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You’re Addicted To The Illusion of Control | Sebastian Junger (PT. 1)

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Nov 26, 2025

Guest

Sebastian Junger

Joined by bestselling author and journalist Sebastian Junger, known for The Perfect Storm and the documentary Restrepo, this conversation dives deep into the dangers of smartphone addiction. Junger shares why he prefers a flip phone, highlighting how technology creates a false sense of control and amplifies anxiety. He reflects on his harrowing near-death experiences as a war reporter, the value of boredom in fostering creativity, and how embracing life's uncertainties can enrich our daily choices. Junger's insights challenge our perceptions of time, connection, and meaning.

51:21

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Episode notes

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ADVICE

Quit The Constant Smartphone Loop

Avoid carrying a smartphone to stop being continually distracted and addicted to social media.
Use inconvenience as an opportunity for human interaction and mental space.

insights

INSIGHT

Illusion Of Minute-Level Control

Smartphones increase anxiety by creating the illusion you can control life to the minute.
That illusion makes small deviations feel catastrophic and heightens stress.

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ADVICE

Guard Idle Time For Creativity

Protect idle, unstructured moments because they generate creative and intuitive thinking.
Reserve time without devices to let the unconscious work on problems and ideas.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Sebastian's Phone Choice and Addiction

02:33 • 5min

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Benefits of Offline Life and Navigation

07:15 • 2min

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Illusion of Control from Smartphones

09:20 • 1min

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Time, Clocks, and Human Experience

10:47 • 54sec

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Attention, Music, and Idling Mind

11:41 • 3min

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Reading, Boredom, and Deep Practice

14:56 • 6min

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Practicing Internally and Mental Rehearsal

20:51 • 2min

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Morning Freshness and Phone Habits

Near-Death, Ambrose Bierce, and Owl Creek

31:17 • 33sec

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Mock Execution, Dostoevsky, and Perspective

31:50 • 11min

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Sebastian's Execution Fears as a Reporter

43:00 • 6min

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Surviving a Medical Near-Death Experience

48:32 • 3min

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Memento Mori and How to Live

51:28 • 6min

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Parenting, Hardness, and Finding Meaning

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After you have faced death, you can’t believe what people care about online. In this episode, Ryan sits down with bestselling author and legendary war reporter Sebastian Junger. Sebastian talks about why he refuses to get a smartphone, how technology gives us the illusion of control, Ambrose Bierce, and the multiple times he was nearly executed as a war reporter.

Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of The Perfect Storm, Fire, A Death In Belmont, War, Tribe, Freedom and In My Time Of Dying. As an award-winning journalist, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a special correspondent at ABC News, he has covered major international news stories around the world, and has received both a National Magazine Award and a Peabody Award. Junger is also a documentary filmmaker whose debut film "Restrepo", a feature-length documentary (co-directed with Tim Hetherington), was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. He is also the founder and director of Vets Town Hall.

Follow Sebastian on Instagram @SebastianJungerOfficial and on X @SebastianJunger

Grab signed copies of Sebastian’s books Tribe, Freedom and In My Time Of Dying at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com

🎥 Watch Sebastian Junger's first episode on The Daily Stoic Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kApbOu6bXt0

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