“The Mind Is Dead”: Bryan Johnson’s Algorithmic Living to Transform Your Health
Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson’s personal health routine is certainly extreme, but what about his philosophy? “The mind is dead”. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
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“The Mind Is Dead”: could Algorithmic Living Transform Our Relationship with Food and Health?
Algorithmic living is about using intentional systems—your own ‘life algorithms’—to make better decisions, especially for health, food, and habits. In simple words, an algorithm is a set of rules or steps that help you make decisions or solve problems—whether in computers or in daily life.
This post will explore Bryan Johnson’s provocative claim that “the mind is dead”, explain what he really means, and share practical ways to apply algorithmic living without having to go to extremes.
Why Our Minds Struggle in Today’s Overstimulated World
Some days I feel like my mind is drowning in input. Daily news, emails, podcasts, YouTube videos, and now AI tools like ChatGPT are feeding us endless streams of information. Layer social media on top, for those that use, it and it’s no wonder we’re feeling mentally overloaded.
At the same time, rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout are at record highs. Of course, it’s not a coincidence, and the two are highly correlated. In a world where our minds are overloaded with stimuli and our attention is fragmented into microseconds, even choices like “What’s for lunch?” can be more taxing than they should.
This is where Bryan Johnson’s provocation, “The mind is dead” caught my attention. On the surface, it sounds like something very extreme to say, and it’s clear he’s drawing parallels from Nietsche (“God is dead”). But if you stick with me in this post, I’ll explain why I’ve come to see it as a kind of mercy: if our minds are already overworked and prone to self-sabotage—more on this later—then maybe letting our minds “retire” from certain decisions can be viewed as an act of kindness.
Today’s post is not about dissecting Bryan Johnson’s detailed health routine—I’ll cover that in a future article—but about exploring the deeper idea behind “the mind is dead” and what algorithmic living might mean for our daily choices. Algorithmic living simply means applying intentional, repeatable systems—personal “life algorithms”—to make healthier, more consistent decisions.
An algorithm is a set of rules or steps that help you make decisions or solve problems—whether in computers or in life. Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.
For me, the idea of algorithmic living clicked most clearly in the food and health area. Over ten years ago, I struggled with a former partner that suffered from bulimia—a severe eating disorder. As a result of going through that together, I became quite attuned at observing mild eating disorders in others.
Mild forms of disordered eating are all around us—and I’m not immune to them either. Many of us translate our emotions and difficulties and—to very different degrees—use food (or drink) as a means of escape. Who hasn’t caught themselves binge eating at some point without even realizing it—while their minds were somewhere else? Processing human emotions is difficult, and food has become one of the most common outlets in modern society.
What’s interesting to me is that we view the human mind as something rational, but the mind is actually consistently trying to self-sabotage us. It’s like an ongoing negotiation between “healthy you” and the inner voice lobbying for comfort over discipline. Notice that this voice almost always argues for short-term gratification, even when it’s at the expense of your long-term health and happiness. How can this be if our mind is rational?
Part of the answer lies in evolution: our ancestors lived with scarcity, so their minds were wired to grab high-calorie food and opportunities the moment they were available. In today’s world of abundance, though, that ancient programming often works against us. Understanding where these impulses come from helps explain why we need better systems to counter them.
Our human ancestors lived in a context of scarcity and their minds developed over millennia to prioritize high-calorie foods when available. Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Pexels.
Why the “Rational” Mind Often Works Against Us
We like to think our minds are logical and as always having our best interests at heart. But as Johnson provocatively points out, the mind often has our worst interest at heart. Left unchecked, the mind may be like a smooth-talking salesman pitching for habits that harm us—”Go ahead and have a second helping of ice cream”, “Why should we go running today when we can go tomorrow?”, or “Why not stay up 30 minutes more and watch one more episode?”
What’s the harm in any of these examples? Individually and at a single point in time, very little. The problem is that the mind’s voice will nearly always offer these suggestions that are not in our best interest unless we apply either iron discipline or have systems in place.
Food, alcohol, gambling, porn, or endless scrolling on social media are not fringe problems. They are mainstream coping mechanisms in modern life, and the truth is that they thrive on a mind that prefers instant gratification. Like pretty much anyone, I’ve seen both sides of this personally. I’ve had mild struggles—nothing extreme—with food, scrolling, and even porn when I was younger.
