“If the world I create is more appealing than the one God made, I can draw people to it. It’s a contest with God.”
The moment I heard these words, I got goosebumps. This statement, made by IT entrepreneur Katsuaki Sato during his interview video with Naokiman, is not merely business ambition. It is a declaration showing the ultimate reach of human creativity.
Sato is an entrepreneur active in three fields: space development, virtual reality, and food security. Having never touched a computer until university, he taught himself programming starting with a ¥50,000 used PC, eventually arriving at his vision: “recreating the universe on a computer.”
This interview is packed with ideas that fundamentally challenge our “common sense.” This time, we’ll delve into the core of this video and add insights from the Mindset Design perspective.
The Core Message of the Video
What Kohei Sato most wanted to convey in this interview is his conviction that technology is evolving toward recreating the universe itself, and that humanity will eventually stand in the position of “creator.”
His argument can be summarized in three key points:
- Virtual space will surpass the physical world: If we can create virtual worlds more compelling than the one God made, humans will migrate there.
- Information is more fundamental than matter: The core of the universe is not matter but “information,” and even this physical world could potentially be a simulation.
- Consciousness is the debugger of the unconscious: Human consciousness exists to correct the unconscious program.
Each perspective is shocking, but merely skimming the surface is meaningless. From here on, we will delve deeply into each theme.
The ultimate framing: “The Battle Against God”
Why “Battle”?
Mr. Sato states that if we assume this physical world is “God’s creation,” then humans recreating the universe on a computer becomes a “battle with God.” There lies a fundamental impulse as creators, transcending business or profit.
“There’s no reason not to stake your life on it”—we must grasp the weight of these words.
Many people view work as a “means to make a living.” For Mr. Sato, however, creating virtual worlds is not about survival; it is the very meaning of existence. This difference is decisive.
“A Battle with God” from the Perspective of “Attention = Life”
At Mindset Design, we’ve repeatedly emphasized the principle that “what you pay attention to determines your life.“ Sato’s “battle with God” is the ultimate embodiment of this principle.
He focuses all his attention—his time, energy, and intellect—on a single point: “recreating the universe.” As discussed in The Trap of Social Media and The Trap of News, modern people’s attention is scattered and exploited in every direction. Yet Sato completely controls his attention, pouring it into one grand vision.
Here lies the most crucial insight we should learn.
“The Battle with God” means being in a state of complete awareness of what you are betting your attention (your life) on.
Most people aren’t even aware of what they’re directing their attention toward. Social media, news, others’ opinions—before they know it, they’ve surrendered their life to someone else’s agenda. Sato stands at the opposite extreme. He invests 100% of his attention into his own vision. That is a resolve worthy of the phrase “battle with God.”
This world is made of “information”
The End of Materialism
During the conversation, Sato presented a fascinating hypothesis.
“Until now, natural science has primarily focused on physics. Matter was central, the center of the universe. But perhaps it’s not matter, but information that is the true essence of the world.”
This suggests a major paradigm shift in the philosophy of science. We have long believed that “matter comes first, and information arises from it.” But Sato argues the opposite. Information is the essence, and matter is merely its derivative.
Indeed, the measurement problem in quantum mechanics partially supports this hypothesis. In the quantum world, a particle’s state remains undetermined until observed. In other words, the act of “observing (i.e., recognizing as information)” determines the state of matter.
The Simulation Hypothesis and Evidence of “Bugs”
Sato shares an intriguing personal anecdote: on a basketball court, a ball thrown toward a 4-meter fence didn’t bounce off but simply passed through and vanished into the woods.
Viewed from a computer’s perspective, this is precisely a “collision detection bug”—the same phenomenon that occurs when a program fails to correctly calculate the collision between objects. Sato points out that it is fundamentally the same principle as Mario’s secret path bug.
Of course, this alone doesn’t prove the world is a simulation. But what’s crucial isn’t the anecdote itself, but that Sato possesses the perspective to observe the world as a “program.“
As discussed in the article on “Consciousness and Attention,“ the “observer effect” in quantum mechanics poses profound questions about the relationship between consciousness and the material world. Sato’s perspective that “information is the essence” can be seen as one bold answer to this question.
Consciousness is the “unconscious debugger”
Why Do Humans Have Consciousness?
