Sex Differences, Human Nature, & Identity Politics (Pt. 1) | Steven Pinker | ACADEMIA | Rubin Report

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report talks to Steven Pinker, a cognitive psychologist at Harvard University and the author of the new bestselling book “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress.” Steven joins Dave for a discussion about his childhood and background, the ideas around gender equity, human nature, the effect of political correctness on the sciences, free speech on campus, his approach to race differences, and more.
Watch Dave Rubin’s full interview with Steven Pinker here:
• Sex Differences, Human...
Want to have a glimpse of some of the research and ideas that are emerging from universities and are about to enter the mainstream and shape our culture? Trying to have a better understanding of the current affairs of university life and the state of our higher education system? What does the future of college and higher education even look like? To get a look into the future we talk to university academics from some of the most prestigious institutions about their research, ideas and what we can expect in the future.
Check out our playlist on a range of academic topics here:
• ACADEMIA | Rubin Report
To make sure you never miss a single Rubin Report video, click here to subscribe:
/ @rubinreport
Looking for smart and honest conversations about current events, political news and the culture war? Want to increase your critical thinking by listening to different perspectives on a variety of topics? If so, then you’re in the right place because on The Rubin Report Dave Rubin engages the ideas of some of society's most interesting thought leaders, authors, politicians and comedians. The Rubin Report is the largest talk show about free speech and big ideas on KZbin.
Dave allows his guests to speak their minds and his audience to think for themselves.
New videos every week.
The Rubin Report is fan funded through monthly and one-time donations: www.rubinreport.com/support
******
Dave Rubin's book, "Don't Burn This Book" is now available for pre-order: www.dontburnthisbook.com
LISTEN to The Rubin Report podcast: www.rubinreport.com/podcast
See Dave LIVE: daverubin.com/events/
Sign up for our newsletter with the best of The Rubin Report delivered to your inbox once a month: www.rubinreport.com/newsletter
Official Rubin Report Merchandise: rubinreport.com/shop
All art on the set are original works by Caylin Rose Janet.
Get a print here: www.caylinrosejanet.com/rubin...
******
Steven Pinker
Author, “Enlightenment Now”
Steven on Twitter: / sapinker
Get the book “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress”: www.amazon.com/Enlightenment-...
******
Follow Dave on Twitter: / rubinreport
Follow The Rubin Report on Facebook: / rubinreport
Follow Dave on Facebook: / daverubin
About Dave Rubin: daverubin.com/

[@dahliathereader2872]

Steven Pinker is one of the nicest academics of the 21st century ❤️

[@hands-onfilmmaking]

Perfectly said: "The policy that we should be fair doesn't require you to believe that men and woman are the same and indistinguishable."

[@debrawehrly9551]

Steven Pinker is so interesting and a breath of fresh air. I also think his concept of equality makes a lot of sense, such as equality of treatment not sameness. We are all equally unequal.

[@thewriterslens5689]

Dave, always appreciate how you try to get the person to tell their individual story before you kick into the meat and potatoes of the interview. Nicely done.

[@NuanceBro]

What I like about Pinker is that he's not an ideologue but cares about science and the persuit of truth. Unfortunately many of his colleagues believe otherwise

[@burtosis]

This is the first time I've seen him speak. He seems very level headed, fair, scientifically minded and unbiased by neoliberal/neoconservative nonsense.

[@mikeissweet]

Nuance BRO!!

[@07m07]

Pinker is great, but he hasn't done much in the way of public speaking like other currently famous intellectuals like Jordan Peterson. Here's a pretty good showing by him in a recent panel talking about political correctness: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHfSmYWrpcaLsMU

[@genderstudiesreview5012]

Please check out my Review of Steven Pinkers Latest Book, Enlightenment Now

[@Anonymous-yw1cv]

He seems like he does have progressivism blocking his pursuit (or vocalization) of the truth.

[@blackpidgeyspeaks6151]

Steven Pinker is one of the last remaining few people on the left I actually respect, he's still a highly professional scientist.

[@Monopolist91]

i was going to comment the same!

[@tripp8833]

you only respect a "few people" on the left? sounds like your problem..

[@bobthornton8282]

Continuing prolonging withstanding, sustaining maintaining standing holding weathering

[@JamesMathison]

tripp There must be plenty of logical and scientifically minded leftist out there... but there are few we see being outspoken like this guy.

[@tripp8833]

Honestly that is just a self-selection thing. If you watch libertarian/conservative shows like this Rubin report, you will see them portray left-wingers as irrational ideologues, and only challenge the ridiculous ones to make themselves look good... much like TYT and left-media does to right-wingers. But there is an ocean of intellectual, non-ideological left-leaning individuals having meaningful discussions, but a show like this won't be the medium on which they have it,

[@AANasseh]

Pinker is the most reasonable intellectual who’s not afraid to stand up for science rather than being politically correct.

[@vampyricon7026]

+

[@chinasaozonsi7106]

What does it mean to be politically correct? To be mindful of the experiences of marginalized groups & to speak in ways that are respectful? If PC is an emerging phenomenon going back in time takes us to a place that, what, was politically incorrect? in this thought experiment of going back in time, injustice of various groups, deem to be dabbling in identity politics increases exponentially. The CIVIL RIGHTS & GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF THE 60s & 70s are the epitome of identity politics. Also. It being American an identity, are nationalist, pro-lifers, pro guns, Christian etc. Aren’t these identities? When landowning white males would vote, they were giving social, economic & political PRIVILEGES based on their identity. When black people were considered property then later 3/4s of a human for the purposes of increasing Southern States representatives in the House... that two wan an identity. It stand to reason that any group with common identifiable markers galvanize political power by leveraging common values, identity etc to advance causes in their favor. Isn’t that the point of lobbying? It’s seems to me, an overwhelming amount of white men are decrying identity politics because they have to share space & power in ways that haven’t ever happened in this country.

