Time is Racing Toward Us | Pete Holmes on The Real Point of Philosophy

Summary

The Daily Stoic: "Time is Racing Toward Us | Pete Holmes on The Real Point of Philosophy"

Episode Date: April 20, 2026
Host: Ryan Holiday
Guest: Pete Holmes
Producer/Co-host: Stephen Hanselman

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Stoic dives deep into the nature of time, existence, and the real practical function of philosophy. Ryan Holiday opens with a Stoic meditation on the fleetingness of life, underscoring that time is always moving toward us—never standing still. The conversation with comedian and podcaster Pete Holmes (joined in discussion by Stephen Hanselman) swiftly unpacks the tension between abstract, esoteric philosophy and the grounded, daily usefulness of Stoic principles. Together, they explore why most people engage with philosophy: not to unravel cosmic mysteries, but to suffer less and live better.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Stoic View of Time and Mortality

[00:15–01:24]

• Ryan Holiday shares a reflection inspired by Seneca, challenging the notion that death and old age are far-off events:

  “Seneca writes that death is not something we are slowly moving towards, but rather something that is rushing toward us... We are dying every day, he says, for the time that passes belongs to death... There is only now.” [00:19]

• He urges listeners not to defer living, stressing the importance of acting in the present:

  “Take the present before it becomes the past... Don’t hesitate. Don’t delay. Live now.” [01:21]

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2. Philosophy as Practical Help, Not Obscure Riddles

[03:37–10:32]

• Stephen Hanselman pushes back against the misconception that philosophy is only for abstract conundrums (“Is there a self? Is this a simulation?”):

  “People think philosophy is like this riddle that tricks you into thinking you don’t exist... But philosophy is actually more like, your words hurt me. And then a stoic goes, how though? Like, show me how...” [03:37]

• Pete Holmes underscores that true philosophical practice is about managing emotional reactions and not taking things personally:

  “For most of us it should just be more like, yeah, why am I taking offense to this?... The thing just is something. And then I have an opinion about that thing. And most of the time, a lot of the time that opinion is making me feel shitty or insecure.” [04:03 — Stephen Hanselman] “It’s almost always making [you feel bad].” [04:40]

• Pete differentiates between philosophy-as-theory and philosophy-for-living:

  “Going to the door, the closed door, saying... there is no self or everything is a dream or whatever... That’s just kind of like an amusement ride.” [05:14]
  “The nature of your being... is peace. It’s the lack of agitation, it’s the lack of yearning, it’s the lack of seeking, it’s the lack of resisting... Successful spirituality is how spacious are you? Not how good are you at winning a debate or whatever.” [06:22, 07:46]

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3. The Image of the 'Screen' and Finding Peace

[07:01–08:01]

• Pete shares an analogy from Rupert Spira:

  “The analogy that he uses is it’s like consciousness or awareness is the screen. And this is the movie... What isn’t in flux? The screen. Let’s find the screen. Go to the experience of being aware... You are having that experience right now. That’s going to the screen.” [07:17]

• This leads to a meditation on “spaciousness”:

  “The nature of the screen, just like a screen, is spacious to me. Successful spirituality is how spacious are you?” [07:46]

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4. Practical Stoicism: Responding to Life’s Slings and Arrows

[08:01–12:12]

• Pete recounts a story drawn from “Nonviolent Communication” about how interpretation shapes emotional pain:

  “Marshall Rosenberg tells two stories of getting hit in the nose... Same exact fracture. And he was like. The first time he was breaking up a fight... he hated this kid. It really hurt. The second time, it was this sweet kid... his heart was open to him. That’s how fast the brain will build a story.” [08:40]

• This leads to a key point on the function of philosophy:

  “Do you want to use this powerful tool to interpret everything down to a kind of nothingness or nihilism? Or do you just want to do it so you’re not taking shit so personally anymore?” [09:50 — Stephen Hanselman]

• Stephen and Pete agree: for most, it’s about getting the “most effective 80%” of philosophy for practical life.