When Johnson says the mind is “dead”, it’s not about literal death—but about removing its “veto power” over the basics. We see a clear echo of Nietzsche’s “God is dead” here: Nietzsche didn’t mean God had physically died, he meant that our cultural relationship with God had changed—our moral compass was now in our hands, not in God’s.
Analogously, saying “the mind is dead” is about reframing our relationship with the mind: given the substantial evidence we’ve found for it not having our best interest at heart, the mind should no longer be the ultimate authority on what is good for us. In some areas of our lives, well-designed algorithms that we set can become a more trustworthy guide.
We already partially live in an algorithm-led world. TikTok, YouTube, and social media already use algorithms that keep us scrolling, not thriving. Why not proactively design and implement our own algorithms that we know are good for us instead? Photo by Vardan Papikyan on Unsplash.
* Further Reading – Article continues below *
From Aesthetic Goals to Longevity Goals
As mentioned, I used to have mild relationship issues with food. I would routinely go through cycles of gaining weight and losing weight. Perhaps I’d manage to stay healthy and eat very well for two weeks, but then I’d slip and overeat for the next two. This is no longer the case—for the last two years, I no longer go through these cycles and don’t experience any anxiety related to food. What changed it for me?
I think the real mindset shift for me happened when I stopped chasing “looking good”—think, thin, trying to display abs, or at least not showing much fat—to chasing longevity and being healthy instead. The irony is that the moment I let go of the former and started chasing the latter, I’ve managed in my late 30s to be in the best health and shape of my life—and free from food-related anxiety.
Now I reframe my food decisions through the lens of “Is this healthy or unhealthy?” or “Will this increase my lifespan and healthspan or will it shorten them?” It’s no longer a lens of “Do I deserve it or not?” or “Have I done enough exercise to justify this treat or not?” Becoming a healthy person has been added as part of my identity, so I no longer need to entertain these questions. If it helps me live better and longer, I’ll generally eat it. If it doesn’t, I prefer not to buy it.
This, in a small way, is algorithmic living—it’s aligning your daily choices with your goals, values, and the things you care about. In my case, it hasn’t been about counting every single calorie or consulting a spreadsheet before lunch, but about installing safeguards and guiding principles that bypass all the mental back-and-forths.
And it works. I no longer experience anxiety related to food and I feel lighter—not just physically but mentally. It’s freed up headspace so I can focus on other aspects of life. In my experience, implementing some of Johnson’s low-hanging fruit advice is a very good idea—it has dramatically improved my blood pressure, heart resting rate, sleep, and mood.
I’m clearly living a healthier and happier life as a result of applying some principles of algorithmic living—is it really a good thing to embrace algorithmic living? That brings us to Bryan Johnson’s “Blueprint”—perhaps the most famous and extreme example of algorithmic living in practice.
Don’t rely on willpower for your weekly exercise. Set a weekly fitness routine that is aligned with your health and longevity goals, then implement it like an algorithm. When the time comes, there is no time to second guess it, you just do it, because that’s who you are—a healthy person. Photo by Alonso Reyes on Unsplash.
Blueprint Living: How to Automate Healthy Decisions
It’s true the Bryan Johnson’s “Blueprint” lifestyle takes this to the extreme: many dozens of daily supplements, pre-measured vegan meals, rigorous biomarker tracking, daily exercise protocol, and a schedule that is run with the precision of a science experiment—which it is.
Of course, you don’t need to copy his entire regimen to see major results. Like most things in life, the 80/20 rule applies—you’re likely to get 80% of the benefits from 20% of his health practices, many of which are simple, common-sense principles related to sleep, exercise, and nutrition. It’s a fallacy to dismiss his whole philosophy just because the most visible version is very extreme.
For most, I think it’s unrealistic—for now, at least—to implement this level of intensity, but the overarching principle is certainly compelling: if you manage to automate the right and healthy decisions, you stop giving your mind opportunities to argue against your own well-being and future interest.
This means never standing in the grocery store debating which snack is “not that bad” for you. Think of it as having a “human algorithm”—a set of personal rules that guide your daily actions toward long-term health and happiness.
