The Absurdity of Being a Human Being | Reggie Watts
In this conversation, Reggie Watts explores creativity not as a skill reserved for a few, but as the fundamental way human beings relate to reality itself. From comedy and music to improvisation, paradox, and play, Reggie reflects on how we’re constantly creating our experience of life—often without realizing it.
We talk about absurdity as a doorway to truth, humor as a form of instantaneous awakening, and why laughter momentarily dissolves identity, ideology, and certainty. Reggie shares how improvisation shapes his philosophy of living, why structure exists to be transcended, and how playfulness restores a sense of freedom in a world that often feels rigid and over-defined.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Everyone Is Creating
Creativity isn’t limited to art forms. Every thought, action, and perception is an act of creation, shaping how we experience reality moment by moment.
Absurdity Reveals Truth
Paradox and humor cut through rigid thinking. When expectations collapse, awareness flashes—and for a moment, we remember the strangeness and beauty of being alive.
Play Restores Freedom
Approaching life improvisationally breaks unconscious patterns. Playfulness isn’t childish—it’s a way of staying awake, flexible, and open to possibility.
JOURNAL PROMPTS
PROMPT 01
Where do I limit my creativity by how I define myself?
PROMPT 02
How might I approach one ordinary activity more playfully?
PROMPT 03
What beliefs about reality do I take at face value without questioning?