[@thecuriousgorilla6005]

Chinasa Ozonsi there is a difference between saying what you believe to be true in a tactful manner, versus feeling unable to say at all what you believe to be true. Political correctness is beginning to shift to the latter. However, people on the right such as Trump who cry "political correctness" merely as an excuse to be downright rude are indeed being unpleasant people.

[@slowpoke126]

More of a naive empiricist and simple minded metaphysician. More importantly you forgot the 'public' part, which betrays the idiot behind the comment.

[@twiedenfeld]

I saw Steven Pinker in an interview where they brought up being politically correct. He said that while he hadn't studied it yet, after all the work he's done, that he guessed that there is less political correctness today than there was in the past.

[@bobthornton8282]

Giving us the PINK PILL

[@davidjfesta]

bob thornton warning ⚠️ the Pink Pill is NOT the Red Pill. White Privileged + Half an empty cap of a Red Pill = It’s Free Real Estate 🏡

[@bobthornton8282]

Atsef Divad David Festa

[@vampyricon7026]

+

[@pillbug1657]

I'll give you my pink pill indeed!

[@karinas.1320]

@jon hamm who said Pinker is radical? I think the point is that your ideas don't have to be radical to be good ideas

[@user-rm3iy4ye2l]

As a Canadian, it's cool to see Steven Pinker and Jordan Peterson receive well-deserved recognition for their great academic contributions! They've both been on a roll lately!

[@briancox9357]

Not to mention the great Alice Munro, another Canadian who is one if the world's greatest fiction writers

[@bjornrie]

Not Peterson lol

[@mariekesillevissmitt7833]

I read Pinker’s book The Sense of Style for my English class this year. He speaks exactly as he writes. His book has been one of my favorites.

[@josiahr1375]

So happy you got him on the show. He was one of the first psychology professors I started to follow. The most important point noted about how the main purpose of free speech is so that all ideas are free to flow so we can weed out the bad ones... The people at either extreme of politics these days forget this so often these days. And the scary thing is now that the masses are now on either one extreme or the other. Moderation is something seemingly thrown overboard. Such colorful times...

[@HH-ru4bj]

Pinker is one of the most politic people I've ever heard speak, and it takes a very special and rare kind of brilliance to be able to talk about something controversial in a way that doesn't challenge people on a personal level. Molyneux....he's the guy that is difficult to like, and once he says one thing you can sorta get behind, he follows up something stupid, ignorant, or smug.

[@Chinger98]

Pinker and Peterson are my favorite Canadian, writers, psychologists, and intellectual minds of this day and age.

[@TheOlzee]

Andres Lopez-Videla pinker way easier to understand, Peterson helps more people on the ground level

[@sbcurley3723]

And its kind of funny because they are a little yin and yang. Peterson gets fired up easy Pinker is more relaxed. Peterson criticizes the radical left, and Pinker aims his differences at the alt-right. And they both seem to have overlap with there ideas. I just wish Pinker had more of a public profile online lectures would be great from him.

[@NegativeBodhiImage]

+ OP Then please take him, we don't want him.

[@breezyn]

Speak for yourself, charlie wired. There are many Canadians who appreciate these men.

[@TheElectriczil]

charlie wired aren't you alt right as fuck? Your misguided please leave your bubble and walk in the light

[@futurefeet2939]

For some reason, looking at this guy makes me hungry for Quaker oats.

[@terryl7855]

futurefeet Made me laugh, thanks!!!

[@JayLivesInJames]

LOL! Genuinely laughed out loud. Its the gaunt face and curly white hair.

[@ronpaulrevered]

hahahahahahaha!

[@Oshaoxin]

Really? He reminds me of Bilbo Baggins.

[@rebeccaalam9261]

Lmfao

[@matthewmaccaughey5016]

I looooove Professor Pinker's work! Thank you so much Rubin for getting him on the show Rubin!

[@marko11kram]

Civilized, interesting conversation. This is why I bailed on cable news channels, and watch youtube. GREAT CHANNEL

[@interesting7029]

This is the same guy clicked and smiling with jeffrey epstein

[@interesting7029]

Steven Pinker

[@thanksfernuthin]

Where's Thomas Sowell? Dave mentioned he was going to have him on the show. I want to see every discussion Sowell has. We aren't going to be blessed with his brilliance forever.

[@thanksfernuthin]

What do you mean by "BASED". You lost me there.

[@thanksfernuthin]

I think you're projecting, my friend. I guess anybody that disagrees with you is racist? Is that it? What an extremely simple world you live in.

[@thanksfernuthin]

I guess, "Projecting" isn't a term you're familiar with. Listen, you obviously have some sort of learning disability. I'm not going to beat up on a defenseless mind. Say whatever you want. I don't care.

[@Hassenboy]

Thomas Somwell is brilliant, I would love to see him on the show

[@MrBannystar]

vv - are you saying that Sowell is unremarkable? From what I've seen and read, he's the fucking master.

[@dotkill01]

Terrific start to the interview. I'm so happy to see Pinker on the show.

[@MrRentgould]

It is nice to listen to people who are actually talking and listening ...

[@aidanpapps2478]

First video I've seen of this guy, already love him, everything he's said has been smart yet still humble

[@nutsbutdum]

You have the best guests! :)

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

Steven is like a tennis player who hits incredible shots while making no mistakes

[@rebeccasivyer4232]

great analogy

[@Cousinsjay]

Such a great platform for a casual and intellectual discussion of the relevant topics and events of our time. You should receive College credits for merely listening!

[@coolbeans8682]

Thank you, dearest mr. Pinker, for saying what you believe is the truth. I've read a few of your books and I profoundly enjoy them. People like you are the Galileo's of our time. The church won't crush you, but the social media for sure will!

