The Real Reason Trump Has Appeal: The Man Behind "The Big Short"

[@worldlyconcerns]

"Do as little as possible, and that unwillingly, for it is better to receive a slight reprimand than to perform an arduous task." 😂😂😂 What a magnificent motto. I did enjoy you laughing so wholeheartedly at that, Rory, unbridled mirth is a great gift.

[@Lerie2010able]

I think the fact that Alastair and Rory are so natural, is one of the main reasons I enjoy their videos. I get to laugh along with the jokes and learn so much more information that gives context to what I hear from other sources. I kinda trust them and they don't preach.

[@jasongray4517]

​@Lerie2010able It helps when the guest is as engaging, smart, funny and insightful as Michael Lewis.

[@davedraycott5779]

@@jasongray4517he’s absolutely frigging brilliant.

[@davedraycott5779]

I like to think I’ve lived my life doing the opposite of that motto and in truth I think I’d walk through shit rather than be rebuked for not having walked through shit if it was necessary but that motto was so in your face I don’t give a shit laugh out loud funny. I’ve spent the last twenty minutes chuckling to myself about it.

[@JimmyKryptonite]

Love these discussions. On a lighter note, I find myself fascinated and intrigued by some of the faces Rory makes while listening.

[@Puzekat2]

I found them disgusting

[@RationalAUS]

​@@Puzekat2that's a bit harsh.

[@eliseleonard3477]

The moment when Lewis observed that billionaires and their culture were “instinctively hostile to givers” was a lightbulb moment for me. I always thought that they were just too cynical to BELIEVE in givers, but this is clearer, and somehow a lot worse. As a federal employee for decades (child psychiatrist with the Indian Health Service) we were horrified when Trump first came up with the idea that the civil servants above a certain pay grade should serve at the pleasure of an elected politician, because the very idea made it clear that Trump had no idea what any of us did, why expertise is important, or what would happen if it came unraveled.

[@alexwilliamrussell]

No offense. But US taxpayers resent the civil servants acting like they are angels. In Covid nurses made good money and my job was shut down, and I was supposed to applaud them as heroes. Heroes dont charge overtime.... Yes cases vary. But being lectured how govt workers in US earning more than us with no fear of firing, teachers, are heroes is annoying. My job is worse than theirs.... Cases vary. But my god US teachers are annoying.

[@olliestudio45]

one of your best interviews in ages, perfect background material

[@OratiweMahlubi-ms7ji]

Hands down the best epsiode I've watched on Leading. Could've listened to this for another hour. Michael is a wonderful writer and even better talker and you guys ask such high quality questions. Loved it

[@JohnKellett-f3y]

I am amazed that in 2024 that this is the first time that I hear journalists discussing the random element of luck for anyone who is successful. In my life and business we always recognised that many times success is the beneficiary of pure blind luck!

[@plonk7]

Malcolm Gladwell's 'Outliers' really opened my eyes to how much blind luck shapes people's fortunes. But it's a rare successful person's ego that will allow them to admit that...

[@odi299]

I’m seeing negative comments about Alastair again 😠 Yes, the Iraq dossier was a difficult and painful chapter, but it doesn’t change the fact that Alastair is, at heart, a genuinely good and honorable person. Since then, he’s shown strong morals, integrity, and a commitment to doing the right thing, time and time again. Maybe it’s time we let go of that one chapter and allow ourselves to see the person he truly is.

[@Ken-pi7qk]

Well said.

[@dereksmalls6494]

I find his tribalism grates. He supports his 'team' right or wrong with the same loyalty as a football fan. He could learn some lessons on introspection from Rory.

[@U5mR]

@@dereksmalls6494 You've got to be kidding... The number of times I've just turned this off because of Rory and his tory loving bullshit.

[@danielkarmy4893]

@@U5mR With all due respect - and I'm sure plenty is due - I can scarcely believe you and I have been listening to/watching the same podcast! I've lost count of the number of times I've heard Rory making a point, or taking a stand for this issue or that, and thought to myself, 'how on Earth was he ever a Conservative?!'. If anything, a great many views he's expressed here have been in opposition - at times subtle, at others direct - with the direction in which the Tory party would prefer us to travel. If I may ask, as I'm curious - what is it that incentivises you to keep coming back, if you know you're only going to get stressed listening to Rory Stewart anyway?

[@Mrfoofoo]

around 30% of all comments on KZbin are automated bots. Every time a new episode appears they whir into life. Probably Russia.

[@underc0verangel]

I could listen to 8 solid hours of this! The three of you are a delight together, bravo!

[@ben.prescott]

The banter in this one is great. I guess this one could have gone on for hours.

[@sonofthesea]

This was one of the most refreshing podcasts I've listened to in a long time. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@MichaelSpencePhilippines]

Excellent. I remember reading Liars Poker when it came out in 1989, two years after I graduated from university. Many of my friends were working at investment banks in NY. Many now gone or absorbed. His book captured the roaring 80s very well. Found him a very engaging guest.

