In this episode, we speak with philosopher Sebastian Purcell about his new book The Outward Path: The Wisdom of the Aztecs. Purcell shows that Aztec philosophy offers a strikingly different vision of the good life — one that rejects the modern obsession with happiness and invulnerability in favor of something deeper: rootedness.
We discuss what it means to live a rooted life in a world that feels increasingly unstable — from collective agency and humility to willpower, ritual, and the art of balance. Along the way, Purcell explains how Aztec ethics can help us rethink everything from self-discipline and courage to how we live with technology, social media, and each other.