Conspirituality – Brief: Is There a "Deep Self"?

Hosts: Derek Beres & Julian Walker
Episode Date: April 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks recent statements by Marc Andreessen, prominent Silicon Valley VC and advisor to Trump, who argued that introspection is modern, unnecessary, and even pathological. Derek and Julian use Andreessen’s claims as a jumping-off point to explore the long philosophical, psychological, and neuroscientific debates about the nature of introspection, the self, and moral character—while also critiquing techno-optimist ideology. They weave in discussions about neuroscience, philosophy, and the evolution of introspective thought, ultimately questioning whether there really is a "deep self" to be found.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marc Andreessen’s Claims and Historical Perspective

• Andreessen’s Position: Introspection is a recent, mostly unnecessary invention (01:06). He claims:
  • Entrepreneurs and great figures of the past had “little or zero introspection.”
  • Introspection is tied to guilt-oriented 20th-century psychology, especially Freud (09:26).
  • Reflecting on oneself leads to being “caught in the past” and hinders progress.
• Critique by Hosts:
  • Julian highlights the anti-psychological, anti-self-awareness attitude and critiques Andreessen’s reliance on the “great men of history” idea (04:22).

    "What he said sounds grossly anti psychological, anti self awareness, and by contrast, I guess, pro impulsive or intuitive." – Julian Walker (04:22)

  • They connect Andreessen to a lineage of technocratic, anti-democratic thought, invoking Thomas Carlyle and Curtis Yarvin as influential anti-democratic figures for the tech elite.

2. A Counter-History of Introspection

• Historical Examples of Introspection:
  • Early texts like the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Psalms show deeply introspective characters (12:00–14:00).
  • Philosophers and religious figures—Socrates (“know thyself”), Marcus Aurelius, Augustine, Buddha—were all concerned with self-examination (14:07).

    "Socrates said to know thyself, not know we selves. There's even a term for this moment in history, which is the Axial Age." – Derek Beres (13:47)

  • The Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment deepened focus on individual conscience and inner life—from art to religion to law.
  • The hosts emphasize that Western and non-Western traditions have engaged in self-reflection long before Freud.

3. Neuroscience of the Self: Flat or Deep?

• Nick Chater’s 'The Mind is Flat':
  • Andreessen leverages Chater’s book to claim introspection is “bullshit.”
  • Chater’s thesis: “The idea of a hidden inner life is an illusion.” (21:19)
    • Thoughts and motivations are constructed in real-time, not retrieved from a deep unconscious reservoir.
    • The brain improvises identity continuously, akin to a novelist inventing details consistent with what’s already been written.
    • Our sense of a continuous narrative is a trick of memory and prediction systems in the brain (21:19–24:18).
• Host Commentary:
  • Derek and Julian acknowledge Chater’s thesis but argue it doesn’t negate introspection or the felt experience of a self:

    "We code, switch and pantomime constantly based on who we're with and the environment that we're in at that moment." – Derek Beres (23:31)

  • Neuroscientific research shows consciousness is emergent from biology; personality can shift with trauma (e.g., Phineas Gage, 29:50).

    "Brain does dictate consciousness." – Derek Beres (29:50)

4. Perception, Cognitive Bias, and Illusions

• Limits of Perception:
  • Examples like the “gorilla suit” selective attention experiment illustrate how our expectations shape what we perceive—both consciously and unconsciously (27:08–27:56).
  • Illusions and magical tricks exploit gaps in our perception, which, while showing limitations, don’t mean reality is unknowable or that no self exists.
  • The hosts reference Aldous Huxley’s “reducing valve” theory of the brain during psychedelic experiences and discuss how perception and subjectivity are always limited by biology (31:39).

    "If it was always that way, then it would just be the status quo ... and then maybe being sober would actually be the psychedelic state." – Derek Beres (31:39)

5. Performative vs. Private Selves & Morality

• Psychological Layering:
  • There’s a gap between the performative self (public face) and the private, introspective self; psychotherapeutic work explores this distinction (34:12).
  • Julian argues complex parallel processing and performative masks explain internal dynamics without invoking a soul or dualism.

    "We have an internal experience of certain things that we know we're not allowed to show on the outside." – Julian Walker (33:40)

• Morality as Improvisation:
  • Chater and the hosts propose moral judgments are context-dependent and generated “on the fly” (35:28).
  • This improvisational view does not eliminate morals, but roots them in environment, habit, and social context rather than a fixed, deep self (36:52).

6. Rejecting the Techno-Optimist’s Escape From Conscience

• Andreessen’s Position Revisited:
  • The hosts suggest avoidance of introspection and guilt helps Andreessen and other tech elites ignore the moral repercussions of their business models (e.g., investments in surveillance and military tech).

    "Pretending introspection doesn't exist will surely help you sleep at night if that's how you make your billions." – Derek Beres (12:02)

• Philosophical Implications:
  • Derek and Julian advocate for existential self-authorship: if there is no "deep self," that makes moral accountability more—not less—important.

    "You're the author of your moral character, just like other aspects of your being tethered to the people in your life and the environment that you live in." – Derek Beres (36:52)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Julian Walker (04:22):

  "What he said sounds grossly anti psychological, anti self awareness, and by contrast, I guess, pro impulsive or intuitive."

• Derek Beres (13:47):

  "Socrates said to know thyself, not know we selves. There's even a term for this moment in history, which is the Axial Age."

• Derek Beres (23:31):

  "We code, switch and pantomime constantly based on who we're with and the environment that we're in at that moment."

• Julian Walker (33:40):

  "We have an internal experience of certain things that we know we're not allowed to show on the outside."

• Derek Beres (12:02):

  "Pretending introspection doesn't exist will surely help you sleep at night if that's how you make your billions."

• Derek Beres (36:52):

  "You're the author of your moral character, just like other aspects of your being tethered to the people in your life and the environment that you live in."

Important Timestamps

• Andreessen on introspection and history: 01:06–01:53
• Critique of 'great men' and pseudo-historical claims: 04:22–05:40
• Discussion of ancient texts and introspection: 12:00–14:07
• Neuroscience of prediction, memory, and personality: 18:01–24:18
• Selective attention, illusions, and brain tricks: 27:08–31:39
• Morality and context, no fixed deep self: 35:20–36:52
• Chater’s summary on introspection: 37:39

  “Introspection is a process not of perception, but of invention. The real time generation of interpretations and explanations to make sense of our own words and actions. The inner world is a mirage.” – Nick Chater (quoted by Julian Walker)

Recommended Reading & Resources

• The Mind Is Flat by Nick Chater
• This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin
• Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks
• The Telltale Brain by V.S. Ramachandran
• The Axial Age by Karen Armstrong

Summary Takeaway:
The episode turns Marc Andreessen's tech-bro rejection of introspection into a wide-ranging, intellectually rigorous meditation on selfhood. Derek and Julian convincingly argue that questioning the “depth” of the self, far from undercutting morality or awareness, actually makes the imperative of reflection, responsibility, and empathy even more crucial for individuals and society alike.