A Philosopher Reacts to the NXIVM Cult

Does NXIVM's cult philosophy hold up to a Philosopher?
Go to www.keeps.com/wisecrack to get 50% off your first three months! Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video!
We’ve been obsessed with the two recent documentary series on the NXIVM cult, largely because its members keep referring to the cult’s leader as a “philosopher”, which feels a little weird to us. So we decided to have our in-house philosophy Ph.D consider some of the ideas espoused by the cult’s leader, Keith Raniere, to see if there is any truth hidden beneath the madness. We hope you enjoy our first episode of "A Philosopher Reacts"!
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=== Watch More Episodes! ===
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Hosted & Analysis by: Michael Burns
Directed by: Samantha Hollows
Motion Graphics by: Jackson Maher
Editing by: Ryann Tagle
Produced by: Evan Yee & Alec Opperman
#nxivm #cult #hbo
© 2020 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc.

[@KatherinaBathory]

The "we are beasts and cannot avoid wanting sex" is an argument I used to hear from both rapists and cheaters repeatedly during the 90's... ugh

[@joelman1989]

I remember hearing this and think “maybe you are... but that doesn’t mean we all are.”

[@zeXr0andNeGi]

Asexuals crip walking right through that bullshit

[@larahill82]

@@zeXr0andNeGi you say that , but there is something there, creeping. Everyone requires something. Ya'll just super creepy about that tribute, whatever it may be.

[@samiraperi467]

@@larahill82 You say that because you have no fucking idea how aces work. Requiring something doesn't mean doesn't mean requiring sex.

[@zeXr0andNeGi]

@@larahill82 you really gotta stop thinking "base urges" are a thing.

[@pvtpain66k]

8:16 I'll translate, "The abuse I commit isn't abuse because I said so & liked it, but when the people I abused tell on me, that hurts my feelings." This line is proof of his damage & evidence toward his crimes.

[@melinabee3]

Also such a typical attitude of abusers

[@ElanaVital83]

I once had to apologize to my abuser because he hurt his back throwing me across the room.

[@user-ry4eg2mg2y]

@@ElanaVital83 WHAT THE FUCK

[@gengarvenom1180]

*"And if a philosophical education is what you seek..."* Oh, here comes another sponsor. *"Simply visit your local library."* Wait, that's illegal!

[@TheBackyardChemist]

It actually would be illegal right now in my country to enter the local library, as it is closed due to the pandemic.

[@damianalejandro6959]

God i miss paper books

[@giorgio5494]

Nice

[@Muykle]

@@TheBackyardChemist Lots of texts have digital copies you can download.

[@mistersippi2945]

@@TheBackyardChemist Maybe if they were in the library more often they could’ve learned how to prevent a pandemic! I can’t talk shit though. I’m American and 50% of our citizens don’t even believe in viruses, germs, chemistry, or freedom. “If I want to give someone Covid shouldn’t that be MY CHOICE!” Is the most used line I hear. Yet these same people also say “well for the good of the country we should segregate by race and forcibly remove “others” and relocate them to the wilderness” you know “for freedom”. That’s the only “logical” answer and if you don’t want to live in a fascist dictatorship, where fat slovenly “men” with man tits and no muscle tone can call you lazy while you work a 10 hour day and they play games all day you’re “too emotional”. Imagine Michael Moore lecturing you on fitness, health, character and “freedom” as he waddles around a PC playing Warhammer for 4 days straight. Then imagine that guy, who has no job or friends, or skills, or character says that he can collect welfare because “the government owes him something because he’s white”. Then imagine that EXACT SAME guy and 100 guys just like him say that YOU are the lazy emotional one for working a 10 hour day because “the games he plays rather than work engages his mind” and that the black guy who you work for, that works even harder for the past 5 decades should be segregated because “he doesn’t do enough to justify equality”. Then imagine him, and all of his flock sobbing openly because you won’t agree with them that they’re the real “patriots/alphas” for being lazy hedonistic Communists who REFUSE to be individual and demand the credit of a collective hive mind such that he can never exist as his own person, just a collection of mainstream nonsense. Also imagine this guy saying that the government should “endorse arranged marriages” because women are too shallow and emotional and they shouldn’t get a say on the matter. No fat chicks though, and they better not expect him to work, and they better be prepared to clean his messy house, make him his favorite foods (pizza rolls, man and cheese, chicken nuggets, and all the other foods slobs adore) and climb atop his 5’10 350 lbs frame every night. You know to fight Communism.

