John Vervaeke is a philosopher and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. He currently teaches courses on thinking and reasoning with an emphasis on cognitive development, intelligence, rationality, mindfulness, and the psychology of wisdom. He is known for his 50-part KZhead lecture series, “Awakening From The Meaning Crisis”
John Vervaeke joins Theo to talk about why so many people are struggling to find meaning in today’s world. They also talk about ways to find wisdom in life, what we can learn from the Stoics, whether we’re living or just impersonating, his relationship with colleague Jordan Peterson, and much more.
John Vervaeke: / @johnvervaeke
johnvervaeke.com/
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I simultaneously appreciate Theo's knack for keeping his same language and comedic demeanor while scaling up in complexity of discussion, along with Vervaeke's ability to do the same in the opposite direction. Two distant Universes come into contact, entangle, and harmonize into dialogos.
That’s a real succinct way of putting it. Well said.
Nailed it lipto. Is it wrong that I wanna make out with you??
Hell yeah dude
Perfectly said!
There's no knack so much as he's just genuinely curious. It's refreshing but he's no God, merely being who God perhaps called him to be (honest).
This guy deserves the worlds attention, thank you Theo.
What I don’t understand is how can Logan Paul get engaged being a douche canoe while my guy over here just being excellent and trying and hoping for the best gotta be in his loneliness… I wish him all the happiness frfr❤😆💚
@@SankaCofee422people like a flashy look at me persona but when they want something more and hear people in conversations like this they realize the depth of human life
@@SankaCofee422John explains it well when he talks about bullshit and why it's so prevalent
I watch Theos pods all the time for fun but this was one im going to have to go back and listen to and take notes , there’s so much good info in here
Not.
Hey Theo hope this gets to ur eyes one day. Mr. Vervaeke asked you "if one thing could exist without you, what would it be? And are you working to have an impact on that thing?" You said "happy families, happy children" and you said you dont think you are making an impact. You really are brother i wanted you to know you really are making a difference. My son was born very premature and has developed autism and other challenges. I do my best to make him happy, its my top priority in life. You really remind me of my best friend i grew up with that OD'd and it really wrecked my life. When i hear u and ur stories it brings him back to memory and encourages me to be positive. Its hard being the breadwinner and supporting a family and trying to make sure everyone is happy, but you make it easier brother. Keep on keeping on, gang gang always
I absolutely agree. I found Theo early on in my recovery from addiction & have SO MANY friends who also listen to him. He may not see it, but the hope/knowledge I gain from these videos gives me more strength to be a good human to my family that I wasn't in my past. Idk if that makes sense but that was my immediate thought when he said that!
does it offend you when Theo makes jokes of people that have a little of the "-tism"? 😂😂
Theo is like a trip sitter for society.
@@pictzone not at all. I'm a true believer of there is a time and place for *almost everything. Finding comedians offensive just doesn't make sense to me. Like even if they are over the top shock comedians im like Oh OK thats their style, not for me but i dont hate them or try to censor them. I actually wrestled with my emotions on this a lot bc i've always joked about it before my sons birth, but I wasn't a paid comedian, i was an immature child in a toxic family. Long story short when my bestfreind since pre-k OD'd i turned my life around. Now I can still joke about anything, but I'm much more aware about it and would only tolerate lighthearted joking (nothing demeaning, aggressive, hateful etc) and i think Theo nails that with his humor, and on topic Shane Gillis too
Thank you for sharing this. This is beautiful. Be kind to yourself because what you’re doing isn’t easy but it’s worth it.
"Does intelligence make loving more difficult?" Theo asked some excellent questions here.
Definitely would depend on how we quantify intelligence, huh?
indeed.@@anarchist_parable
You aren’t intelligent if you can’t love.
The illuminated one, aka Lucifer, was not lacking intelligence…he was lacking one or the two things 😢😢😢
@@benztruck1936 EXACTLY. It's a pseudo intellectual question. I always think about this when I see true crime and the parents of a child that committed a horrible crime and they're like "he was so smart, he always did his homework but he struggle desperately to connect with people." That's not smart. Emotional intelligence is part of intelligence. People who read but can't connect don't thrive and aren't fully developed people 🤷🏾♀️
Holy shit can't believe Theo and Vervaeke are crossing paths! This is going to be great
SERIOUSLY, although I'm not surprised at all, Theo brings on some extremely HEAVY hitters
@@nickb8897 bert hasnt been on for a year now
Absolutely ❤
gotta be JP who got them together. Jp and john are friends from Toronto
@@Nova.cannabisclubwill Pageau make an appearance too? Hopefully
Such a profound and beautiful convo. Life doesn't seem too scary knowing Theo is navigating through the universe and doing the work alongside us. Gang gang.