The key is that these systems are proactive—you design them for your benefit. That’s a world apart from the algorithms others set for us for their gain, like TikTok’s endless feed or YouTube’s auto-play, which are engineered to keep us scrolling, not thriving.
Imagine not relying on willpower at 10pm in front of the fridge. This used to be me sometimes, but now I have a specific system in place instead. I follow 16/8 hour-fasting routine, so after dinner at 7 or 8pm I simply do not eat again until 16 hours the next day. Fasting is an important element in my routine to sleep better, be healthier, feel better, and live longer. So, I won’t compromise that with a 10pm snack.
Algorithmic living in such a complicated domain such as food and health is not about losing freedom to choose your snack—it’s about freeing yourself from the most common traps your mind sets for you. In my experience, once those traps are gone, you have more energy for creativity, relationships, and the parts of life that actually matter.
Algorithmic living applied to food is not meant to take away your freedom—it’s meant to free yourself from the most common traps of the mind. Photo by Stefan Vladimirov on Unsplash.
Can Algorithmic Living Fit Into Culture and Tradition?
One common fear could be that algorithmic living, especially in food, could erase culture and tradition. But I don’t think it has to. Imagine a Mediterranean diet algorithm that keeps olive oil, fresh fish, and seasonal vegetables central—only now with more precise portioning and nutrient optimization. Or one that prioritizes certain healthier Mediterranean dishes over less healthy ones.
Rather than replacing cultural richness, algorithms could also help protect and spread them. A Parisian baker could develop a “Blueprint-approved” baguette. An Indian chef could fine-tune spice blends for optimal anti-inflammatory impact.
Instead of our current baseline—where fast food globalization is erasing diversity—we could see algorithmic localization, which aims to keep the soul of a cuisine while enhancing its health benefits.
And remember, Culture is not static—it’s shaped by changing technology and science. Whatever culinary tradition you hold dear today probably didn’t exist 500 years ago, yet people were no less human then than they are today. As our understanding of health improves, it’s natural for traditions and even our “food algorithms” to adapt and change.
Finally, remember that algorithmic living is already here, so what matters is how we implement it. If you’re like the majority, algorithms are already serving you personalized news, entertainment, and social media updates that are catered to your unique profile. Algorithms in TikTok or YouTube already influence what you watch, what you think, and who you are.
There is nothing inherently wrong with technology—it’s about how we implement it. Instead of passively embracing damaging algorithms that lead to doomsday scrolling or a bombardment of dopamine hits, why not proactively choose which algorithms we want to define which aspects of our lives? Especially when they are going to make us feel better and live longer.
Does algorithmic living make us less human? We don’t need to take things to the extreme—by going to some form of monitored life. Instead, start out by setting some basic algorithms or guardrails in the areas you struggle with or that matter most to you. Photo by Angelina Sarycheva on Unsplash.
Does Algorithmic Living Make Us Less Human?
Some may still push back, just on the notion that outsourcing decisions to algorithms could make us less human. But think about GPS. Once upon a time, navigating a city meant memorizing the names of streets, watching the sun’s position in the sky, and keeping mental (and physical) maps. Now we follow turn-by-turn directions without a second though.
We did give in a bit of agency there—does that make us less human or are we just more efficient at getting to our destination? History is full of these moments: horses to cars, herbs to pharmaceuticals, plows to tractors. Each time, we let go of a “human” skill in exchange for more time and energy for other pursuits. Are we less human now than we were 500 years ago?
If you’re a chef, maybe algorithmic eating doesn’t appeal to you—and might even take away something you love. Fair enough. But for the rest of us, removing the constant low-grade stress of food decisions could mean more mental space for art, reading, conversation, travel, or anything that feeds the soul.
Did any of these technological advancements make us “less human”? Photo by Bram Van Oost on Unsplash.
Beyond Food: Algorithmic Living for Sleep, Fitness, and Recovery
Today, we’ve narrowly focused on algorithmic living applied to food, but it doesn’t need to stop there. Sleep trackers can detect when you need an earlier bedtime and adjust your environment. Fitness apps can adapt your training plan based on your personal recovery metrics, not willpower. Recovery protocols—from cold plunges to targeted supplements—could be triggered automatically by inflammation markers.
