How can mindfulness help with difficult or embarrassing memories?

Mindfulness helps by allowing one to observe thoughts and memories as they arise without getting caught up in them. The suffering from past memories, Harris suggests, comes from a contraction and failure to recognize thoughts as transient mental events, not from the memories themselves being unresolved.

How do you forgive someone who has lied to you?

Forgiveness is possible when you can see that the person has changed and genuinely disavows their past harmful actions, viewing them as you do. It requires a plausible path from their past behavior to their present character. If a tendency to lie is deeply ingrained, rebuilding trust may be difficult.

What is 'earning to give' in the context of effective altruism?

'Earning to give' is a strategy within effective altruism where individuals focus on maximizing their income to donate a significant portion to highly effective charities. The idea is that by earning more, one can potentially contribute more to solving global problems than through direct volunteer work.

What are Sam Harris's thoughts on transgender women in sports?

Sam Harris acknowledges the complexity and sensitivity of the issue of transgender women in sports, noting it's a topic that can lead to cancellation. He states he has thoughts on it and perceives it as a fringe issue at the moment, implying a nuanced approach is needed.

Why is Sam Harris concerned about societal fragmentation regarding public health crises?

Harris is concerned that the fragmentation of the media ecosystem and loss of trust in institutions makes society unable to coordinate and cooperate during crises. He fears this inability to handle a moderate pandemic could be catastrophic if a far more lethal pandemic were to occur.

Key Moments

Vaccine Mandates, transgender athletes, billionaires… (AMA 19)

Sam Harris

Science & Technology4 min read29 min video

Jan 31, 2022|95,022 views|2,074|1,211

sam harris sam harris podcast waking up podcast waking up waking up with sam harris sam harris waking up waking up sam harris sam harris jordan peterson sam harris joe rogan author neuroscientist philosopher

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Sam Harris discusses COVID-19 policies, the nature of memory and forgiveness, effective altruism with NFTs, and transgender athletes.

Key Insights

Sam Harris expresses skepticism about continued COVID-19 mandates and school closures, believing they have become counterproductive and highlights the disproportionate impact on certain demographics.

He argues that painful memories resurface not due to unresolved issues but as a symptom of identifying with a 'self,' with mindfulness and insight into the illusory nature of self being the antidote.

Regarding forgiveness, Harris emphasizes the importance of seeing genuine change and remorse in the offending person, alongside their disavowal of past wrongdoings.

His effective altruism initiative with NFTs focuses on a percentage of earnings (minimum 10%) rather than absolute donation amounts, encouraging 'earning to give.'

On transgender athletes, Harris acknowledges the complexity and seeks a philosophical approach beyond immediate political polarization, implying a need for nuanced policy.

He expresses concern over societal fragmentation, loss of trust in institutions, and the spread of misinformation, particularly in the context of potential future pandemics or crises.

RETHINKING COVID-19 MANDATES AND RESTRICTIONS

Sam Harris elaborates on his stance regarding COVID-19 policies, agreeing with the sentiment that prolonged mandates and restrictions may be counterproductive. He acknowledges the significant, often luck-driven disparities in how individuals and businesses were affected, particularly those without remote work options. While initially supporting lockdowns to prevent healthcare system collapse, Harris now questions the necessity of strict measures like school closures and mask mandates, especially post-vaccination and with available treatments. He criticizes the politicization of public health, viewing it as a dangerous precursor to potential future, more lethal pandemics.

THE NATURE OF MEMORY, SUFFERING, AND MINDFULNESS

Addressing a question about painful memories, Harris suggests they resurface not because something is unresolved, but as a natural consequence of identifying with a constructed sense of 'self.' The suffering, he explains, arises from a contraction or failure to recognize a thought as merely a thought. Mindfulness serves as the antidote by allowing one to observe these thoughts and memories without identification, recognizing the conscious witness as un-implicated. While reframing past experiences can be helpful, ultimate relief comes from insight into the illusory nature of the self.

