Episode
#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
3:25:56
Published: Tue Aug 16 2022
Description
Duncan Trussell is a comedian, host of The Duncan Trussell Family Hour podcast, and co-creator of The Midnight Gospel. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Skiff: https://skiff.com/lex - Calm: https://calm.com/lex to get 40% off premium - SimpliSafe: https://simplisafe.com/lex - NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/lex to get free product tour - Indeed: https://indeed.com/lex to get $75 credit EPISODE LINKS: Duncan's Twitter: https://twitter.com/duncantrussell Duncan's Instagram: https://instagram.com/duncantrussell The Duncan Trussell Family Hour: https://duncantrussell.com The Midnight Gospel: https://netflix.com/themidnightgospel Books mentioned: Superintelligence: https://amzn.to/3QufVEs Man's Search for Meaning: https://amzn.to/3vU9S42 PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (07:13) - Nietzsche's eternal recurrence (27:03) - Artificial intelligence (55:33) - Joe Rogan (1:04:06) - Facing death (1:20:54) - Bhakti yoga (1:27:46) - Afterlife (1:38:10) - Suffering (2:03:25) - War (2:21:19) - Depression (2:43:08) - Evil (2:53:24) - Burning Man (3:08:56) - The Midnight Gospel (3:13:48) - Advice for young people (3:23:19) - Duncan reads a poem
Chapters
A conversation with Duncan Trussell, a standup comedian and host of the Duncan Trussell Family Hour podcast.
00:00 - 01:11 (01:11)
Summary
A conversation with Duncan Trussell, a standup comedian and host of the Duncan Trussell Family Hour podcast. They discuss various topics and there is a brief mention of podcast sponsors in the beginning and end of the transcript.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast features ads of SimpliSafe, a home security system, and NetSuite, a cloud-based business management system.
01:13 - 06:55 (05:41)
Summary
The podcast features ads of SimpliSafe, a home security system, and NetSuite, a cloud-based business management system. SimpliSafe is easy to set up, while NetSuite offers comprehensive services for different aspects of a business.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
What if an advanced civilization could recreate the past by decoding quantum energy?
06:55 - 16:40 (09:45)
Summary
What if an advanced civilization could recreate the past by decoding quantum energy? A thought experiment involving a demon killing you repeatedly raises questions about the importance of life experiences.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The idea of replaying life or experiencing free will in virtual reality is a common fantasy, but often misses the point of true immersion in a game through the illusion of free will in non-playable characters.
16:40 - 22:01 (05:21)
Summary
The idea of replaying life or experiencing free will in virtual reality is a common fantasy, but often misses the point of true immersion in a game through the illusion of free will in non-playable characters.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The use of immersive technology has the ability to trick our brains into believing we are experiencing something we are not.
22:01 - 33:19 (11:17)
Summary
The use of immersive technology has the ability to trick our brains into believing we are experiencing something we are not. This technology has the potential to be both fascinating and dangerous.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses the dangers of assuming that once AI achieves super intelligence, it will stay within the server, drawing a comparison to historical advancements such as fire and the industrial revolution.
33:19 - 41:38 (08:19)
Summary
The speaker discusses the dangers of assuming that once AI achieves super intelligence, it will stay within the server, drawing a comparison to historical advancements such as fire and the industrial revolution.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Companies like Google and Facebook releasing open-source tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch demonstrate the positive trend towards freedom of exchange of software.
41:38 - 50:53 (09:14)
Summary
Companies like Google and Facebook releasing open-source tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch demonstrate the positive trend towards freedom of exchange of software. This, together with the open-source movement, will help prevent a single entity from owning a super intelligent system equipped with AI.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses ethical considerations when considering to work for the CIA and highlights the mundane, unimpressive nature of the work.
50:53 - 56:07 (05:13)
Summary
The speaker discusses ethical considerations when considering to work for the CIA and highlights the mundane, unimpressive nature of the work. The speaker also references a game played on the podcast that involves mimicking one another.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses the idea of building Lego blocks on top of each other and the effects of adding drugs into the mix.
56:07 - 59:45 (03:37)
Summary
The podcast discusses the idea of building Lego blocks on top of each other and the effects of adding drugs into the mix. They also mention how watching increasingly disturbing videos can act as a form of benevolent torture.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Having someone in our lives who can give us honest feedback helps us grow as a person, especially in the field of comedy where it's valuable to have someone judge our jokes.
59:45 - 1:02:45 (03:00)
Summary
Having someone in our lives who can give us honest feedback helps us grow as a person, especially in the field of comedy where it's valuable to have someone judge our jokes. Being truthful about our flaws and jokes, helps build real relationships.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
A cancer diagnosis can remind us of our mortality and help us reconnect with life.
1:02:45 - 1:07:39 (04:53)
Summary
A cancer diagnosis can remind us of our mortality and help us reconnect with life. Forgetting that we will die can actually hinder our survival chances and prevent us from fully living in the present moment.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker shares his experience with testicular cancer, noting that from a doctor's perspective, it's a hard conversation to have.
1:07:39 - 1:11:11 (03:32)
Summary
The speaker shares his experience with testicular cancer, noting that from a doctor's perspective, it's a hard conversation to have. He asserts that testicular cancer is one of the preferable cancers to get since it moves slowly.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast speaker ponders on the idea of self-awareness and the human lifespan after receiving a cancer diagnosis, noting that the human lifespan was increasing by half a year every year prior to the pandemic.
