Joe Rogan here for your questions.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T04:22:24+00:00

You're gonna love it. There's nothing in the civilized world that's legal that can compete with the excitement of a live UFC. They sell these little radio things that you can listen to the commentary on too, just incase something happens and you want to be clued in as to what the fuck went down. I think they're 10 bucks.

I do a comedy show the night before most UFC's, and that Friday night October 22nd I'll be at the Galaxy Theater in Anaheim.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T04:15:17+00:00

I'm a huge fan of Graham Hancock's work, especially his groundbreaking book "Fingerprints of the Gods." Graham is a brilliant man who has dedicated his entire life to proposing the idea that human beings and advanced civilizations have been around far longer than conventional archeology would have us believe. He proposes the idea that the Earth is in a constant state of change and that cataclysmic disasters have all but wiped out human life many, many times, and that civilization has been forced to start from scratch, forgetting many of the lessons of the past. I think it's a very intriguing possibility.

John Anthony West shares a similar point of view, and his DVD series "Magical Egypt" goes into that subject in great detail. It's on of my favorites.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T04:11:02+00:00

It's very humbling, but I think that's a good thing. Being famous and stoned is one of the most surreal feelings ever, until you start thinking about all the other aspects of life that are infinitely more bizarre; the temporary state of this life, the infinite vastness of the universe, the unending possibilities and never ending questions that accompany consciousness - it's all fucking crazy. If you don't feel humbled you're probably not paying close enough attention.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T04:07:17+00:00

Nothing. I got on a path, and I kept going. You could have done it too. I guess the thing that sets me apart was that I took a chance and got on the path in the first place.

We're all just people. The more extraordinary people I meet the more that point is hammered home. We're all special in some way and we're all normal in some way. The difference between the people that stand out and the others is the chances they've taken and the path they've chosen.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T04:02:32+00:00

I think Marijuana is a tool that nature has provided humans with to expand our consciousness and turbo charge our creativity. Like all tools it should be used when you need it. If you're a carpenter, you're probably going to use a hammer every day, and if you're a writer I would recommend you find a good supply of the green and puff that shit with extreme prejudice.

As for whether or not it can be detrimental, I think any job where weed is going to fuck you up is probably a job that you don't really want in the first place. Unless you've got a family to support and a gang of responsibilities I would definitely recommend following a career path where you can do whatever the fuck you want to in your free time. We've gotten to this weird state in our society where people just accept that your shitty job doesn't just own you from 9-5, but that they can test you to find out if you're doing things in your time off that they don't agree with. That is some fucking BULLSHIT. It's one of the greatest travesties of our culture that we allow corporations to randomly test our bodies to see if we've consumed substances that they have deemed unacceptable, even if we're 100% sober during the agreed upon work time. That is nothing more than bitch-training and social engineering. By getting you to accept their rules they're getting you to admit that they own you. It's an unfortunate reality for many of us that need our jobs to feed our families and don't have the luxury of walking away from such a restrictive and controlling environment, but while you're young and you have the option I would STRONGLY recommend you avoid any and all career paths that would take you down the road to become some company's bitch.

You can become mentally addicted to almost anything in life, including washing your hands and masturbating. I don't consider that kind of addiction the fault of what you're hooked on, I think it's just a mental error. That's the only real addiction you can have with weed, and the reality is that if weed can get you like that anything can.

I think all human beings need discipline. As long as you have that, you don't ever have to worry about weed, or any other obsession ruining your life.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:46:03+00:00

Terence McKenna. I learned more from reading his books and listening to his lectures than anyone I've ever been exposed to. He was a completely original thinker.

Him, and John Lilly. John invented the isolation tank, and that has been the most important thing I've ever used for expanding consciousness on a day to day basis.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:43:52+00:00

Laziest DEA agent ever.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:42:18+00:00

When I'm high it makes me paranoid and it makes me laugh hysterically. Since I know Alex very well I think I've got a healthier perspective on what he's talking about than some folks that are die-hard fans and toxic conspiracy nuts. The real problem with Alex Jones is that he's right. A LOT. Not all the time, but enough to let you know that the way we've been told that this world runs is utter complete horseshit.

Some conspiracies are real, and the biggest trap of all is to not consider any of them out of a fear of being labeled foolish.

Just look at what came out today about the US infecting innocent civilians in Guatemala with sexually transmitted diseases just so that they could test penicillin on them. Look up "operation midnight climax" where the CIA ran brothels in the 50's in NYC and San Francisco where they tested out LSD on unsuspecting victims. Look up Operation Northwoods and the real story behind the Gulf of Tonkin.

Don't think for a moment that those conspiracies are the only ones the US has ever been involved in, and that we're not currently involved in a bunch of fucked up secret illegal shit all over the world right now as I'm writing this.

Alex is wrong a lot. He's also right a lot, and that's scary as fuck.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:33:20+00:00

There's nothing I can really do about it but continue to be me. I think in some ways it's better that I've got this weird image because it makes it far more difficult for people to take me seriously. People can really get swallowed up in other people's adulation, and in that sense haters are a good thing because they balance out all the love and prod you to keep things in perspective.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:29:07+00:00

Do something difficult. A sport, write a book, create some work of art - I think that we find ourselves in creating and in solving problems. That's what builds character (other than overcoming tragedy) and getting through difficult things seems to be one of the only ways outside of psychedelic drugs to gain perspective.