[@crisisactor420]

Holy shit. 25:35 Just shook me to the core. Are we the snowflakes as well? I don't know the kids he was talking to obviously, and it's been awhile since I was in school. But "afraid to voice their opinions"? Bear with me. I understand that one could argue that they are afraid of speaking out because of the ever increasing amount of kids who are getting in trouble for speaking their minds. That's a legitimate argument, but not the one I'm trying to make. I remember these politically-correct type of people when I was in college but they were not taken very seriously, not just because they were fringe, but because they were a fairly isolated fringe. Nobody really thought about them outside of gender studies classes. The few occasions in which they would make a ruckus, it was the sort of thing you just look at and say "okay.. whatever" and go on with your day. Are we giving these people to much credit? I don't know if he coined the term but I once heard Jordan Peterson call them "professional activists", which is the perfect way to describe them. They have been practicing this for a long time, so I'm sure they have been itching for a fight. I'm starting to worry that we are inadvertently creating a market for their outrage by constantly talking about them. You don't fight bullies with words, you fight them by not caring about the shit they say.

[@willrivera3612]

These leftist agendas are being passed. Their strategy is working. Staying silent is not the answer

[@scottmialltablet]

Huh. I didn't know Pinker was Canadian, and from Montreal at that. There was something in the water in Montreal 60 years ago that turned out some pretty damn fine people.

[@scottmialltablet]

You missed the "60 years ago" qualifier intentionally just to take a swipe at Trudeau, didn't you. It's like how the Media screws up when taking swipes at Trump - self-inflicted foot-wounds.

[@biggsydaboss3410]

A Dude It also turned out a shed load of Canucks. So I'd debate just how good a.place it is.

[@sorsocksfake]

Maybe the police strike did some good, somehow. Maybe it's just coincidence.

[@derekaarts4997]

This is so true but I am going to need some therapy about captain Kirk.

[@j_freed]

Felipe M. - well, Montreal is its own little cauldron of peculiar brilliance and insular hatred. The same person may get beat up at school in the morning for being Jews and in the afternoon for being Anglos. It's a fucked up Middle Ages cretin mentality, but there's also so much good n French culture.

[@chiconian49]

I wish I had more people like David and Steven in my life to bounce ideas off of. This was great!

[@lorenh763]

A brilliant academic and a man of integrity. "Better angels of our nature" is a must read

[@KayliDaShizNit]

It’s so strange! I woke up this morning thinking about Steven pinker! And behold! Here we are. Great interview 🤙👍❤️

[@ianrees3932]

we should harness this power of yours!

[@azaelandy04]

I think he meant “1/4 of men are liars” right ?!

[@Naberius359]

Lol I thought the same thing. Unless his joke was that no one should admit such thoughts.

[@biggsydaboss3410]

Yeah that's what he mean. He's said something similar begore. I think it might have been in his TED talk.

[@sbcurley3723]

Yeah I think that’s what he meant.

[@burtosis]

I often screw up and say things like that so that's immediately what I thought.

[@garywood97]

Both would make sense but I think you're right. Although I've genuinely never fantasized about killing someone. It's definitely not 100%

[@leothelion3913]

I love when you divide it into two parts. Keep it like that!

[@mouseandthemule]

Great interview Dave. Respectful and interesting viewpoints from host and guest. A true demonstration of goodwill.

[@blamtasticful]

MORE MORE MOAAAAR! I want more fascinating science guests! There are lots of reasonable liberals out there.

[@ehohackner]

the vibe i got from him that I cant brush off is: ouch, the truth hurts, lets hide this one then

[@authenticpoppy]

I absolutely cringe when I see people saying that we shouldn't explore scientific explanations for society's ills because it might hurt someone's feelings. It's mind-boggling.

[@josephfiorella32]

Its refreshing hearing a reasonable person talk that does not take sides.

[@florianwicher]

Pinker is one of the people whom I trust most to be ideologically unbiased!

[@ghollisjr]

If there are genuine racial differences in IQ but our society requires ignorance of it to survive, then our society is deprecated and slated for replacement. You can't stop the truth forever; I seem to remember an ancient Jewish guy named Jesus who said "The truth will set you free".

[@unibyte5175]

Love that Steven guy.

[@tylerdipietro4201]

Great discussion. I admire Steven Pinker after watching this video.

[@steveneff7334]

Another Great interview Dave! Keep up the good work my friend.

[@DeyvsonMoutinhoCaliman]

I was a staunch leftist, and having ideas similar to evolutionary psychology put me at odds with my peers back then, and eventually I saw myself as a right winger. I remember almost 15 years ago at my job reading his books at any free time I had. To this day I think "How The Mind Works" is one of the books that influenced me the most. Strange that seeing human beings as biological beings and the result of evolution went from being a left wing stance to being a right wing one.

[@itsROMPERS...]

"Strange that seeing human beings as biological beings and the result of evolution went from being a left wing stance to a right wing one". It's strange especially because it never happened. In fact most people that ever deny evolution are on the right, typically evangelical Christians, people who never describe themselves as "left wing". You're still a leftist, sorry.

[@spencerevans8719]

Vox said young people are supportive of free speech? Vox would say that.

[@TheChippewa77]

Dave, when can we see Dr. Pinker together with Dr. Peterson in your studio simultaneously? I'll purchase tickets for that!!!

[@OutSideTheBoxFormat]

Really enjoyed this interview Dave. Well done.

[@Colorado4x4Van]

Good conversation so far. When you have a left leaning person who uses Noam Chomsky in a positive light and then describes himself as a centrist...this shows how far the scale has moved left in the last fifty years. Many alternate conclusions can be made from his Foxnews example. One could argue that the center-right never had a televised media outlet before. This alone would make many viewers of that outlet question the status quo in media as he claims would be healthy in an intellectual environment. Looking forward to the rest.