In the latter half of the dialogue, Sato presents a startling hypothesis about the origin of consciousness.
“Consciousness might be the debugger of the unconscious. Originally, insects and animals move unconsciously, acting on reflexes. But society changes constantly. A day comes when the unconscious no longer suffices. Therefore, having consciousness allows us to debug and correct that unconscious.”
This perfectly aligns with the concept of the “95% unconscious” repeatedly emphasized by Mindset Design.
Ninety-five percent of our actions are automatically driven by the unconscious. Waking up and checking our smartphones. Sitting in the same seat on the commuter train. Opening social media when we feel stressed—these are all automatic reactions based on programs ingrained in us from the past.
What makes Sato’s hypothesis brilliant is its clear definition of consciousness’s “reason for being.“ Consciousness evolved as a “correction tool” to rewrite old programs (the unconscious) when the environment changes.
Depression is a sign of “debugging in progress”
Even more shocking is how he applies this hypothesis to depression and emotional conflict. Sato states:
“The period when consciousness is modifying the unconscious is probably when people become depressed, feel down, or experience conflict. But after about two or three years, most people settle down. That’s likely after debugging ends and the bugs are fixed.”
This perspective fundamentally changes the meaning of suffering.
Depression and conflict aren’t a “broken state,” but rather an “updating state.“ Just like a computer appearing frozen during an OS update, internally, massive processing is underway to rewrite the old program with a new one.
As detailed in methods for self-brainwashing and “You Are the Placebo,“ Dr. Joe Dispenza’s research also shows that consciously rewriting unconscious patterns through meditation can even improve physical symptoms. Mr. Sato’s “debugger hypothesis” explains precisely this mechanism from a different angle.
In other words, the ability to consciously observe and rewrite one’s own unconscious—this is the greatest “weapon” granted to humanity.
Liberation from the “Bug” of Common Sense
Resistance to Technology is a Symptom of “Old Programming”
During the discussion, Naokiman shared an interesting observation. When he posted a video about the future of the metaverse, he received a lot of criticism saying, “That’s impossible.”
Mr. Sato draws parallels to the reaction when the internet was born.
“When the internet was born, everyone opposed it too. They said it would lead to crime. The majority opinion was that it should be regulated. There was absolutely no talk of supporting startups like there is now. The main focus was on crushing it completely.”
This historical pattern is highly suggestive. Every time new technology emerges, people react with fear and rejection. Why is that?
Applying Sato’s Debugger Hypothesis provides a clear explanation. New technology clashes with the old programs (common sense) embedded in society’s “unconscious.“
As discussed in detail in “Education is Brainwashing” and “Society’s Brainwashing,“ we have had an enormous amount of “common sense” installed by society’s systems. “You cannot live without a physical body,” “The real world is the only world,” “Work is something you do to live”—these are all programs that functioned well in their time. However, in the modern era of exponentially evolving technology, these programs are rapidly becoming obsolete.
Mr. Sato predicts that around 2045, 4 billion people will spend significant time in the metaverse. “People will resist. They’ll say, ‘How dare you!’ But they’ll still transition quickly.” These words carry the quiet conviction of someone who has witnessed the evolution of common sense many times over.
The Importance of Power Decentralization and “Escape Routes”
In a future where multiple metaverses coexist in virtual space, it becomes difficult for the “administrator” of a single space to wield dictatorial power. Why? Because residents can simply migrate to another virtual world if they dislike it.
Mr. Sato described this as “creating plenty of escape routes.” This is a revolutionary concept even within the framework of the nation-state. In the current physical world, escaping a nation is not easy. But in virtual space, a better “world” becomes accessible with a single click.
As discussed in The Trap of Capitalism, the current system is designed to favor those in power. Yet decentralized technologies like blockchain and the metaverse hold the potential to fundamentally dismantle this structure. An increase in “escape routes” means the physical impossibility of concentrating power at a single point.
The Lost Pleasure of Immersion
Toward the end of the conversation, Sato shared a particularly striking observation.
“Children know that immersion is a pleasure. That’s why they can draw pictures endlessly or play on jungle gyms for hours on end. They don’t seek meaning or profit. But as adults, we forget this.”