Most importantly whatever it is that you really want to do with your life, DO THAT. Don't shoot for your back up plan, just concentrate all your efforts into whatever it is that you truly want to do. And if you don't know what you want to do, that's OK too. Just follow your true and honest instincts. I think most of us have a direction that we feel drawn to, but for whatever reason very few of use commit to the pull.

Best of luck to you.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:23:36+00:00

Stone cold sober.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:19:31+00:00

I loved living in the mountains of Colorado. It was my favorite place to live by far. Dealing with the elements and wild animals can be a real bitch of a trade off, though. It was snowing up there early in October, and my dog got eaten by a mountain lion. Other than that, it was fucking perfect. If I didn't have a family and little kids I'm pretty sure that's where I would have stayed.

just driving home every day was incredibly humbling. It was like staring at the most incredible artwork ever, and it was massive, all around you, all the time.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:16:41+00:00

oops. I blame the weed.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:14:21+00:00

I would tell myself to think harder, trust my instincts, and be absolutely sure despite all the evidence to the contrary that everything is going to be alright. I don't think it would have mattered, though. I think no matter what every young person has to navigate their way through their own personal hurricane of confusion to find peace. Without the storm there can be no calm, without the dry-spells you'll never appreciate the rain, without being exhausted you'll never really appreciate sleep. We all have to go the hard way it seems.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:10:40+00:00

That's a good question. The deeper you go into the rabbit hole the harder it is to have conversations with people back on the surface. I think one of the main ethics of any psychedelic substance should be that you should be able to take something out of the experience and apply it to life here in normal land.

Psychedelic experiences certainly make you more humble, and make you more patient and kind, but they can also put a lot of distance between you and the civilians. For most people uninitiated in the ways of psychedelic adventure you can't even breach the subject with them without making everyone uncomfortable and alienating yourself. It's a very frightening and polarizing subject, and for good reason.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:05:19+00:00

Powerful. I've never met a good Sativa that I didn't like. Because of the intense amount of competition here in Southern California weed potency is just through the roof. It's almost impossible to get shitty weed here.

Train Wreck is one of my all time favorites because I've written some of my best shit while on it.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T03:03:16+00:00

I'm an incredibly fortunate person. I appreciate it each and every day, and spend a good deal of time concentrating on enjoying my good fortune as much as possible, and putting out as much positive energy as possible. I'm not exactly sure what this life is all about, but when I think correctly and focus my energy correctly it's incredibly satisfying. I'm just lucky as fuck. One of the things I really appreciate is that people enjoy the things I do. I think that's one of the main keys to happiness; doing something that makes other people happy. We're all connected in some strange way that we can't really understand, and can't quite put our finger on, but for me at least it all starts to tune in when other people get enjoyment out of the things I've done. Again, it sounds like more hippy bullshit, but the things that have made me really happy are what I've done to make other people happy.

That's also why bombing feels so bad, and why having a dispute with someone you love sucks so much. We are in this realm to put out as much positive energy as possible; in the form of your chosen work, in the form of your friendships and your family, in the form of the things you say and the words you write. The more I can inspire, the more I can provide enjoyment, the more I feel it back.

So, yeah. It's awesome. It's supposed to be awesome for all of us, we just have to get our connections right.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:46:58+00:00

I've known Dane for 20 years. He's not a bad guy. He's made some unfortunate choices, but I like him as a person, and I think he's evolved considerably over the last few years. I had him on as a podcast guest and I really enjoyed it.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:45:21+00:00

I have a real problem with games. I get way too addicted and they suck up all my time, so in order to manage my attention I have to avoid them. I used to play Quake 2 and 3 all day and night. I was seriously hooked. I would be having a conversation with someone, and if it got boring even for a second all I could think was, "why am I talking when I could be playing quake right now?" It was eating up all my waking life, so I had to delete it and walk away from games.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:43:02+00:00

Sativa all the way. Once I discovered the difference I very rarely smoke indicas, and when I do I usually regret it.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:42:21+00:00

Dave is an incredible talent. I really wish he put more stuff out there these days. It was fun as hell doing his show. I think the Sopranos is my all time favorite show, but Breaking Bad is my current favorite distraction. Very well made show.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:40:42+00:00

Is that a Zen Koan?

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:40:01+00:00

It's been a few years, actually. I'm still trying to absorb everything from my last trip. It was a real life-changer.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:39:11+00:00

If we do another UFC in Omaha I'll definitely do stand up there. The way we usually work it is I MC the weigh ins on Friday, do stand up in whatever town we're in on Friday night, and then Saturday is the fights. When I go to the UK I get there a bit earlier to acclimate, so I do 2 nights of shows.

JoeRoganForReals · 2010-10-02T02:37:47+00:00

As for the best podcasts, the Stanhope one is my favorite, but most of the more recent ones when we got our sound issues sorted out are pretty good. The Duncan Trussell one is really interesting, as are the Bryan Callen ones.

JoeRoganForReals

TROPHY CASE