Unsolicited advice
Unsolicited advice
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Unsolicited Advice is a podcast that offers philosophical perspectives intended to be helpful in everyday life. The host shares ideas and frameworks that listeners can apply as they see fit. Its approach is practical rather than academic, encouraging people to take what works for them and leave the rest. The show is produced in English for a general audience.
Epizody
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I don't like the way we talk about books now 04.10.2026 50minLearn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 10-04-26The way we talk about books online has been bothering me for a while, and I wanted to talk a bit about it. We'll be talking a bit about ragebait, a bit about snobbery, and a bit about literacy, and we'll try to paint a slightly different way forward.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Literary Ragebait10:20 The Origin and Variety of Snobs23:40 The Capture of Value35:45 The Worship of KnowledgeThis video is sponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why Nietzsche HATED Religion 04.10.2026 35minThis is an old video on Nietzsche and does not really reflect my current views on him. Sorry about that.Uploaded 20-07-24There has been increasing discourse online about the concept of a "Christian Revival" or otherwise a general religious revival. And I find this very interesting because almost exactly the same debate took place over the course of the 19th century. And chief among the critics of religion as an answer to nihilism was the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. So it is worth hearing him out - even if we end up disagreeing with him. Let's find out if a religious revival is really the answer.Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person you): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Religious Revival - A Dilemma01:48 Lived Religion07:05 Religion and Nihilism: A False Dichotomy14:08 Religious Authority and its Critics21:11 Nihilism and The Will Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Christian Case Against Cultural Christianity | Matt Whiteley 04.10.2026 1h 49minAn argument that has become increasingly popular in apologetic or cultural apologetic circles is arguing for the cultural influence of Christianity through the "Tom Holland Argument". I talked to a prominent Christian critic of that argument to see why he thinks Christians should not take this route.Uploaded 26-08-26Also check out Matt’s Substack here! It is really good!: https://substack.com/@thisisleisfullofnoises?r=2ohjsz&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=imageSupport me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What is the "Tom Holland Argument"06:20 Why shouldn't Christians use it?16:46 The trouble with defining Christianity29:15 The difficulty of writing history through ideas41:15 Your morals aren't self-evident50:30 History, Epistemology, and Storytelling55:35 What are some good arguments for cultural Christianity?1:03:15 When are historical arguments persuasive?1:12:46 Secular Ethics and Self-Help Bros1:22:30 What I envy about religious people1:27:40 Can everyone go to Heaven?1:39:07 What was the greatest idea you came across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Most Hated Philosophers in History | The Sophists 04.10.2026 58minThe Sophists are potentially the most hated philosophers in history. But as far as I can tell, this is based on a series of misunderstandings and misrepresentations. When we look at the existing evidence in more detail, what is instead revealed are a group of interesting and original thinkers. So here is my sophist apologia. I hope you enjoy it.Uploaded 04-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Villainous Sophist07:50 Arguments Leading Nowhere24:27 Corrupting the Youth36:30 Man is the Measure of All Things45:00 What to do about the Sophists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why You Hate Modern Work 04.10.2026 32minWhy do we all hate work so much? And why does it seem to have only got worse in the modern era? Well, according to philosopher Byung-Chul Han, our psychological attitude towards work and productivity has fundamentally shifted in a disastrous direction for our mental health, our happiness, and our long-term fulfilment.Uploaded 23-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Burnout Society01:27 Discipline and Achievement08:07 Isolation and Individualism14:53 No Rest for the Wicked20:33 Means, Ends, and Self-Hatred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How To Think Like a Philosopher 04.10.2026 32minThroughout history, philosophers have tackled a number of questions, but on the side they have provided something almost as valuable - an implicit guide on how to think like some of the brightest minds in history. And that is what we shall be exploring today. So here is how to think like a philosopher.Uploaded 27-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Philosophers' Guidebook01:07 Let's Get Specific06:29 Originality and Creativity12:08 Courage and Inquiry18:03 Doubt and Dubitability22:39 Theory, Practice, and Habituation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Debating William Lane Craig, Philip Goff, and Jessica Frazier on