Confessions of a Black Conservative | Robert Wright & Glenn Loury

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Exclusive Overtime discussion at: nonzero.substack.com/p/confes...
0:00 Glenn’s very unvarnished memoir, Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative
9:48 Glenn’s unusual urban upbringing
18:36 Is Glenn’s sermon for black men hypocritical?
21:51 Glenn’s double life at Harvard
32:16 How it all came crashing down
44:15 Is Glenn’s book too honest?
51:52 Heading to Overtime
Discussed in Overtime:
The Psalm that may have saved Glenn’s life.
Glenn’s final crack hit.
Glenn’s path from conservative to progressive and back again.
The difference between Glenn and Wilt Chamberlain.
Why does Glenn have such low risk aversion?
The time Glenn made Coretta Scott King cry.
Explaining all without excusing all.
Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Glenn Loury (Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Brown University, Late Admissions). Recorded June 13, 2024.
Twitter: / nonzeropods

[@mgriff0309]

Impossible to dislike Glenn, even if I disagree with him. He’s on my list of people I’d love to have a beer with (including Bob!)

[@philbobstreehouse4900]

Agreed

[@daudder]

it's quite possible, actually.

[@gloriaharbin1131]

Glen is so incredibly brave to have written this memoir. So much respect for that kind of courage.

[@robertgreenwood2258]

Redemption is a powerful and necessary.

[@markhamann8030]

When Glenn first mentioned he was working on a memoir a few years ago, I knew it was going to worth reading. Once I'm done with this video, off to buy it...

[@catherinemaddux241]

Glenn Loury & Bob are a good conversational combo! Fan of both

[@iuubob]

Absolutely captivating interview, book ordered. Thank you for you candor Glann and Bob thank you for your insightful interview.

[@Zayphar]

The power of logic. It is as slow and unstoppable as a glacier.

[@kieranoconnor4334]

Ironically ....the experience and capacity for honest self-reflection of this man might make him the perfect leader/model for this moment of "Alternative Fact" that we live in.

[@paulk3830]

Wow this was amazing. Thx Glenn for your honesty. This made me learn something or other about myself. Hope people go easy on you. You deserve it

[@johnnywatkins]

I don’t always agree with Glenn, I do always admire him tho’ intelligent, insightful, honest and interesting

[@zaplito3023]

Love Glenn Loury. Thank you for having him.

[@Silvangreen]

Don’t know if it comes up but Glenn very recently had major back surgery and no doubt is still recovering.

[@JDHobbs]

I wonder if Glenn would comment on the CIA's involvement in the crack crisis? Glenn's a rebel and it's unfortunate that he enjoyed crack, but more fortunate that he's been redeemed, so to speak. Nothing about his darkside invalidates his insightful commentary.

[@WhizzingFish12]

I found this "interview" to be so much less than it could have been. Bob (as usual) talks way too much and chooses to linger on Glen's past way too long when the time would have been so much better spent on asking him about his ideas, shutting up, and letting him talk.

[@WILLYNOTWALLY]

Robert Wright please can you remove the obstructions that prevent the economically disadvantaged from the opportunity to see the whole interview.

[@billhammett174]

Not an intellectually serious interview - missed opportunity to focus on Loury's ideas...

[@MrPhilosopher1950]

I am getting annoyed by the course it’s taking. Probably won’t finish this one.

[@daudder]

Used to listen to The Glen Show, but got tired of his one note, hypocritical conservative takes: one who benefitted from social programs (like affirmative action), friends & family in high places, was anit-gay (until his son came out), seems to have little grace for other POV (google his takes on Barack Obama, T-Nahasi Coates) and gives a very wide bearth to Trump aand MAGA. Suspect his book will sell 100's of copies.

[@olewetdog6254]

He is very very jealous of Obama. That became very clear over time watching him and McWhorter.

[@markeggins890]

Agree, you can just predict exactly what he is going to say on just about any topic.

[@Gnofg]

Loury is pathetic. He voted for Trump.

[@newmediarules]

@@Gnofg No, he didn't.

[@Gnofg]

@@newmediarules he was a supporter until recently.

