August 21, 2025 • 8 mins
In this anniversary episode, Reza reflects on three years of creating the Philosophy of Life podcast. He shares the struggles of finding his voice, the inspiration behind the show, and how philosophy lives in everyday choices and ordinary people. Through personal stories, reflections on revolution, and today’s struggles for hope, this episode reminds us that philosophy is not distant — it’s something we live.
my email address gholamrezava@gmail.com
Twitter account is @rezava
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hi, this is Reza Sanjide and you're listening to
Philosophy of Life podcast.
(00:21):
Today's episode feels different.
This isn't just episode 31.
It also marks three years sinceI first started this podcast.
If I'm honest, it hasn't been asmooth or consistent journey.
There were breaks, doubts, andmoments when I wondered if it
was worth continuing.
(00:42):
But in the past 10 months,something shifted.
I found my rhythm, and nowthousands of episodes have been
downloaded and listened to.
That growth means more to methan any number.
Because it shows whatpersistence can do.
(01:15):
When I started this podcastthree years ago, I noticed
something is missing.
There were already plenty ofphilosophy podcasts.
They were focusing onphilosopher, theories, and
academic debates.
Some future professors andscholars, they speak about
philosophy in abstract.
Almost if it is where somethingdistant, separated from everyday
(01:40):
life.
What I didn't hear was thephilosophy of ordinary people.
The kind of show up in thefamily, in daily choices.
in the quiet reflection of life,to me, that was the missing
piece.
I was inspired by Howard Zinn'sA People's History of the United
(02:02):
States, how he told history fromthe perspective of everyday
people instead of just leaders.
I wanted to do something similarwith philosophy, to bring it
back to the street level, toshow how we all live philosophy
without even realizing it, Andto tell those stories in a way
(02:23):
that connects directly to life.
Yesterday was my birthday.
And unlike so many birthdaysbefore, it was a beautiful day.
Usually, I wasn't a very happyperson on my birthday.
But yesterday felt different.
I think it changed because ofthis podcast.
(02:45):
In my last episode, I revealedsomething I had carried for
decades.
about what I lost when therevolution in Iran didn't
succeed, at least in my eyes.
But the more I reflected, themore I realized, maybe it did
succeed.
It depends on how you look atrevolution.
(03:06):
Yes, many people died.
Yes, there was violence andtragedy I wish had never
happened.
But that doesn't mean therevolution failed.
In fact, maybe its success liesin its continuation.
in the ongoing struggle, in thechanges that keep unfolding.
And when I look around at theworld today, I see something
(03:28):
similar.
Wars are tearing lives apart inEurope, with Ukraine and Russia,
and in the Middle East, wherePalestinians live without a
recognized state, facingdisplacement and violence.
These are deeply unjustconflicts, taking thousands of
innocent lives, young and old.
(03:50):
But even in darkest moments,something else is happening.
People are standing up.
They're trying to fight fortheir rights, their lands, their
existence.
And that is inspiring.
Those who wage war trying tokill hope, but they cannot
succeed.
Because the more they try, themore people rise.
(04:14):
And that is, to me, is the realstory, the persistence of human
hope.
And that is, in a way, the realstory of this podcast.
That's how it grew anddeveloped.
In the beginning, I wasn't surehow to shape it.
I followed some other philosophypodcasts at first, shows that
(04:35):
focused on famous philosophers,the history of ideas, timelines,
and academic debates, but thatnever felt like my niche.
That wasn't the story I wantedto tell.
What I discovered is that Thispodcast needed to come from a
different place.
It became a way for me to facelife, to find myself again, and
(04:57):
to share that process.
And honestly, there's nothingwrong with that.
Even if no one listened, the actof creating it would still
matter because it helps mereflect, learn, and keep going.
But of course, people do listen.
And whether it's thousands ofdownloads or or just a handful
(05:18):
of people, if even one person istouched, if even one life is
helped in some way, that'salready more than enough.
Yes, it is challenging.
We all struggle with time.
And sometimes it feels verydifficult to keep going.
But for me, every minute I spendon this podcast is worth it
(05:42):
because it's not just aboutproducing an episode.
is about creating meaning.
(06:06):
Three years, 31 episodes.
It's been a journey.
And if there's one thing I'velearned is that philosophy isn't
something that belong only tothe past or to the big names in
books.
Philosophy lives in us, in ourstruggles, in our choices, in
our hopes.
This podcast has been my way ofdiscovering that for myself and
(06:32):
of sharing it with you.
Along the way, it has remindedme that no matter how difficult
life becomes, we can stillsearch for meaning.
We can still hold on to hope.
and we can still choose to grow.
So if you've been listeningsince the beginning, or if this
is your first episode, I want tothank you.
(06:54):
Your time, your attention, yourwillingness to think and reflect
with me.
It means everything.
And I will leave you with this.
Philosophy doesn't live only inbooks or classrooms.
It lives in your everyday life,in how you treat others, in the
choices you make, in the way youface hardship, and in the hope
(07:18):
you refuse to let go of.
So, wherever you are, whoeveryou are, remember, your life is
already a philosophy in action.