[@GabrielKnightz]

"I discovered at a very young age that if i talk long enough, i could make anything right or wrong. So either i'm god or truth is relative. In either case, Booyah." - Jeff Winger.

[@SirZodler]

I see, a man of culture

[@Wertsir]

Interesting, it's just that the average person has a much harder time saying 'booyah' to moral relativism.

[@plantae420]

So if Jeff Winger don‘t belive in death he can live forever? Can he fly if he don’t belive in gravity? There is objective truth even if we can‘t always recognize it. But we can approche it. Some ideas like Einsteins theory is more true than Newtons theory, and Newton is more closer to the truth than Aristoteles, and Aristoteles theory is more closer than no theory. And if he talks long enough to disprove objective truth, he either just changes the definition of a word or he becomes entangled in logical contradictions.

[@plantae420]

Only for completeness. I don‘t argue for objective moral. I argue for the existence of objective truth.

[@quarepercutisproximum9582]

@@plantae420 but isn't the existence of objective truth only questioned in terms of whether a human can fully comprehend it?

[@JustinY.]

I can sense a new series blooming already

[@darien9487]

Holy crap, a Justin Y comment from a minute ago.

[@Codarius]

Oh, look, it's the guy I see in every comment section.

[@silvertrimhill9844]

I’d like to see this guy do a collab with telltale-athiest

[@davidbeckett9547]

Kiss me

[@kevind3974]

Philosopher reacts to cult/political leaders. Specifically the evil ones. Sounds great

[@j.schmitt220]

"If someone wants you to pay loads of money to join their 'philosophical movement', you should run into the opposite direction.............. huge thank to our patreons for your support." Oh Wisecrack, how could you have missed this chance of comedic gold =(

[@Arkhs]

I mean there's a difference in the how they espouse philosophy but that would be quite funny.

[@lyn9291]

The difference is Wisecrack is not a philosophical movement. They are not pushing any ideology on us. I bet you 10 cents that Nexium POS never told his followers to go read a book!

[@j.schmitt220]

@@lyn9291 Oh... its a joke, Lyn. You supposed to laugh =D

[@GreatKingEd]

Come on Michael, if you'd plugged your book sooner I would've bought it sooner

[@alliemay9228]

yea really!! I need to give my family xmas gift ideas!

[@TheModernMachine]

I didn't even know he has a PhD

[@AxxLAfriku]

I was a boy. They were two girls. Can I make it any more obvious? I am the ULTlMATE L0VER on this platform. Don't enter my ch*nnel if you are not above a certain age, dear es

[@Liam-rn1qb]

Same, I didn't even know he had a PhD, I feel like I need to start addressing him as Dr in the comment section now

[@ginoanfewso9732]

Can someone lmk what the title of the book is? Lol

[@Twisttheawesome]

"People who only have their own interests at heart should run the country, because when they're in the most powerful position in the state they'll... really think about what's best for others!" "Abuse is made up - it doesn't exist. so please stop saying I'm abusing you, because THAT's abuse!!!" This guy has some incredible double-think power

[@legoqueen2445]

The force is powerful in this one

[@Joe--]

Yep

[@Torus2112]

Typical sociopath thinking. If everyone just looked out for themselves the world would be a simpler place, selfishness is a virtue. If what I'm doing is stressing you out that's your problem, how dare you blame me for what's going on in your own head.

[@thewildcardperson]

@@Torus2112 isnt that selfish of you why do i need to be concerned about your feeling things i cannit control people like you and in this video are little baby children who havent expirienced a thing in the real world and couldnt build a lego set much less and philosophy that can guide a society to greatness

[@madisonbeckstrand9254]

"Woooow Dude wrote a fable" is by far one of the best shut downs of someone I've had the pleasure of hearing

[@davydthebob291]

am I fake for watching you for a while but not knowing you have a whole PHD

[@randallprince]

I came to the comments just to make sure I wasn't the only one who also didn't know this. Awesome!!

[@buttonmasher7615]

I am actually shocked by this news. For some reason, I didn’t exactly put it together that the Wisecrack team actually have experts.

[@Liam-rn1qb]

I also had no clue

[@lindashrugemoji9351]

i had no clue but it isn’t surprising

[@travis9260]

I barely remember his name so no you're doing better than me

[@rodneymckay8860]

The only cult worth joining is Cobra Kai because “fear does not exist.”

[@Dingleberrycrunch36]

Out. Of. Commission.

