Antisemitism and Free Speech | Robert Wright & Paul Bloom

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Exclusive Overtime discussion at: nonzero.substack.com/p/antise...
1:29 Is it ever okay to fire professors for speech?
13:08 Bari Weiss spreads misinformation without consequence
22:04 Are some of Israel’s American supporters unwittingly inflaming antisemitism?
33:09 Ayaan Hirsi Ali converts to Christianity without abandoning New Atheist creed
38:22 Do Sam Harris et. al. get religion totally wrong?
48:48 Heading to Overtime
Discussed in Overtime:
The power of pugnacity
Paul comforts Bob in his search for recognition
How AI could improve clinical psychology
The Chinese TV version of 3 Body Problem
Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded May 07, 2024.
Twitter: / nonzeropods

[@ryanmiller7225]

I have to agree with Bob. Saudi Arabia has become a haven for the LGBT community because we have treated them with kid gloves. Clearly Iran would have done the same.

[@Marty72]

I think one word can sum up the current media environment; “hyperstition”.

[@mattpeoples2969]

When Bob gets dismissive every time Paul pushes back in the slightest makes me miss Mickey even more. I enjoy Paul though.

[@jordanbickett4062]

its trippy to think about the last parrot room was the 10/6.

[@Mesiya123]

Oh boy, the newest episode of the "from the river to the sea" podcast is here!

[@gmw3083]

And the latesttard comment

[@snoopyboobs]

haha! Agreed I don't really care what anyone has to say about that at this point.

[@tethergobrrr]

I had a professor say vile things to me, in classroom. I red penned the assigned text (that he’d written) and fought him, aggressively, disrespectfully. It wasn’t pretty but nobody got reported or suspended. Guess things have changed in the past couple of decades.

[@plinden]

Free speech is the engine of knowledge and progress.

[@Marty72]

I don’t think free speech is an engine of knowledge, it can just as easily be used to divide and spread hate. I think goodwill and a willingness to listen is are important ingredients. Free speech allows us to verify how cohesive society is.

[@plinden]

@@Marty72 Brilliant formulation, I will steal that. Still, freedom of expression is an engine of progress, if not the only one.

[@Marty72]

@@plinden I would quibble about it being an engine of progress, but I’m definitely in favour of freedom of expression.

[@snoopyboobs]

you hella corny bruh

[@champagnebulge1]

I feel like there's been a slight retconning of the 2000s new atheists. They were more concerned about George W. Bush evangelicals and religious influence on church vs. state, or stem cells and such. Since that time the main takeaway seems to be it was ANTI-ISLAM.

[@petemccutchen3266]

Sam Harris was definitely anti-Islam. (And for good reason!)

[@tonywong4430]

27:16. the fact the Robert has to do backflips in order to not just say the obvious answer (yes) is emblematic of this issue.

[@patsul122]

18:05 - this story about the "Persian woman being beaten unconscious", ironically, was spread uncritically in much the same way as the stabbed-in-the-eye story. It has just as little factual backing, there is no actual video of the incident, the only corroboration that I've seen is from the woman and her mother who could not even keep their stories straight, and were very unclear on exactly how this woman fell and hit her head.

[@chandlergordon8878]

this comment signifies my contribution to this episode and weighs more than others because i watched the whole video before leaving it. may it pass through your algorithm beneficially.

[@snoopyboobs]

Hey f u brotha I watched the whole episode too.

[@NessieJapan]

Paul Bloom "a dime a dozen"?! I would pay AT LEAST a dollar for a dozen Paul Blooms: one to banter with Robert and the rest to weed my garden. And that's a freedom dollar, not one o' dem poutinebucks. Good ep, fellas.

[@rev030974]

Great Evolution of God reference. Read it when it comes out

[@inacaplan7492]

so they can say anything they want on their own time but these professors are teaching their private views in the classroom!

[@johns.7297]

University presidents main job is to raise a lot of money. It is best not to annoy the wealthy donors.