[@braytechexoscience2790]

Having to explain who Liz Truss is always makes me laugh

[@Jablicek]

It's deliberate, Rory likes to explain minutiae and that's what she is.

[@johnrodgers2018]

Another excellent guest, well done. Looking forward to this one.

[@tobiaswebb]

"Hairless, muscleless math and physics people" was a laugh out loud moment.

[@michealnestor4440]

Holding customer deposits in your hedge fund to use for margin requirements is not an optics problem. It's fraud and irresponsible. His take on ftx invalidates basically everything else he has to say.

[@macsmiffy2197]

I like to listen on the iPhone in the morning and come here for the comments. I really enjoy the education I’m getting. Thank you.

[@aglees2b]

Absolutely love these discussions. Feels like an hour isn't enough

[@martavdz4972]

13:00 SO TRUE about the luck. I realized this fully with the war in Ukraine. Because so many Ukrainian CVs started to look like this: Had loving parents. Did well at high school. Brilliant student. Got her Master´s Degree in Law. Started working in a promising start-up. Missile attack. The end.

[@robertennor1143]

A riveting episode. You guys looked to be having a great time together, discussing potential catastrophic outcomes if existing technical experts are replaced by political appointees with no knowledge of the complexity of the work required. Managing the nuclear arsenal as well as the migration of plutonium residue remaining from the construction of the Nagasaki bomb, to name only two. It’s difficult for me to imagine the president elect having any idea of the existence or significance of responsibilities such as these. I couldn’t take my eyes off of this show.

[@ArtistPare]

Outstanding. I had ten minutes but listened through to the end.

[@Dere2727]

Imo as someone who would count as ‘neurodivergent’ it’s a pretty harmful stereotype to talk about people with neurological conditions as having some sort of godly superpower, when likely they’re the lucky few to forge a path to success that accommodates their cognitive difficulties.

[@martavdz4972]

Absolutely. I see this point in autistic discussion groups. Some autistic people have excellent memory or excellent aesthetic taste or out-of-the-box thinking about physics. But not all of them, and those feel twice "disabled" due to this myth. IMO it started as a supporting point for the argument that autism isn´t just straightforward disability. Which is a good argument. But it has very unfortunate consequences.

[@benglassman]

This dude is ON TARGET .. .Brilliant

[@csours]

For viewers of this channel, I'd HIGHLY recommend "The Fifth Risk" by Lewis.

[@karinwallace3031]

Thanks will check it out .

[@elainerempel1613]

And The Premonition!!💕💕

[@EasyTiger.01343]

Are you his mum?

[@RachelDavies-wn7ir]

Hooray, someone at last has told Rory to stop interrupting.

[@andrewhull365]

Great interview, awesome author.

[@GIRUxGIRU]

Excellent interview, got me a good few chuckles at this dire time

[@Goggleboxing]

Great interview for both its insights from Michael and the mirth. Please add a 30 mins BTS of you three trading gleeful, ironic barbs.

[@davidcoleman757]

Held my attention from start to finish. What an engaging discussion. I need to read The 5th Risk.

[@stevenpace892]

Hanford Washington is DEFINITELY eastern Washington, or maybe south and central. Western Washington features Seattle, the city famous for constant rain, and the only temperate rainforest in the world. Hanford was put there because east of the Cascades is very arid, and it is obvious why you would put a reactor in a desert. But near a major river is very odd.

[@HektorBandimar]

It would seem that 50% of the American electorate are moving through life with a very superficial understanding of what goes on around them.

[@snake35]

i would suggest that is a lot of electorates, when you are worried about if you can make it to the next week and eat well, in the western world, then you have other things on your mind. i'm not american, but i was really poor once..

[@normanwolfe7639]

Noticing that are you. Much higher. And the same in Canada. How you interpret that is also very split as well.

[@Mrfoofoo]

Look at Britain, over half that voted in the referendum voted for the fantasy of Brexit. Now they want to leave the ECHR. After that they will want to leave the UN.

[@elainerempel1613]

The Age of Rage. The Rise of Stupid.

[@EasyTiger.01343]

The other 50% don’t even get that far. Oblivious. Distracted. Self-Absorbed. Indisciplined. Whiny.

[@steveclark3457]

Another great interview

[@LeadingTRIP]

Thank you !

[@irish7summits]

Interesting discussion. Fascinating how uncomfortable he makes Rory.

[@markliam9446]

Another brilliantly interesting and entertaining interview.

[@actualkarenokboomer3158]

Adam McKay says he is going Green Party or some other 3rd party which is a vote for Trump. I have seen the movie several times this year and it is a picture of what Trump does and Adam thinks he is wonderful. He knows damn well what we are where we are and it is the villians in the Big Short.