[@royalewithcheese7]

I thought cobra kai's mantra was "sweep the leg"

[@mrsejanoz523]

"Without fear, life is meaningless." - The Scarecrow, Batman: Arkham Knight

[@Haibing22]

Strike first! Strike hard! No mercy!

[@kay4x4]

''Me! Me!'' - Mr. Peanutbutter

[@richiedagger733]

"Its not a lie, if you believe it." - George Costanza

[@nakenmil]

That is, admittedly, technically true.

[@nathanielhellerstein5871]

Then it's a delusion.

[@Dude_Abides]

Is this goin to be a new series? A philosopher reacts to.... Im down for it

[@dariuskeen9046]

Yeah that'l be dope.

[@SuperMrDelgado]

Don't encourage horseshit.

[@SpikeTFA]

@@SuperMrDelgado which part are you referring to as horseshit?

[@cobrakingofeart]

i'd like to see him react to/discuss the accuracy of the shinto roots of "sex magic" as portrayed (loosely) in Hybrid × Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia see if we can get him to blush

[@unvergebeneid]

Who wants to watch philosophers react to a thing if you can just as well watch teens react to a thing? .... well, maybe teen philosophers could work.

[@lukemccann8930]

"we're obsessed with cults...." *running up quickly with pamphlets* "...we have no desire to join a cult" *quickly hides pamphlets behind back*

[@mirceatudor7133]

"They say philosophy starts in condescension" I loved this line, I'm gonna use it

[@maxmendiola2187]

Michael’s version of “fun” is talking about a sociopathic cult leader for 15 minutes

[@justinbuergi9867]

Fun fact This cult leader went to my college We often joke that he is one of our most famous alumni Oh and our schools logo is “why not change the world”. Seems like he did his best to live up to that

[@patobarajas7207]

Wow that is wild!

[@kyokyodisaster4842]

I mean, change is relative, but I feel like Infamy is not change...

[@justinbuergi9867]

@@kyokyodisaster4842 I did say he did his best lol

[@masmantour]

What a motto. 🤷‍♂️ why not?

[@tysondennis1016]

He's famous...If you live by the rule that "bad publicity is good publicity."

[@blakem.92]

Lol gaslighting and bullying isn't philosophy.

[@GusOfTheDorks]

That's true, actions aren't philosophy. But whats being said in this video about it is near meaningless. I agree that I don't want these things to happen to people. But vastly over simplifying things by just calling them bad without a reasoning why they are bad or illogical doesnt really help anything. In fact, it just might make it worse since you leave a gap of information that someone like a cult leader could exploit.

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

This comment sounds like it was made by someone who does gaslighting and bullying.

[@teethgrinder83]

@@fireflocs lol what are you like 😂

[@JWH3]

Depends on what you call philosophy. At it's most basic philosophy just means 'A way to think" of which gaslighting bullying and the use of these rhetorical tricks to gain personal power is definitely a philosophy, it's just one founded on dishonesty manipulation and a careless will to twist any word to mean what they want it to to get what they want. Philosophical terrorists you might say.

[@youthofyesterdayrecords]

Yeah, it's modern journalism.

[@Dan-ud8hz]

“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” Μηκέθ᾽ ὅλως περὶ τοῦ οἷόν τινα εἶναι τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἄνδρα διαλέγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ εἶναι τοιοῦτον. ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, X, 16

[@buruzn09]

“So, we’re still saying it’s a ‘no-go’ on sex slaves.”

[@LucasDeziderio]

Oh, I liked the format! Can we have more of Philosopher Reacts?

[@Ares_gaming_117]

making Michael do a hair loss ad is just rude lol

[@BlairCarlyle]

I love when Michael can go off script and talk to us like a real person, this is great!

[@Mr_Case_Time]

“A Philosopher Reacts to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”. Perhaps there’s some fat to chew on there? Anyway, I love that damn book.

[@Acoolakim007]

I heard it pop up several times on my radar. Sounds promising, it's on my list

[@helgahaa]

ZatAoMM, or A Philosopher Reacts to etc

[@alexg1720]

This format is actually pretty good. I wouldnt mind more stuff like this.

[@talbrott]

if only there was some kind of channel that did this kind of thing.

[@stefanstojkovic3959]

Michael saying "Hegel" triggered Google assistant lmao

[@giacomopiccinini9157]

definitely looking forward for more of these!

[@tsvetashopova1061]

This is such a great format! Exactly what I was searching for!

