"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." — Bertrand Russell
Very well articulated. I think we are in this position in the first place, however, due to the institutions and experts discrediting themselves too many times when many of them have been caught displaying partisanship over the pursuit of truth. It’s very difficult to trust any institution anymore. And unfortunately, it’s such an uncomfortable feeling to realize that we may be flying blind that a certain percentage of people choose to shut down their faculties of reason and common sense in order to follow some podcast guru who returns them to a state of simple minded adolescent certainty.
Thank you so much for reading - means a lot, and thank you for your kind words and feedback. You're kicking in an open door with me when you refer to institutions discrediting themselves - who can forget actual epidemiologists saying it's OK to march for BLM, as racism is worse than Covid? - but the answer to such things is always more science, not less.
I always use the analogy of surgery; Yes, there have been people like Paolo Macchiarini or Christopher Duntsch. They didn't discredit surgery, and just because they were malevolent psychopaths, it doesn't mean that the homeopath now has equal say in treatment of bone cancer as surgeons.
I agree; the answer cannot be to pretend that there is no need for expertise. I forgot who pointed out that if some egg-head came on Rogan’s show and started spouting off about MMA, there is no way Rogan wouldn’t laugh him out of the studio. Civilization, by definition, is created and maintained by “experts” in our different fields, from plumbers, to physicists, to teachers, to soldiers. But the media and academic class, in particular, could do us all a great service by issuing a Mea Culpa regarding their atrocious behavior in not even trying to maintain the appearance of non-partisanship. I take your point that it’s not all who have engaged in psychopathic behavior. But it doesn’t have to be; enough have betrayed our trust that people either don’t believe anything they say or, like me, feel we have to attempt our own deep-dive on their every claim to have any level of confidence in their reports. It’s probably too late for institutions to regain many ex-viewers/listeners/readers, but I, for one, would pay good money to a legacy news source that apologized, pledged to rededicate itself to the pursuit of truth, and outlined a course of action by which to hold itself accountable. In the absence of that, all I know is that I know very little, no matter how much news I consume.
No love for Piers Morgan? Why not Vacuous, self-righteous, hard-of-understanding, all-sides Piers Morgan?
Every thumbnail of Morgan’s is 3 or 4 people nearing cardiac arrest, apoplectic in the extreme, baring their teeth, threatening to tear into the flesh of the opposing combatant. (That c*nt Ana Kaspian didn’t even pretend to be there to ‘debate’, she just went right for Emily Schrader’s jugular upon sight, panting like a rabid hyena.)
You missed one of the biggies of the bowel movement. Perhaps Morgan deserves a stand alone essay. That must be it.
Definitely - there’s a lot of overlap. But like with Mehdi Hasan, I think that fat f*** deserves his own article. Same as Cenk Uyghur.
BTW, I think Emily missed a trick when Kasparian said “I’m Armenian, I know a genocide when I see it”. She should’ve just asked who Ana works for; The Young Turks (name of the faction who carried out the Armenian genocide) and Cenk Uyghur, who denied the same genocide.
In some circles All Roads Lead to Rome. In others All Roads Lead to Tel Aviv. If the Jews would stop colliding the planets and causing tsunamis, all would be well with the world. Speaking about the Turks, those exemplars of high morality now trying to take advantage in Syria, trying to revive the ottoman empire...
Informed and eloquent. Reminds one of Einstein's quote: "There are only two things that are infinite... the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not actually sure about the universe ". This infinite stupidity now characterizes large swaths of America. And STUPID can't be argued against.
This is a pendulum swing reaction to the censorship and outright lies of the legacy media over the last 10+ years. People have given up discernment for a reaction to anyone who simply contradicts the so-called experts. I have been following Tim Pool for a while and often the headlines he inserts into his YT notifications is enough for me to pick up his suspicion and extremism. So I don’t listen. Candace Owens is a different deranged person. I used to think Tucker was ok, but that is probably because I hadn’t listened to him enough. His interview with Ted Cruz was unwatchable, constantly interrupting him with his own ideas. Charlie Kirk needs to distance himself from Tucker or he will be swept into irrelevance. Thank you for posting this. The analysis will help me discern when someone is using weak arguments.
Brilliant commentary. I have reservations about the climate scam and covid vaccines but not because of these clowns but the real scientists. I have never listened to and have no intention of doing so, to these idiots you mention. Life is too short to waste on shysters. Piers Morgan should be added to the list.
