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ThePrimeagen: Programming, AI, ADHD, Productivity, Addiction, and God | Lex Fridman Podcast #461

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-sb See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. *Transcript:* https://lexfridman.com/theprimeagen-transcript *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 *SMALL CORRECTION NOTE:* When Prime talks about how grateful he is for his amazing wife and family, we show an incorrect photo, so I blurred it. Here's some correct ones: https://x.com/ThePrimeagen/status/1586458511810080769 https://x.com/ThePrimeagen/status/1771638039430771125 *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://lexfridman.com/s/invideoai-ep461-sb *Shopify:* Sell stuff online. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep461-sb *NetSuite:* Business management software. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/netsuite-ep461-sb *BetterHelp:* Online therapy and counseling. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/betterhelp-ep461-sb *AG1:* All-in-one daily nutrition drinks. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/ag1-ep461-sb *OUTLINE:* 0:00 - Introduction 0:42 - Love for programming 10:15 - Hardest part of programming 12:31 - Types of programming 20:08 - Life story 30:12 - Hardship 31:44 - High school 37:30 - Porn addiction 47:16 - God 1:02:59 - Perseverance 1:12:55 - Netflix 1:25:23 - Groovy 1:30:27 - Printf() debugging 1:36:49 - Falcor 1:46:19 - Breaking production 1:49:04 - Pieter Levels 1:53:34 - Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube infrastructure 2:05:36 - ThePrimeagen origin story 2:20:52 - Learning programming languages 2:29:55 - Best programming languages in 2025 2:34:50 - Python 2:35:30 - HTML & CSS 2:36:20 - Bash 2:37:00 - FFmpeg 2:43:42 - Performance 2:46:15 - Rust 2:51:03 - Epic projects 3:04:27 - Asserts 3:13:41 - ADHD 3:21:49 - Productivity 3:26:13 - Programming setup 4:01:43 - Coffee 4:08:47 - Programming with AI 4:51:31 - Advice for young programmers 5:03:03 - Reddit questions 5:10:35 - 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 *SOCIAL LINKS:* - X: https://x.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexfridman - TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://facebook.com/lexfridman - Patreon: https://patreon.com/lexfridman - Telegram: https://t.me/lexfridman - Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman

Lex FridmanhostMichael Paulson (ThePrimeagen)guest
Mar 22, 20255h 20mWatch on YouTube ↗

CHAPTERS

  1. 0:00 – 0:42

    Introduction

  2. 0:42 – 10:15

    Love for programming

  3. 10:15 – 12:31

    Hardest part of programming

  4. 12:31 – 20:08

    Types of programming

  5. 20:08 – 30:12

    Life story

  6. 30:12 – 31:44

    Hardship

  7. 31:44 – 37:30

    High school

  8. 37:30 – 47:16

    Porn addiction

  9. 47:16 – 1:02:59

    God

  10. 1:02:59 – 1:12:55

    Perseverance

  11. 1:12:55 – 1:25:23

    Netflix

  12. 1:25:23 – 1:30:27

    Groovy

  13. 1:30:27 – 1:36:49

    Printf() debugging

  14. 1:36:49 – 1:46:19

    Falcor

  15. 1:46:19 – 1:49:04

    Breaking production

  16. 1:49:04 – 1:53:34

    Pieter Levels

  17. 1:53:34 – 2:05:36

    Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube infrastructure

  18. 2:05:36 – 2:20:52

    ThePrimeagen origin story

  19. 2:20:52 – 2:29:55

    Learning programming languages

  20. 2:29:55 – 2:34:50

    Best programming languages in 2025

  21. 2:34:50 – 2:35:30

    Python

  22. 2:35:30 – 2:36:20

    HTML & CSS

  23. 2:36:20 – 2:37:00

    Bash

  24. 2:37:00 – 2:43:42

    FFmpeg

  25. 2:43:42 – 2:46:15

    Performance

  26. 2:46:15 – 2:51:03

    Rust

  27. 2:51:03 – 3:04:27

    Epic projects

  28. 3:04:27 – 3:13:41

    Asserts

  29. 3:13:41 – 3:21:49

    ADHD

  30. 3:21:49 – 3:26:13

    Productivity

  31. 3:26:13 – 4:01:43

    Programming setup

  32. 4:01:43 – 4:08:47

    Coffee

  33. 4:08:47 – 4:51:31

    Programming with AI

  34. 4:51:31 – 5:03:03

    Advice for young programmers

  35. 5:03:03 – 5:10:35

    Reddit questions

  36. 5:10:35 – 5:20:07

    God

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