God and Morality 04.10.2026 1h 51minEarlier this year I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with some enormously clever people and talking about God, goodness, and meaning, and I am delighted to share it with you now. Thank you to Premier Unbelievable for filming it and for allowing me to post it here.Uploaded 27-07-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/0:00 The Story of Everything1:00 William Lane Craig: Where Did Reality Come From?5:34 Can Life Have Meaning Without God?10:07 Hinduism, God and the Universe14:57 Philip Goff’s Mystical Experience24:04 Craig Challenges Goff on Mystical Experience27:38 Does Meaning Need God?45:04 Creation, Brahman and Christian Theism51:05 Is God Separate From the Universe?1:00:02 Good, Evil and Ultimate Reality1:14:38 Have We Moved Beyond Objective Meaning? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How to Turn Suffering Into Art 04.10.2026 32minThough many philosophers throughout history have talked about beauty and suffering, very few have done this to the same extent as Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book The Birth of Tragedy he explores how the sufferings and pains of life can be rendered beautiful through art, and this ties in interestingly with his wider philosophy. So let's see what this great thinker can teach us about the life of art and the art of life.Uploaded 23-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Tragic Life01:30 Apollo, Dionysus, and Unbearable Truths07:30 Beware Greeks Bearing Scripts13:40 Humanity as Art and Artist19:59 An Excess of Apollo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Biggest Problem with Social Media Nobody Talks About 04.10.2026 34minSocial Media. It is something everyone seems to agree has some pretty negative consequences, along with some positives. But we rarely stop and ask what it is about this simple collection of words and images that seems to cause so much distress. And in The Transparency Society, Byung-Chul Han aims to answer this very thing. So, let's learn how we killed privacy, and why you hate social media.Uploaded 27-08-24Support me on Patreon here (you absolutely wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Transparency Society01:39 The Society of Exhibition07:47 Forced Intimacy and No Intimacy14:15 The Uninformative Deluge20:14 Transparency and Control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Problem with Modern Love 04.10.2026 1h 4minHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 27-07-24It seems like there is only one thing everyone can agree on at the moment - there is something wrong with modern love. Though people may disagree with exactly what it is or what the solutions might be, no one is happy, and everyone has a bone to pick. So I hope you'll join me in exploring the philosophy behind the problem with modern love.LINKS AND CORRECTIONSSupport me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The State of Love02:36 The Terrifying Power of Love08:28 Lofty Expectations14:59 The Cult of Eros22:02 The Mysteries of Compatibility27:45 The Aesthetic Stage of Love33:24 The Terror of Beauty39:30 The Expectation of Self-Love46:07 Dissonance and Harmony53:05 Romantic Nihilism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Terrifying Philosophy of Edgar Allan Poe 04.10.2026 31minOut of all gothic horror, the name "Edgar Allan Poe" towers as one of the most significant writers of the genre. His exploration of every and any dark aspect of the human psyche is phenomenal to behold. And today we will whet our appetite with three of his short stories, to explore this man's tortured genius.Uploaded 15-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Dark Heart of Man01:33 Science, Sanity, and The Rest07:17 Ravenous Grief13:38 Cats, Axes, and Rule-Breaking19:48 The Impotent Rationality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Pleasure Will Destroy Society | Brave New World 04.10.2026 1h 2minTo learn more than ever from important non-fiction books, join me on Shortform: https://shortform.com/joseph. You’ll get a 5-day free trial and a discounted annual subscription. One of my favourite books on Shortform is Thinking Fast and Slow (NB - this is an affiliate link, so at no extra cost I will get a small percentage of your sign up)Uploaded 19-06-24Brave New World is one of the most fascinating books in history. It is simultaneously an exploration of the human mind, a critique of Plato and Utilitarianism, and a treatise on how prioritising pleasure may rob us of the very things that matter most to us. And behind it all is one simple yet profound idea: is there something more important than happiness? And if so, what is it?Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Huxley's Nightmare02:37 A Brave New Overview09:30 Alone in Public15:46 Plato, Class, and Gratitude22:42 Creativity and Consumption28:27 Love and Free Love34:08 Isolation and Shame39:49 The Necessity of Sacrifice46:07 The Right to be Unhappy52:15 The Warnings of Brave New World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Secret Behind Dostoevsky’s Genius 04.10.2026 57minHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 31-08-26Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of my favourite authors, and almost universally recognised as one of the greatest writers of all time. He left behind not only his novels and published works, but a plethora of journals and notes that some very interesting scholars have used to investigate his writing process. We are going to look at just some of their work now.