Beyond Survival: Stefano Siciliano on Finding Freedom
Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life
06/18/26
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Host Mika Altidor continues a Get Obsessed podcast conversation with Stefano Siciliano, using the life of 1800s abolitionist John Brown to question claims that today is the worst time in history. Mika notes Brown endured extreme hardship, high child and maternal mortality, and fought slavery despite being white, ultimately giving his life for the cause. Stefano argues that while methods and appearances change, the fundamental “mechanic” remains: the pursuit of freedom from what is not true, with modern slavery expressed through deception, banking, and corrupt political systems. He says fear of loss drives greed and manipulation until people hit a crisis point where nothing works, creating the opportunity to be “available” for what’s possible. Availability depends on how one responds to adversity, like river water smoothing resistance in rocks.
00:00 Welcome Back Part Two
00:37 John Brown And Hard Times
03:29 Freedom Then And Now
05:19 Fear Loss And Corruption
05:47 Hitting The Wall
06:34 Choosing Availability
07:47 River Rocks Metaphor
08:43 Modern Comforts Still Misery
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Previous Episode
On the Get Obsessed podcast, host Mika Altidor interviews Stefano Siciliano, an American lifelong personal growth and spiritual path practitioner who began having spontaneous out-of-body experiences (OBEs) around age seven or eight and later learned to induce them. Inspired by Robert Monroe’s books, Stefano trained at the Monroe Institute, became a trainer in Europe, helped bring the technology to Eastern Bloc countries after the Soviet Republic collapsed, and now supports and endorses Darius J. Wright’s work. Stefano explains OBEs as normal and connected to sleep, dreams, and lucid dreaming, describing “mind awake, body asleep” as akin to deep meditation. He says conscious OBEs can transform one’s view of identity, reality, death, and loss, and frames adversity as a catalyst that can push people toward availability for “what more is possible,” recommending Wright’s online resources for further exploration.
00:00 Welcome and Intro
00:51 Stefano Background
01:31 Childhood OBEs
03:06 Monroe Institute Journey
03:54 Life Changes and Growth
04:57 Demystifying OBEs
05:53 Dreams Lucid and OBE
07:47 Mind Awake Body Asleep
09:13 Why It Matters
10:12 Seeing Your Body
12:13 Adversity as Teacher
15:15 Purpose in Suffering
20:20 Distortion and Chaos
23:29 Escapism and Cookoff
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Next Episode
In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Dr. Robert Epstein, psychologist, author, and Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, joins hosts Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor to discuss the growing influence of Google and other technology companies on privacy, behavior, and society.
Drawing from years of research, congressional testimony, and investigations into online manipulation, Dr. Epstein explains how search engines, online surveillance, and algorithmic systems can shape decisions without users realizing it. The conversation explores digital hygiene, election interference, artificial intelligence (AI), internet addiction, and practical ways individuals can protect their data privacy in an increasingly connected world.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Dr. Epstein's research initially showed Google's unexpected power to shift voters
- Why Google's reach extends far beyond search and what that means for everyday users
- Practical digital hygiene habits and tools that can help protect privacy online
- Research showing how search results can influence opinions, decisions, and elections
- How phones, smart devices, and connected technology contribute to online surveillance
- Why artificial intelligence may increase the power of tech companies to monitor and influence behavior
- Concerns about children, internet addiction, AI-generated content, and the future of digital autonomy
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Dr. Robert Epstein is an author, editor, professor, and Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. A former Editor in Chief of Psychology Today, he has spent decades researching human behavior, technology, and online influence.
He earned his PhD in psychology from Harvard University and is the founder and Director Emeritus of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. His research has appeared in Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and he is widely known for identifying the Search Engine Manipulation Effect (SEME), which explores how search rankings can influence opinions and voting behavior.
Dr. Epstein has testified before the United States Congress on election interference, Big Tech influence, and digital manipulation. He has authored or edited 15 books and has appeared on major media platforms including The Joe Rogan Experience, NPR, Voice of America, and SiriusXM.
MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
- (Podcast) The Joe Rogan Experience featuring Dr. Robert Epstein (2022) - https://EpsteinOnRogan.com
- (Podcast) The Joe Rogan Experience featuring Dr. Robert Epstein (2023) - https://EpsteinOnRogan2.com
- (Video) Dr. Epstein's 2023 Congressional Testimony - https://2023EpsteinTestimony.com
- (Video) Dr. Epstein's 2019 Congressional Testimony - https://EpsteinTestimony.com
- (Website) My Digital Hygiene - https://MyDigitalHygiene.com
- (Website) America's Digital Shield - https://americasdigitalshield.com/
- (Website) My Privacy Tips - https://myprivacytips.com/
- (Website) Epstein Addiction Inventory - https://areyouaddicted.org/
- Website: https://drrobertepstein.com/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrREpstein
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-robert-epstein-drrepstein-0658b2/
ABOUT GET OBSESSED
Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com
Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com
Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com
The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.
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