The following is a transcript excerpt from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson’s live interview with Elon Musk. In this portion of their discussion, Musk describes when he began asking questions about the meaning of life, what led him to the resolution of his existential crisis, how he developed such a curious nature, and why he is motivated to continue learning. Dr. Peterson’s extensive catalog is available on DailyWire+. Start time: 00:38:37 * * * Jordan B. Peterson: I’m very curious about your intuition. How did you cotton onto the fact that that antagonistic attitude towards birth that’s embedded in our culture now was something that should be called out and that was pathological? Elon Musk: I should perhaps go back to what is the foundation of my philosophy because that, I think, helps build up to explain my actions. When I was, I don’t know, about 11- or 12-years-old, I had somewhat of an existential crisis because there just didn’t seem to be any meaning in the world, no meaning to life. So I actually read, tried to read, all the religious texts. Peterson: At that age? Musk: Yes, I was a voracious reader as a kid. So, I obviously read the Bible. I read the Quran, the Torah, a bit on the Hindu side, just trying to understand all these things. Obviously as a 12-year-old, you’re not really going to understand these things super well. Peterson: Well, you understood it well enough to have an existential crisis when you were 11 or 12. That’s a start. Musk: I was just trying to figure out, does anyone have an answer that makes sense? And then I started getting into the philosophy books, and I read quite a bit of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, which is quite depressing to read as a kid. That’s depressing as an adult. But none of them really seemed to have answers that resonated, at least to me. But then I read Douglas Adams’ “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” which is really a book on philosophy disguised as humor. And the point that Adams tries to make there is that we don’t actually know all the answers, obviously. In fact, we don’t even know what the right questions are to ask. That’s where he has this, if you read the book, the Earth is actually a giant computer to understand the answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” and comes up with the answer 42. And what does that mean? It says, oh, you actually don’t understand; the thing [is], that’s going to take a computer far more powerful than Earth to understand what question to ask. That’s simply the wrong question. Peterson: So was that the key realization? That the question was the thing? Musk: I would say that that was a fundamental turning point. Peterson: That’s very interesting because one of the things that you see constantly portrayed in Redemptive Hero myths across the world is that the adventure is the thing and the search is the thing, rather than there being a final answer as absurd as 42 might be. The conclusive answer is something like deep engagement in the process. So I’ll give you an example of that. The Sermon on the Mount is a very detailed set of instructions, so there’s three parts to it. The first is: Aim at the highest thing that you can possibly conceive of and keep modifying that so your aim gets better. That’s number one. Number two is: Make the presumption that other people have the same intrinsic value as you do. Musk: Well, we have to be careful about that one. Peterson: Ok, let’s discuss that. But it’s — what would you say — it’s a recognition of the universalist value of everyone who’s made in the image of God. It’s something like that. But the third thing is, once you do those two things, you can concentrate on the moment. And that seems to be, even technically, you can think about this as neuropsychological. If you’re looking for meaning, meaning is a form of incentive reward. An incentive reward is dopaminergic mediated. And incentive reward occurs in relationship to advancement toward a goal, which is a form of entropy minimization, as it turns out, according to Karl Friston, who knows this sort of thing.  Musk: Entropy is the ultimate boss battle. WATCH: Dr. Jordan B. Peterson’s interview with Elon Musk on DailyWire+ DailyWire+ Peterson: Yes, right. Well, negative emotion signifies the emergence of entropy and positive emotion, on the dopaminergic side, signals its reduction. But there’s something that’s more complex there, because the higher the goal that you’re trying to attain, the more intrinsic value each step toward it comprises. And that’s neuro-psychologically accurate. So part of the wisdom of the Sermon on the Mount is that if you posit the highest imaginable goal, then any step toward it that captures your attention is also deeply meaningful. That’s an answer to what the meaning is — a process — rather than, say, something like 42. It seems to me that you were intimating that your discovery through Adams, that the question was the thing, was key to the resolution of your existential crisis. Musk: That’s correct. Peterson: Ok, so that’s part of the reason that you’re motivated to, say, build Grok 3 and look deeper. Musk: To understand. To understand the universe. Peterson: How old were you when you figured out that the question—? Musk: 13 or something. Peterson: What did that do to you? Musk: Well, I was a lot happier after that because now it’s like, ok, well, I’m just going to accept that we are ignorant of a great many things, and we wish to be less ignorant. And anything we can do that will improve our understanding of the universe and make us less ignorant and have a deeper understanding of the universe, and even more questions to ask about the answer that is the universe, which is, I think, Adams’ central point, is good. Peterson: And that was good enough to resolve that crisis? Musk: It was. It was for me at least. And so, is this a religion? I don’t know. Maybe it is, but I think it’s a good one. I would call it the Religion of Curiosity. * * * To continue, listen to or watch Dr. Peterson’s interview with Elon Musk on DailyWire+. Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 1993 to 1998 he served as assistant and then associate professor of psychology at Harvard. He is the international bestselling author of “Maps of Meaning,” “12 Rules For Life,” and “Beyond Order.” You can now listen to or watch his popular lectures on DailyWire+. Be sure to PRE-ORDER Dr. Peterson’s newest book: “We Who Wrestle with God” (Portfolio/Penguin. November 19, 2024.)