Thank you, always, for your conscience and guts. This is a great essay. With all their reach and influence, these scumbags peddle conspiracy and incitement to their trusting, resentful mobs. Thank you for calling them out. This is the time of the great unmasking. These shitheads are pied pipers for the naive, bitter and maladjusted - and yet, the mob can choose not to follow these self-serving assholes off the inevitable cliff.
I was on the edge of my "intellectual seat" throughout this tour de force, which was worth waiting for. But I do have this question, Amir: in a world of moral, political, and intellectual confusion, do you believe in a truly "safe space"? Is there a refuge from the storm? A place you go to find peace?
It would satisfy me if you simply answered that "it's out there, but you must find it on our own."
What a remarkable compliment - thank you Michael!!! Honestly, it means a lot.
I may be mistaken, but by “safe space”, do you mean reliable commentariat? I think most of us know that we’d never take advice on cancer treatment from a homeopath or financial planning from a junkie. I’m only arguing that we should apply the same logic on geopolitics.
Not sure if that answers your question?
Again, thank you for reading and your incredibly kind words. I’m humbled.
Yours is a fair question, Amir. I believe in the observation that "politics is downstream from culture," but I would add that "culture is downstream from religion" and leave it at that, but by "religion" I include the full spectrum from atheism to passionate Faith. Beyond that, each of us must take the journey on his own.
I really loved your article; as I read I wondered if you were going to hit all members of my own "rogues gallery," and every time I turned the corner, there they were!
Truly the best article on this subject which I covered myself - not nearly as well. My style does not pretend to be high brow. In the search bar just type in Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens.
I can't understand people putting others on a pedestal and hanging on their every word. It is dangerous, yes, but 'twas always thus in some form or another.
Very well written. The only bit I object to is comparing anything the venomous Owens says to Shakespearean monologue. And you also omit one of the main types of glue that binds all these unspeakables together: Jew-hatred. If it were not for this glue which is many layers deep, I doubt that they would accumulate as many followers: https://substack.com/home/post/p-166372525
Very well articulated. I think we are in this position in the first place, however, due to the institutions and experts discrediting themselves too many times when many of them have been caught displaying partisanship over the pursuit of truth. It’s very difficult to trust any institution anymore. And unfortunately, it’s such an uncomfortable feeling to realize that we may be flying blind that a certain percentage of people choose to shut down their faculties of reason and common sense in order to follow some podcast guru who returns them to a state of simple minded adolescent certainty.
Thank you so much for reading - means a lot, and thank you for your kind words and feedback. You're kicking in an open door with me when you refer to institutions discrediting themselves - who can forget actual epidemiologists saying it's OK to march for BLM, as racism is worse than Covid? - but the answer to such things is always more science, not less.
I always use the analogy of surgery; Yes, there have been people like Paolo Macchiarini or Christopher Duntsch. They didn't discredit surgery, and just because they were malevolent psychopaths, it doesn't mean that the homeopath now has equal say in treatment of bone cancer as surgeons.
I agree; the answer cannot be to pretend that there is no need for expertise. I forgot who pointed out that if some egg-head came on Rogan’s show and started spouting off about MMA, there is no way Rogan wouldn’t laugh him out of the studio. Civilization, by definition, is created and maintained by “experts” in our different fields, from plumbers, to physicists, to teachers, to soldiers. But the media and academic class, in particular, could do us all a great service by issuing a Mea Culpa regarding their atrocious behavior in not even trying to maintain the appearance of non-partisanship. I take your point that it’s not all who have engaged in psychopathic behavior. But it doesn’t have to be; enough have betrayed our trust that people either don’t believe anything they say or, like me, feel we have to attempt our own deep-dive on their every claim to have any level of confidence in their reports. It’s probably too late for institutions to regain many ex-viewers/listeners/readers, but I, for one, would pay good money to a legacy news source that apologized, pledged to rededicate itself to the pursuit of truth, and outlined a course of action by which to hold itself accountable. In the absence of that, all I know is that I know very little, no matter how much news I consume.
No love for Piers Morgan? Why not Vacuous, self-righteous, hard-of-understanding, all-sides Piers Morgan?
Every thumbnail of Morgan’s is 3 or 4 people nearing cardiac arrest, apoplectic in the extreme, baring their teeth, threatening to tear into the flesh of the opposing combatant. (That c*nt Ana Kaspian didn’t even pretend to be there to ‘debate’, she just went right for Emily Schrader’s jugular upon sight, panting like a rabid hyena.)
You missed one of the biggies of the bowel movement. Perhaps Morgan deserves a stand alone essay. That must be it.
Thank you for reading, Stephen! We agree on PM's pathetic nature, but I think he differs from what I'm focusing on here.
