Heidegger: Modern humans are too obsessed with productivity | Sean Kelly and Lex Fridman

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GUEST BIO:
Sean Kelly is a philosopher at Harvard specializing in existentialism and the philosophy of mind.

PODCAST INFO:

SOCIAL:

[chadchadchadchadchad]

Man, I could have gotten so much done if I hadn't spent seven minutes watching this!

[falcodarkzz]

The productivity craze is directly proportional to the piles of crap art, architecture and useless products in the world. Discipline without inspiration is pretty empty.

[stevenkoja]

I completely get it, we think of ourselves as machines, and if we’re not productive we have a feeling of dissatisfaction. I believe the meaning of life is life itself, meaning that our purpose is to just be and experience life. we haven’t come here to accomplish anything but experience our existence until it’s time to depart. productivity is a social norm, yes, but in a sense, it stems from our ancestors’ need for survival. Ultimately I don’t know what to do having said all of this lol

[FB-FILMS]

Yes, I have to be listening to something in my headphones, watching something on tv, eating something, and scrolling up and down on social media all at the same time. We are trying to do as much as possible in very little time and yet we are not doing anything at all.

[jabbadabba]

We are obsessed with projecting that we are productive. More truthfully, people are obsessed with deception. That’s the main thing I’ve found in people.

[remixisthis]

We mimic technology. Everything’s obsessed with getting the shortest path from A to B, so we get things done quickly but there’s less variety and creativity.

[verapamil]

To some extent, the productivity is a coping mechanism. I have rarely found anyone who is really good at what they do to really obsess that much about "being productive" they simply DO things. Yes, they work hard but not because they "must be productive".
If you know your priorities, you really can't do more than 2-3 important daily tasks and 2-3 big goals per year.

[M.-.D]

Productivity to me has always been about meeting an essential outcome with the most limited consumption possible without making it uncomfortable or detestable.

It gives me plenty of secure free time with family, friends, and self. When I am on, I am 100% on, when I am off, nothing matters more than my immediate primal wants - the needs have been looked after.

[solxplosion]

I’ve found as long as you don’t live beyond your means you obsess less about productivity.

[Billrovid]

Its not the people that are really obsessed. Its the corporations and share holders who are. They’ve conditioned us to do it.

[alexcipriani]

The system not humans is obsessed with productivity because productivity is GDP and we have humans serving the economy rather than the economy serving humans

[kenjohnson]

Heidegger is tough to explain -- and maybe not completely clear in what he's saying, anyway -- but he's saying a lot and this is about as clear an explanation of his thought as I've come across. I mean 70% is A+ with this guy.

[jeremyn]

I have a friend who gets quite defensive and angry whenever I question the notion that technological progress is intrinsically good. Its a strange norm that people just accept that we must continue to progress at all risks. Its weird to me.

[eschatunemusic]

I feel like I have to watch the video and scroll though the comments simultaneously to feel like I’m productive enough.

[user_sm]

unironically watching this at 1.75x speed to save time. just catched myself omg

[beingsshepherd]

_'A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.'_
~ Proverbs 6 : 10 - 11

[sublime]

I think peoples purpose should be agriculture, real education, competition as a means to improve not destroy, protecting earth and all its life. Period. And of course there will be police, and hospitals. And the whole point is to move forward and upward as a whole

[HTHTNT]

I think productivity makes some feel important and they are in for a shocker when their health deteriorates and they get sick. I even notice the self important phrases like, “Oh, I’m so exhausted and so busy.” Busy doing what?! Are you even enjoying what you’re doing? Eventually we will lose our health and die… if anything… too much productivity is counterproductive. We don’t produce good work when burned out.

[shogunshogun]

Presupposition to everything: some entity that grounds existence and being.
Some answers: (1) God, (2) People, (3) Non-Entity/Thing.

Sean interprets that Heidegger thinks (3), which would lead to nothing. However, Sean is interested in Eckhart's thinking that appears to be "giving, " which can be (1) and/or (3).

[ycart_tech]

What is the alternative?

Barring early morning and late afternoon meditation...