A judge dismissed three felony charges against an illegal immigrant accused of killing a Nashville restaurant owner in a hit-and-run just months before the fatal incident.  Police say that 29-year-old Ulises Martinez struck 42-year-old Matt Carney in the parking lot of Smokin Thighs, Carney’s popular chicken restaurant and bar, on June 19, before speeding off and leaving the restaurant owner on the road. Carney died from his injuries on July 4.  Martinez was arrested last week and was charged with criminal homicide, tampering with evidence, vehicle theft, criminal impersonation, and evading arrest. A hearing for the charges is scheduled for next month. On Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to The Daily Wire that Martinez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico, saying that he crossed into the United States at “an unknown date and location, without being admitted or paroled by an immigration officer.” Martinez’s arrest over Carney’s death was not his first run-in with the law, court records show.  In February, Martinez was arrested alongside 33-year-old Christian Arredondo. The pair was accused of stealing a white van, a red truck, and stealing tools from a white truck.  However, on March 6, Nashville Judge Jim Todd dismissed all three charges during a preliminary hearing, according to a recording of the hearing obtained by The Daily Wire. Todd ruled that prosecutors failed to show probable cause. During the hearing, Nashville Police Detective Luke Steigerwalt testified that he witnessed Martinez and Arredondo driving a white van on February 28 that had been reported stolen on February 22.  The detective said that he followed the van after it was identified and watched the two men take tools and machinery out of the bed of one truck and put it in the stolen van. The detective added that he then saw them drive into one neighborhood, where they found a running truck and drove off with it before parking it at another location.  The pair then drove the van to an apartment complex, where the police arrested them both. Steigerwalt said that neither Arredondo nor Martinez could provide proof of ownership of the van, which had a fake temporary license plate on the back.  Steigerwalt said that Arredondo had a crack pipe in his possession when he was arrested. Neither of the men spoke English.  After testimony from Steigerwalt and the owner of the van, attorney Jennifer Barrera, who was representing Martinez, moved to challenge the charges on grounds of probable cause.  She said that Martinez should not be facing felony theft charges, but a “joyriding charge at most,” arguing that prosecutors failed to prove he knowingly stole the vehicle. She said that the owner of the white van “wasn’t able to say they stole it, that either one took it, just that they had it, and were allowed to have it.”  The owner testified during the hearing that he did not know either Martinez or Arredondo, and said he did not give them permission to have the truck.  Barrera said that there was no proof given that Martinez knew that Arredondo was going to take the red truck, nor proof that the tools taken from the third vehicle were stolen and not borrowed.  She said that the “owner of the red truck is not here” and that “we don’t know” if they had permission to take the truck or not.  Prosecutor Emily Todoran insisted that the “state has established probable cause” through the warrants that the two men were in “knowing possession of the stolen vehicle.”  Still, Todd remained skeptical, suggesting the van could have been pawned off to the two men.  The Nashville District Attorney’s office declined to comment when asked if it moved to refile the case after Todd’s dismissal. Police say that Martinez and 31-year-old Adrian Diaz were stealing tools out of Carney’s truck when he confronted him, whereupon they hit Carney with their truck. Diaz was arrested on July 10 and charged with evading arrest and drug possession. He had previously been deported four times and has multiple criminal convictions in Indiana and Tennessee. 

