Confucius: The Original Life Coach (500 BCE Edition)

What if you could sit down with Confucius — yes, that Confucius — and actually ask him what he meant?

In this episode of Hey Everybody, Philosophy!, host Jeff D interviews the legendary thinker who became the backbone of Chinese culture, moral philosophy, government exams, polite behavior, and — let’s be honest — at least half the inspirational wall art in coffee shops.

But who was Confucius really?

We talk:

• Why he started teaching in the first place
• What it means to “govern by virtue” instead of force
• Why manners (yes, manners!) are the secret engine of civilization
• The real meaning of ren, li, and The Way
• And how The Analects became the most influential “accidental group chat transcript” in history

And then — oh yes — we make him do a Speed Round, where he weighs in on:

• The Super Bowl
• The stock market
• AI
• Marriage
• The general fate of humanity (light stuff!)

Confucius is thoughtful. Calm. Unshakably wise.
Jeff is… trying his best.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Why Confucius still matters
• What his ideas look like in the real world
• Or whether ancient philosophy can survive modern nonsense

— this is your episode.

Come hear the wisdom. Stay for the laughter. Leave with way too many questions.