[@flagermusen]

I had the exact same thoughts when he brought up Fox News. No wonder people move right, when they for the first time are introduced to ideas that goes contrary to the leftists media groupthink, and are actually logically consistent. It's like people who grew up their entire life in a cult of groupthink, who for the first time gets an outside perspective and it breaks the spell of hypnosis. And of course Steven Pinker is a leftist Jew who agrees with his colleague Noam Chomsky who is also a leftist (commie) Jew. So predictable. It's like the same script repeating in perpetuity.

[@J4444ke]

Y'all are way oversimplifying his argument and his beliefs. He invoked Chomsky not as an ideologue but as a scientist discussing how science ought to be conducted. Chomsky is, despite his radical left-libertarian political views, an entirely mainstream and widely cited scientist, one of the most influential in modern history. Look up generative grammar, universal grammar theory, and Chomsky hierarchies for a taste of the extremely influential theories he's put forward in linguistics and computer science. He and Pinker overlap in a lot of what they study and talk about, namely in linguistic topics. Their politics are very different, which Pinker alluded to in mentioning that Chomsky's view of race and IQ as needing to be "low priority" ignores the attention it already has and the ways in which we already segregate. I don't think he expressed a complete thought about Fox News and I'd like to hear his full thoughts on the subject. I don't think it's fair to attack him for the one sentence. But Fox News doesn't just shift to the right. Like he said, it polarizes, I'd say (this is now my argument and not his, because he didn't elaborate any of this in this interview) by demonizing the left and praising far-right figures and refusing to condemn them when they do wrong. They're not just a center-right media outlet. Fox Business is center-right. Chris Wallace and Shep Smith are center-right. Nobody else who I'm aware of on Fox is even particularly close to the center. And I don't think that's because the center has really shifted all that much. If anything, it seems like the world is shifting to the right at the moment, given the rise in nationalism and far-right candidates in Europe and America.

[@Colorado4x4Van]

I would say that your second paragraph illustrates my opinion. There is no "Far Right" anymore. The McCarthys, the George Wallaces, the George Pattons...even the Harry Trumans...there aren't any of them in the US anymore (in either party!). Listen to JFK's speeches (on policy) and tell me where he would sit on the political spectrum today. He was the figure-head of the Left Wing in his day. And Europe? There is no Hitler there or anything close! These "Far Right" leaders over there preside over largely Socialist countries! Are they further right than their predecessors? Yes. Right Wing? Far from it!

[@MeCrazy516]

wtf, calling corporate oligarch run media leftist? how does that make sense....over 90% of the media is owned by 6 companies, they all have the same economic agenda. We are run by neo-liberalism started during the Reagan era....its right wing neo-classical economics. To suggest the corporate media is interested in breaking itself up and being regulated is loonacy.

[@emodante1084]

Pinker mentioned a study that support for free speech is increasing. Does anyone have a link to this?

[@bonvoyage8110]

He said its was from Vox news (I don't have a link)

[@skoto8219]

I think Reason published a rebuttal to the Vox article. I haven't had time to read either one yet lol

[@sorsocksfake]

www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/12/17100496/political-correctness-data At least that's one he linked to at some point

[@lensk555]

Yes! I dont identify with the left or the right, I just love a good and reasonable debate that enlightens you. Steven Pinker is a great mind of our time, like many others, and it´s a privilege to hear his thoughts. We need intelligent and informed right and left wingers, debating each other with respect and well founded arguments. The problem is the stupid lazy fanatics on both sides.

[@ccb36]

I've never been a fan of an intellectual before. (Not because I don't like intellectuals, lol, just because I never came across someone that I specifically really liked, as it's not a realm in which I spend too much time outside of school.) I can't wait to read Pinker's books -- particularly the Blank Slate one -- and learn more. Of course we can't blindly go along with everything he says simply because he sounds smart, but as far as I can tell, he really knows what he's talking about, and I'm looking forward to diving more into his ideas and thoughts. Plus, I plan to pursue psychology, so that adds another level of interest.

[@winniewildflower3540]

i LOVE his hair!

[@dave5886]

Couldn't the argument Steven made for deciding to remain ignorant on race differences be made for sex and gender differences also?

[@bluntbangs]

Not exactly. The reason why it became necessary for people to point out the biological differences in sex (like James Damore) is because the hard left social justice warriors tried to say that the reason why there were less women in certain fields was because of discrimination, when it's more likely to do with differences in interest between the sexes. Those types of disparities within races are best explained through culture rather than the race itself, thus why differences in race biologically aren't necessary to know.

[@ajpod770]

SooDoneWithYou - Actually, that couldn’t be a more nonsensical belief, given the bulk of the evidence shows that the different academic and socioeconomic outcomes by racial or ethnic background are best explained by biology, not culture, just as sex differences are. Long and short, the morphological, physiological, and psychological differences between races couldn’t be more necessary to know.

[@banu0245]

@@ajpod770 what are those evidence?

[@dmc8092]

He has a depth of understanding of complexity that completely escapes most of your guests. This was a great interview.

[@dramtoet1809]

Do not always like Dave's interview style but think this is one of the better ones. Good questions and interesting dialogue.

[@annearmstrong7355]

Nice one Dave, but you should know that it is not wise to mention Molyneux to genuine intellectuals. He does not compare at all. Ask Joe Rogan for more details. Both Pinker and Jordan Peterson are Professors of Psychology. Dr Peterson actually has his own research laboratory. By his own admission, Molyneux has nothing but a degree in history.

[@philc4661]

Count Dankula; convicted criminal for being 'grossly offensive'

[@steviebob4]

Phil C He danked too hard.

