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BY TARUN VENKATESAN ON 27TH JAN 2025

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent HOURS diving deep into the big questions: Who are we? Why are we here? Do we actually have free will or am I just a plastic bag drifting through the wind? Well, I recently locked in on a 3-hour podcast that seemed to unravel a lot of these questions in ways I never quite expected – Sam Harris’ take on consciousness, free will, and the illusion of the self. And let me tell you, it was one of those mind-bending, “WAIT… what?!” moments that really made me stop and think and reflect and question my past assumptions and beliefs.

Now, let me warn you, Harris doesn’t just leave you with answers. He gets you to rethink the very nature of reality, our thoughts, and even our sense of control. He challenges the traditional materialist view and asks the hard question: what if everything we perceive as real isn’t quite as real as we think? And what if the “self” we cling to is just a story we’ve been telling ourselves?

So, TL;DR, here’s the paradox he presents: if we could just let go of the illusion of control over our thoughts, behaviours, and even our sense of identity, we could actually find more peace and clarity. We no longer have to hustle to become a certain version of ourselves or chase after external validation. Instead, we can just be—as we are—without getting caught up in the narratives we’ve constructed around who we think we should be.

This is why I’m so excited to share what I learned from this podcast with all of you. Our blog is all about exactly this: reflecting on life’s big questions and finding new ways to live with more presence and curiosity. If you’ve ever felt like life is a bit too overwhelming or stressful lately (me, lowkey) or like you’re constantly chasing after something, this post is for you. Together, we’ll explore why free will might be a myth, how consciousness may be way stranger than we imagine, and why understanding the “self” can be a real game-changer. So, get caffeinated and let’s dive into Sam Harris’ fascinating ideas on these topics.

Consciousness and the Self

Harris’ take on consciousness is intriguing, especially the idea that our perception of reality may not be reality itself. He’s heavily influenced by the work of people like Donald Hoffman, who suggests that what we experience is more of an interface to the real world, much like a desktop computer interface hides the underlying code. This kind of thinking is super interesting to me as it challenges our traditionalist notion that reality exists independently of our perception. Harris also touches on the idea that the “self” is largely a cultural and genetic construct. This is another perspective that aligns with Buddhist philosophy, where the self is seen as an illusion—just a mental aggregation of thoughts, feelings, memories, and experiences. The way we perceive ourselves is shaped by societal norms and upbringing, and it’s malleable. I can definitely relate to this as my childhood and environment have shaped me immensely. This led me to realise that a lot of the things we identify with (our beliefs, our hobbies, our sense of personal history) are more transient than we think. It can be freeing to understand that who you are is never fixed or preordained by your biology, past experiences, or sense of self.

Free Will

Alright, this I’m excited about… Harris is a well-known advocate of the idea that free will is an illusion. The argument he makes that’s managed to change my mind is that our thoughts and decisions are not fully under our control. We don’t CHOOSE what we think next. And even our deliberate actions seem to arise from unconscious processes. It’s not a “fatalistic” worldview, though. Instead, it’s liberating in a way. Think about it. Just sit by yourself, perhaps on your balcony or the edge of your couch, and see your thoughts arise. “Should I call Billy?”, “I might go for another coffee right now” , “Did I switch off the stove.” By acknowledging our lack of free will when it comes to thinking these basic thoughts, we could claim we do not really have as much control as we feel we do. This epiphany could engender more compassion, both for ourselves and others. Because if we don’t think our own thoughts – we don’t actively “make” the choices we think we do. If we stop blaming ourselves for the things we can’t control, it might relieve a lot of unnecessary suffering and anxiety. We all have that the harsh inner voice that often comes from societal pressures and cultural expectations, and we DO NOT need to add to our suffering by being overly critical of ourselves. Believing that free will is an illusion relieves some of the suffering associated with existentialism – which is Jean-Paul Sartre’s philosophy that posits that man makes his own meaning in life and there is nothing but choices that determine a man’s life. I used to subscribe to this philosophy previously, but discarding it feels more freeing to me.

Meaning of Life and Meditation

I’ve pondered the meaning of life WAYY too many times. It’s a question that’s been hacked to death by every young adult out there looking for answers, not unlike an investigator hunting for clues for a murder that seems impossible to solve. Well, what does Harris think? He claims the meaning of life isn’t a question you answer, but a state you experience in the present moment. This. Is. So. Powerful. We’re always chasing the next shiny object or trying to find the next high, but listening to Harris’ view that happiness isn’t something to “find” by reaching some future goal but rather something that can be experienced fully in the present moment gives me so much hope. This is because I know that the present moment is all-powerful and the meaning of life is only found in the now. It’s the simple realisation that contentment comes when we stop striving for external validation or future accomplishments and learn to appreciate what is happening right now. How much suffering, anxiety, and confusion could we alleviate amongst the human race by realising this one truth sooner?

“The meaning of life isn’t a question you answer, but a state you experience in the present moment.” – Sam Harris

Love

The way Harris describes love is by framing it as a “deep commitment to the wellbeing and happiness of others.” This is beautifully simple. Love, in this context, isn’t about romantic ideals or possessiveness. It’s about being deeply connected to others and being devoted to their happiness. That’s a type of love that transcends ego—because it’s about shared experience and shared humanity as opposed to personal gain. I feel like love is one of the few things that can push against the absurdity and impermanence of life and give it a kind of meaning. More love to you if you’ve read this far haha.

Humor and Self-Awareness

I really like how Harris touches on humor and self-awareness. Humor can be such a powerful tool to break down the walls we put up around our identity and ego. When we can laugh at ourselves, and our mistakes and fears and everything that makes us human, it shows a level of comfort with the impermanence of everything. The more we can laugh about life’s absurdities, the less serious we take ourselves, which ultimately frees us from the weight of ego.

My Takeaways

I feel like there’s this sense of acceptance that comes from letting go of our obsessive control over our thoughts, behaviours, and even our sense of self. The paradox is, once we let go of this illusion of control, we paradoxically gain more peace and clarity and, eventually, control of our lives. We’re left with more room to just be, to experience life as it is, and, as Harris says, to “arrive.”

I really hope you watch the entire interview because my blog definitely doesn’t do it justice – go watch the full thing and learn about some of the most profound questions and truths of human existence.

Finally, our sense of self is simply a self-constructed narrative, and ultimately does not define our identity. The now does. So live in the present, laugh a little, and remember to ask yourself – is it really that deep?

Here’s my detailed notes from the podcast if you’re so inclined.