[@Vera-y8m]

Great job gentlemen. This was interesting and fun. Your you tube channel has become my favourite and you both deserve credit for the consistently good content you create. God bless you both❤❤

[@LeadingTRIP]

Thank you !

[@janettrisk7882]

Great interview and such an entertaining subject. Rory, your 'Oxford exam' questions are so, so good. I really wish there had been a little more time to really explore those.

[@Puzekat2]

For a man who doesn’t do Op Eds 28:34 he just did a really good one.

[@Sean_A_007]

Enjoyed that gentlemen, thank you 😊

[@yusuffulat6954]

probably the only time I've watched the same interview back to back twice.

[@trishsarsonVO]

Me too - election day tomorrow - perfect distraction

[@robertennor1143]

@@yusuffulat6954 me too. A first for me.

[@adodgygeeza]

I don't think Michael particularly understands Elon Musk. His commercial success is based on effective management. Specifically it's based on something which doesn't generally happen in engineering companies. The guy with all the knowledge and ideas is rarely allowed to be in charge of anything never mind the whole company. He essentially cuts through the whole incentives argument and just goes out and finds it out for himself . Will it work in government, who knows, Tesla and SpaceX routinely cull 10% of their employees every few years, the same happened at Twitter.. Musk's general theory on product simplification is that if you're not needing to put back in 10% of the parts you take out then you've not been ambitious enough. He does the same with corporate management

[@jonh2271]

Best one yet. Really interesting.

[@jamestierney3572]

What a great interview

[@larryselinker9372]

superb interview on election day here in the states. he explains a lot really well. great interview.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

Great interview!

[@gto1066]

That's it. I'm moving to New Orleans.

[@evangreen3080]

I always love Michael Lewis.

[@jasperbyard3446]

One of the best episodes

[@fmpuc4647]

outstanding, chaps

[@stag95]

Love his books - amazing guest to have on

[@andrew_b_uk]

I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

[@LeadingTRIP]

Thank you !

[@geoffreynhill2833]

Essential viewing. 👍🤔 Fascinating inside track on Trump and on the corruption of Wall Street.

[@tbd407]

amazing interview

[@elainerempel1613]

Jobs recognized the value of his team. Trump is too petty to appreciate others & Musk is also too much of an egotist.

[@timanderson6005]

The point around private management and incentives in public services being incompatible applies so precisely to the NHS. The nhs is the uk social conscience made real. Such a great creation. Wes is wise if he is aligning social targets with nhs strategy. An example: the covid app and vaccine delivery vs Tory grifting.

[@bobpurcell8357]

Our health-care clusterfuck is our social conscience (revealed to be a cardboard cutout,) so there 🤷

[@BM-ur4je]

Absolutely superb!

[@BlueInk912]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@Lerie2010able]

Enlightened once again - thank you all.

[@purem9150]

The biggest issue is the absolute failure of regulators to identify let alone regulate the financial markets or technology.

[@stjudetheobscure]

There’s a relationship between some of the propositions here and the work of Malcolm Gladwell. The interventions of chance. As an example, it seems unlikely Trump would be where he is were it not for The Apprentice.

[@efanshel]

Banter!

[@susanstein6604]

The Heritage Foundation was Libertarian, now it’s Authoritarian.

[@warheadsnation]

They finally realized they needed a Pinochet to impose their schemes. Though I think they figured it out long before Trump.

[@EasyTiger.01343]

That’s the perfect opening line for a particularly crap, and clearly very white, liberal rap song (Rick Mayall meets The Flying Conchords). Sue, you need to work on a second line. It’s got great comedic potential.

[@jmaycock]

34:15 it’s only half the story. Sam really did lose lots of money. The only reason people are getting paid back is because the bitcoin price rose from 20k to 69k. And you lost out if you had a bitcoin when FTX went bust because you are not getting it back. You are getting 20k USD plus 20% back. I’m afraid that doesn’t compensate for the bitcoin you lost and is worth 69k now.

[@isimongardner]

Come on Michael, let's get that Elon book next.

[@allison9009]

Loved this chat.

[@LeadingTRIP]

Thank you !

[@dispatchteam729]

brilliant

[@1GoodWoman]

Michael, we are very good at sarcasm and yours has gone right over their heads. BTW my son and I routinely work faster than the machines we are using and we are on some of the best. But we are not in the markets. Yet. Personally I may know too much but……maybe not. Neurodivergent is already on America’s side of the pond, evidently not in your bubble.

[@hn6187]

I like him. Fast brain

[@JohannesMondt]

Genuine anger; Max Ferdinand Scheler (Philosopher, Anthropologist Historian; 1874-1928) agrees.

[@jarvis400]

Just when Michael Lewis was making a great point about Trump's appeal, Rory kinda intervened and cut his opinion. I love your podcast, but ffs.

