Estrangement & Free Will

Estrangement & Free Will

Author: Francis Tapon November 29, 2025 Duration: 34:22

Sym Blanchard and I talk about families and free will.

Sym Blanchard has a 36-year-old daughter and a 38-year-old son. He is estranged from his daughter, but has a close, positive relationship with his son. I ask:

* What is the hardest time to raise children?

* Why does Sym struggle to get along with his daughter and yet gets along great with his son?

* Free Will vs. Environment?

I mention Dr. Isabelle Morsley’s book, They’re Not Gaslighting You.

Timeline

00:00 Estranged daughter

05:15 Francis’s disconnected brother

08:00 We overestimate our free will

21:00 Personality disorders

23:00 Advice to snap out of it

27:00 Dunning–Kruger effect

30:00 Sym’s travel plans

More from Sym

If you enjoy this philosophical episode, listen to the dozen episodes with Sym Blanchard!

In 2025, I catch up with one of the most remarkable 72-year-olds you’ll ever meet, Sym Blanchard!

This page features five episodes starring Sym.

Listen to all the episodes featuring Sym Blanchard since 2018!

* A 66-year-old Adventurer Shows How To Live A Meaningful Life in 2018 (one of the top 5 most popular WanderLearn episodes!)

* Traveling To Find One’s Ancestors in 2019

* Near Death on the CDT + Sym’s 60-Year Love Story in 2020

* Nine Shows Sharing Travel Wisdom Featuring Sym Blanchard in 2022

* Unstoppable 70-year-old Adventurer Sym Blanchard in 2023

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at

https://wanderlearn.com

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

* Facebook

* Twitter

* YouTube

* Instagram

* TikTok

* LinkedIn

* Pinterest

* Tumblr

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM! Use code LR32K

4. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

5. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

6. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

7. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

8. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.



Get full access to Francis Tapon at ftapon.substack.com/subscribe

There's a certain kind of travel that changes you, not just your location. It’s the slow, immersive kind where the journey itself becomes the teacher. In WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life, Francis Tapon acts as your guide into this world, exploring how leaving familiar ground can fundamentally reshape your perspective. This isn't about quick tips or itineraries; it's about the deeper conversations that happen at the crossroads of culture, society, and personal growth. Each episode delves into how we engage with places and people, often weaving in discussions about the role of modern technology in both enabling and complicating these profound experiences. You'll hear stories and insights that challenge the conventional tourist mindset, pushing toward a more thoughtful, engaged way of moving through the world. Francis draws from a wealth of experience to discuss concepts like vagabonding and deep travel, making the case that the greatest souvenirs aren't trinkets, but transformed thoughts. Tuning into this podcast feels like sitting down with a well-traveled friend who understands that the real destination is often a shift within yourself. It’s for anyone who believes that travel, at its best, is a powerful catalyst for learning and living differently.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life
Podcast Episodes
Why You Should Revisit Countries You Disliked [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:00
Radio Vagabond Host Palle Bo shares the meaning of his name in various languages. We share what we've been doing since we last met in Thailand.Lastly, Palle shares why it's worth revisiting countries that gave you a nega…
8 Years of Misadventures in Africa | Extraordinary Travel Festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:01
In 2022, I delivered this speech at the inaugural Extraordinary Travel Festival in Yerevan, Armenia.Watch the Video to See the Slides!I was the only in-person speaker invited to speak again at the 2nd conference. Why?Bec…
Meeting Elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:08
Watch the 3-minute video of what it's like to feed and kiss elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In mid-November 2024, hear me speak at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok, Thailand!TIMELINE00:00 Intro00:23 Feedin…
Extraordinary Travel Festival Host Ric Gazarian #Thailand & #ETF2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:39
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHW-9M4Vrc4Ric and I talked in Thailand about Thai hospitality, international marriages, and the November 2024 Extraordinary Travel Festival!In mid-November 2024, hear me speak at the Extr…
How & Why Did Thailand Largely Avoid Getting Colonized? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:25
Every country has been colonized or occupied, including Thailand. However, Thailand is one of the handful of countries that did not get formally colonized for an extended period. Why?How?I answer that question in this 2-…
Are the Smiles in Thailand Fake? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08
In mid-November 2024, hear me speak at the Extraordinary Travel Festival in Bangkok, Thailand!Watch the video of this episode!For good reason, Thailand is called the Land of the Smiles: the Thais smile easily and often!I…
Why Go To Thailand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:04
If there was ever a podcast where you're better off seeing the video, this is it! It features lots of footage that I shot the first time I visited.In mid-November 2024, hear me speak at the Extraordinary Travel Festival…