This is Reza Sanjide, and youhave been listening to
Philosophy of Life podcast.
Thank you for walking thisjourney with me, and I hope you
(07:38):
will keep walking with me intothe next chapter.
Hi, this is Reza Sanjide and you're listening to
Philosophy of Life podcast.
(00:21):
Today's episode feels different.
This isn't just episode 31.
It also marks three years sinceI first started this podcast.
If I'm honest, it hasn't been asmooth or consistent journey.
There were breaks, doubts, andmoments when I wondered if it
was worth continuing.
(00:42):
But in the past 10 months,something shifted.
I found my rhythm, and nowthousands of episodes have been
downloaded and listened to.
That growth means more to methan any number.
Because it shows whatpersistence can do.
(01:15):
When I started this podcastthree years ago, I noticed
something is missing.
There were already plenty ofphilosophy podcasts.
They were focusing onphilosopher, theories, and
academic debates.
Some future professors andscholars, they speak about
philosophy in abstract.
Almost if it is where somethingdistant, separated from everyday
(01:40):
life.
What I didn't hear was thephilosophy of ordinary people.
The kind of show up in thefamily, in daily choices.
in the quiet reflection of life,to me, that was the missing
piece.
I was inspired by Howard Zinn'sA People's History of the United
(02:02):
States, how he told history fromthe perspective of everyday
people instead of just leaders.
I wanted to do something similarwith philosophy, to bring it
back to the street level, toshow how we all live philosophy
without even realizing it, Andto tell those stories in a way
(02:23):
that connects directly to life.
Yesterday was my birthday.
And unlike so many birthdaysbefore, it was a beautiful day.
Usually, I wasn't a very happyperson on my birthday.
But yesterday felt different.
I think it changed because ofthis podcast.
(02:45):
In my last episode, I revealedsomething I had carried for
decades.
about what I lost when therevolution in Iran didn't
succeed, at least in my eyes.
But the more I reflected, themore I realized, maybe it did
succeed.
It depends on how you look atrevolution.
(03:06):
Yes, many people died.
Yes, there was violence andtragedy I wish had never
happened.
But that doesn't mean therevolution failed.
In fact, maybe its success liesin its continuation.
in the ongoing struggle, in thechanges that keep unfolding.
And when I look around at theworld today, I see something
(03:28):
similar.
Wars are tearing lives apart inEurope, with Ukraine and Russia,
and in the Middle East, wherePalestinians live without a
recognized state, facingdisplacement and violence.
These are deeply unjustconflicts, taking thousands of
innocent lives, young and old.
(03:50):
But even in darkest moments,something else is happening.
People are standing up.
They're trying to fight fortheir rights, their lands, their
existence.
And that is inspiring.
Those who wage war trying tokill hope, but they cannot
succeed.
Because the more they try, themore people rise.
(04:14):
And that is, to me, is the realstory, the persistence of human
hope.
And that is, in a way, the realstory of this podcast.
That's how it grew anddeveloped.
In the beginning, I wasn't surehow to shape it.
I followed some other philosophypodcasts at first, shows that
(04:35):
focused on famous philosophers,the history of ideas, timelines,
and academic debates, but thatnever felt like my niche.
That wasn't the story I wantedto tell.
What I discovered is that Thispodcast needed to come from a
different place.
It became a way for me to facelife, to find myself again, and
(04:57):
to share that process.
And honestly, there's nothingwrong with that.
Even if no one listened, the actof creating it would still
matter because it helps mereflect, learn, and keep going.
But of course, people do listen.
And whether it's thousands ofdownloads or or just a handful
(05:18):
of people, if even one person istouched, if even one life is
helped in some way, that'salready more than enough.
Yes, it is challenging.
We all struggle with time.
And sometimes it feels verydifficult to keep going.
But for me, every minute I spendon this podcast is worth it
(05:42):
because it's not just aboutproducing an episode.
is about creating meaning.
(06:06):
Three years, 31 episodes.
It's been a journey.
And if there's one thing I'velearned is that philosophy isn't
something that belong only tothe past or to the big names in
books.
Philosophy lives in us, in ourstruggles, in our choices, in
our hopes.
This podcast has been my way ofdiscovering that for myself and
(06:32):
of sharing it with you.
Along the way, it has remindedme that no matter how difficult
life becomes, we can stillsearch for meaning.
We can still hold on to hope.
and we can still choose to grow.
So if you've been listeningsince the beginning, or if this
is your first episode, I want tothank you.
(06:54):
Your time, your attention, yourwillingness to think and reflect
with me.
It means everything.
And I will leave you with this.
Philosophy doesn't live only inbooks or classrooms.
It lives in your everyday life,in how you treat others, in the
choices you make, in the way youface hardship, and in the hope
(07:18):
you refuse to let go of.
So, wherever you are, whoeveryou are, remember, your life is
already a philosophy in action.
This is Reza Sanjide, and youhave been listening to
Philosophy of Life podcast.
Thank you for walking thisjourney with me, and I hope you
(07:38):
will keep walking with me intothe next chapter.
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