[@eventhorizon3158]

The dawn of a new meme war is upon us.

[@dustinblack2006]

All jokes aside, that case is seriously scary. What makes it worst, is that people are defending our governments stripping away freedoms, all for the sake of politics! I'm not joking, or being malicious when I say, the same people who are against Count today, would've been Nazi's during WW2... Crazy.

[@NegativeBodhiImage]

I for one applaud the Scottish Magistrates intolerance of the hatred of this Dankula fellow. People in the UK will think long and hard before making a video poking fun at Nazi's again!

[@erc9468]

charlie wired I hope you are joking. You are a small step away from the fascists you claim to oppose.

[@2lazybum]

Dave sir, well done excellent interview i enjoyed this a great deal.

[@hanskloss7726]

This guy is smart and knows a lot. Real pleasure to listen and read what his mind produced.

[@jimmydurmody2490]

Why would you take seriously an politically motivated article from VOX?

[@person107]

Love how quickly Rubin changed the subject when pinker called out Fox News for polarizing people lmao

[@flagermusen]

The reason the fox news example is interesting is because what they refer to as polarization is not a bad thing. No wonder everybody is unified when they are part of the same leftist cult. Introducing fox news and a different perspective breaks the spell, and suddenly people are "polarized". I thought leftists loved diversity!? No? I guess not diversity of ideas and political perspectives. If you leave their echochamber you will be shunned, shamed and attacked just like any other good cult.

[@rivascr]

chill dude y

[@arthurobrien7424]

Rubin has, hands down, the best guests.

[@r.d.9332]

WOOOOOOOW, one of my heroes! Thanks, Dave.

[@laura_underscore]

Dave, I completely agree that we need to be cautious about how racists could use IQ data to further their agenda, however it might be important to study race and IQ if IQ gaps can help to explain why some countries are rich and others are poor... Racists are going to push their agenda no matter what - that shouldn't stop us from looking for the truth. The implications of the research, if IQ gaps have implications on prosperity, could spur further research into ways that we could increase IQ levels to hopefully reduce poverty and increase wealth and prosperity in poorer nations. It would be great if you could get Garett Jones (an economist associate professor at George Mason University) on to talk about his book 'Hive Mind', where he explains 'how your nation’s IQ matters so much more than your own'. twitter.com/GarettJones

[@laura_underscore]

i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/201/071/7df.jpg

[@laura_underscore]

LOL my surname has the initials 'O' C'... try again... Everytime I engage with an alt-righter, I must be Jewish just because I disagree with you... guess what, most non-Jewish whites disagree with you, too.

[@laura_underscore]

Slav Identity I'm from Western Europe and we're (along with some commonwealth countries) the least prejudice people in the world according to the World Values Survey (or at least, we self-report as the least prejudice) www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/10061025/Worlds-most-racially-intolerant-countries-mapped.html I'm against mass immigration (and want to close my country's borders & significantly reduce immigration) but I have nothing against any other group of people whatsoever. Have you read @nathancofnas analysis of Kevin MacDonald's Culture of Critique?

[@laura_underscore]

My reasons for wanting less immigration are numerous, but they don't include 'racial differences'. The negative economic, institutional, and cultural effects are reason enough to close our borders... there's no need to bring race into it. I don't care if people of other races come to my country.. I just want to dramatically reduce the numbers and reform the system to become much more highly selective and merit based.

[@laura_underscore]

Slav Identity LOL, relax, The Telegraph was just the first result that came up when I did a quick google. I actually used the WVS research as a citation for my econ Master's dissertation (for which I got 80% and received a distinction in my degree overall .. and I also have a 1:1 undergrad).. so I'm not as stupid as you think (I put hardly any effort into my YT comments because I couldn't be arsed tbh...)

[@sheldonobrien4358]

"It means that three quarters of men are liars." - Did he mean one quarter of men?

[@markflierl1624]

I think so. I rarely get through the week without a homicidal fantasy.

[@awaisb7750]

Always pleasure to listen Steven Pinker.

[@TheRunLife]

Enlightenment Now is a fascinating read. Highly recommended

[@Yusuf_Murad]

I think Pinker misspoke slightly. Men are better at rotating 3 dimensional objects, and men are also better at word problems. Women are better at arithmetic, if I’m not mistaken.

[@videowhat614]

Yes and no to the whole "woman are fulfilled by working" argument. Woman's happiness in the middle class has plumetted.

[@johndonovan7897]

Pinker's new book cites data showing that happiness has increased over tIme for all groups.

[@sukhhayre]

I think women in the developing world would see things differently. Why do you think that is?

[@cmadak1227]

@Juliana Silva The argument is actually that women with children might be happier if they felt more free to choose home with kids than work and daycare. The assumption seems to be that women are overall happier when they work. As with all mankind, we tend to be happier when given the freedom to choose. Currently, social and economic pressure pushes women away from thinking one of the options isn't a viable or useful one, thereby limiting its viability as an option.

[@cmadak1227]

*pushes women INTO thinking

[@hugo_kruger]

Alongside Thomas Sowell, I consider Steven Pinker to be one of the greatest minds of our time.

[@wcm5150]

Professor Steven Pinker is always a delight, and a clear thinking person. I’m currently reading his book “the blank slate“and it is incredible. His clarity of mind motivates me to be a better person.

[@davidjfesta]

Glad for this episode. I was literally shaking when... It felt like he kept downplaying the left, SJW’s etc. at every turn. I had an ear to hear what he had to say but what also came across was this feeling that perhaps we have held too few of these professors accountable in exchange for the power to Validate drastically changing how we define sex the family for the rest of society. Feels very authoritarian, and his passivity about the mutilating impact him and his peers at Harvard have allowed to come out (Intersectionality) of there the last 20 years in this area is disgraceful. He has clearly not had the privilege of being on the receiving end of what his action/inaction/disinterest ripples out into our precious human cultural. Smells like Teen Privilege.