[@richcole157]

Without exception, not even a single exception

[@holyworrier]

...pepper spray... mace... noxious fluid... 21:25

[@johns.7297]

Cut Dawkins some slack. He is not a social scientist.

[@thecatsupdog]

Of does four chan hate the Penn president more?

[@Michelle_Wellbeck]

I wonder what those rally protesters in virginia meant when they chanted "you will not replace us"?

[@Inquiringmind0]

Are you really asking? I didn't watch the video yet so I don't know if I am reading your comment in context.

[@Michelle_Wellbeck]

@@Inquiringmind0 It's absurd to equate "from the river to the sea" with "you will not replace us" based on a supposed real or actual meaning or intention of the person saying it. One is apparently so insidious that it calls for new legislation to class it as dangerous speech.

[@Inquiringmind0]

@@Michelle_Wellbeck Like I said I didn't watch the video yet, so I don't know the context in which you wrote your comment. I thought you were literally asking for an explanation behind the "You will not replace us" chant at Charlottesville. I have recently been spending a lot of time in far right online spaces so I feel like I could give a good explanation (and a defense) of that slogan. As far as free speech, I would defend both slogans. Despite what others may say, calling for violence is protected under the 1st amendment. The only thing that is not protected (aside from defamation, slander, libel, etc.) is a direct, credible, and imminent threat of violence. That is how high the bar is when it comes to freedom of speech.

[@Michelle_Wellbeck]

@@Inquiringmind0 ok I'll bite. What's the case for legitimizing speech of xenophobic white nationalism, an ideology treasonous to the foundations of the country?

[@jennysteves7226]

Matthew Shepard …

[@plinden]

Robert Wright's Nonzero was a great book.

[@plinden]

@@jttj742 did not know that

[@RyandeMedeiros]

The fact this podcast and their respective Substacks aren't widely viewed, & shared is a shame. I think we'd all be in calmer, safer times, if this kind of civil discourse was the norm. You can find areas where you could disagree but their rationale and reasoning is just so impartial (relatively speaking, even they would admit we are all slightly biased), informed, & humble. Big fans of both of these gentlemen's work (including their books)! Well worth subscribing to both of these people to get behind the paywall.

[@olewetdog6254]

I was gonna go to a rally for Palestine but then I got high.

[@gmw3083]

You're gonna need that to continue functioning in the system as it crumbles

[@danielhopkins296]

This dud is free speech lite

[@danielhopkins296]

He blamed a KZbin comment on fir the phrase " token Jew" when it was someone else, foh, this dud sucks

[@raul-qi6xp]

First!! Finally!

[@philipboardman1357]

You own it, bro!

[@eemoogee160]

All that training is finally beginning to pay off.

[@raul-qi6xp]

@@eemoogee160 😂😂😂

[@benjaminperez969]

Great writers are writing for Bari Weiss's The Free Press, e.g., Thomas Chatterton Williams, Rob Henderson. Although I understand Bob's disagreement with some of Weiss's positions (ironically, objectively, they're far more aligned on more things than unaligned), he should avoid snide remarks & ad hominem-informed innuendo, for it undermines whatever otherwise convincing critique he has of her, or, rather, of some of her positions.

[@m1nd_over_m1ke]

Bob loves critiquing hysteria from the pro-israel crowd (e.g., reports of a Jewish girl being knocked out) but dismisses similar hysteria from the pro-pal crowd (e.g., reports of zionist agents attacking peaceful protesters with chemical weapons). Sensationalized reports from either camp deserve criticism.

[@jennysteves7226]

What is the definition of antisemitism and why is this term still so widely used? I wonder the same thing about the word Zionism. Words these days .. so loaded, nearly useless. Babel is back, baby.

[@LucianWaller1]

Bob and Paul just get better and better

[@crghyz]

This is a tortuous discussion, pointless. Protesting Israel's slaughter of Palestinians is not antisemitism. Ebough already.

[@dmolmalowski]

either of them said it was