1:11:11 - 1:15:26 (04:15)
Summary
The podcast speaker ponders on the idea of self-awareness and the human lifespan after receiving a cancer diagnosis, noting that the human lifespan was increasing by half a year every year prior to the pandemic.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker shares about the paradox of finding joy and love amidst difficult and traumatic experiences, even in situations such as war or cancer.
1:15:26 - 1:19:08 (03:42)
Summary
The speaker shares about the paradox of finding joy and love amidst difficult and traumatic experiences, even in situations such as war or cancer. He also mentions a romantic connection between a poor mechanic and a girl, highlighting that such bonds can come from unlikely circumstances.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Bhakti Yoga is a practice that involves the commingling of the individual soul with the divine through the expression of love.
1:19:08 - 1:23:51 (04:43)
Summary
Bhakti Yoga is a practice that involves the commingling of the individual soul with the divine through the expression of love. It highlights the importance of individuals in cultivating embodied love, making it an attractive practice for Westerners seeking spiritual connection.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast episode talks about the natural occurrence of death and how humans have qualities like the divine.
1:23:51 - 1:30:02 (06:11)
Summary
This podcast episode talks about the natural occurrence of death and how humans have qualities like the divine. Love is also discussed as a beautiful form of yoga.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The experience of dying can be confusingly fast but in the moment before passing there is often a sense of lucidity.
1:30:02 - 1:36:12 (06:09)
Summary
The experience of dying can be confusingly fast but in the moment before passing there is often a sense of lucidity. Reports of experiences beyond death such as the light and life review are nearly universal across cultures.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The idea is to choose a birth that will be conducive to continued spiritual evolution, as any disturbance from stillness can be considered suffering.
1:36:12 - 1:43:57 (07:44)
Summary
The idea is to choose a birth that will be conducive to continued spiritual evolution, as any disturbance from stillness can be considered suffering.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This episode explores the second and third noble truths of Buddhism, which assert that the cause of suffering is attachment and that letting go of attachment leads to the end of suffering.
1:43:57 - 1:47:38 (03:41)
Summary
This episode explores the second and third noble truths of Buddhism, which assert that the cause of suffering is attachment and that letting go of attachment leads to the end of suffering. The conversation also touches on how the notion of the self plays a role in these teachings, and how existentialist philosophy delves into this concept in a different way.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses the phenomenon of comedy artists seeking fame and success, and how this can paradoxically hinder their ability to fully immerse themselves in the creative process.
1:47:38 - 1:52:15 (04:36)
Summary
The podcast discusses the phenomenon of comedy artists seeking fame and success, and how this can paradoxically hinder their ability to fully immerse themselves in the creative process.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The host of a popular podcast reflects on the joy of connecting with guests and fans, and the feelings of success that come with it, akin to being transported to a "purple lavender world."
1:52:15 - 1:55:36 (03:21)
Summary
The host of a popular podcast reflects on the joy of connecting with guests and fans, and the feelings of success that come with it, akin to being transported to a "purple lavender world."
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
A discussion on the intense certainty that some young people in the cryptocurrency community have about the technology's ability to transform the world, compared to the lack of understanding from adults.
1:55:36 - 1:59:29 (03:53)
Summary
A discussion on the intense certainty that some young people in the cryptocurrency community have about the technology's ability to transform the world, compared to the lack of understanding from adults.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The difficulty in translating Chinese and Russian languages poses challenges for cross-cultural communication and understanding, leading to potential conflicts and loss of culture.
1:59:29 - 2:03:34 (04:05)
Summary
The difficulty in translating Chinese and Russian languages poses challenges for cross-cultural communication and understanding, leading to potential conflicts and loss of culture.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses a lack of clarity that can occur in conversations and how assumptions can cause misunderstandings.
2:03:34 - 2:13:08 (09:33)
Summary
The speaker discusses a lack of clarity that can occur in conversations and how assumptions can cause misunderstandings.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses a range of topics from Elon Musk's party to coping with trauma while building a community, and dealing with hate during conflict.
2:13:08 - 3:05:59 (52:50)
Summary
The podcast discusses a range of topics from Elon Musk's party to coping with trauma while building a community, and dealing with hate during conflict.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
A discussion about the importance of de-hierarchizing in animation, specifically with character design and motion, to create a more relatable and dynamic product.
3:05:59 - 3:13:06 (07:07)
Summary
A discussion about the importance of de-hierarchizing in animation, specifically with character design and motion, to create a more relatable and dynamic product.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
A comedian discusses the pressure of trying to differentiate from your parents and the benefits of working at a comedy club, such as getting stage time.
3:13:06 - 3:18:50 (05:43)
Summary
A comedian discusses the pressure of trying to differentiate from your parents and the benefits of working at a comedy club, such as getting stage time.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker reflects on the guilt and regret they felt over not spending enough time with their dying mother, and how facing that guilt has led to personal growth and a desire to make up for lost time with their surviving father.
3:18:50 - 3:23:12 (04:22)
Summary
The speaker reflects on the guilt and regret they felt over not spending enough time with their dying mother, and how facing that guilt has led to personal growth and a desire to make up for lost time with their surviving father.
Episode#312 – Duncan Trussell: Comedy, Sentient Robots, Suffering, Love & Burning Man
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast episode discusses the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley and reflects upon the fleeting nature of time and human existence.
3:23:12 - 3:25:55 (02:43)
Summary
This podcast episode discusses the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley and reflects upon the fleeting nature of time and human existence.