Of course you're anxious
3/2/202642 min
We use the word “anxiety” to describe stress, dread, worry, panic, even vibes. Which just goes to show: We really don’t know what anxiety is, or where it comes from, or what we’re supposed to do with it. Today’s guest is philosopher Samir Chopra, author of Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide. Chopra argues that anxiety is a permanent feature of being human and the price of being a free, self-conscious creature in an uncertain world. Sean and Samir talk about the difference between fear and anxiety, why modern life seems engineered to keep us on edge, and what Buddhism, existentialism, and Freud can teach us about the anxious mind. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Samir Chopra, author of Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSean Illing· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Support for this show comes from the Working Forest Initiative. The Working Forest Industry is committed to planting more trees than they harvest. More than one billion seedlings are planted in U.S. working forests every year. From biologists to GIS analysts, hiring managers, accountants and more, Working Forest professionals have dedicated their focus towards sustainability, using their expertise to help ensure a healthy future for America's forests. They say they don't just plan for the future, they plant it. You can learn more at workingforestinitiative.com.
Speaker 10:35
[upbeat music] Support for the show comes from 1Password. A password manager should be the first security purchase you make for your team. Why? Because compromised passwords are the number one way bad actors attack companies, and small businesses are their favorite targets. But unlike a lot of security challenges, passwords actually have a pretty simple solution. 1Password lets you manage all your business credentials, so you can feel confident that your data stays secure as your company grows. Find out more at 1password.com/podcastoffer, and start securing every login.
Sean Illing· Host1:15
[gentle music] We seem to be talking about anxiety more than ever. We're diagnosing it more than ever. We're treating it more than ever. And yet it's not obvious that we're handling it any