[@davidjfesta]

Agreed we’re at some part of a 20 to 30 year propaganda plan. Yes, that is what the Ex KGB officer says they do, because “their too problematic.”* *kzbin.info/www/bejne/goTdkKGhqJWMq80

[@fatetestarossa2774]

indeed jay fine

[@707Gforce]

I think he meant to say 'one quarter of men are liars' when talking about homicidal fantasies?? Or am I just the psychopath here?

[@jokermann100]

Eric Golant no I picked up on that too.

[@tazzydnc]

Love Pinker. How does this video not have more views?!

[@tylerepperson1555]

I'm a simple man, I see a Pinker interview. I watch it.

[@garyha2650]

His wife looks pretty happy, Rebekah Goldstein, if that's her

[@FuMeistaMC]

WHY AREN'T MORE HUMANS WATCHING YOU, DAVE!?

[@jamespoppitz2256]

The optimism is contagious. There's a real clue in that.

[@KristianGravenor]

At 2:15 Pinker cites Burt Bacharach as being a Montrealer. Bacharach is from St. Louis where his dad was a newspaper columnist. Bacharach studied Music at McGill for two years and the legend is that he was asked to leave because he wasn't doing it the traditional way. That's part of the story was never confirmed though.

[@socaltop10]

The problem with his argument that objective science is the best approach is that it can only be *somewhat* objective. There are some conclusions that are so taboo that they cannot be allow (by society) as possibilities -- even when the data support them. They are too far outside the Overton Window. Pinker's discussion here shows he is already drawing conclusions in areas where he admits the research hasn't been done yet. I see him as too much a product of academia rather than a scientist looking for the truth. And society is getting stronger in its ability to silence alternative views that are taboo. Any gainfully employed white man just simply cannot express any of these views without losing his job. Look at Harvard's former president, e.g. *These key taboo topics today relate to 1) biological differences between groups (race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, etc) and 2) the evolutionary / survival necessity for group preferences and discrimination.*

[@bobanrajowic]

Human nature is biological? There are innate sex differences? Really? Isn’t that obvious?. It reminds me the Soviet Union in late 80s when the media suddenly acquired a right to criticize the government and communist party. And millions of people were standing in lines to read a trivial stuff which everybody knew and discussed in kitchens, but couldn’t read anywhere before.

[@Kraisedion]

The problem is that you take generalities, call them innate and as such create a false argument. For instance, though testosterone/estrogen affect the development of the brain differently, they have the same impact regardless of gender. A female foetus exposed to large quantities of testosterone will have the same inclination towards shapes as a male foetus. Men are more likely to be exposed to large quantities of testosterone, but many women have a higher exposure than the average male. It is true that traits, interests, etc. have a strong foundation in biological inclinations and limitations, but as Pinker made sure to mention we should not be tricked into thinking this is the full picture. Look at behavioral differences between men and women, or even different races 100 years ago, then look again today. Though biology is certainly a foundation it is incredibly hard to pin down what is biology and what is innate. For instance the argument that black people have a lower IQ is based on facts, but when we look at the difference it is very similar to the difference in IQ you can expect to gain through a solid education, which obviously many developing countries do not have. And though something is a biological inclination it is actually often possible to reprogram it, or even use different inclinations against each other - just look at how successfully societal norms engineered away empathy for black people in the days when white American families would have picnics and enjoy a lynching for instance, or how quickly the Nazis managed to vilify Jews as an "other", or Islamists managed to brand non-Muslims as infidels. Most of us are born with an inclination towards empathy, but by utilizing very simple group thinking they were able to exclude groups they did/do not like. - To sum up, and not be too long-winded - we should be careful of believing that men and women (or groups of any kind) have innately different qualities as there are too many overlaps. We should be aware of general differences, but also try to understand why. We should never deny biology, but we should not believe wrongly that biological inclinations can not be altered - and we should be very clear and open about how hard it is to split what is caused by biology and what is caused by culture.

[@bobanrajowic]

Kraisedion testosterone norm for adult male is 270-1000 ng/d, for female 15-70. It is innate. It seems to me that you’re biased against biological determinism.

[@Kraisedion]

I am referring to how the foetus is affected by testosterone/estrogen during the the early development of the brain, not to quantities in adult humans. (Also not that the span from 270 to 1000 is bigger than the span from 70 to 270, and that there are exceptions beyond this - but of course this is one of the key biological differences between men and women, and as such is far more clear-cut). Edit: Forgot to comment on biological determinism, which really doesn't have much to do with general gender differences. I am not biased towards determinism, it is quite clear that determinism can not be claimed to exist. There is a clear-cut biological framework, with clear inclinations, but even sociopaths can be raised to be contributing members of society. Your biological set-up will react very differently based on the society you live in, what ideas you believe in, what ideas are enforced, etc.

[@bobanrajowic]

Kraisedion each human is made of chemicals and nothing but chemicals. If level of hormones and other chemicals in male and female bodies on average is different, innately different, that confirms my thesis.

[@Kraisedion]

Actually no, innate means absolute, all you need is a single exception and it is no longer innate. As it happens there are far more than one exception, but obviously these could also be categorized as "exceptions that prove the rule". As I understood your thesis is that there are innate differences between men and women - and excusing small exceptions I can absolutely grant this. Some are obvious, such as being able to give birth, or the above testosterone/estrogen discussion. So, granting that this is true, what does it give us, what do we gain, what can we say about the world? And this is where my original comment comes in, as it is nearly impossible to say that most gender differences are innate. Obviously men are more biologically inclined to be engineers, but we still see a decently sized minority of women becoming engineers, therefor we can not say that this difference is innate. Similarly, though men might be more prone to violence, many women are also quite prone to violence. We need to be very careful in proclaiming differences as innate because the real situation is almost always far more complex when we are discussing groups that both contain over 3 billion people. And just because testosterone/estrogen affect you in difference ways, does not mean that this defines you, your body is built up by far, far more. Just because something may be generally true does not mean that it is absolute, or even that it is (solely) caused by biology, and in saying so we are most likely being wrong - and why would be want to be wrong? I would be interested in hearing your view on biological determinism.