Gang gang. Be good to yourself You deserve it 👏 💓
Gang gang
universe? don't you mean the cosmos?
You actually say Gang Gang? That’s cringy as fuck
Kids gotta say gang gang after everything even if what they say is smart 🤣 I agree tho
Theo’s best episode in my opinion. This is the height of his journey and self realisation. He already had these theories aligned in that old grey hitter through experience. This episode validated my journey too. Tough times, but new found hope and muscle. I’m nobody without my family and a deeper meaning. Still grasping at the deeper meaning, but feel there is something tangible to grab. Chin up all. Bare your loved ones burden and find your feet are light.
Beautifully said, friend. That last sentence is really powerful, is it a quote of yours?
@@AlbertoBalsalmepretty it's not his quote lol its just something he said
@@AlbertoBalsalme this episode inspired those words. I am low and have found healing in fractured relationships as they support me. I now know the way out is through lifting others too. My best friends father passed a day after this episode. I have been hiding my troubles from him and now is not the time either. I said that last line to him and it helped a lot. I would suggest that is now MY quote and is a worthy one. As for the commenter below, they project their own hurt and seem to have missed the point in the whole discussion. I really appreciate your words and time. Gang Gang!
@@AmmoGus1 pretty sure Socrates quotes were just stuff he said too. When does an utterance become a quote? When it is validated by others. So yeah, thanks, it is now my quote bucko.
@@Droo75 It's not just a quote, it's a fucking mantra. Incredibly profound. I might start using it too, if that's okay with you. Also, I'm sorry about your the loss of your friend's father
“Even when you’re painted into a corner, you can jump into the sky” 🤯❤
It was actually really touching to see John crack up and be so much more loose than normal. Thanks for that Theo
Totally! What an authentic conversation👍🏼👍🏼
I'm so happy John Vervaeke is getting more attention, his ideas are so interesting and refreshing. Awakening from the Meaning Crisis is a fantastic series, I highly recommend it.
I'm watching this cause I can't get through John's series. Honest question, as someone who's gone through all John's content, in much MUCH greater depth than here, why are you still interested in this interview?
@@Tormentality unique individuals have unique conversations when they come together. They elevated each other and pull things out from one another that isn't normally accessible when they're alone. This is the essence of the practice of Dialogos that John is a huge proponent of. Listening to this process unfold amongst interesting individuals is very beneficial on multiple levels. Even if you know those individuals very well.
@@EricYoungArt Agreed with this. Went through the whole series as it came out in 2019. Last night was actually just thinking to myself how I've slowed down on watching JV because its all become well worn out territory. But couldn't click fast enough when I saw this today as seeing how Theo bounced off JV's ideas was too much to pass up.
@@EricYoungArt I know them well, watch half the podcast, never heard anything new or novel. I dunno wtf you or most of the comments are talking about. If someone likes John, watch his series. If it's too boring or wordy or time consuming, watch this dumbed down interview and you have the coles notes. No big deal.
@@Tormentalityyou really sound like you're embodying John's words 🙄
I love how professors talk when they love what they do. Had the privilege of having a few professors like this throughout college. Always an awesome class
Theo is blowing my mind with how accurate and astute his observations are! He is more than holding his own talking to one of the most intelligent and studied Philosophers of our time. I find it spectacular!
John and Theo talking about the horizontal and vertical is spectacular, I just wanted to add in the comments that the meaning of life with the horizontal (earth) and vertical (heavens) is wrapped up in the symbolism of the cross. Fantastic episode
Holy crap, I did not expect this to happen. What an amazing surprise. Two of my favourite but seemingly disparate people coming together!
Exact same, what an amazing surprise.
THIS was so much more thought provoking than last week. There were parts I would pause, rewind, replay, and sit and reflect. Never heard of John before but would listen to him for another 3 hours! Loved him.
Definitely check out Vervaeke's KZhead channel. Every episode has something profound and inciteful to offer.
Will do!
Same, i used AI with a youtube summarized plugin and i have it all written down in there, insane insights.
This was the best and most needed conversation at this moment. Everyone needs this.
Theo’s hair entering Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon 1 levels
He should cut the bangs and rock the season 4 Miami Vice mullet
Riggs
Damn.. Peterson followed by Vervaeke. Theo is killing it.