[@darienjewel5130]

Have you've guys ever considered putting together a reading list? That'd be pretty cool, you'd could even make a video around it

[@TheThuba]

Yes, yes and yes

[@mandisaw]

Wouldn't that just be the credits section of every video?

[@victoriasketcher9495]

I am here for that ☺️

[@AlmeidaVaG6]

Speaking of, as a philosopher, calling out people who are called "philosophers" without ever actually talking about actual philosophical theory, can you please analyse Ben Shapiro next? Really pisses me off to hear people call him "the cool kids' philosopher"

[@ambiguoussarcasm]

Jfc, who ever called Ben fucking Shapiro “cool”? He’s not a philosopher, he’s an idiot with too much confidence

[@laneythelame]

Wow i know nearly nothing about ben shapiro but one thing im absolutely sure of is he is not a philosopher

[@dtown_demon]

lanethelame man, ur lucky u know nothing about him lol

[@darkmyro]

@@laneythelame he's not, he's a political commentator, lawyer, and author. That's not really a high bar to achieve( maybe the lawyer one is, but then again there are lots of lawyers who don't make a ton.) he's like Rush Limbaugh( who's a radio personality and author in the same vein). All they do for a living is tell conservative republicans what they wanna hear. Which is mostly that foreigners suck, America is great/nothing needs to change, and there are too many taxes. Though the most I've ever seen of Ben Shapiro is his awful review of infinity war movie and a little bit of where he talks about the songs the Rap song WAP and John Lennon's Imagine, all of which are terrible and kinda funny in how terrible they are cause they completely miss the point of the works.

[@JWH3]

They're still philosophers, they're just not new ideas. You don't have to have a fundamentally new idea to be a philosopher or no one would be considered a philosopher. Calling these people 'non philosophers' is pointless gatekeeping, beat them at their own game, out think them to defeat them, don't just try to define them out of the category you're trying to defend. Let them in and fucking crush them.

[@kornrocket1]

This format is super cool! I hope we get more of it.

[@Ana-by5zv]

Absolutely LOVE the format! Looking forward to learning what our philosopher will react to next

[@princeLaharl2]

Wisecrack is still my favorite cult 💝

[@laneythelame]

Omg yes

[@fakecharlie4030]

I would love to see the Wisecrack team to take a look at Scientology.

[@dl2ndnp]

I love the new format, would like more explanation and talking with the mix of reacts!

[@LageCam808]

Love the new format, it's great watching you expertise come out on the fly. It really shows how extensive your knowledge and education is and how much you love philosophy. Defs keep it up!

[@TK-hs8pt]

"The Moral Obligation to be Intelligent." John Erskine.

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

Should be "The moral obligation *of* intelligence."

[@lorenzhohenhaus6857]

Damn. But shouldn't smartness be kinda fun? All goofy 'n' shit but still speaking truthfully like: Bad Banks be Breaking Bad in our House Of Cards!

[@lorenzhohenhaus6857]

@Panda Pup I believe that only the emotionally crippled will survive this madhouse of being!

[@julianslonim8660]

I gotta say I was skeptical of you michael because I saw you like a replacement for Jared, but I got to admit this video made me see how awesome you can be with a new format and made me realize I was wrong. Thank you very much, this was an amazing video! Much love to you and all the crew

[@DeanRendar]

synthetic identities to pad payroll

[@blarger4dawin]

Love the format of this video, feels a bit more honest being able to see your reactions and everything, while still bringing the same amount of quality research. Also you wrote a book! Nice!

[@soufian2733]

love this new format!!!

[@geraldmerkowitz4360]

9:45 "ourthumbless cousins" *A wild fully-thumbed cousin appears*

[@josuebartley7272]

9:48 I feel uncomfortable about are thumbless cousins giving us the thumbs up

[@alejandrodiosa1]

That's because they aren't thumbless.

[@JohnMoseley]

@@alejandrodiosa1 Right. They have thumbs. They just aren't opposable.

[@alejandrodiosa1]

@@JohnMoseley Tarsiers and Marmosets have non-opposable thumbs. New world monkeys and Apes have opposable thumbs. There are other primates that have semi-opposable thumbs.

[@JohnMoseley]

@@alejandrodiosa1 Thanks.

[@felixthehuman]

that part of the video drove me to the Wikipedia thumb page.

[@GabeNode21]

Liking the new format, really enjoyed this one.

[@CollinHeist20]

Really loved the new format!

