9 Best Lex Fridman Podcast Episodes
Lex Fridman Podcast
I first became aware of Lex Fridman through his appearances on the Joe Rogan podcast.
I must acknowledge, I was neutral at best, in my initial reaction to Lex as a guest.
I did not know what to make of Lex and what felt like slightly eccentric mannerisms that he displayed.
Clearly, the guy was brilliant. Like on another level of brilliance, but something was just not landing entirely with me as a viewer.
His cadence of communication seemed a bit slow. He did not always appear to be looking Joe directly in the eyes as they spoke.
He also wore the same exact outfit, which was a black suit, a white dress shirt, and a skinny black tie.
After going down a major rabbit hole of clips from his own podcast, aptly titled the Lex Fridman Podcast, everything I superficially observed as quirky from Lex Fridman I now recognize and appreciate as endearing qualities.
I now see when Lex is speaking slowly, he is actually being wholly thoughtful to his guests and to the contemplation of the topic at hand.
When he veers off to the side or does not appear to be looking directly at his guest, he is deep in ponderance of his own thoughts and what he is wanting to articulate.
The Lex Fridman Podcast has now become one of my primary sources of educational entertainment.
Led Fridman’s curiosities run wide and they run deep.
That unending thirst for conversations steeped in critical thinking lends itself to an absolutely brilliant and compelling podcast.
Most importantly, even as a Russian-born, artificial intelligence research scientist at MIT, Lex is able to ask questions and explain concepts in a way that is accessible to the most common layperson.
Let us pay homage to one of my favorite new podcast obsessions by curating 9 of my favorite Lex Fridman Podcast episodes.
These episodes highlight and underscore just how diverse the topics and guests can be on the Lex Fridman podcast.
Here are the 9 Best Lex Fridman Podcast Episodes:
9. Robert Crews: Robert Crews: Afghanistan, Taliban, Bin Laden, and War in the Middle East | Lex Fridman Podcast #244
This episode was a timely one based on the United States’ recent and controversial pullout of Afghanistan.
Robert Crews is a historian at Stanford and per Lex’s own show description:
“Specializing in Afghanistan, Russia, Islam, Central Asia, and South Asia.”
Robert sat down with Lex and detailed his perspective on a wide range of issues dating back to the Soviet’s involvement in Afghanistan through the United States’ recent withdrawal of the region.
He shared his intimate understanding of these matters in a sober and thoughtful manner, not being an alarmist but also never shying away from being constructively critical of foreign policy decisions that may have been reckless while permanently shaping the trajectory of world politics.
It was equally as entertaining and informative to hear Robert speak on significant foreign policy concepts in a long-form, open conversation that allowed for the nuance that these difficult subjects require.
Check out this clip below and then go watch the full episode right here!
8. Vitalik Buterin: Ethereum 2.0 | Lex Fridman Podcast #188
Vitalik Buterin is the co-founder of Ethereum, an open-sourced blockchain technology.
Most folks mention Ethereum in the next breath after Bitcoin when discussing the most relevant and important cryptocurrencies.
Beyond being a cryptocurrency billionaire, Vitalik is also a genius but carries himself with humility and is quite unassuming.
He has a thoughtful and intriguing discussion with Fridman on all things crypto and technology.
This is fascinating access to one of the most important minds on the cutting edge of a potential revolution in the global economy.
Check out this clip below and go watch the full episode right here.
7. Saagar Enjeti: Politics, History, and Power | Lex Fridman Podcast #167
Saagar has been touted by Joe Rogan as being one of his most trusted resources for political news and opinion.
Saagar lived up to that billing with his discussion here with Fridman.
Saagar totes no party line and he does not sway with mainstream groupthink when it comes to his political commentary.
I think most folks are yearning for news and editorial commentary that stem from independent sources that are free from big corporate agendas.
Saagar is proving to be one of those voices for fiercely independent, political opinion.
Check out a clip below and go watch the full episode right here.
6. Jason Calacanis: Startups, Angel Investing, Capitalism, and Friendship | Lex Fridman Podcast #161
I am relatively new to knowing Jason Calacanis but had actually discovered him first through his own podcast All-In, just prior to seeing his conversation with Fridman.
Calacanis is a heavy-hitter in the world of investing and markets.