"What does that mean a Socratic way of life, we're not gonna know what that means". God, I love you, Theo! 😂
I love that he said "we" 😂
Thank you, Theo, for having J.V. on your show. His work has been life changing for many of us - including mine.
How so
Never heard of him, but he seems legit.
He talks a lot, but doesn’t say much.
@@TheDanificationYou hear a lot, but you don't listen much.
I listened to this whole 3 hour video, and it just got better and better. It's pretty cool to understand the dynamic of Jonathan and Jordan. Very cool.
This conversation is one of the most delightful/enriching conversations I've had the privilege to listen to. Thank you.
Feel like a proud parent 😂 Theo is an excellent interviewer and getting absurdly better so quickly. He can get on a level with so many walks of life, and still gets in a few jokes.
As a proud parent, how far into this episode are you?
Theo's voice is like a Snuggie for my soul.
Theo has a deep humility…he always seems to be genuinely trying to figure life out 💪🙏
How can everything Theo says be so relatable? Like the shit he says is so outlandish and yet still connect with me
I love how excited this guy gets when speaking about Socrates ❤
Theo looking like a 2nd year senior in High School talking to his guidance counselor
this is one of those episodes where Theo can't play the "dumb southerner" act too well, his intelligence shines through in this conversation with someone deep as John.
Johns blazer and khaki shorts combo is straight up gangsta boy!
Looks like a hunter
Been listening to John, Pageau, and VanderKlay for a while. Pumped
Right on Theo with sharing the intelligence and wisdom of Vervaeke
Thanks dude. You were literally the perfect translator for us “normal folks". You help make things SOOOOO EASY to understand. Without making people feel dumb too. That's an art form. 🎨👍👍😁
Yes, it's a gift.
This guy has no pants on lol
Yes, theo is a lover and caretaker for us that need to be spoken to like we're 5. It's beautiful. It takes a certain type of intelligence to keep this conversation going.
@@jnelnormeda4292gift for the gifted 🎁😂
@@jnelnormeda4292the No pants comment is funny, he’s a dude that is in Texas and packed for the climate and probably thought the camera would be waist up… ya know because he’s in professor mode
I love listening to Prof Vervaeke, just started a course with him at UofT and the first lecture was amazing. I'm so excited for what's to come!
7:56 Theo hit the nail on the head when he said loneliness has almost become a hobby. It's become increasingly easier for people to be alone and for others to not reach out. People dismisses others who feel lonely.
In the world we live in today, the meaning of life is a topic that should be discussed more often. Too many political discussions and not enough human discussions. Keep doing the Lords work Theo! We appreciate you brother.
It should be taught in schools. For some reason gender identity is more important than finding meaning and exploring ourselves through philosophy.
That's because the political has become the sacred for most people.
The meaning of life is to glorify God and to do his will. End of discussion. I'm upstairs
It’s only a matter of time before the Jonathan Pageau crossover.
YES PLEASE!
John Vervaeke is as classy as they come, an absolute mastermind. He keeps it playful, constantly making sure that he is not losing Theo (or his audience). Mad respect.
So glad to see John getting to talk in different venues. He's got a lot of gems
Very happy to see John getting recognition, I really want to see more of him as a guest for example I think he would fit incredible with Andrew Huberman
How much more can you handle of this dude? he has the longest series you'll ever find from an intellect on youtube and I can confidently say there's no way you've consumed all that content....because it's overwhelming.
@@Tormentalityabout 7 more
@@genesises nice. After all those hours, is there anything left to glean from this interview?
@@Tormentality His lectures series are just the beginning, the magic is in the dia-logos. Witnessing the hegelian geist unfold from confronting his perspective with Huberman's neuroscience would be spectacular
@@clementleroy9928 you get it
Wow! I’m stoked to see Vervaeke with Theo. Excellent choice of guest as usual. Thank you both. 🙏🏾🇺🇸❤️
Shorts with a blazer. This guy is electric
This guy is Canadian :)
next stop, JRE, I'd love this guy to get Jordan Peterson level attention
As a person that came from humble beginnings and a less than happy home, I relate to Theo. Empathy, honesty , curiosity…. It’s wonderful to see that he is truly wanting to learn from everyone. With such kindness & humor. Thank you , Marine Mom & Rockin’ Grandma of 3 Out West ♥️😎
I highly recommend checking out John Vervaeke's lectures: " Awakening from the Meaning Crisis" and "After Socrates"
Wtf, this crossover goes crazy for me. Two of my tops.
Theo still rocking amazing guests
This was probably the first podcast Theo put out that was boring to me.
@@youprobdontevenowncrocs3191learning sucks 😣 entertain me!!
