Videos I’ve Watched
There’s a wealth of knowledge on YouTube for the one who wants to learn.
Psychology
The Century of the Self – by Adam Curtis
I put this documentary in the category Must-Watch. It four series on how those in power have used Freud’s theories to try and control the dangerous crowd in an age of mass democracy.
The documentary is at the intersection of psychology, consumerism, and public relations. My article Edward Bernays: My Job Is to Manipulate You was inspired by this documentary.
Dreamwalkers by Idries Shah
A classic BBC documentary aired in 1970. The sound is choppy at the beginning. But if you’re patient, you’ll learn some gems about human thought (irrationality, problem-solving, confined thinking…). Bonus: it has some great stories full of wisdom.
Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition. He is considered one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century.
Muslims
Stressed Out: The Struggle for Success with Dr. Rania Awaad
Dr. Rania Awaad, M.D. is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine where she is the Director of the Muslim Mental Health Lab and Wellness Program and Director of the Diversity Clinic.
If her soothing way of speaking doesn’t put you at peace, her knowledge will definitely help you overcome stress. A beautiful lecture!
In Need of Wisdom by Nouman Ali Khan
I discovered Nouman Ali Khan in my thirties when my English started getting better. He speaks clearly and simply. I first listened to his long talks like the Story Night series. Then I joined Bayyinah Tv where he explains the entire Quran.
Islam Is A Peaceful Reigion – Mehdi Hasan
Even if you’re convinced that Islam is a peaceful religion and that you need no further argument, you’ll still appreciate the performance of Mehdi Hasan!
There’s No Clash
They did one season about some of the scientific facts in the Quran. It’s great when good content is presented well. Here’s the first episode: “The Qur’an: A Very Serious Book for Those Who Have Knowledge”.
Philosophy
When it comes to understanding the work of great Western minds, I make sure to check Michael Surgue’s channel. His lectures are incredible. 45 minutes packed with goodness. I wish I could find a teacher like him explaining the work of great Muslim minds!
This lecture on Freud helped me write Cracking the Code of the Inner World.
Brian Jonhson is doing a great job extracting the biggest ideas from books. Probably, he’s done videos about every book that helps you live an optimal life. It’s not a substitute for reading books. But it can give a taste of what’s in them.
I put it in philosophy because of the name.
Personal Growth
Jim Rohn Seminar (4 hours)
This is one of the best videos on personal growth you’ll find out there. Jim Rohn was a powerful speaker and one of Tony Robbins’ mentors. I remember taking so many notes from this video. It’s totally worth the time! If you don’t have 4 hours, start with this 4-minutes video on reading.
Kobe Bryant had definitely a great work ethic. This video inspired me to write On Developing The Love For Our Best Work.
Wasting Time and Opportunities – Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson has many great Youtube videos online, but this one is the first that comes to my mind. As I wasted plenty of time in the past, this video resonated more with me.
Dan Sullivan has observed the following: when entrepreneurs experience any kind of breakthrough in results, they’ve gone through a four-step process. It allows them to avoid paralysis and take action before feeling confident.
This video is a must for anyone who’s about to tackle a new and scary project.
Society
Another Must-Watch documentary that Netflix made available for all. It retraces the story of African Americans and how they moved from slavery to filling the U.S. prisons.
I remember being so angry when I watched 13th! As usual, politicians and media played an important role in criminalizing black people. I wrote a short article on this documentary for Muslims called Better Not Believe It.
Learning How to Learn
The first time I heard of Adler’s book How to Read a Book, I thought: Is this serious?
Actually yes. And the more you are aware of the various levels of reading, the more gems you’ll be able to get.
This lecture is based on the book (Part 2 here). At the minimum, it will motivate you to read more and better.
Barbara Oakley is a professor of engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. In this talk, she listed the tools to make us better learners.
If you are interested in this topic, you can find notes from this talk in my article Learning How to Learn: The Foundation for Lifelong Learners.
Miscellaneous
Noam Chomsky – The 5 Filters of the Mass Media Machine
This is a short animation summarizing well the ideas of Noam Chomsky. In his book Manufacturing Consent, Chomsky highlights the five filters any news goes through. This allows the system (governments and corporations) to suppress the undesirable voices and keep the ones that serve their interests.
You’ll find more about this in my article (Almost) Everything You Need to Know About Media.
How The Economic Machine Works by Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio is the founder of Bridgewater, the world’s largest hedge fund. He’s also known for his bestseller Principles. So he definitely knows something about the economy. After this video, you’ll understand why economic crises happen every here and then.