[@tiler6984]

Why y'all gotta come for the audience's insecurities with the hair loss ad 😭😂 somebody did their research

[@Calpsotoma]

I feel like the genuine "smartest man alive" wouldn't call himself that. Most people are either an expert in one field or a generalist in many, but no one lacks blind spots. A smart person would recognize this and anyone making claims to being the most intelligent person is likely a victim of the Dunning Kruger effect.

[@jojonono27]

Guys this was such a great video! I am loving the new format, I think you've really got something here. Can't wait for the next one!

[@Syurtpiutha]

This was pretty fun. Would enjoy seeing more in the future.

[@sfereig]

Thank you for making this video. It’s important to have an educated philosopher respond to these cults

[@cheezmogreen]

I miss Jared, but Michael is killin it. I really like his videos.

[@TerranPersoid725]

I didn’t realize Michael had a degree. He’s actually pretty good at this kind of stuff. Though I do miss Jared as well...

[@Cheshiremd]

Ok, where is Jared?

[@philv2529]

I like Michael because he's been trained in philosophy.

[@FatherJohnCarmody]

Idk who tf Jared is. I got here kind of late.

[@PolarisCastillo]

Y'all posted this just on time cause I've been diving heavily into the tragedy of NXIVM this week (I've been following the arrests and trials since last year) thanks!

[@osherzizemski7177]

Love this new format!

[@kayodesalandy]

Wisecrack as a reaction channel: "WHAT'S UP PHIL PHAM! TODAY WE'RE GONNA CHECK OUT--"

[@LightsOnTrees]

Books are amazing they're like the internet, only they work in a power out.

[@Acoolakim007]

What if it's dark and you don't have candles/flashlight?

[@Tarik360]

Then sleep you nightowl!

[@jeffhoward162]

@@Acoolakim007 then you're a very poor planner...

[@straightupanarg6226]

Except at night

[@cuadernosdelteratologo]

great video, as usual. Love new format. Love the idea of new show with this structure.

[@RAFAELSANTOS-cn4rm]

Love the new format!

[@Lambda_Ovine]

"According to the University that gave me a PhD and the people who published my book, I am too [a philosopher]." Weird flex, but OK. No, but seriously, holly poo bro! I expected the team at Wisecrack to be, at best, some sort of team of people with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor on philosophy, which to be fair, that would already be far more than what we deserve, but we get to be spoiled by people with doctorates?! I say, that's pretty neat 👍

[@GryynGlo]

Saying Ayn Rand is ethics is like saying cardboard is food. Sure you can eat it and it fills you up but there’s no substance and literally no value

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Although I'm not an Ayn Rand fan, that comment is of course hyperbolic. There's something to learn from Objectivism. Just don't treat it like the word of God (or any philosophy, or religion for that matter).

[@GryynGlo]

@@MicahBuzanANIMATION There’s obviously stuff to learn from Objectivism simply because of Rand’s cultural significance, but treating it on the same level as other ethical theories is in my opinion at least suspect. Rand has been largely ignored by academic philosophers and doesn’t in my opinion warrant the same degree of study as other ethicists. I’m not trying to be explicitly normative or anything here, this is just my two cents.

[@joshuacharette993]

Really enjoyed this, hope you do more.

[@lapearl521]

Ok, but at no time in this video was there a 'suspension of judgement'.

[@Gfish17]

I noticed.

[@DMWayne-ke7fl]

Michael also probably paid six figures to get a PhD and mocks those who paid less to learn philosophy from others.

[@Gfish17]

@@DMWayne-ke7fl Where would he get the money to pay for that?

[@thewildcardperson]

@@Gfish17 guess you havent heard of the college debt crisis

[@Gfish17]

@@thewildcardperson No I have not. And I have never been to college either.

[@dabblerdeluxe775]

Never met a philosopher who considered Ayn Rand a philosopher

[@pietrolago]

Great episode! Keep it going guys!!! 👏

[@zackymas2000]

Love this format!!

[@ashleyhyatt6319]

There is only one objective truth. That is what makes it objective. There are in fact three types of truth; objective (that which you cannot change), subjective (that which only you believe), and inter-subjective (a subjective truth shared by the many e.g. money, religion, nationalism, etc.).

[@ashleyhyatt6319]

@Dian Herdianto No, religion is an inter-subjective truth; nothing about it can be proven objectively.

[@davidnichol4735]

@Dian Herdianto which religion? Lol

[@SmallBritney]

“Worse summer camp ever” 🤣

[@sparkpenguin]

this format is terrific! i'd love to see more!