This is for the people dealing in mental health issues, drug addiction, recovery, students, etc. This is for the people who are open to this, like me. I enjoy Theo going into mindful subjects that help articulate thoughts and concepts people don’t typically explore while going through life. Philosophy and Psychology are awesome and Theo is a comedian but he has depth and intelligence. Hes just flexing his ability to be open minded and fluent in engaging with these concepts because hes dealt with a lot in his own life.
@@youprobdontevenowncrocs3191then you might need to really listen more than you know brother
@@youprobdontevenowncrocs3191 100%. Because this wasn't a podcast, it was a lecture. Any time theo would want to take the conversation in a different or interesting direction vervaeke would steer it back to his original line of thinking and continue on with the script
This is definitely one you need to watch & not just listen to the audio. So much depth in his words
Feel like this is gonna be a meaningful episode if you know what I mean
Do you mean to be mean😅
😂 I know what you mean
meanderings
When Theo joined in on the Ozzy joke I knew at that moment that Theo is the most down to earth/coolest person everrrrrrrrrr
You're dam right
I have no idea what this man is talking about but I like it.
I love how eager to learn Theo is and how engaged & energetic he is about these deeper topics.
I love how Theo pronounces various cities however he feels like it! 😂
Theo is such a sweetheart
Noooo way! This dude saved my life back on Lex fridmans cast been doing his whole contemplative meditative and movement stuff since. A shitty version but im feeling way better. Ty for having the homie Vervaeke on!
It's not a shitty version, it's the version that works for you. And that's the important part!
I have listened a lot to Vervaeke, particularly in conversation with people, and he is at his best right here. God bless Theo.
👍👍Excellent, thanks. Plato's Cave... I would only add, that avoidance of uncertainty ( the unknown ) is the nature of the immature or self-capitalising part of the human drive.
Dr. Vervaeke is great at making hard things easily understandable
Can't believe he got John vervaeke on here! Such a great, and informative show!
33:00 "we have the keys to each other's locks." Great moment!! Incredible conversation, both of you. I'm so excited that John Vervaeke is being spread to the world :)
so cool to see john gettin his message to people outside of the IDW
AMAZING PODCAST! I CANT BELIEVE I SAW THIS IN MY FEED…! I would never have expected a mashup on John Vervaeke and Theo. I thought I was dreaming at first when I saw this pop up into my feed that I asked my girlfriend to pinch me to see if I was dreaming LOL. Absolutely amazing. Thank you so much Theo for sharing the ideas that John professes into a digestible and entertaining medium. These issues need more attention and this makes to so much more accessible.
Gonna register for classes with this guy next semester, gonna transfer to Toronto just because of this video. Hopefully I get a job as a business man one day.
Only been out for half an hour, must be great!
Business and marketing will suck your soul right out of you be warned
any job will be a business, but will it fulfill your soul
He is the professor that changed my entire university career. You will not regret it
Theo's emotional intelligence is on great display here! I'd never come across John but his insight on death and purpose in this podcast have been very helpful for me already. What an episode, thanks both :)
Amazing guest, Theo!! John is one of the most important thinkers of our time, ‘Awakening from the meaning crisis’ is a life change series.
There's a real movement at the moment. Vervaeke, Jonathan Pageau and Jordan Peterson seem to be leading the way.
Hi Theo von I just wanted to say that I’m a really big fan I’m from Canada I’m a 23 year old female and I’ve been watching your Podcasts for a good six months now. I started watching them when I started getting sober from alcohol and I want you to know better help has helped me a lot thank you for your ads. And thank you for giving your time to us. I love watching your videos you make by yourself and also with others :) have an awesome weekend. And I’m new to saying this but Gang Gang🎉
Welcome gang from my birth country.
Say yes to life, welcome back, no alcohol.
I think Theo would agree...we love our young people...if we don't, we are worthless!
I'm 23 as well, and I'm one week sober today. Been watching for a few years and he's gotten me through some rough times
Well done on getting off the alcohol. I'm proud of you. I'm going through the same process and I understand how hard of it. Best of luck in your sobriety journey for the future.🤗
We love you Theo thanks for inviting Dr. Vervaeke
What an unexpected but awesome crossover
Never expected this collab. I feel so fortunate to be familiar with both of these speakers.
Thank you, Theo for talking with John. This was great, and Theo asked questions that lead to many amazing pathways within the conversation. 👍
🎉
🎉
Thank you so much for this conversation. I just woke up from a very late and much needed afternoon nap and drowsily stumbled across this video, thinking I could listen to bites of it in the background while doing other stuff. Now it's 3½ hours later and I haven't done anything apart from listening to this with my full attention.