[@uk1988tb303]

I like this guy, need to check out more of him. One of a few Rubin interviews were mentioning their own books seem more about the ideas and less of a blatant plug to audience 👍

[@rosanaofner6433]

Great interview!!

[@dkvikingkd233]

cool serious clever guy - but very lefty for a centrist in my estimation - thought I was a bit of a centrist, but if Pinker is a centrist as he claims then I'm far out on the right..

[@bluedreamkush2392]

DK viking KD he is center left you probably lean more center right

[@dkvikingkd233]

yeah, that may be true:) I just always get the feeling that Pinker is holding back some far leftist views on some issues like feminism, but perhaps I'm reading too much into it or misunderstanding...

[@BlunderCity]

_"I just always get the feeling that Pinker is holding back some far leftist views on some issues like feminism"_ Oh yeah? How so?

[@johnslay4322]

Get Steven Crowder on your show

[@dustinblack2006]

That would be a sufficient downgrade from Pinker.

[@dustinblack2006]

Felipe M. What does it matter they are Jews? Would you like Rubin to be more diverse and inclusive with the identities he associates with on the show? Sounds like you shouldn’t be on this channel, because that’s what we’re fighting. Identity politics.

[@alucard9096]

He did, two years ago and I think Rubin talks with Crowder regularly on his show if you apply for his mugclub on CRTV.

[@okyouknowwhatever]

Crowder is a lightweight. I want Dave to bring in Camille Paglia so they can talk about how transgender hysteria keeps showing up during late phases of civilizations. If she ever leaves Philly these days that is.

[@dustinblack2006]

Felipe M. You can’t understand obvious sarcasm and I’m the dumb one, lol

[@RobertWGreaves]

Excellent. Pinker is one of my favorite intellectuals.

[@SuperHuia]

maybe...but he's a pseudo intellectual when it comes to human genetics... for which he knows diddlysquat

[@davefischer2344]

omg I have been waiting for this

[@smack6564]

I absolutely voted for Trump because of political correctness and identity politics. I'm pretty in the center as far as policies go. Good ideas on both sides. But hell no I'm not voting for the side that perpetuates shouting down people into silence and screaming racist sexist homophobe etc at everything.

[@d4n4nable]

I don't agree with many of Pinker's counter arguments to libertarian ideas, and I think he's actually rather weak and intellectually lazy in his critique there. But there's no doubt that he's a brilliant thinker with a great ability to formulate often counter-intuitive insights in a palpable way.

[@tripp8833]

How?

[@d4n4nable]

@tripp, you mean why I dislike his critique? As I said, it's not very sophisticated, really, mostly common bullet points, which obviously have tons of counters already (there are journals on libertarian thinking in economics, politics, law, etc. with a rich tradition of going through those arguments). His overall problem is that I think he mistakes cause and effect when it comes to our progress in his metrics. We see an expansion of social democratic intervention at the same time as human welfare measures are introduced. But that's mostly because as we get richer and more productive, "we" (or our governments) can afford to do these things to satisfy the public. His sympathy for technocratic government is a bit dangerous - though Pinker is much smarter than, say, a Paul Krugman, and has certainly read authors like Hayek who warn about planning hubris, and taken it to heart. But he errs on the side of social intervention too much. We know a lot less about how complex systems like our societies at large funciton than we'd like to think. To think otherwise is what Hayek called the "fatal conceit" and "pretense of knowledge." That goes a bit against Pinker's enlightenment view of figuring out the inner mechanics through science and then "rationally" intervening.

[@biggsydaboss3410]

d4n4nable Nature of dealing in areas realted to human behaviour & psychology. Much of the cognitive science are counter intuitive. You learn to think in ways like that to everything. As for my own pesonal view on Libertarian ideals. Any set of ideals that has NAP as a central tenet isn't all bad.

[@davidjfesta]

d4n4nable That feel you get wondering if him and his colleagues were invited to peer review the legal framework of Intersectionality before it was presented to be adopted by the UN as a moral paradigm to conduct and judge world affairs. Luckily it was held up last I checked because the writing is anti-humanist and violates the the Universal Bill of Human Rights adopted by the UN. It does so by advocating for “marginalizing 1 group based on ethnicity, gender, and religious belief.” aka “ a fxxkin white male”. Not much pushback against them disseminating their ideology after being called racist in UNESCO. And he’s not giving much pushback against them when this would be the place to do it. Yeah I’d qualify that as lazy

[@XanatharEye]

EXXXXXXXXACTLY.

[@TatianaRacheva]

The stuff he talks about circa minute 20 is very much how I feel about this: we should deemphasize and deprioritize concepts that divide us and try to look at people more as individuals.

[@trailerparkprince]

Glad to see you changing it up. Your guest was a very delightful old woman

[@GDKRichardson]

WHOA! Couldn't believe my ears at 21:41. Dr. Pinker thinks we should be focusing more on "class and income" rather than "race and gender" because they "matter more." Marx was 'focused' on class, as was Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot (who had all eight year old Cambodian boys wearing eyeglasses shot because they were not members of the peasant class). Hitler was 'focused' on race, which Dr. Pinker would understandably be acutely sensitive about. No left-wing socialist (Marxists, neo-Marxists, socialist justice) have yet mass murdered because of their ideological beliefs about income, nor have any right-wing socialists (Nazis, Fascists, Ba'ath socialists) yet mass murdered based upon their ideological beliefs about gender, but the best preventive to future mass murders is to thoroughly study, debate, and discuss what, IN HUMAN NATURE, results in mass murder and mass suicide. Instead of down-playing the study of "race and gender" in order to study "class and income," it would be far better to study WHY and WHEN it is that ALL such identity politics can result in unspeakable human savagery.