[@dstevenhaley515]

Liked the format, and as always love the content.

[@fenrirgg]

That guy doesn't sound smart at all. He should just steal the original ideas and don't make them dumb with his horrendous words.

[@tysondennis1016]

He just babbles on and on, and immediately contradicts himself.

[@Marin22427]

**sigh** I miss Jared :(

[@davidrodriguez5721]

Great video!!! The new format is enjoyable.

[@drillbitt4426]

This is a super cool format, you guys should keep doing it.

[@fatbysnacksident3217]

I notice you said cults are “usually” bad. So maybe you’re not completely ruling out joining a cult?

[@purerasslin91]

It's really a connotation thing. One man's cult is another's church, political movement, or sometimes fandom. "Cult" is a broad term that is used to describe things such as new religious movements, or really any social group that deviates from societal norms with novel beliefs, as well as manipulative organizations centered around worshipping a single figurehead. And there's a lot of crossover in that Venn diagram.

[@veselinstoyanov972]

"cult" is a very broad word and all religions started from being cults. So yes, cults are bad but are also ok if they are big and old enough to be called a religion. P.S. For me The Church of the Flying Spaghetty Monster is the best cult/religion.

[@pdzombie1906]

What do you think society is?

[@fatbysnacksident3217]

@@pdzombie1906 IDK but I think there should be a movie about someone joining cults just to learn their evil secrets and then destroy them from the inside.. I would watch that

[@darkmyro]

@@purerasslin91 you're being a little bit too broad. cults can be religious and religions can be like cults, but they aren't the same thing. A cult usually seeks to separate you from people. The leaders and followers follow you closely and define everything you do. A religion doesn't separate you from loved ones, and it doesn't control you beyond some doctrine rules of do's and don'ts. cults have do's and don'ts too, but there's usually some kind of threat of punishment if you dont comply, typically the worst someone in religion is typically gonna do is be unhappy with you. cults shut people out who question the group. Cults want to control, religion wants followers

[@JustAMacGuffin]

Kant have emotions if you wanna be ethical.

[@SpoopySquid]

I see what you did there

[@nicolassalamanca8051]

Love the video great format

[@avryott1179]

Loved the new format!!! Hope to see more of this philosophical examination and takedown sort of thing

[@1990Ch1y0]

After the part at the end about running in the opposite direction when someone asks you to "give them lots of money to join their philosophical movement", I was half expecting him to immediately follow it up with "so here's our Patreon, please consider joining" 😂

[@DMWayne-ke7fl]

How much did Michael pay for his PHD? Hypocrite.

[@ondrabroz888]

Michael: **has played volleyball in highschool** Me **already drawing Michael Haikyuu fanart** interesting

[@asa.pankeiki]

Garryx: _That’s for you to decide... And draw... And send to me._

[@christophervelez1561]

Loved this format!

[@MrShaunhunter]

Really enjoyed this format, more please!

[@asahearts1]

When you get indoctrinated by a heartburn medication.

[@ilooli]

GERD GANG 🔥🔥🔥

[@polygoncieling5446]

The frase “there is no objective truth” certainly does not sound like “be humble and accept the limitations of your human psyche”. You phrased it as “there is no universal truth that transcends human cultures” but If there is no truth transcending human cultures , then that statement itself is false (because it won't be true regardless of culture). Is it true that the actions of Keith Raniere were morally condemnable? Should everyone in the world condemn them? If so, then the statement that there is no truth that transcends human culture is false. But If there is no truth that transcends human cultures, then moral condemnation of Raniere (or any act for that matter) is impossible. Derrida might have not been a moral nihilist, but his philosophy certainly provided fodder for that idea.

[@nakenmil]

It's perfectly possible to condemn Rainier. The absence of super-cultural/absolute truth does not really mean all that much in practical, everyday human life, simply because humans do not really exist without culture - just as, of course, culture does not exist outside of humans (or "people", more generally). If anything, it is the search for a universal moral truth outside of culture that is a red herring. The point is to acknowledge that every moral judgement, and every observation is made within the context of a preexisting cultural context which colors and shapes that judgement or observation, and that's not really something humans can escape, because "culture" is how humans make sense of the world. The very act of observing and sensing the world is, in and of itself, an act of culture. Thinking is cultural. Acting is cultural. Humans are cultural beings, we cannot stop creating it, or rather, doing it. So, in essense, humans lack the ability to transcend ourselves (because we are culture). This really isn't as shocking or as scary as some make it out to be. Ideally it makes us aware that we need to stop and consider our action more carefully and be more open to look into the perspectives of other groups, because neither them nor us come into this world with a privileged, universal view of things. It doesn't mean that nothing matters and everything is permitted, it just highlights the fact that we don't have some kind of transcendent umpire that can call time out and step into to recite the cosmic rules. Humans make the play rules in human play pens, after all, and we ought to consider these rules very wisely, respect different perspectives on them (but that doesn't inherently mean approve of them), and have some humility given that these perspectives, however learned and clever-appearing, are ultimately just another product of human experience. So, in the end, it's not that humans can't judge Raniere, in fact, it's that ONLY humans can't judge Raniere. Because who else would?

