A First Principle: Don't Lie

There's a version of honesty most of us have never tried. Not brutal honesty. Not radical honesty. Something quieter and more demanding than either: a genuine commitment to saying what is true and useful, and nothing else.

That is where this conversation begins.

Sam Harris, neuroscientist, philosopher, bestselling author, host of the Making Sense podcast, and creator of the Waking Up app, joins Dr. Michael Gervais for a conversation that moves across truth, consciousness, AI, religion, and the inner mechanics of the mind. What starts as a discussion about lying becomes something much larger: an examination of the hidden forces that shape what we believe, who we trust, and how free we actually are.

Sam and Dr. Mike explore what it costs us to keep two sets of books — one for people we care about, one for everyone else. They dig into why high-performing environments depend on truth-telling, how tribalism and dogmatism reliably pull us away from reality, and what it might mean to find solid ground in an era of increasing chaos.

And then the conversation turns inward. To thoughts, awareness, and the gap between pain and suffering. To what meditation actually is and what it can do. To the possibility that the freedom most of us are chasing doesn't require changing our circumstances at all.

If you are trying to get more honest with yourself and the people around you, this conversation will give you a lot to work with.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why a commitment to not lying is one of the most clarifying decisions a person can make
• How tribalism and dogmatism corrupt our access to truth and keep us divided
• What AI and deep fakes may actually do to our relationship with institutions and shared reality
• The difference between pain and suffering, and why that gap matters
• Why you are not your thoughts, and what opens up when you more fully understand that

We’re excited for you to listen. 

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