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.
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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 -
The Internet is All Ragebait Now. Here's Why 04.10.2026 58minIt has become almost cliche to observe that the internet often seems to bring out the worst in us. Yet the question of why remains elusive. So today we are going to check out a number of philosophers who, in my view, can help us understand our current internet predicament, and hopefully try to solve it.Uploaded 22-06-26Support 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 Dehumanizing Human15:04 Echo Chambers and Rationality29:06 Anonymity and Manners40:18 The Task of Love and the Future of The Internet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How Nihilism Destroys You | Tolstoy's Confession 04.10.2026 33minAn Existential Crisis is a uniquely painful experience. It robs all the joy out of life and leaves us a heaping mess on the floor. But luckily, we can turn to some of the greatest minds in history to guide us through. And foremost among these is Tolstoy's Confession, where he outlines how he fell into existential despair, and how he eventually started to dig himself out of it.Uploaded 14-07-24Support 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 (occasional) philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Tolstoy's Existential Crisis01:34 The Brutality of Nihilism08:13 Four Futile Paths14:27 Faith, Reason, and Conflict20:57 Finding Normativity: An Open Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
9 novels that are better than any self-help book 03.10.2026 52minHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 22-05-26I have often said that I think reading good fiction and novels can improve your life, as much if not more than books written with that purpose in mind. So here is a list of phenomenal works of fiction to get you started, each of which I am confident will improve your life more than any self-help book out there.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/Here is a good production of Othello (I can't find the one I had in mind but it has Ian McKellen in so chances are it is fantastic): https://youtu.be/oX0cbcrMAdo?si=2aPO4BsUsK0lB6_n00:00 A Hopeful Apocalypse05:56 An Envious Tragedy10:18 An Existential Affliction16:03 Some Fabulous Fables20:34 Some Satanic Scribbles25:50 A Pessimistic Psychology31:31 Some Ancient Epics36:12 A Fraught Romance39:13 A Religious Experience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The War On The Humanities 03.10.2026 53minIt is no secret that the humanities are under threat. This is for many reasons, but among them is the idea that the humanities are "useless". But at the same time, I am a bit dissatisfied with many of the ways we currently defend these fields. So today we re going to look at the war on the humanities, using Eric Adler's book "The Battle Of The Classics".Uploaded 22-07-26Support 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/00:00 The Decline and Fall of the Humanities07:48 Critical Thinking is Not Enough15:57 What's the Point of The Humanities?24:27 How to Actually Defend the Humanities37:14 A Defence in Practice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How a Society Collapses 03.10.2026 35minThe first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice08241Uploaded 01-08-24Among the work of Albert Camus, there is one work that stands out as the bleakest story he has ever written. The Plague documents a pestilence that devours the town of Oran in French Algeria. It is a disturbing tale that explores the depths of human despair, as well as the heights of heroism that can thrive under the worst possible conditions. So let's explore how the world collapses, at the behest of a ruthless plague.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 (occasional) philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Plagues and Pestilence02:26 Denial and Illusion08:40 The Grief of Disaster16:12 The Banality of Goodness23:43 Temporary Peace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Debating Philip Goff on Consciousness, God, and Drugs 03.10.2026 2h 25minI am a naturalist, and Philip is a panpsychist, and as a result we disagree an awful lot on questions to do with consciousness and God. So we met up to chat about both of these topics, as well as the subject of religious experiences, and see what common ground we share. This was a very fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy!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/Check out Philip's reply to my fine-tuning argument here: https://open.substack.com/pub/philipgoff/p/i-was-wrong-on-fine-tuningor-was?r=2ohjsz&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewerHere are Philip’s links - please do check them out :)‘Why? The Purpose of the Universe’: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Purpose-Universe-Philip-Goff/dp/0198883765/‘Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness’: https://www.amazon.com/Galileos-Error-Foundations-Science-Consciousness/dp/1524747963 Philip’s channel https://www.youtube.com/@philipgoffphilosophy Philip’s X: https://twitter.com/Philip_Goff00:00 Why Panpsychism Doesn't Help Explain Consciousness09:35 Why Panpsychism Does Help Explain Consciousness23:35 My Problems with the Panpsychist Argument40:05 Can we know the nature of consciousness intrinsically?59:56 Are the physicalist and panpsychist at argumentative bedrock?1:23:22 Philip's Religious Experience1:33:31 Are religious experiences reliable?1:40:10 Religious experiences and Orthodox Christianity1:50:16 Debating the fine-tuning argument2:14:06 What is the most interesting idea you've come across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Answering your personal and philosophical questions | 900k QnA 03.10.2026 1h 36minThank you so much for 900 thousand subscribers! I am so grateful and I look forward to answering your questions!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 How am I?05:58 What would I do if not philosophy?09:45 What are my non-philosophical hobbies?12:18 What do I want to be when I grow up?15:12 Why is emotional sincerity cringe?23:13 What defines philosophical literature?29:46 Where am I in the consciousness discussion?39:34 Favourite author style-wise42:27 How to not take disagreement personally47:22 do I journal?50:33 Which philosopher would I bring to the modern day?56:47 Did I like philosophy as a kid?1:01:38 Who is the smartest philosopher of all time?1:06:37 What do you think about Byung-Chul Han?1:11:17 Will I do videos about logic?1:17:04 What have I changed my mind on since starting the channel?1:22:43 What makes me angry?1:26:55 Should philosophers have beards?Here is a Frank Ramsey paper: https://www.fitelson.org/probability/ramsey.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
One star reviews of classic books that actually understood them perfectly 03.10.2026 52minHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEYou know the drill! Here are some one-star reviews of classic books. But this time I wanted to do something a little bit different. Rather than simply look to them for entertainment, I wanted to pick those reviews that, even though they were uniformly negative, actually had a very good point, and perhaps understood these works better than most other people.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 The Great Gatsby12:29 American Psycho21:18 Kafka: The Complete Stories28:52 Albert Camus' The Fall37:28 Montaigne's Essays Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Taking Philosophy Memes Seriously 03.10.2026 32minAncient Greece had the philosophical dialogue, ancient Rome had the hexameter poem, the enlightenment had the essay, and the Romantics had the philosophical novel. But today, we will look at the modern choice for communicating philosophical ideas: memes. And rather than simply laugh or mock them, we are going to take them seriously to see what we can learn from them.Support 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/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:23 The Myth of Sisyphus03:03 Shopping Trolley Problem06:19 Frustrated Originality08:21 God and Freedom10:00 The Fear of Being Seen12:13 Philosophy is Annoying14:38 Partying in Absurdity18:08 Moral Monsters19:56 Relativism and its Issues21:44 Philosophy and Self-Help24:29 MC Hammer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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