Fantasy Worlds and the Perception of Reality: How Your Emotions, Programming, and Culture Shape What You See

What if the world you see isn’t the real one? In this mind-expanding conversation, author Khaled Sadeq joins Josh Cary to explore how perception shapes reality, and why understanding this could change everything about how you experience your life.

Drawing from philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology, Khaled shares how your upbringing, emotional state, and even your DNA influence what you believe to be true. Whether you’re seeking a more peaceful mindset, better relationships, or a deeper understanding of the world around you, this episode offers a roadmap to clarity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why Reality Isn’t What You Think – How centuries-old philosophical thought (from Kant to Nietzsche) reveal that your senses distort what’s actually happening around you.

The IT-to-Philosophy Pipeline – How Khaled’s background in programming shaped his deep philosophical inquiry and led to writing Fantasy Worlds.

The Hidden Influence of Emotion – How hunger, fatigue, and emotional states alter your perception and why you should never blindly trust how you feel.

Intergenerational Programming – Discover how trauma and belief systems from generations before you are influencing your thoughts and behaviors today.

The Science Behind the Soul Debate – Why Khaled rejects the spiritual premise of a soul separate from body, and instead roots his framework in evolutionary biology.

What This Means for Your Daily Life – How recognizing perception bias can help you improve communication, stop unnecessary conflict, and find more peace in any moment.

Memorable Quotes

“Your emotions impact your perceptions, and your perceptions impact your emotions. It’s a two-way street.” – Khaled Sadeq

“The thing in itself, as Kant puts it, is forever inaccessible to us. We only see what we’re wired to see.”

“Before you blame someone else for how they see the world, ask: what are they perceiving that I’m not?”

“We are not independent agents. We are part of a larger ecosystem; emotionally, culturally, and biologically.”

“Understanding perception is the key to pulling yourself out of emotional spirals and seeing life for what it really is.”

Episode Resources

Get the book: Fantasy Worlds: How Perception Shapes Reality by Khaled Sadeq – available now on Amazon.