I’ve started applying small versions of algorithmic living to myself: more consistent and earlier bedtime routines, scheduled workouts, or more intentional cooking. The way I see it, the less mental effort I spend on making these decisions—and on second-guessing if I’m doing them right—the better. A future post will focus more specifically on low-hanging fruit health routines.
Over time, these habits compound, just like investments. The payoff isn’t just physical—it’s the mental clarity that comes from knowing your health foundation is rock-solid and you can focus on something else.
Meditation reminds us that we are not out thoughts—nor our mind. The algorithmic living espoused by Brian Johnson takes this same stance and advocates for proactively shaping environments and rules that enable healthy outcomes. Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash.
The Mind as Adversary—and Ally, Once Freed
Left to its own devices, the mind is pretty good at sabotaging us in the name of comfort. But when we take away its authority to meddle with certain decisions, it becomes available for what it does best: problem-solving, creating, and imagining.
Meditation teaches us that we are not our thoughts—we are not our mind—and algorithmic living takes a similar stance, proactively shaping environments and rules so that healthy choices happen automatically.
As James Clear notes in Atomic Habits, lasting change comes from shifting your identity, not just your actions. Once you see yourself as a healthy person, your decisions naturally align without endless willpower battles.
That way, the mind can focus on higher-order thinking instead of rehashing the same food debate in front of the fridge for the thousandth time.
In the world we currently live in, where distraction is the default, proactively implementing algorithmic living can be one of the most human things we do.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Bryan Johnson uses the phrase “The mind is dead” to describe the idea that our minds, left unchecked, often make decisions that work against our long-term health and goals. Just like Nietzsche’s “God is dead” wasn’t literal, Johnson’s concept is about changing our relationship with the mind—no longer treating it as the ultimate authority on what’s good for us. Instead, we can design systems and habits that bypass the mind’s short-term cravings in favor of long-term well-being. In practice, this means replacing constant decision-making with predefined routines that keep us on track.
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Algorithmic living is the practice of designing your daily routines, choices, and environment so that healthy and productive actions happen automatically. It’s about proactively setting up systems for your benefit, rather than letting outside forces—like social media algorithms—dictate your behavior for their gain. This can involve simple habits like meal prepping, scheduled workouts, or automated bedtime routines. The goal is to reduce decision fatigue and ensure your actions align with your values and long-term goals.
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Not at all. Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint is a highly detailed and intense health regimen, but the underlying principles can be applied in a much more moderate way. By focusing on the 80/20 rule, you can likely achieve 80% of the benefits by implementing just 20% of his suggestions—especially the common-sense ones around sleep, diet, and exercise. The key is to adopt what fits your life and goals, rather than copying his plan in full.
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By removing constant small decisions from your day, algorithmic living frees up mental energy for creativity, relationships, and meaningful work. It also ensures that you consistently make choices that are aligned with your health and longevity goals. This consistency compounds over time, leading to measurable improvements in physical well-being, mental clarity, and emotional stability. Many people find they experience less anxiety and more satisfaction once they eliminate daily debates about food, exercise, and routines.
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Not necessarily—in fact, it can help preserve and enhance them. Culture has always evolved alongside technology, and today’s food traditions often didn’t exist 500 years ago. Algorithmic living can adapt healthy principles to fit local cuisines, such as creating a Mediterranean diet plan that optimizes nutrition while keeping its core flavors and ingredients intact. Rather than erasing culture, it can protect it from being replaced by globalized fast food while boosting its health benefits.
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No. while food is one of the easiest places to start, the same principles apply to other areas of life. You can create algorithms for sleep (like setting a fixed bedtime routine), exercise (automatic training schedules), or even stress management (scheduled meditation breaks). Wearables and apps can automate reminders, track progress, and adjust plans based on your personal metrics. Over time, these systems work together to create a lifestyle where your environment supports your best choices.
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Some people worry that outsourcing decisions to algorithms might make us less human, but history shows otherwise. From using GPS instead of memorizing maps to adopting tractors instead of plows, humans have always used tools to free up time and mental energy for other pursuits. Algorithmic living is simply another evolution—one that allows us to focus on creativity, relationships, and higher-order thinking instead of repetitive, low-value choices. Far from making us less human, it can give us more freedom to live fully.
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