In her first campaign event as the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris embraced her former position of prosecutor and went after former President Donald Trump as her supporters chanted, “Lock him up!” Harris, who secured enough delegates to become the Democrats’ nominee after President Joe Biden ended his campaign, spoke in Milwaukee on Tuesday and wasted no time before attacking her Republican opponent. “I was elected attorney general of the state of California and I was a courtroom prosecutor before then. And in those roles, I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type,” Harris said, causing the crowd to cheer before chanting, “Lock him up!” “I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week,” Harris added. Crowd chants “lock him up” when Vice President Kamala Harris mentions convicted felon Donald Trump at her first campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/ch0x84w7CZ — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) July 23, 2024 The 59-year-old politician, who served as San Francisco’s district attorney before becoming California’s attorney general and then senator, has been endorsed to replace Biden atop the ticket by most of the Democratic Party establishment. The Associated Press reported on Monday night that an “unofficial tally” shows that Harris has the backing of enough delegates to be officially nominated at the Democratic National Convention next month. WATCH BEN SHAPIRO’S ‘SCAMALA: KAMALA HARRIS UNMASKED’ ON DAILYWIRE+ The former president said on Tuesday that he is “absolutely” willing to debate Harris and do it “more than once.” Trump has slammed his criminal convictions in New York as politically motivated, alleging that they are directed by the Biden administration. The three other criminal cases against Trump have all hit roadblocks in recent weeks and months. Most recently, Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents case brought against Trump by special prosecutor Jack Smith. Cannon ruled that Smith’s “appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.” “[T]his dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts — The January 6th Hoax in Washington, D.C., the Manhattan D.A.’s Zombie Case, the New York A.G. Scam, Fake Claims about a woman I never met (a decades old photo in a line with her then husband does not count), and the Georgia ‘Perfect’ Phone Call charges,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. “The Democrat Justice Department coordinated ALL of these Political Attacks, which are an Election Interference conspiracy against Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME. Let us come together to END all Weaponization of our Justice System, and Make America Great Again!”

Life is busy, and no matter how many hours we have in a day, there just aren’t enough. Even though we want to fit in as much as we can, sometimes it’s important to take a step back to breathe and enjoy the wonders of nature. In a fast-paced world driven by technology, every once in a while, we can enjoy some entertainment for free. On July 24, parts of the United States may be in luck if they want to see a beautiful show right at home. According to the NOAA, the Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, will be visible across a nice portion of the U.S. Wednesday evening. @jodikodesh Breaking News! The Northern Lights might be visible in parts of the United States Wednesday night! astronomy outerspace northernlights ♬ original sound – Jodi Kodesh If you’re in the northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho, you might be in luck. Erica Cei, a spokesperson for the NOAA, shared with People that she expects the sky to be “clear, very dark,” and have “no light pollution.” Not Everyone Will See The Northern Lights Cei said that the Northern Lights will definitely not be visible in New York City. But with ideal viewing conditions, it is possible to see the aurora “as far south as northern New England.” She explained that these types of solar storms “happen about 600 times per solar cycle,” typically four to five times a month. Cei added we’re currently in the peak of an 11-year solar cycle. So a “larger, more consequential storm” is expected later in the year. It could even be a severe or extreme solar storm bringing the iconic lights our way. If you’re in the path of the Northern Lights, take a minute to look up and marvel at the beauty. We only get one life, might as well enjoy all it has to offer. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post The Northern Lights Are Expected To Return This Week! Here’s Who May See The Show appeared first on InspireMore.

'She's been influenced by antisemitic people'

When life circumstances change significantly in a family, the stability of child custody, visitation, and child support arrangements can be upended. This is especially relevant for military families, who face unique challenges such as deployment. While modifying these legal arrangements is a complex process, understanding the criteria and procedures can help parents navigate the system […]

'This black bear is stressed depressed lemon zest'

'Only said about people of color'

'High Crimes And Misdemeanors'

