What I’ve been reading:
Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction, by Gary Wilson
Finally.
It was back in 2015 when I first realized how unhealthy and self-destructive regular porn consumption is. I always considered this realization and staying away from porn immensely important parts of my growth towards being a healthy individual. However, this personal turning point was something I always kept private.
I would occasionally respond to Instagram DMs from men struggling with porn addiction, but talking about this pressing issue publicly was something I considered off-limits. Why? I’m still not sure. Maybe it’s the culture I was raised in. Talking about porn was considered distasteful and a display of bad manners.
What changed? If I claim to be on a mission to help people with their mental health struggles, I can’t keep avoiding talking about one of the most destructive drugs known to man: porn.
In order to be able to draw on more than just personal experience and philosophical arguments when talking about why porn is so dangerous, I decided to pick up the most highly acclaimed book on this topic. Let’s see where this journey takes us.
What I’ve been reading:
John Vervaeke on Theo Von’s podcast
John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist, a psychology professor, and a philosopher. Theo Von is one of the funniest but also the most relatable people with an online audience. It’s an interesting conversation.
What I’ve been thinking about:
If you use your past accomplishments as reminders that you were able to overcome your self-doubt, insecurity, and laziness before and that you can do it again, new accomplishments will keep piling up.
If you use your past accomplishments as thropies to parade with, you get complacent and are almost certain to have few or no worthy accomplishments in the future.
What if you have no past accomplishments? It’s simple: stack one small victory after the other. Start with one today. A single one. The one you know you can attain. Tomorrow, you’ll already have something to look back on.
Thank you for reading. Sorry for this week’s Existential Espresso coming a day later than usual.
Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.
P.S. Check out my YouTube channel, where I’m discussing all the topics you’re already following me for, and more.
Free Resources:
My free ebook: The Lost Art of Reading
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The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency
The Gold Pill: Timeless Ideas for a Life Worth Living
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Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Wilson’s book.