FORGIVENESS AND REBUILDING TRUST AFTER DECEPTION

On the subject of forgiving a consequential lie from a trusted person, Harris highlights that genuine forgiveness hinges on the perceived change in the offender. It requires seeing that the individual views their past betrayal in the same negative light and can assure it won't recur. Rebuilding trust is contingent on their remorse and a plausible path demonstrating their evolution from the person who caused harm. He notes that if a tendency towards deception is deeply ingrained, as evidenced by the lie, continuing to trust them heavily may be unwise, requiring intuitive judgment.

EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM, NFTS, AND 'EARNING TO GIVE'

Sam Harris clarifies his initiative involving NFTs for charitable giving, emphasizing it's based on a percentage of earnings (a minimum of 10% pre-tax) rather than the absolute amount donated. This approach supports the concept of 'earning to give,' where individuals focus on accumulating wealth to donate to effective causes. He advocates for not stigmatizing wealth, drawing parallels to technological advancements like electric cars, which became desirable without requiring sacrifice. The goal is to create virtuous cycles that leverage people's desires for better outcomes, like clean air, to address societal challenges.

APPROACHING THE COMPLEXITY OF TRANSGENDER ATHLETES

While acknowledging the sensitivity and contentious nature of the transgender athlete debate, Harris indicates he would approach policy discussions philosophically, moving beyond immediate political polarization. He recognizes the issue as complex and expresses a desire to engage with it thoughtfully, suggesting that the current discourse often fails to capture the nuances. His intention is to consider the issue with a degree of reasoned analysis, rather than succumbing to the pressure of definitive, often divisive, public opinions.

COMBATING DISINFORMATION AND SOCIETAL FRAGMENTATION

Harris expresses profound concern over the societal fragmentation, the erosion of trust in institutions, and the rampant spread of misinformation, particularly amplified through digital media. He fears that in the face of future crises, such as more lethal pandemics or other global threats, this inability to coordinate, cooperate, and trust reliable information sources will prove disastrous. The proliferation of unqualified opinions presented as expertise on platforms like podcasts and social media is seen as a critical danger to our collective ability to respond effectively.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Sam Harris expresses being pro-vaccine but skeptical of ongoing mandates and strict restrictions, especially for schools. He believes that while initial lockdowns made sense, prolonged or draconian measures, particularly after vaccines became available, were a mistake. He emphasizes the need to de-escalate the political polarization around these issues.

Topics

Health & Longevity Mindset & Self-Improvement Society & Philosophy Public Health COVID-19 Policy Vaccine Mandates Societal Division Transgender Rights

Mentioned in this video

Concepts

Effective Altruism

A philosophy and movement focused on using evidence and reason to determine the most effective ways to improve the world. Discussed in relation to its promotion through NFTs and the concept of 'earning to give'.

Earning to Give

A concept within effective altruism where individuals focus on making as much money as possible to donate to effective charities, rather than directly volunteering.

Mindfulness

A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, used as an antidote to suffering caused by painful thoughts or memories.

Omicron

The latest COVID-19 variant mentioned as appearing to be far more mild, especially in vaccinated individuals.

People

Sam Bankman-Fried

Mentioned in the context of 'earning to give' and effective altruism, highlighting his role and significant donations.

Douglas Murray

Shared an anecdote about a tweet illustrating the public's tendency to quickly shift focus on complex topics, using COVID-19 and Afghanistan as examples.

Alex Jones

Mentioned as an example of conspiracy thinking that might disappear in the face of extreme disaster.

Sam Harris

Host of the Making Sense podcast, discussing various topics including COVID-19 policies, mindfulness, ethics, and social issues.

Elon Musk

Mentioned as an example of how desirable products (like electric cars) can drive positive change and progress, akin to the approach desired for climate change solutions.

finance

NFTs

Non-fungible tokens, proposed as a method to award individuals who donate significantly to charitable organizations as part of promoting effective altruism.

Software & Apps

Waking Up App

An app offering guided meditations, referenced by a listener for its value in managing stress and difficult memories. Also mentioned in relation to the 'waking up pledge'.

Organizations

FTX

A cryptocurrency exchange associated with Sam Bankman-Fried, mentioned in relation to the concept of 'earning to give'.

Products

Model S

A version of the Tesla electric car, used as an example of a high-performance electric vehicle that is desirable and competitive with combustion engine cars.

Companies

Twitter

A social media platform used for submitting questions for the AMA and where a tweet about shifting expert opinions was referenced.