I was just listening to John and now he's over here!
There’s vids of John n Jordan Peterson giving a talk and Jordan learned a lot. Wild how John isn’t as well known but glad he’s finally getting some recognition
Now, this is a guest that I TRULY would have never expected to see on the pod LOL
Wonderful conversation, gentlemen. Absolutely fantastic!
My proudest moment was when Prof Vervaeke submitted my first year UofT paper to a Cognitive Science journal. I still think about his lectures to this day as they become more relevant. 💪
"We are the key to each others lock" is such a powerful line. Theo is constantly putting me in a state of awe. I love that man.
🔐🗝️
This was the best therapy session I didn't know I needed. Thank you
Loved this conversation Theo is really underrated as an interviewer the way he understands when to be connected and to be serious as a gift and gets people to be comfortable and open up
Bro, it's a 3 and half hour video that dropped 15 minutes before you made this comment. It is good so far, but come on...
Yeah the comments which only make sense after viewing the whole video before it's even possible, this is the definition of cringe culture and I wish it didn't give me the reaction it does but it's concerning lol. What is the intention and goal? I can't figure it out...because an actual fan who brown nosed such as this would wait until the video is finished etc. Peculiar
Never thought I'd see these two together 😂 what universe am I in seriously?
This is gonna be one of those episodes I watch a few times to understand. Theos awesome for bringing on such a diverse range of guests, some are just pure hilarious, some are super interesting, some super educational, mental health issues and some all mixed together. Thank you for the hard work man. I’m in the program too, just got a yr, you’ve been really inspiring to me, so thanks for that. Gang Gang.
Good job brother , a random stranger proud of ya lol gang gang & thanks for doing the hard work u do , trynna get right nd shi not easy , keep it dawg 💪🖤
Great stuff Theo, thanks for the conversation I much enjoyed. John Vervaeke was not someone I was familiar with but I was very impressed with his thoughts and wisdom.
I decided to go into mental health because I actually wanted to help people but then here I am in my masters and it turns out that the reason people are doing so bad is because they're having perfectly normal responses to their environment. That environment being poverty and exploitation and it's like, I don't want to be a therapist. Cause I'm supposed to tell this person that they're not having a perfectly normal response to their horrific environment. It's like if I teach them to cope in this unhealthy toxic environment, that's just keeping the system as it is. So yeah, I'm not doing too great...
John Vervaeke is an absolute legend of our time. One of my heros.
I did know know this gentleman and thought I would be bored after 10 minutes and ended up listening the whole thing! Theo is such and intriguing fellow,very funny but also very introspective and smart at the same time. Great job Theo!
When theo has guests like this on, I always wonder what the pre interview is like. Like, does Theo tell them, "Hey, ima say some random shit, don't worry about it."
One of the great philosophy and psychology teachers/figures I’ve come across all these years. His way to articulate complex ideas with historical context is mind blowing. Thank you Theo for making the conversation even more interesting with great insights and questions.
I’m not a very consistent viewer of the podcast but I really loved this episode, John is an extremely insightful person & he gives a really interesting perspective on the outlook of the world/society
Glad to hear Jordan Hall come up twice here, please get him on the pod next!
Wow I wasn't expecting this. Theo and John Vervaeke? I can't wait.
This man is brilliant. Thank you for sharing this, Theo. I’m absolutely infatuated by what John has to say. More ppl definitely deserve to find themselves and a greater meaning in life, man. Gang, gang.
If i see Jonathan Pageau on next I will flip my lid... feels like it might happen!!
Absolutely incredible and life-giving conversation. Great job, Theo.
PTL baby ganggang ❤
Whooaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Worlds collide. I appreciate John and all his work that he has made available to the internet 🙏🏾 thanks Theo, gang gang.
The vertical jump. Wow just wow. Thanks for doing this one, Theo. ❤
I don't know how I've missed this guy, but he seems like someone worth listening to. Thanks Theo and co, for giving him more visibility. Definitely gonna have to go down a rabbit hole now 🙃
Ministry of Loneliness would be a Morrissey album.
You just know his students are watching this geeked
Hahaha 😆
Whenever you see an episode is longer than 3 hours you know it’s legit
This guy is great never heard of him before
I’ll definitely be diving into his content next!
I managed to get into Dr. Vervaeke’s course this semester, and I must say, truly mind-blowing lectures he gives. Imo, he’s the Terrence Tao of Cognitive Science and Cognitive Psychology