
Conversations with creatives on when they broke down, broke through, and how they now peacefully(ish) coexist with their gifts.
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 29 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Personal JournalsMental HealthSociety & CultureHealth & Fitness | ||||

AI futurist and author David Shapiro joins Paul to map the path between panic and progress. We dig into why he invests his “limited cognitive cycles” in building rather than despair, the liminal now he calls Vesperance (and why the fever will “break”... more
TOPICS COVERED:
- Jeffrey Hinton and the rise of AI irrelevance
- Pattern recognition, synthesis, and cognitive flexibility
- Douglas Hofstadter, Steve Jobs, Joy Buolamwini, and Tony Stark as intelligence templates
- Why generalists win in an era... more
TOPICS COVERED:
- The neuroscience of joy, laughter, and orgasm
- Flow states, emotional intelligence, and pleasure as defiance
- Viktor Frankl, Albert Camus, and the absurdity of hope
- Why funny people are cognitively elite
- Reclaiming joy as... more
TOPICS COVERED:
- Trauma, shame, and desire as fuel
- The science of nervous system recalibration
- Carl Jung’s shadow, Resmaa Menakem’s soul nerve
- How shame stabilizes—then cages
- Turning repressed energy into post-traumatic sovereignty
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A welcome departure from a world where everyone from grad students to fitness leaders are “specialists” with a narrow view of their field - this episode reminds us that life can be full of passions and none of it has to follow a linear path. Cheers to Paul and his guest Jeffrey.
The 3-10-2022 episode really spoke to me!! Great job Paul!! Too many goodies in this one to mention but I highly recommend a listen!!
I’m new to the podcast world… i usually take an old school approach to media. My husband turned me on Paul’s program & after binging all his shows, I not only am waiting with baited breath for the next episode but am more importantly looking at life with a fresh perspective
Thanks Paul!
We have followed Paul’s work for quite some time, well over a decade. This latest iteration of his genius has really tickled our fancy as well as continued to engage the cerebral.
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Why (only) 4 Stars? - it wouldn’t be “tortured” otherwise 😎🤙
Thank you for bringing this podcast into the world.
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Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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This collection of conversations draws on the experiences of creative individuals as they explore moments of personal breakdown and breakthrough. The discussions emphasize how these transformative experiences shape their artistry and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of their gifts. The overarching theme revolves around the complex relationship between creativity and mental health, encouraging listeners to appreciate the beauty in their struggles and find strength within their vulnerabilities.
What distinguishes this podcast is its candid approach to tackling sensitive subjects with creativity as a lens. The comfort offered to both guests and listeners creates an engaging environment where authenticity and emotional exploration ar... more
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Smart Funny Tortured launched 5 years ago and published 29 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Smart Funny Tortured include:
1. Noelle Cordeaux
2. Zachary Stein
3. Elissa Strauss
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