[@bobjobs7135]

Any study in hard science on IQ and biology determining life outcomes (assuming it is the predominant cause) will lead the "all powerful moral authorities" to institute a centrally planned, eugenically selected progeny that the populous would never support. Why would people give up their rights to procreate in our lifetime? You truly need a revolutionary paradigm in societal priorities if you expect people to gladly give up their free will to compete and choose their mates as they please. You can't have it both ways. I think we need to let Darwinism play out and see where the breakthroughs in AI and genetics lead us before we go to a completely centrally planned society at least at the most fundamental level. There is no egalitarian solution that will allow everyone to suddenly find meaning or purpose in their lives, besides diverting resources away from other places to help those people. People have to empower themselves.

[@Kraisedion]

Just to be clear, because someone who did something bad focused on class/income, no one else should? It is actually easy to see larger differences based on class than race, for instance, as IQ for instance is partially dependent on education. It is obviously not solely income, there are other factors like religion, cultural heritage, etc. but the society you live in largely determine how you behave. There are clear connections between poverty and lack of employment, inclination towards violent crimes, etc. (Also, this is irrelevant, but just as a note: Nazis and Fascists aren't socialists. The Nazis had a socialist wing, which was fundamental in the creation of the party, but Hitler executed them in 1934. Read up about Strasserism, it is very interesting. Nazis and Fascists - there is an argument whether Nazis can really be called Fascist - still supported capitalism, though they were also quite inclined towards mercantilism - which is of course an older economic system and the norm in Europe before Capitalism).

[@robertmiller6444]

I disagree with the claim that race, genetics, IQ, etc. is a question that shouldn't be asked. The thing is this: it IS a real question to try to understand WHY some cultures/societies/countries etc. seem to be unable to conquer poverty and achieving free and just societies. These are real issues that I think most people want to solve, and if not solve, at least find ways to ameliorate such problems. But as with any and every problem one might want to address and hopefully solve, you can't do that by not asking certain questions and ignoring certain realities just because the answers to those questions might be uncomfortable. So say for the sake of argument that there is some correlation between race and IQ. If this is the case, you are never going to be able to solve problems of poverty, etc. with solutions that ignore or deny such a reality. It's like trying to increase the participation of women in various activities while ignoring gendered differences in preferences.

[@kassenief]

Although not the most spectacular (nevertheless very charismatic), Steven Pinker is one of the most nuanced and clever popularizer of the humanities.

[@Susan-xs8ro]

I would love to hear a full interview with George Borjas from Harvard. His research on immigration and the ACTUAL effects it has on the labor markets, it is the only unbiased research I have seen.. most being to influenced and paid for by the chamber of commerce

[@theamazingbrokenman]

It's funny. I like these guys, but I'm actually growing tired of all this. It's always the same people making the same arguments about the same controversial issues - for the same audience (us). It gets to a point where it doesn't make a big difference whether it's Sam Harris talking, or Ben Shapiro, or this guy (even though they hold different beliefs in some fields). I can't help but feel that these guys are just more than happy to make money out of all this silliness. Good for them, but this whole alt-right, sjw's etc. shit is done. "Let's sing another song, boys, this one has gotten old and bitter."

[@fluffmuff98]

odorico leal the people you listed all hold very different views.

[@HighlandChicken]

Fluff muff I think his point is that it's always the same topic, and the guests all agree on said topic

[@erc9468]

....except it's not done. It is still a fight for freedom of speech and freedom to state scientific fact.

[@fluffmuff98]

Highland Chicken A) I’m sure he’s asked opposing views to come on & most have refused B) any reasonable person is going to agree on a reasonable points. That’s said, I’d love to see Richard spencer Adam C from Adam ruins logic & reason & everything else, & any left winger/collectivists.

[@sorsocksfake]

I get the fatigue, but let me reframe it: us frog-people have been in this "fight" for a while now, but we were always just the vanguard. People like Pinker though, they're too big for the media to lie about. Our job was to hold the line and show we could withstand the heat. The job of Pinker and others will be to show the world that the attacks are indeed foul... and that it's perfectly okay to stand against it. Hopefully that will convince enough people to start speaking out.

[@yayayaokoksure]

Muh diversity.

[@lovepeople951]

I don't know what is it, but there is something very appealing about this man.

[@linguaphile9415]

I can't believe it: Steven Pinker at the Rubin Report. I'm so happy. :D

[@Andreastheduck]

Get styx the 666 on your show, bucko!

[@BlunderCity]

And grow a brain.

[@216trixie]

Mentions diversity in Canada: "There are French and English speaking people". Lol yes...1st time I've heard diversity mentioned between 2 white groups. Yes!!

[@quinnroby1732]

Intellectual diversity man. All you people see is color.

[@TheMattmatic]

And it is cultural diversity, it's not like there's no cultural differences between England and France

[@216trixie]

Quinn Roby Who are "you people"? And I agree with intellectual diversity, man. It's what we need.

[@216trixie]

TheMattmatic Correct. I'm just humored that for once, when "diversity" is mentioned, it's not just black/white/yellow thingy.

[@quinnroby1732]

Haha sorry man that "you" was a typo

[@elaleyo]

this is so unbiased, well done Piker!

[@Stallnig]

Great interview.