Open Heart with Lu Leslan

The Why Question

• Lu Leslan

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Why do we want what we want? Why do we stop asking the most important question — and fill the silence with consumption, shortcuts and masks? Episode 3 of Open Heart Season 3 traces the why question from the first human who looked up at the sky — to the hunger for dignity that drives everything we do.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 3 — THE WHY QUESTION

Why is not just a question. It is how the human story begins.

This episode asks:

  • Why do we hold on to our feelings when we know they are only the stories we tell ourselves?
  • Why do we choose wants over needs when dignity is what we truly seek?
  • Why do we want human experiences when we know they will become fragmented memories of the past?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The first human-like being who looked up at the sky and asked why before language existed
  • From fire to space stations — humans never stopped asking why
  • We cannot stop inventing — but we stop asking why
  • Dignity — the one thing above all else that a human being truly wants
  • The piano practice room — countless hours in search of respect
  • The breaking point — we act not from courage but from necessity
  • Our dignity is the foundation of a civilized world

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"Desire creates the need for dignity. But first — we have to understand what we truly want."

NEXT EPISODE:
Superiority vs. Dignity. Dignity stands on the ground. Superiority stands on the stage.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

SPEAKER_00

Why do we hold on to our feelings when we know they are only the stories we tell ourselves? Why do we choose wants over needs when dignity is what we truly seek? And why do we want human experiences when we know they will become fragmented memories of the past? Welcome to Open Heart Podcast. I am Lou Leslan, your host. This is a podcast where we share ideas, stories, and questions with an open heart so we can be kinder and wiser to ourselves and each other. Every week we'll discuss a topic where I share my observation, ideas, and questions with you. And I would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and reflections too. Please send them to Lou at LeslandCreativestudio.com. Today's topic is the why question. Why? It is how the human story begins. I often wondered about the first human like being who walked the earth, looking up at the sky asking why before we even had language. Our survival instinct is built on the word why. Our ancestors discovered fire because they asked the question why. From the discovery of making fire to building a space station, it is evident how humans strive to reach the next frontier by asking why. We cannot stop inventing more goods, services, and things to satisfy our insatiable appetite. But we stop asking why. Why do we want what we want? Dignity. And when we cannot find that dignity, we fill the gap with something else. We accessorize, we consume whatever is available to satisfy the hunger we feel inside. We wear the mask of dignity, projecting what we want others to see. And in doing so, we gained a false sense of dignity we know we haven't earned. The word dignity has made me the person I am today. Because I want to feel respected and respect begins with dignity. It is the one thing above all else that a human being truly wants, because without dignity we don't exist. There is no meaning to existence if we don't feel truly respected. Dignity is not what others give us. It is what we build within ourselves through effort, experience, through trial and error. This earned dignity is how we are able to be respectful of others. And yet nobody teaches this, not in schools, not in textbooks, because dignity has to start from the inside. It is bravery in the face of adversity, the courage to overcome every obstacle in the way and still know your own worth. I spent countless hours in the piano practice room because it meant I would be respected for my dedication. It comes with a cost. The desire for respect, for dignity, can overtake everything else. Desire creates the need for dignity. But first, we have to understand what we truly want. Are we willing to face the challenges and doubts in order to claim our dignity? The truth is right there in front of us if we dare to look. We ignore it. We stay distracted. We fill our lives with noise to silence the why inside us. But ignoring the why doesn't make it disappear. It builds tension quietly, persistently, without a timeline. The struggle continues until something breaks. And it is only at that breaking point when we can no longer look away that we finally act, not from courage, not from readiness, from necessity. The hardest thing we can do for ourselves is look honestly at what we truly want. Our dignity is the foundation of a civilized world where we recognize each other with mutual respect. This has been episode three of season three The Why Question. Next time, superiority versus dignity. Dignity stands on the ground. Superiority stands on the stage. Thank you for joining me. I'd love to hear from you. Please share your comments, stories, and questions. Send them to Lou at LeslenCreativestudio.com. This is the podcast where we share ideas, stories, and questions with an open heart so we can be kinder and wiser to ourselves and each other. Take care.