These words pierce the softest part of our hearts.
Recall your childhood. That feeling of losing track of time playing in the sandbox. That intense focus allowing you to draw for hours on end. There was no “meaning” or “benefit” involved whatsoever. Simply being absorbed was the ultimate pleasure.
Yet as adults, we completely forget this feeling. “What’s the point?” “Can you make money from that?”—Trapped by education’s demands for efficiency and results, we’re conditioned to seek outcomes. The joy of immersion gets sealed away as “unproductive.”
The reason Mr. Sato can immerse himself in “battling the gods” is likely because he hasn’t lost that childhood feeling. Not for profit, but because it’s fun. Because it’s interesting. There’s no reason beyond that.
As discussed in “The Curse of Trying Hard,“ the very concept of “trying hard” might be a bug that torments us. People who are truly immersed don’t feel like they’re “trying hard.” Mr. Sato can say “There’s no reason not to give it my all” precisely because it’s not “trying hard” but “immersion.”
Here lies the essence of effortless thinking. A state where effort is not felt—this is not laziness, but a state where one’s actions align with the reason they were born.
What is your true purpose?
Discovering the Individual’s Role
At the end of the conversation, Mr. Sato touches on the Buddhist concept of “hon’gan”—one’s true purpose for being born.
“I believe that the moment everyone becomes conscious and discovers their own abilities, the gears in the world will mesh perfectly and start turning smoothly.”
This directly connects to the theme discussed in “The Age of the Individual.“ The era of society pushing everyone in one direction is coming to an end, and an era is coming where each person finds their own unique role and lives it to the fullest.
Mr. Sato cites Elon Musk as an example, pointing out that “the private space industry was created because one eccentric person emerged.” When a single person becomes fully aware of their role and dedicates their life to it, the direction of society as a whole changes. This is a pattern that has been repeated many times throughout history.
Buddha, Tesla, Elon Musk—what they have in common is that they understood why they existed. In Mr. Sato’s words, “The best moments in life are the moment you are born and the moment you understand why you were born.”
Collective Unconsciousness and “Removing Constraints”
The dialogue also introduces an interesting episode concerning the collective unconscious. In an era when it was believed that no human could run a mile in under four minutes, the moment one person broke that record, more than ten others achieved the same feat within a month.
This demonstrates that the constraint was not physical, but psychological—an unconscious program. The moment one person made the “impossible” possible, the collective unconscious program was rewritten, unlocking the same ability in others.
As detailed in the method of self-hypnosis, our subconscious strives to realize what we believe is possible. The same occurs at the collective unconscious level. Mr. Sato’s declaration of “a contest with God” may actually be a “constraint release” targeting humanity’s collective unconscious.
“Humans can’t possibly create the universe”—when one person genuinely doubts this common sense and begins acting on it, others start to feel it’s possible too. Technological progress is, in fact, the result of such shifts in consciousness.
Three Things to Focus On Starting Today
Here are three actionable guidelines derived from this dialogue:
1. Conduct an “inventory of your attention”
What did you pay attention to today? Social media? News? Others’ opinions? Were you able to focus your attention on something “worth risking your life for,” like Mr. Sato?
First, observe where your attention is flowing. Simply doing this will begin to reveal the direction of your life. As mentioned in “The Conclusion of How to Live,“ what you choose not to do shapes your life more than what you choose to do.
2. Question your “common sense”
“You can’t live without a physical body,” “Virtual space can’t replace reality,” “Work isn’t supposed to be fun”—hidden within what you take for granted are outdated programs that need rewriting.
Recall Mr. Sato’s debugger hypothesis. Your consciousness exists precisely to correct these outdated programs. Through meditation and introspection, examine each unconscious “common sense” belief dormant within you.
3. Reclaiming “Immersion”
What can you immerse yourself in without seeking profit or meaning? What did you lose track of time doing as a child?
Within that answer may lie a hint of your “true purpose”—the real reason you were born. It doesn’t need to be grand. It might be listening to someone’s story, or tending to plants. What matters is following the impulse that wells up from within you, not society’s defined “value.”
Katsuaki Sato stakes his life on “competing with the gods.” What do you stake your life on?
Facing that question is the essence of self-discovery and the first step to transforming your life.
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