An Ohio woman contacted me about an alien abduction she had as a child. 54 years later, she experienced another incident, about which she had questions. Fascinating case.I received the following email and later talked to the experiencer by telephone:"Hello, Mr. Strickler: I am giving you permission to publish my incident but I do not want any personal information disclosed. I had a strange incident when I was a child living in South Florida. I could never explain it and did not want my family to know about it. It involved, I believe, an abduction by alien beings. I don't remember the specifics other than I went to bed, got up to go to the bathroom but don't remember returning to my bed. When I woke in the morning, there was an ache in my neck and a small bump at the base of my skull. The pain went away quickly but the small bump remained. I never told my parents about it and they never noticed it. That incident occurred 54 years ago.I now live in a rural township in eastern Ohio. My husband and I have lived here for over 40 years and are well-known within the community. My husband owns a business and employs several of the area's residents. We have raised 4 children and are also grandparents. We have been very happy with our life.This past Christmas Eve, I was alone at home during the day. My husband was at work and some of my children and their families were visiting for the holidays. They had all gone out to visit friends and to do some shopping, so I was the only one at home.Around 1:00 PM I decided to sit down in the club room and watch television. I had been busy all day cooking and doing a few other things, so I decided to take a break. I sat on the sofa and turned on the television with the remote control. As I was surfing the channels the television suddenly went off. I just figured I had accidentally turned it off with the remote, but I was unable to turn it back on. I got up and started walking toward the television when everything went black. The next thing I remember is waking up on the sofa. My neck was very sore and I was laying on the sofa completely nude. My clothes were folded neatly and sitting on the coffee table. I quickly dressed and noticed that the television was on and that the time was 2:48 PM. I went to rub my sore neck and noticed that the small bump that I had for 54 years was now gone. I went into the bathroom to look at the back of my neck with a handheld mirror. There was a 2-inch vertical red scar where the small bump had previously been.Today, my neck no longer hurts and the scar has healed nicely. It is barely noticeable. I had never told my husband about my incident as a child but yesterday I explained everything to him. He is very open-minded and believes in UFOs and other strange things. I also told my older son about it and he suggested I contact you. I believe he reads your articles and that you have talked to him in the past.My older son believes that I experienced an abduction. In fact, my husband agrees with him as well. As I stated earlier, you have my permission to publish if personal details are removed. I have included my contact information below. Thank you for your time." SKNOTE: It seems that SK is an alien abductee. There were a few other incidents described in our telephone conversation but SK didn't want me to disclose this information at this time. I do know her son BTW. I plan to talk to him very soon. I'm going to keep this incident on 'the back burner' because I may want to investigate it further as more information is divulged. LonHow to Defend Yourself Against Alien AbductionHigh Strangeness - Hyperdimensions and the Process of Alien AbductionThe Alien Abduction Reference Guide: 100 Alien Encounters Explored**********POLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK? Vote & comment on paranormal, cryptid & unexplained mysteries!CREEPY CAMPING ENCOUNTERS - ABOMINABLE CREATURES | LIVE CHAT | Q & A (REAL EYEWITNESS REPORTS!)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS & MONSTERS REPORTS & CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHAREPHANTOMS & MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS & MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonJOIN AMAZON PRIME - Unlimited Movie/TV Streaming& FREE 2-Day ShippingRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusBigfoot and Other Cryptid Videos on YouTube'KILLER BIGFOOT' HUNTED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES / GLIMMER MAN / MANTIS HUMANOIDSCRAWLER HUMANOIDS - GRUESOME INVADERS! (REAL EYEWITNESS ENCOUNTERS!)WEREWOLVES: DO THEY EXIST?'DOGMAN IN OUR YARD!' - AN OHIO FAMILY'S 12-YEAR SAGA WITH CRYPTID CANINES----------Become a Phantoms & Monsters Radio member - just $2.99 monthly, and receive these perks. Thanks for your support!-Members-only live chats-Exclusive members-only videos-Priority reply to members' commentsHave perks suggestions? LMK-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----LYCANS! - PENNSYLVANIA'S CRYPTID CANINES UPDATE | LIVE CHAT | Q & A (REAL EYEWITNESS REPORTS!)Cryptid canine sightings and encounters have been reported by Pennsylvania's residents for centuries! Dwayyo, Werewolves, Lycans, etc. There are various monikers used by witnesses throughout the Keystone State. The physical descriptions and characteristics also vary.For several years, I have collected many of these intriguing incidents, as told to me and my colleagues by the witnesses. I look forward to your opinions, discussions, and questions about these intriguing cryptids.-----Project Threshold: Finale-----Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs,CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.This blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS & MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms & Monsters - All Rights Reserved