He is a fascinating thinker on all aspects of start-ups, tech, and business in general.
On a side note, his podcast All-In with his “bestie” co-hosts like Chamath Poliypathia is my front runner for the best podcast of 2021.
Check out a clip below and go watch the full episode right here.
5. Anthony Pompliano: Bitcoin | Lex Fridman Podcast #171
You may see a bit of a trend with these next few guests, but Lex Fridman seems to attract people that can best be described as thoughtful.
Anthony Pomliano, a.k.a. “Pomp”, is an avid proponent of Bitcoin, but he is not an idealistic fanatic.
Pomp is open to not only listening to dissenting opinions but he pays respect to those people and their perspectives.
Pomp is a brilliant podcaster in his own right and I have recently subscribed to his podcast too, which you can find right here.
His appearance with Fridman is an incredible educational foundation on money, wealth, and cryptocurrency.
Check out a clip below and go watch the full episode right here.
4. Jaron Lanier: Virtual Reality, Social Media & the Future of Humans and AI | Lex Fridman Podcast #218
I admittedly had never heard of Jaron Lanier prior to his conversation with Lex and I was immediately struck by his ability to be a deep critical thinker but also convey his thoughts in a manner that is easy for the layperson to understand and digest.
Jaron Lanier is a computer scientist, futurist, visual artist, and technologist but those descriptors may be limiting in describing his brilliance that is only outshined by his humility and thoughtfulness.
Jaron is always quick to disclaim he does not hold all the answers to some of the universe’s most perplexing questions but he is always readied with some form of perspective to share in an attempt to make sense of where our world is heading as we continue to merge deeper with technology.
After consuming this episode with Lex, YouTube began sending me down a rabbit hole of Jaron Lanier clips and each one was just as fascinating as the other.
Voices like Jaron Lanier’s will only grow more important as technology becomes more embedded in the core of humanity’s existence.
Whether society takes heed to his cautious and constructively critical perspectives is a whole other discussion.
Check out a clip below and then go watch the full episode right here!
3. Sam Harris: Consciousness, Free Will, Psychedelics, AI, UFOs, and Meaning | Lex Fridman Podcast #185
Sam Harris is a brilliant thinker and compelling podcast guest.
He is a neuroscientist, staunch atheist, and prolific podcaster in his own right.
He has authored several books including Waking Up which explores consciousness and spirituality outside of what he believes are the trappings of organized religion.
Harris is more recently known for taking hard stances against woke politics and cancel culture.
He has already appeared on our best episodes feature for The Megyn Kelly Show as well as the Joe Rogan Podcast Best Guests article so it is no surprise that we are designating him as a standout guest for Lex here as well.
Harris and Fridman get into everything from consciousness, to aliens, to DMT, and more.
Check out a clip below and watch the full episode right here.
2. Matthew Johnson: Psychedelics | Lex Fridman Podcast #145
As a society, our laws, views, and conversations around drugs are immature at best and downright harmful at worst.
If there is someone who should be out in front as a credentialed, thoughtful expert on all things relating to drugs it should be Matthew Johnson.
The work he does and the experiences he has seen of radical, personal transformation through psychedelics are inspiring and hopeful for humanity.
Johnson also never wades into the hyperbolic realm when championing drugs, as he pays respect to the power of the potential dangers as well.
He is the exact type of reasoned, professional thought leader we need for maturing our views as a society on drugs.
Check out a clip below and go watch the full episode right here.
1. Andrew Huberman: Sleep, Dreams, Creativity, Fasting, and Neuroplasticity | Lex Fridman Podcast #164
I had never heard of Andrew Huberman prior to seeing him appear with Fridman. I was blown away at how sharp Huberman is on a wide range of topics all relating back to human performance.
Some of his explanations on dreams and why we potentially dream are mind-blowing.
Huberman’s style of delivery in easily communicating findings from scientific research is equally entertaining as it is informative.
I have since subscribed to Huberman’s own podcast on YouTube as well, which you can find right here.
Huberman has appeared multiple times with Fridman and I highly suggest checking out each and every visit.
Check out a clip below and go watch the full episode right here.
Educational Entertainment
The Lex Fridman Podcast seems to be touching on all the various topics surrounding life that have my attention these days.
