Understanding Human Nature, Creating Over Consuming, Looksmaxxing

Existential Espresso Monday Shot Vol. 113

We’re back after almost a full year. Not Existential Espresso as a whole, of course. I’m talking about Monday Espresso Shot where I used to share what I’ve been reading, listening to or watching, and thinking about.

The break was semi-announced mid March last year, when I shared that I reached a point of saturation or fatigue with sharing my weekly thoughts and content consumption.

For multiple reasons, I want get back to this series a lot of your appreciated. Let’s get straight into it without a lot of explaining.

What I’ve been reading:

Understanding Human Nature by Alfred Adler

Less controversial than Freud, less mystical and intriguing than Jung, but certainly no less important or less helpful than them, Alfred Adler is a giant of psychology.

My existential-humanistic godfathers and mentors, Rollo May and Abraham Maslow, began their careers deeply influenced by Adler. Their works are full of references to Adler’s ideas and appreciation for his influence on the fields of psychology and psychotherapy. This is one of the main reasons I returned to Understanding Human Nature multiple times since first picking it up almost 9 years ago.

You can expect me to write (and make videos) on some ideas from this book in the upcoming weeks.

What I’ve been watching recording and uploading:

I’m currently on an 85-day streak of recording and uploading daily YouTube videos, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I will take this opportunity to promote my channel rather than someone else’s podcast or video, since I’ve done almost no self-promotion on Substack recently.

Here is a short list of some of my most-viewed videos, as well as those that I consider most interesting or useful:

You will suffer deeply if you ignore your potential

You are not consistent because you are in conflict with reality

Carl Jung’s explanation (and solution) for feeling stuck

How to defeat your inner critic

What I’ve been thinking about:

Some thoughts on the looksmaxxing movement.

*I strongly reject the idea that looksmaxxing movement is the same as taking care of, and trying to improve, your looks. Advice on improving your physical appearance for men has been available online for over a decade. Looksmaxxing is a specific ideology easily traceable to the black pill movement and involves a defeatist outlook on life as well as unhealthy and self-destructive practices.

Thank you for reading, and I’ll talk to you soon.

As always,

Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.