Lex Fridman Podcast

#461 – ThePrimeagen: Programming, AI, ADHD, Productivity, Addiction, and God


Listen Later

ThePrimeagen (aka Michael Paulson) is a programmer who has educated, entertained, and inspired millions of people to build software and have fun doing it.

Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep461-sc
See below for timestamps, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

CONTACT LEX:

Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey
AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama
Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring
Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact

EPISODE LINKS:

ThePrimeagen’s X: https://twitter.com/ThePrimeagen
ThePrimeagen’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/ThePrimeTimeagen
ThePrimeagen’s Twitch: https://twitch.tv/ThePrimeagen
ThePrimeagen’s GitHub: https://github.com/theprimeagen
ThePrimeagen’s TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theprimeagen
ThePrimeagen’s Coffee: https://www.terminal.shop/

SPONSORS:

To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Invideo AI: AI video generator.
Go to https://invideo.io/i/lexpod
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
NetSuite: Business management software.
Go to http://netsuite.com/lex
BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling.
Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drinks.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex

OUTLINE:

(00:00) – Introduction
(10:27) – Love for programming
(20:00) – Hardest part of programming
(22:16) – Types of programming
(29:54) – Life story
(39:58) – Hardship
(41:29) – High school
(47:15) – Porn addiction
(57:01) – God
(1:12:44) – Perseverance
(1:22:40) – Netflix
(1:35:08) – Groovy
(1:40:13) – Printf() debugging
(1:46:35) – Falcor
(1:56:05) – Breaking production
(1:58:49) – Pieter Levels
(2:03:19) – Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube infrastructure
(2:15:22) – ThePrimeagen origin story
(2:30:37) – Learning programming languages
(2:39:40) – Best programming languages in 2025
(2:44:35) – Python
(2:45:15) – HTML & CSS
(2:46:05) – Bash
(2:46:45) – FFmpeg
(2:53:28) – Performance
(2:56:00) – Rust
(3:00:48) – Epic projects
(3:14:12) – Asserts
(3:23:26) – ADHD
(3:31:34) – Productivity
(3:35:58) – Programming setup
(4:11:28) – Coffee
(4:18:32) – Programming with AI
(5:01:16) – Advice for young programmers
(5:12:48) – Reddit questions
(5:20:20) – God

PODCAST LINKS:

– Podcast Website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast
– Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr
– Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
– RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
– Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4
– Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/lexclips

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Lex Fridman PodcastBy Lex Fridman

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

11,738 ratings


More shows like Lex Fridman Podcast

View all
This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

This Week in Startups

1,268 Listeners

The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

The Joe Rogan Experience

223,832 Listeners

Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

Making Sense with Sam Harris

26,387 Listeners

a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

a16z Podcast

1,003 Listeners

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating by Big Bang Productions Inc.

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1,037 Listeners

The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson

The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

33,965 Listeners

Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson

Modern Wisdom

3,636 Listeners

TRIGGERnometry by TRIGGERnometry

TRIGGERnometry

1,791 Listeners

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll | Wondery

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

4,093 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

8,716 Listeners

Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

Dwarkesh Podcast

343 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

28,426 Listeners

Lex Fridman Podcast of AI by Lex Fridman Podcast of AI

Lex Fridman Podcast of AI

29 Listeners

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley by BG2Pod

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley

438 Listeners