Some Questions Regarding Life

I'm back with Elie Shimaoka to explore mysterious aspects of life.

Episode 8B in a 🌰:
Human's capacity to be objective, the experience of joy vs. the feeling of joy, and the divine nature of nature: we talk a little more about life's surprises. Along the way, we look at some hypothetical and real situations (like AI).

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00:19] Self-awareness through struggle

[00:04:12] Fight or flight?

[00:08:47] O...

I talk with my best friend Elie Shimaoka on why it's so hard to be yourself, especially around other people.

Episode 8A in a 🌰:
First impressions. Self-conscious thoughts. What is it like to be authentic? Elie and I open up about the faces we wear, the overthinking, and our elusive feeling of chemistry that can’t be explained by language, culture, or even shared values.

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00:33] First impressions and soci...

We're back in the Socratic forum with your familiar crew. I'm with Annie Mohr, Lilly Killinger, Yule Kwon, Cole Piraino, Jessica Dang and joined by Ryan Du Plessis and Arnav Rao. We talk burnout and competition, and the difference between winning and not losing.

Episode 7 in a 🌰:

We look at the fear of being a "try‑hard," genuine versus strategic compliments, and the line between healthy drive and harmful burno...

In this quiet episode, I ponder with An Yan on whether humans are inherently greedy, transitioning to progress in life.

Episode in a 🌰:
From genetically modified bananas to monkey economics, from gender inequality to the structure of societies, An and I wade through hard-hitting questions: Are humans naturally selfish? Can society function without leaders? Why strive for perfection if it’s unreachable? We talk morality, mor...

In part two of this outdoor conversation, me and the same curious crew look at morals, beliefs, and God.

Episode in a 🌰:
Do we all have the same morals? What’s the difference between a belief and a value? Why do bad things happen to good people? This episode turns personal and philosophical as the group reflects on religion, altruism, and whether doubt might actually make belief stronger. Chirp chirp.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00:31] Are we bor...

We're in the first part of "In the Company of Birds and Doubt," a precious two-part discussion outdoors. I'm joined by the crew Annie Mohr, Cole Piraino, Lilly Killinger, Yule Kwon, plus one new member, Jessica Dang, to debate bias, morality, and how we make hard choices.

Episode in a 🌰:Should we live by reason or emotion? Is altruism real, or evolutionary self-preservation in disguise? Is “evil” a choice? From creepy vans to t...

I chat with my friend and 1W buddy Janie Miller to ask the question that plagues highschool students: is the straight-A, resume-builder grind really worth it if you’re miserable along the way?

Episode in a 🌰:

We start with means vs. ends and talk about genuine fulfillment, from skipping physics because it sparks zero joy to choosing low-paying but meaningful work like teaching. We try and find the line between “healthy discomfor...

The deepening conversation closes with new members Katie Lee, Asami Puff, Kyle Hwang, and joining us at the end - Imangali Zhakan and Mr. Kerr (resident philosophy teacher). As before, I'm with the old crew: Annie, Yule, Cole, and Lilly. We take a raw, unfiltered dive into our school Mercersburg, an extended look into privilege, empathy, and whether good intentions are ever enough.

Episode in a 🌰:

How should we give back? Do...

The movie room turns into a Socratic forum. I am again with Yule Kwon, Annie Mohr, Lilly Killinger, and Cole Piraino, focused on the central question: Are we morally responsible for the underprivileged?

Episode in a 🌰:

The group debates what being morally good is like in a world with inequality. From Peter Singer to Elon Musk, they explore whether caring is enough, or if true morality demands real sacrifice. Along the way, they...

Since the last episode, intrigued students have peeked through the window and joined the ragtag group. I talk with Yule Kwon, Annie Mohr, Lilly Killinger, and Cole Piraino about gas chambers, peppers, and the geometry of pain.

Episode in a 🌰:
From Ursula K. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas to Viktor Frankl’s “heart as a gas-chamber” metaphor, we look at how to quantify pain. Highlights include Chinese babies ...

I sit down with classmates Yule Kwon and Elie Shimaoka to ask about discipline. What keeps us running when we run out of motivation? Is it possible that pain might actually be a blessing in disguise?

Episode in a 🌰:
From 6:30 a.m. swim sets to Camus’s Sisyphus, we go from how we personally keep going to the uneasy idea that knowledge itself can hurt, even as it enlightens.

A startling takeaway: maybe pain isn’t a curse, but rathe...

In the second episode, I invite Shelly Shen to a slow, deliberate conversation on means, ends, and the purpose of life.

Episode 2 in a 🌰:

Is getting good grades the goal—or just a step along the way? From college apps and parental pressure to Pixar's Soul, astrophysics, and creative writing, this episode explores what it means to live with purpose—or without one. Expect an honest, sometimes funny, sometimes deep exchange on what...

In our very first episode, I sit down with An Yan, a junior at Mercersburg Academy.

Episode 1 in a 🌰:

1. Means vs Ends

Are we doing things in high school because of genuine interest, or just to add to our college resume? Is college just the stepping stone to a job?

2. Passion vs Practicality

Should we follow what we love, or choose a major based on what’s “useful”? STEM vs Humanities? Is philosophy impractical, and therefore meanin...