What is a Good Life? What Is A Good Life? #149 - Finding Your Unique Role In The World with Adam Mastroianni
Nov 18, 2025
Adam Mastroianni, an experimental psychologist and popular science writer, dives into the intriguing world of curiosity and meaningful contributions. He discusses how relentless questions can feel like demonic possessions driving creativity. Adam also ponders the historical delays in innovations like indoor plumbing and explores the contrast between online validation and real-life feedback. The conversation highlights the importance of finding your unique role in the world and how embracing authentic work can shape a fulfilling life.
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Possessed By Persistent Questions
- Adam Mastroianni feels driven by persistent, consuming questions that feel like possessions he must resolve.
- He likens discovery to finding the right incantation that frees one question and invites another.
Why Progress Can Be So Uneven
- He frames his current book question as: why did humans wait so long to invent the toilet and indoor plumbing?
- The puzzle highlights that humans didn't evolve to do science and discovery, making technological progress surprising.
Creative Work Feels Like Possession
- Adam recounts how different creative roles possess him: in standup he looked for setups and jokes, now he obsessively hunts questions for writing.
- His default thinking becomes colonized by whatever project consumes him at the time.