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 A Timely Timeless Man16:54 Breaking News25:25 A Prisoner and a Prophet37:01 The Process of Creation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why Crushes are So Painful 04.10.2026 34minCrushes are a fascinating aspect of human life. They have a tendency to reduce even the most rational person to a neurotic mess. But what exactly is it that makes a crush so powerful and so painful, and why do we get them? Well, this question is explored in detail in Stendhal's magnificent book On Love. And we will explore this very topic in this video.Uploaded 31-08-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Touch of Irrationalism01:43 Crystallisation and Fantasy08:24 Love's Labour's Lost (and Won)15:09 Identity, Vanity, and Ego21:26 Dignifying the Crush Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why Everything Today Is Bulls*** 04.10.2026 34minThe first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice07241Uploaded 01-07-24Why does it seem like BS is around every corner in the modern age? Wherever we go there is usually someone trying to fool us, hoodwink us, or manipulate the truth to serve their own ends. But what exactly is Bulls****, and why should we care about it? Well, today we will look at Harry Frankfurt's essay on that very topic, and dive into the surprising philosophy of Bulls****Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Philosopher's Guide to BS02:32 A Theory of BS08:43 Honest and Dishonest15:17 The Tenacity of BS20:48 The Smell of BS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Analyzing Unhinged Am I The A**hole posts with Philosophy 04.10.2026 48minPeople from all over the internet flock to ask a very important question: Am I The A**hole? Today we are going to look at some of the most interesting finds from that subreddit, and see where philosophy is eminently applicable.Uploaded 05-05-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Honouring Dead Brother's Wishes12:25 Fake Memories of a Tragedy21:23 Telling a Friend She is Awful30:57 Not Caring About a Baby Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Dostoevsky's Warning to the Self-Destructive 04.10.2026 35minFyodor Dostoevsky is one of the most brilliant and eclectic writers in history. And here we will examine one of his most personal books - The Gambler. It is a masterclass in how to ruin your own life through self-destructive acts, and we will look at it in detail today. Get ready to learn how noble intentions can set us on the path to misery, and how we keep ourselves there. Let's dive into Dostoevsky's Guide to Self-Destruction.Uploaded 05-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 How to self-destruct01:29 Money, Self-ignorance, and self-sabotage08:52 The Hedonic Roulette Wheel13:51 The Existential Threat of Compulsion22:55 The Eternal Hope Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The 7 Levels of Logical Thinking 04.10.2026 54minTry Brilliant's tutor for free: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 29-06-26Logic and Logical thinking is one of my favourite topics, and also one of the most interesting and important fields of study out there. But it is quite difficult to give a broad view of what the field is or what it is all about. So today we are going to look at the seven levels of logic, taking us all the way from little-to-no logic at all, all the way to more advanced logical areas.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Pre-logic01:32 Fallacy-Mongering08:16 Basic Formal Logic14:50 First-Order Logic and Friends20:49 Specialized Logical Systems29:00 Using Maths to Study Maths41:54 Modern Logic ResearchSponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why Kafka Hated People 04.10.2026 35minFranz Kafka is one of the most brilliant yet anxious writers of the 20th century. And in his "Letter to my father" he outlines exactly where his fear of other people comes from. Here he outlines both his troubling relationship with his father Hermann, and gives a masterclass on the origins of his social anxiety, and social anxiety in general. So here is why Kafka hated people.Uploaded 09-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Letter to His Father01:39 Judge, Jury, and Executioner09:27 A Crumpled Map16:18 Permanent Scars22:31 Gratitude, Fear, and Guilt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why You're So Lonely | Camus' The Stranger 04.10.2026 32minThere are few experiences as terrifying as feeling totally alone. Being lonely and feeling alienated from everyone else around you. And nowhere is this explored better than in Albert Camus' landmark novel, The Stranger. So get ready to dive into this wonderful novel, and maybe answer the question of why we are so lonely.Uploaded 12-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Ultimate Outsider01:29 Indifference and Difference07:08 Judgement and Condemnation13:18 Confusion and Chaos20:22 The Comfort of The Absurd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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