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5. The ‘Pathless Path’—Letting Go of Over-Explanations

[12:12–13:15]

• Pete shares the insight that philosophical detachment is simple but easy to forget:

  “When it’s me, it seems to be so... when you’re having an issue, I’m like, Ryan, you’re just the screen. When it’s happening to me, I’m like, this is urgent. That’s why I’m with you. Everything we’ve said... is called the pathless path. Meaning it’s not even a path... just quietly keep a tether in the fact that you are the screen.” [12:12]

• This aligns with both Stoic and mystical traditions: not for intellectual one-upmanship, but for peace amid life’s flux.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan Holiday: “We must live while we can live while we are dying. Take the present before it becomes the past.” [01:17]
• Pete Holmes: “Philosophy for the sake of knowing what’s going on and then flexing that for people is stupid. What’s valuable is anything that points you to the nature of the self... being, peace, patience, kindness, happiness, joy.” [06:22]
• Pete Holmes: “There’s no peace for the characters in the movie... What isn’t in flux? The screen. Let’s find the screen.” [07:17]
• Stephen Hanselman: “You don’t have to delve into everything that lies beneath. You can just kind of... stay on the surface that’s like, hey, I got hit in the nose, you know, or, hey, I like this apple. I don’t need to know why it came here, who planted it.” [11:14]
• Pete Holmes: (citing Rumi, paraphrased): “You’re in the orchard... stop asking who planted the orchard and just eat some apples.” [11:00]
• Pete Holmes: “When it’s me, it seems to be so... when you’re having an issue, I’m like, Ryan, you’re just the screen. When it’s happening to me, I’m like, this is urgent.” [12:13]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time (MM:SS) | Segment / Topic | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------| | 00:15–01:24 | Stoic meditation on death, time, and living now | | 03:37–04:42 | Philosophy as practical tool vs. abstract puzzle | | 05:14–08:01 | Pete Holmes on awareness, “the screen,” and peace| | 08:40–09:49 | Story: Two nose punches—how interpretation changes experience | | 09:50–10:32 | Using philosophy for daily resilience | | 11:14–11:56 | Accepting events as “just information”—practical Stoicism | | 12:12–13:15 | The “pathless path”—philosophy as quiet tether |

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Summary

This episode delivers a resonant blend of Stoic wisdom and modern spiritual humor. Ryan Holiday and Pete Holmes gently debunk the myth that philosophy is just for academic games, making the case for its everyday usefulness—helping us process pain, take things less personally, and live more freely in the present. Listeners come away with practical philosophical tools and a sense of shared human frailty, without any intellectual posturing or mystic gatekeeping.

Perfect for anyone wanting both deep thought and a laugh with their morning coffee—this episode is a reminder to “just eat some apples” and not overthink who planted the orchard.

Transcript

[Ryan Holiday]

Welcome to the daily Stoic podcast, designed to help bring those four key Stoic virtues, courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom into the real world.

Time is racing toward us. We think that it's off in the distance. We think that it's far away. The future, old age, even our own eventual death. But this is wrong. Fundamentally wrong. Seneca writes that death is not something we are slowly moving towards, but rather something that is rushing towards us. In fact, it is something that is already here. We are dying every day, he says, for the time that passes belongs to death. We have to understand that there is no fixed point in the future that we are moving towards. There is no later. There is only now. There is this moment, and we have it only fleetingly. We cannot delay. We cannot defer. We must live while we can live while we are dying. Take the present before it becomes the past. There is only what you can do with this moment before it disappears into the past. So don't hesitate. Don't delay. Live now.

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[Stephen Hanselman]

people think philosophy is like this way of is this riddle that tricks you into thinking you don't exist.

[Ryan Holiday]

Right.

[Stephen Hanselman]

There is no self. How do you know you exist? And you go, what am I supposed to do with this information? Right. But philosophy is actually more like, your words hurt me. And then a stoic goes, how though? Like, show me how, like, what Rupert

[Pete]

Spire would say is, on whose behalf are you protesting?