[@polygoncieling5446]

​@@nakenmil I don't think you can claim what your first paragraph says rationally without embracing moral relativism. Perhaps I should have made my point better. I concede, that you and I can both judge Rainieri. And so can everyone in the world. But such judgements would not transcend our culture. And judging him would simply be a mental process which is a result of either evolution of our culture, but completely irrelevant, since it would be a mere bodily function, like yawning. We can also judge Muritania’s stoning of male homosexuals as horrible and amoral, but then it would not be wrong for them, because their culture accepts it. And our judgement would not be a universal moral truth. If we can confidently judge what they do as wrong, then it is because such judgement is a universal thing, independent of our culture. As for the “transcendent umpire” line, I wasn’t trying to prove that there is a God. There are plenty of atheists/agnostics that believe that objective morals are true without recurring to god. In any case your argument that somehow this “cultural relativism” shows that there is no God is a non-sequitur. Even if your point was true (and I don't believe it is), it would only show that there is no moral God. Deists would be perfectly comfortable in accepting that there is a non-interventionist, non moral creator of the universe. It is true that we are limited by our sensory experience in a sense. But if such limitations are so crippling as we are led to believe, then we could not trust our moral judgement, not to mention our perception of reality. Are you really sure that you are reading a youtube comment? Are you sure you are a person and not a brain in a vat? Am I real or are you just having a discussion with yourself? Ultimately I think the point is trivial, we have to trust some (I would say most) of our senses, otherwise, we wouldn't be able to live.

[@nakenmil]

Your examples of cultures kinda hinges on a really old-fashioned idea of culture as these neat little boxes that are more or less isolated from each other, distinct, and internally homogenous. Of course, in reality, cultures don't work like that. Again, "culture" is just what people do, say, and think, and so there is an endless amount of intermixing and constant looking and moving to and fro between different, for lack of a better term, cultural currents ("culture" in itself doesn't exist of of course, it's just a term some humans made up to try to understand the world around themselves and themselves better. It's a tool for mapping our experiences, as is morality. This is important to keep in mind with all discussions like these.) For example, in the case of stoning, appeal to moral relativism (as a worldview as opposed to a methodological approach, more on that later), ignores that in this case there are multiple different parties involved, some with different views than others, different interests, and different amount of power to bring to bear. All of this is important to take into account. So again, my question is, can other groups of people judge a group of people who they think is doing something wrong? Well, obviously, who else would? But can they claim some kind of universal basis for their judgment? No. That may be upsetting, I understand, but it doesn't have to be. It's just acknowledging that at some point in your life, you have to make a moral evaluation and stand by it. You could be wrong. You could fuck up. You could be entirely unable to ever find out whether you are wrong or right. This isn't a flaw of postmodernism or relativism, it's just how the world works. Take human rights, for example. Are those universal? No, of course not, we literally just made them up a few decades ago. But they're popular, and they're useful, and they seem pretty robust, so why not? Anyways, this brings me to moral relativism, or rather cultural relativism can be divided into two for our purposes: - Absolute moral relativism: since no one can claim access to a privileged moral absolute truth, it is pointless to cast judgments across moral systems, so no such attempt should ever be made. (This is a bit nonsensical for reasons given above, ie. mora systems are rarely isolated, and they are rarely unanimously agreed upon even by its adherents) - Methodological relativism: since no one can claim access to a privileged moral absolute truth, it seems like it's a good practical approach to attempt to understand other moral systems as best we can from the perspectives of its adherents before casting judgement on them, so that we achieve a more holistic understanding of it. However, judgement is still entirely possible. Once we have a certain level of understanding of them, just as we might judge our own moral systems. The latter is what my fellow anthropologists generally hold to. Because, ultimately, we have to live in a lived world, not some kind of philosophical abstract construct. Philosophical schemae are clean and consistent. Real life is dirty, complicated, and contradictory.

