Ep. 83 My Dinner with Peter: Infinite Compassion, Infinite Jest

When you walk into the elegant home of Dr. Peter Carnochan, you’re greeted by a statue of  Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. Over the course of our dinner together and podcast conversation, it becomes clear that the figure is not decorative. It’s emblematic of Peter himself.

Peter Carnochan is something of a paradox. He describes himself as half California hippie and half East Coast WASP. He came up through alternative schooling that centered art and creativity. From there, he studied at Harvard University, earning a degree philosophy—an intellectual backbone that now undergirds everything he does.

Both in real life, and in the award-winning documentary, Andre Is an Idiot, Peter played the real life role of Andre Ricciardi’s psychologist.  His client, Andre, is dying of colon cancer and, in many ways, becomes a kind of embodiment of “infinite jest”—finding humor in everything, even in the face of death, while documenting the experience. Peter’s defining qualities are on full display: infinite compassion paired with grounded wisdom. The result is a remarkable film that captures humor, courage, and an almost defiant vulnerability. In several scenes, Peter offers guidance that is both clinically precise and deeply human, gently expanding Andre’s capacity to face reality while staying connected to the people he loves.

Today, Peter has returned to his Silicon Valley roots, working as an executive coach to some of the titans of the tech world. He brings to that ecosystem not just strategy, but a grounded life philosophy that blends compassion, insight, and a deep respect for the complexity of being human.