[Stephen Hanselman]

Yeah, like, show me that they're just getting you. I think obviously it can be intellectually interesting to sort of take this all the way down to, like, how do we know we're not living in a simulation? But for most of us it should just be more like, yeah, why am I taking offense to this? Or like, why. Why am I said, I have to do this? Like, my therapist sometimes corrects me and she goes, no, no, what you make up, this is not. This is realizing, like, oh, no, no. The thing just is something. And then I have an opinion about that thing. And most of the time, a lot of the time that opinion is making me feel shitty or insecure.

[Pete]

It's almost always making.

[Stephen Hanselman]

And so it's like, if philosophy is about helping you with that, and then maybe there's some professional mystics who can take it all the way to the actually, nothing is permanent. Nothing's ever lasted. How do we, you know, start with the mental tricks to help you just live better?

[Pete]

Yeah.

[Stephen Hanselman]

You're not going just suddenly be questioning the purpose of everything and everyone.

[Pete]

Right. I actually think going to the door, the closed door, saying, like, we all live in a simulation or there is no self or everything is a dream or whatever.

[Stephen Hanselman]

Is there really such thing as right and wrong? Sure.

[Pete]

That's just going. That's just kind of like an amusement ride.

[Stephen Hanselman]

Yes.

[Pete]

And I think if I'm going to use a spiritual term here, but the ego, the separate self, uses that to just seem important. It's the same thing as wearing a Raiders jersey and being like. I'm like, these guys. Their strength is my strength. And when I go, this is a simulation, you're just kind of bolstering the fake thing by going like, you didn't fool me. The purpose of what you would call philosophy, what I would call mysticism, who cares? Is actually to go through that door and to realize that what you seek is only veiled by the seeking of it. So when we're looking for peace and happiness, this is all Rupert Spira. By the way, which one of these has to be him? I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. The nature of your being. The nature of awareness is peace. It's the lack of agitation, it's the lack of yearning, it's the lack of seeking, it's the lack of resisting. And then the mind gets activated and we start seeking. Oh, I hope this podcast goes well. That's fine. That's dance, that's play. But it does kind of rob me of my nature. So receding back philosophy for the sake of knowing what's going on and then flexing that for people is stupid. When realizing anything that points you to the nature of the self, the only self there is, being, peace, patience, kindness, happiness, joy. That's valuable. I know it's stupid to step back into our mind and be like, that's valuable. But I did that this morning. I was having a crummy morning. Crummy. And I started my day reading Rupert, and it reminded me that it was like, it's my seeking for a good day that's keeping me from. The analogy that he uses is it's like consciousness or awareness is the screen. And this is the movie. And there's no peace for the characters in the movie. They'll eat sandwiches and feel happy sometimes. They'll get hit by a car and be sad other times. But it's completely in flux all the time. What isn't in flux? The screen. Let's find the screen. Go to the experience of being aware, and don't say, I don't know how to find my being. You are having that experience right now. It's not esotera. It's go to it. I promise you know how to. That's going to the screen. That's step one. Step two is what is the nature of the screen?

[Ryan Holiday]

Right.

[Pete]

And the nature of the screen, just like a screen, is spacious to me. Successful spirituality is how spacious are you? Not how good are you at winning a debate or whatever.

[Stephen Hanselman]

By spacious you just mean, like, chill.

[Ryan Holiday]

What do you mean by spacious?

Allowing.

[Stephen Hanselman]

Yeah.

