Rainn Wilson

I just think our job is to try and alleviate the suffering of others.

When you study Buddhism, people think about Buddhism in a certain way.

And they think about like,

Life is suffering.

If I'm detached from my needs and necessities and the constant grasping for things, things change.

And once I'm in greater acceptance, then I will have much less suffering.

But there's a whole other aspect of Buddhism, which is to eliminate the suffering of others.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the universals are like, no one likes pain and everyone wants joy.

So we want to eliminate people's pain and bring joy to other people.

And that's part of our life's purpose is to eliminate other people's pain as you do in the medical profession.

And all of the people in the medical profession have set out to do alleviate pain, create more joy.

That's what it's all about.

So, you know, it's an interesting, you know, metaphysical conundrum that you present, but I-

Well, for you, what made you transition from just being a primary care physician to spreading your message and having these conversations and creating these channels that are bringing so much hope and knowledge and wisdom to others?

But that took a lot of wisdom for you to kind of like say, hey, I'm having this viral moment.

You could have just used it for your own personal pleasure.

Like, I'm just going to get laid every weekend.

And instead you're kind of like, hey, let's leverage this for the common good.

I mean, where did that impulse come from?

Is it instilled by your parents?