I see a kinship in that he is mainly clueless about the subject matter. Also takes the position “I’m just asking questions”.
Anyway enjoyed reading your piece. All the best.
Definitely - there’s a lot of overlap. But like with Mehdi Hasan, I think that fat f*** deserves his own article. Same as Cenk Uyghur.
BTW, I think Emily missed a trick when Kasparian said “I’m Armenian, I know a genocide when I see it”. She should’ve just asked who Ana works for; The Young Turks (name of the faction who carried out the Armenian genocide) and Cenk Uyghur, who denied the same genocide.
Yes. The Young Nazis, anyone? 😂
In some circles All Roads Lead to Rome. In others All Roads Lead to Tel Aviv. If the Jews would stop colliding the planets and causing tsunamis, all would be well with the world. Speaking about the Turks, those exemplars of high morality now trying to take advantage in Syria, trying to revive the ottoman empire...
https://andrewgbenjamin.substack.com/p/the-legacy-of-ertugrul?utm_source=publication-search
Informed and eloquent. Reminds one of Einstein's quote: "There are only two things that are infinite... the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not actually sure about the universe ". This infinite stupidity now characterizes large swaths of America. And STUPID can't be argued against.
This is a pendulum swing reaction to the censorship and outright lies of the legacy media over the last 10+ years. People have given up discernment for a reaction to anyone who simply contradicts the so-called experts. I have been following Tim Pool for a while and often the headlines he inserts into his YT notifications is enough for me to pick up his suspicion and extremism. So I don’t listen. Candace Owens is a different deranged person. I used to think Tucker was ok, but that is probably because I hadn’t listened to him enough. His interview with Ted Cruz was unwatchable, constantly interrupting him with his own ideas. Charlie Kirk needs to distance himself from Tucker or he will be swept into irrelevance. Thank you for posting this. The analysis will help me discern when someone is using weak arguments.
Perfectly put and well thought out!
Brilliant commentary. I have reservations about the climate scam and covid vaccines but not because of these clowns but the real scientists. I have never listened to and have no intention of doing so, to these idiots you mention. Life is too short to waste on shysters. Piers Morgan should be added to the list.
Thank you, always, for your conscience and guts. This is a great essay. With all their reach and influence, these scumbags peddle conspiracy and incitement to their trusting, resentful mobs. Thank you for calling them out. This is the time of the great unmasking. These shitheads are pied pipers for the naive, bitter and maladjusted - and yet, the mob can choose not to follow these self-serving assholes off the inevitable cliff.
This was perfectly described. Your articles are always so accurate and spot-on.
This might be the most important thing I’ve read all year.
Incredibly generous, Evan. Thank you.
Thank YOU 🙏
I was on the edge of my "intellectual seat" throughout this tour de force, which was worth waiting for. But I do have this question, Amir: in a world of moral, political, and intellectual confusion, do you believe in a truly "safe space"? Is there a refuge from the storm? A place you go to find peace?
It would satisfy me if you simply answered that "it's out there, but you must find it on our own."
What a remarkable compliment - thank you Michael!!! Honestly, it means a lot.
I may be mistaken, but by “safe space”, do you mean reliable commentariat? I think most of us know that we’d never take advice on cancer treatment from a homeopath or financial planning from a junkie. I’m only arguing that we should apply the same logic on geopolitics.
Not sure if that answers your question?
Again, thank you for reading and your incredibly kind words. I’m humbled.
Yours is a fair question, Amir. I believe in the observation that "politics is downstream from culture," but I would add that "culture is downstream from religion" and leave it at that, but by "religion" I include the full spectrum from atheism to passionate Faith. Beyond that, each of us must take the journey on his own.
I really loved your article; as I read I wondered if you were going to hit all members of my own "rogues gallery," and every time I turned the corner, there they were!
Thank you for this incisive and terrifying piece. Very well done.
Thank you! This was phenomenal
Truly the best article on this subject which I covered myself - not nearly as well. My style does not pretend to be high brow. In the search bar just type in Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens.
https://andrewgbenjamin.substack.com/
I will subscribe.
You’re a sensational writer.
I can't understand people putting others on a pedestal and hanging on their every word. It is dangerous, yes, but 'twas always thus in some form or another.
Very well written. The only bit I object to is comparing anything the venomous Owens says to Shakespearean monologue. And you also omit one of the main types of glue that binds all these unspeakables together: Jew-hatred. If it were not for this glue which is many layers deep, I doubt that they would accumulate as many followers: https://substack.com/home/post/p-166372525
Absolutely correct. I covered that fact here.
https://andrewgbenjamin.substack.com/