[Pete]

The nature of the screen, you could say the nature of God is this. Yes, it's this. It's almost offensive how. Yes, it is. And when we realize that we are that. Yes. I'll give you an example. I took an Uber here, and the guy was listening to Christian rock, which happens a lot in Texas. And I'm only a little embarrassed to admit that. It can be a little triggering to me because I grew up in that world and whatever, those were good meaning people. But it didn't do me a lot of favors. It kind of confused me and scared me. So when I hear that music. I used to sing that music. I used to lead the worship team. I'm listening to it and I'm like. And I'm like, no, this is just like, let's just try to be with what it actually is. And this is the other thing that came to mind. I'm reading Nonviolent Communication. I actually guess I could say I've read it. There's a little bit left. And he tells a story that really changed. I have other examples of it, but it was a good one. He tells two stories of getting hit in the nose. Maybe you heard me say this on my podcast. He got elbowed in the nose twice in the same week. Same force, same blood, same everything. One time it hurt like the dickens. The other time it didn't hurt. Same exact fracture. And he was like. The first time he was breaking up a fight. Both times. The first time, the kid, he was pulling off the other kid, he hated this kid. Yeah, this kid was a shit, a bad student, just a smart ass and had rubbed this guy the wrong way. He hit him in the nose and it really hurt. The second time, it was this sweet kid that he actually had a lot of love and compassion for. Cause he saw that he was kind of picked on and his heart was open to him. Got elbowed by this kid. That's how fast the brain will build a story.

[Ryan Holiday]

Right?

[Stephen Hanselman]

The interpretation of this person did it because they're bad and this person did it as an accident. And that's what I mean. It's like, do you want to use this powerful tool to interpret everything down to a kind of nothingness or nihilism? Or do you just want to do it so you're not taking shit so personally anymore? I'm just saying most people just take the most effective 80% of the thing and leave the 20% to the people who are really into it. Don't let the sort of mystic woo woo part of it confuse you or deter you from the fact that the bulk of this is very practical and very helpful in the course of your normal life where you have a job and kids and you're not a monk at a silent meditation retreat.

[Pete]

I would say that last 20% is bolstering yourself to the point where you can convince other people of it and win debates. And then how silly is that? And I'm guilty of this all the time. You've bolstered up something that you just spent all that time convincing yourself doesn't exist.

[Stephen Hanselman]

Yeah.

[Pete]

And Eckhart Tolle talks about that. It's like monks bowing to each other on meditation retreats. That is. That's a little candy. You're especially bowed to you. But also to your point. Let's not get gunked up too much. There's this. I think it's roomy. He's like, it's going to be a terrible paraphrase, but he's like, you're in the orchard. Yeah, stop asking who planted the orchard and just eat some apples. That's a terrible paraphrase.

[Stephen Hanselman]

No more in meditation, Marcus Rulis talks about. He says, you don't have to delve into everything that lies beneath. You can just kind of. And I think there's something. Nietzsche was not always a big fan of the Stoics, but he said sometimes the Stoics were superficial, out of profundity. And there's something about just kind of staying on the surface that's like, hey, I got hit in the nose, you know, or, hey, I like this apple. I don't need to know why it came here, who planted it. Or. Or just like, hey, the stock market went down today. Not the stock market went down. And now my portfolio is fucked. And now I have to work longer. And then, by the way, why did this happen? It happened because of this policy and

[Ryan Holiday]

it's these idiots who voted for.

[Stephen Hanselman]

It's just like, it's just news. Accept it as information and move on. And if you heard that it happened to someone else, you'd be like, it is what it is. But when it happens to you, you just need so much more in the way of explanation. And then you need to ruminate on it and you're not really doing yourself any favors.

[Pete]

That's a epiphany Anew at least once a month where I go, oh, my God. When it's me, it seems to be so. Meaning, like, when you're having an issue, I'm like, ryan, you're just the screen. When it's happening to me, I'm like, this is urgent. That's why I'm with you. Everything we've said, what my teacher Rupert Spira teaches, is called the pathless path. Meaning it's not even a path. Meaning it's not even something we need to explain. It's whenever, anytime. Good times, bad times, just kind of quietly keep a tether in the fact that you are the screen. Not to have some sort of afterlife reward or the thrill of being smarter than everybody. Or like me listening to the Christian music and being like. I find this theologically unsound. Good for you, Pete.

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