This True Story Will Change How You See Reality - Robert Greene
Robert Greene tells Chris Williamson the story of a Russian explorer's indigenous guide and a climber's near-death escape, arguing that modern people have lost touch with powerful senses and abilities their bodies still hold.
The gist
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Greene recommends Akira Kurosawa's film Dersu Uzala, based on explorer Arsenyev's expedition across Siberia with an indigenous hunter as his guide.
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Greene describes Dersu, in his 50s or 60s, reading animal tracks and broken branches, sensing storms two days ahead, and talking a tiger into leaving.
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Greene tells of a climber who fell about 30 feet onto a narrow ledge, then felt a sudden rush of energy and climbed down.
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The climber spent 20 years chasing that feeling, decided his hormones caused it, and found it again by running a map circle through any obstacle.
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Greene argues people cut off from their senses, bodies and mortality miss these powers, and says his own near-death experience changed how the world looks.
"That's one of my favorite stories. And they made a great movie out of it. The Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, I believe in the '80s, did a movie. It's called Dersu Uzala. I highly recommend you see it."
▶ Play at 0:30What they recommend · 1 pick
"That's one of my favorite stories. And they made a great movie out of it. The Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, I believe in the '80s, did a movie. It's called Dersu Uzala. I hi..."
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