[@Spurtarsnut]

Loved this video. Hope it becomes a reocuring series

[@jamesarcano]

I love the format!

[@eziotemplarkiller]

he lost me at Ayn rand.....😂😂 Being a sociopath is not philosophy

[@aleattorium]

I love wisecrack and I'm always around, so I'm gonna say it as someone who wants to see the channel grow: The format is interesting, but it really looks like the person speaking already has a formed opinion and is just pretend they don't. Which... OK, is nice for us that already have this point of view, but I think would fail to capture anyone else to rethink the mess they're in.

[@virahpayam]

Loved this one! So glad you covered this.

[@younusahmed8838]

"Raniere is peddling in exactly the type of bullshit that postmodernism has been criticized for by those who, frankly, didn't read the books." I see some shade on Peterson here.

[@antkcuck]

Derrida peddled some bullshit too

[@bradenross4182]

Jordan?

[@DMWayne-ke7fl]

It's not like Foucualt literally argued that truth was just a means to power.

[@UltimateVegetto]

Here I went thinking "What philosophies would a cult like this even be based around, it's just a bunch of ego-driven, unsubstantiated- Oh, hi there Ayn Rand!"

[@IcyAquaMarine]

I really like this new reaction/analysis style. Excited for what's to come.

[@MountTaborkid216]

Dope format, I love the humor Michael expresses too. We need another one 👌🏾

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

"Truth" is how shit happened. "Prespective" is an interpretation of truth. It doesn't change what is, just how you acknowledge it.

[@KiomonDuck]

Cool story bro. But your not wrong.

[@reyocasio9554]

What I learned today : Michael is confirmed PhDaddy and he has a Book

[@Volturnalia]

Been dreaming of a Wisecrack video like this for years.

[@Piplodoculous]

Loving the new format!

[@fr.davidhogman7426]

While this was generally a good analysis of Raniere and his “philosophy”, it seems to miss the main question of the story. “How is it that so many intelligent people were so taken in?” Saying that they weren’t educated enough does not solve the problem. NXIUM targeted smart and successful people. Similarly, as anyone who has been in a philosophy department can attest, they can be just as cult like as NXIUM or anything else. How many professors amass hordes of acolytes from among their students? Still a decent enough video though.

[@darkmyro]

cults pray on people's feelings. the part of people that seeks to socialize and to have other like-minded individuals follow them. He points out that the guy says a bunch of non-descript agreeable things. that's usually the first step of cults and then They start controlling all aspects of their follower's lives, and then they slowly control more and more, and then he threatens punishment if the rules aren't followed. It's a long con basically. It's not like academia at all because academia doesn't really care as long as you pay them. I mean I dont think any teacher wants one to fail, but they don't legally have to stop you from falling. The only thing they have in common is a person talking in front of a room of people. I'm not sure I agree with the connotation you're implying there. :/

[@LauridsenAudio]

While this was cool and interesting, I did think there was a bit too little of the cult leaders actual philosophy and too much mockery, even if the cult leader 'deserves' it. I'd rather a cool and collected deconstruction and critique that lets me get more of a grasp of what the person talks about, so I can better understand how it's misleading, dangerous, etc. And, of course, throw in some humor and mockery now-and-then, just tone down the frequency of it a little. That's my 2 cents. I liked it and would like to see more :)

[@helgahaa]

It's not philosophy, it's the veneer of deep knowledge and the impression of exclusivity or special mission that set people up for psychological tricks of the "master." No philosophy required. The marks were wealthy and fame adjacent. I remember hearing about this super expensive club for empowering women. Ugh then but you can't help but wonder if you're missing out. That's the trick to hook the mark: appeal to some form of greed.

[@StarStrider99]

This new format is actually really cool! There are a lot of public thinkers out there, and it would be helpful to examine each of their underlying philosophies in this way.

[@brockneilson9582]

Awesome video! I like this format

[@bigsad7524]

If reading The Fountainhead and The Gay Science made you a philosopher then my college self would be WAY less cringey

[@emenesu]

Hey where can I buy your mixtape?

[@lrioje1]

I’m not trying to grill you since it’s kind of y’all’s style, but this is a bit overedited. Most reaction videos are more natural and free-flowing. It’s not bad, I did enjoy it, but just trying to offer some constructive criticism.

[@chinmaykane2196]

Correct. I hated the interruptions