[@noahghost4476]

Bob sucks. If you're trying to help someone sell a book, don't shame them for 45 minutes and give the audience the impression that they've heard everything that is in the book. The book is a lot more than just the salacious stuff Bob chose to linger on throughout this whole damned interview. What is prof loury supposed to say? You keep asking him over and over about cop-outs and hypocrisy and shame?? You're talking to a man who is better than you, bob. Show some respect.

[@HighTech636]

We must have watched a different interview because that’s not what I took from this at all

[@rodmotor]

Definitely the most awkward interview I've seen Bob do.

[@noahghost4476]

​@@HighTech636At one point Bob tried to completely destroy him. He suggested dr loury might have copped out ny giving the impression that he is better than his audience, living a street life out of a sense of identity rather than just for sensory indulgence. It's really bad, because it would suggest Dr Loury lacked the self-awareness to realize that he failed to write a book with radical honesty and instead made a giant excuse for himself. But anyway there's no truth to that at all and it doesn't make logical sense to suggest it was motivated reasoning that made him emphasize street life as part of his identity. It wouldn't make sense for it *not* to be part of his identity. Identity motives and hedonistic motives are not mutually exclusive. Self-disclosure with radical honesty can't be anything but an act of love. It's one of the few things that can't really be anything else. For whatever guidance it can give us, he leaves us with the unvarnished truth. He's a hero, and Bob is also a hero, but I think Bob is going through a weird time of too much equanimity. Dr Loury was trapped there just having to be cool about it no matter what Bob said. When someone is doing interviews to sell a book, the kind thing to do is mention a few intriguing things about the book without saying too much and then talk about something that can let the person shine. What Bob did was ask outrageous questions about salacious disclosures so that the episode of his own podcast would be interesting and viewers would be left with the idea that they basically already know what is in the book. He even saved one salacious question until after the paywall. Even though Bob constantly infuriates me, I watch every episode. I'm afraid his meditative equanimity devolved into stoicism and then further into apathy. We need him back in the game. Bob can do a lot to help save us from ourselves.

[@chalfontstgiles4307]

Have to agree, what was going on there? Are they close enough that Bob feels comfortable asking about, and dwelling on, the more debauched aspects of Glenn's early life? Was he being hyper-sensitive to the fear that by not tackling them in depth, some of his audience might come after him? Is there some academic jealousy? Or was he just having a bad day? Don't know, but Glenn was honest and gracious throughout.

[@synchronium24]

McWhorter>Loury Glenn's conservatism ruins his otherwise reasonable critique of leftist identity politics.

[@Zayphar]

I am not certain why Glenn calls himself a conservative. He sounds like an old-school liberal to me.

[@rodmotor]

Glenn's conservatism is his foundation for being critical of identity politics.

[@Zayphar]

@@rodmotor Critcism of Identity Politics/DEI is not limited to Conservatives. Liberals like Tiexiera, Taibbi, Kern, myself and others are also critical of DEI and intersectionality. Glenn keeps calling himself a conservative but such self-reference is not required to oppose these policies. My suspicion is that he does this for tactical reasons(i.e. to induce outrage in wishy-washy liberals who are too cowardly to oppose these policies).

[@rodmotor]

@Zayphar you are spot-on, I was just saying it is Glenn's foundation. The people you name have their anti-identity politics foundation in classic liberalism and it's just a beautiful bipartisan moment to behold :)

[@WhizzingFish12]

​@Zayphar Read/listen to more of him. He's a classical conservative which MEANS that he is also liberal in its classic sense.

[@shannon8111]

Never knew about Glenn's past, now I know why he gives off the air of slime

[@rodmotor]

So much hate you have inside you. Project much?

[@WhizzingFish12]

Wow, what an ugly take. He's a wonderful example of hard-earned wisdom.

[@noahghost4476]

"Gives off an air of slime" is clunky & insubstantial. An empty, low resolution thinker denigrating him is as much a tribute as the comments by smart people celebrating him.

[@shannon8111]

Sorry, I see the error of my ways, I will embrace the group think. Woo Glenn so wise, I love how he has the wisdom to not steal cars or cheat after a lifetime of doing that, truly a great moral leader. Such wisdom

[@rodmotor]

@@shannon8111 haha pretty funny. If forgiveness and redemption, two of the most powerful and beautiful concepts of humanity, is "group think", I'm a groupie. Many of us are not as pure as you.