From Bitcoin to Human Performance to Entrepreneurship, Lex covers it all in a compelling and thought-provoking manner.
I take away significance and actionable concepts to apply to my own life in just about every episode that Fridman produces.
I also have to credit Fridman for his subtle, but well-timed sense of humor as well.
Fridman, for facilitating such heady discussions, does not take himself too seriously and approaches all topics with a wry smile and a lighthearted manner.
He often talks openly about wanting to approach life and people with love and how love is a guiding emotion in his life.
In a world that often seems to limit men into outdated, stereotypical archetypes, Fridman has no hesitancy in speaking from the heart and leading with love.
That is commendable and much needed in a world that can shun men for any expression of emotion other than bravado.
Lex Fridman Podcast Clips
I think Lex Fridman also does a smart move in creating numerous smaller YouTube video clips of his long-form podcast episodes.
Those clips make it so easy to binge-watch and consume content at your own pace in an easier come-and-go manner.
It is difficult for me to sit for 2+ hours and consume an entire episode, so I am grateful for the approach to publishing content that Fridman takes with his podcast.
You can subscribe to his YouTube clips channel right here.
Becoming My Go-To Podcast
I have become so engrossed in my consumption of the Lex Fridman Podcast that it has actually taken over the Joe Rogan podcast as my primary source of educational entertainment.
There is plenty of room in my life to keep up with Rogan, whom I have written about extensively and still proclaim as the undisputed GOAT of podcasting, but I am becoming a bit more obsessed with Fridman’s platform.
You can check out the reasons for my waning Rogan consumption right here but in this feature on Fridman, I will stick to highlighting the positive reasons why I am being compelled to keep tuning back into Fridman’s podcast.
As noted earlier, Fridman is hitting all my current notes of curiosity in life right now.
He is doing an incredible job at programming guests from all walks of life and no single topic ever gets played out or stale.
The conversations are all steeped in deep, critical thinking on the subject at hand but somehow kept lighthearted through and through with Fridman’s engaging smiles and self-deprecating quips.
If you are a fan of the Tim Ferriss Show or the Joe Rogan Podcast, then Lex Fridman has to be in your podcast feed or a subscription on your YouTube profile.
I am hooked on his content and I assure you that you will be too.
If you are already a fan, please do leave a comment below with your favorite Lex Fridman Podcast episode.
We want to hear from you.
27 Joe Rogan Podcast Best Guests Ever
This is your ultimate guide to the Joe Rogan podcast’s best guests ever.
While Joe is a comedian at heart, it is the recurring theme of deconstructing life that has hooked me in and kept me coming back.
There are over 1,600 episodes of the Joe Rogan podcast available and it can appear to be almost overwhelming to get started.
To assist you in navigating his entire catalog we have compiled for you the best guests ever from the Joe Rogan podcast.
These Are The 27 Joe Rogan Podcast Best Guests Ever:
(ranked in no specific order)
1. Duncan Trussell
Duncan is a comedian and podcaster as well. He seems to possess a considerable desire for exploring consciousness and what this journey of life is truly all about.
Duncan always drops some significant nuggets of wisdom each and every time he is on the podcast. Every episode he is on is a must-view.
It is why we have boldly proclaimed in another feature article that Duncan Trussell is the undisputed, best-recurring guest ever from the Joe Rogan podcast. You can check that article out right here.
2. Bob Lazar & Jeremy Corbell
Bob Lazar is a physicist who claims to have worked on covert operations within area 51 that was focused on reverse engineering alien technology taken from alien spaceships in the possession of the United States government.
Appearing alongside Bob is documentary filmmaker Jeremy Corbell who produced a film about Bob that is available on Netflix.
This episode and Bob’s story are absolutely captivating.
He seems like a credible guy to me who wants no part of the notoriety that comes along with sharing his story but at the same time feels compelled to share it for the greater good of humanity.
3. Elon Musk
At a certain point in our culture, entrepreneurial executives have become our modern-day rock stars and there may be none with a bigger profile than Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of Tesla.
Elon’s first appearance with Rogan almost broke the internet. It even had a ripple effect on Wall Street when Musk opted to partake in a cannabis session live in the studio with Joe.
Check out a clip below from his return visit with Rogan and you can find his full debut episode right here.
