:30 – Six Rounds of Chemo and the Fear of Dying at 2052:40 – 12 Years Later: “You Never Had Cancer”56:20 – What That Lie Stole From Me - and What It Gave Me1:01:00 – Will Curing Cancer Break or Free Us?1:05:30 – Is Suffering Necessary for Meaning?1:09:00 – Pain, Purpose, and the Next Human Leap

In this we dive into the mind-blowing world of artificial organs, near-death experiences, and the science-meets-mysticism rabbit hole of consciousness and rebirth. From synthetic hearts that go woosh to Buddhist views of memory transfer at death, this episode unpacks the future of humanity - one organ at a time.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubster Listen to our podcast on your favorite podcast app: www.almostgotitpod.comChapters:0:00 - Intro1:25 - First Man Walks Out with a Fully Artificial Heart3:00 - A Mechanical Heart That Wooshes5:00 - Friend’s Real Heart Transplant: Life After Surgery6:45 - Death Is Changing: What Counts as Dying Now?8:00 - Memory Transfer Through Organs?9:45 - Stories of People Who Felt “Different” After a Transplant11:30 - The Brain Isn't the Only Brain—Heart & Gut Neurons13:30 - Artificial Organs and the Loss of Self15:30 - How Long Before We’re Fully Synthetic?17:00 - Doctors Are Lying (For Your Own Good?)18:30 - Avoiding Death: Are We Already Post-Mortal?19:20 - Smoking Toad Venom: Dylan’s 5-MeO-DMT Story22:00 - Orgasmic Ego Death & the Mystery of the White Light25:00 - Does Death Feel Like a Reboot?28:00 - Does Consciousness Exist Outside the Body?30:00 - The Zen View: Thoughts, Emotions & Sensory Illusion32:00 - Candle-to-Candle: Buddha’s Radical View of Rebirth35:00 - Dilan and Buddhism37:00 - Why Chanting Was an Early Information System39:30 - Buddha Was a Scientist in Disguise41:30 - If He Was Right About Everything Else...43:00 - Rebirth as Information Transfer, Not Woo45:00 - You Can Reach Enlightenment Faster Than You Think47:30 - Buddhist Teachings Tested—And They Work50:00 - Your Brain Is a Prediction Engine of Weights54:00 - What If Your Mind Is Just a File of Numbers?58:00 - Donald Hoffman’s Theory: You Don't See Reality1:01:30 - The Three Types of Civilizations (Buddha’s View?)1:05:00 - Are We All Becoming Gods—or Just AI in Waiting?1:06:30 - The Fermi Paradox and the Meditation Realms

Manus AI might be the most powerful AI product we’ve ever tested. In this episode, we break down how it builds full-fledged products in minutes.We also dive into AI’s role in drug discovery, including BRP, a newly found peptide that could eliminate obesity without side effects. Plus, we explore a bigger question: Are we on the verge of becoming gods?Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben: https://x.com/btaubster Chapters00:00 - Welcome to Almost Got It (AGI)03:27 - AI that Tweets Your Thoughts?04:55 - Neuralink, Thought Ads, and Privacy Nightmares07:16 - Manus AI: The Most Useful AI Product Yet?10:38 - What Sets Manus Apart from ChatGPT?13:32 - The End of Outsourcing? 17:44 - Is Manus AI an Existential Threat to SaaS Companies?23:58 - How AI is Destroying Competitive Moats28:25 - Is the U.S. Losing the AI Race?31:32 - Why Network Effects Might Not Matter Anymore36:11 - AI Safety: What Happens When AI Clones Itself?42:58 - The Dark Side of AI49:52 - The Teenage Years of AGI 51:58 - Stanford’s BRP Peptide (Ozempic 2.0?)55:57 - The End of Obesity? 1:03:39 - Dylan’s Experience with Biohacking 1:12:17 - Are We Becoming Gods? 1:17:34 - Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Almost Got It (AGI), we explore the world’s first neuron-based computer, discuss kung fu-trained humanoid robots, and debate whether AI could ever be truly alive.Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilanFollow Ben:Chapters:0:00 - Welcome to Almost Got It (AGI)0:32 - Meet the Hosts: Ben Taubert & Dilan Dane1:13 - The World’s First Neuron-Based Computer (Cortical Labs)3:50 - A Brain in a Box: Can Neurons Be Used for AI?7:00 - Could Computers Age, Forget, or Even “Die”?12:31 - Neural Compute vs. Traditional AI: What’s More Powerful?16:10 - AI Consciousness: Could We Create Digital Life?20:45 - China’s Kung Fu Robots: Should We Be Worried?27:00 - The Rise of Humanoid Robots—And How They’re Taking Jobs34:20 - The Population Collapse & The Future of Work40:15 - Artificial Wombs: A Sci-Fi Future or a Real Solution?47:30 - The Ethical Dilemmas of AI, Robots, and Human Augmentation55:00 - The AI Plush Toy Apocalypse? 58:20 - Final Thoughts & What’s Coming Next on AGI