[@johnstirling6597]

When Rory was talking about his time with Liz Truss at the dept of environment , the way he talked about her reminded me very much about "modern management theory" . Essentially a "manager" can manage anything without having to "know" anything about what they are managing, in essence an accounting based management. For these type of people it is just another stepping stone to the top rung. You only need to look at Liz Truss time in the top job to see what a pigs ear she made of it and countless companies around the world like Boeing recently to see how fallacious that thinking is.

[@AlanHamilton-j5i]

Alastair is wrong. The hedge funds still create wealth that goes round, such as top end yachts and aircraft, hospitality makes a lot of good worthwhile work of interest that would otherwise not happen. I speak as someone who can't even smell the wealth; in fact I was born not eight miles from his mother.

[@efanshel]

Spot on, and a bit overwhelming at first blush..

[@katmandew2152]

Brilliant.

[@sluglife9785]

Of course he's ultimately correct about irony being indicative of decadence. We Brits tend to be proud of it because it shows that we see through the visage, as it were, but it also means we lack real belief, which comes with often despair-inducing downsides and motivational deficits. The argument in favour of it might be that a look back through history shows that however valuable earnestly and strongly held belief may be, it's also spectacularly dangerous.

[@cgdimension]

people like Sam Bankman-Fried care so little about the consequences for others probably because they see it all as a game, a challenge, would have no problem pressing the red button, so hope no one like that ever gets elected

[@elainerempel1613]

I can't think of any 2 people who pose the greatest danger to all of us than demented Donald Trump & evil Vladimir Putin.

[@elainerempel1613]

Trump's lack of impulse control & increasing dementia coupled with the stupidity of his appointees are a problem.

[@cgdimension]

@elainerempel1613 and the VP waiting for his master to have a massive heart attack so he can take over, did voters consider that I wonder!

[@norankpost2]

Interesting 😀

[@oliversissonphone6143]

2:22 New Orleans is south of Tijuana and Cuidad Juarez..

[@David-j9h9g]

well said..arrogant and superior interviewer.....

[@northoftheequator2094]

Three intelligent men round the table, but Michael is by far the smartest and the most interesting. Yet, Rory look slighly bored and even pointedly looks at his watch midway through the interview.

[@michaelfinnigan]

Probably keeping time on the podcast.

[@RationalAUS]

They couldn't get a word in lol.

[@miguelherce5281]

I believe that Mr. Lewis, whose work I admire, answered this question in his book The Fifth Risk, but I’ll ask again. Did Donald Trump want to be president after he got the GOP nomination in 2016? (I know he wanted to be president in 2024, basically to clear, once and for all, his legal jeopardy. Now he’s gotten away with it all.)

[@prigg88]

Can you ask any or all of Jenny Lindsay, Kate Clancy, Ross Tucker, Emma Hilton on Leading?

[@albertperks3476]

I feel like there's at least another two interviews with Michael - especially given Trump did indeed win the election.

[@SkipHireLondonPro]

I just caught Alastair picking his ear with his glasses. STOP. My mum, a GP, forced my dad to take himself to A+E as she wouldnt take him due to the shere embarrasment, as the end of the glasses broke off and got lodged in his ear! 🤮

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

So, talking about traders who have "a total unawareness of the social consequences of their action" - we come to Anthony Scaramucci, who typified this approach to "greenbacks first". He revels in greed and Rolls Royces and shouts about it. It beyond difficult to now see him on TRIP US projecting himself as someone who gives the slightest toss about normal people. Lewis would benefit from slowing down, drinking less coffee and breathing more deeply. He very much risks being the type of male interviewee who just talks very fast - giving heat over light. Contrast Lewis to the considered, fluent, reflective style of George Mitchell. Half as many words, twice as much insight offered. Space is not decadent, it's a sign of self-possession. Step back, talk a breath, consider your audience.

[@praveenwilson3478]

😂

[@martavdz4972]

I came here from listening to the Lithuanian US expert Mykolas Katkus. He talks so incredibly fast that sometimes, you can´t even understand what he´s saying. So at first, I had no idea what you were talking about. But yeah, I suppose you´re right. But he NEEDS to be fast. I worked in media service at a world championship and noticed all the journalists were restless and fast, as if they had ADHD. Perhaps they did. They need very short reaction time. It would be great if he could lose that for long serious interviews, but he probably can´t.

[@philipwright7186]

I don't think Lewis is any less insightful, I took away a great deal from him.

[@davidwilkie9551]

This illuminates the theme of idiot savant illusion of separation delusion that is actual parallel coexistence awareness, and the infinite possibilities of "only new angles" POV.

[@SteffenSeitz]

That was too short in time.

[@kyttraus]

Wow

[@MarcMCourtois]

This interview made me uncomfortable. Michael came across as defensive/insecure. Rory and Alistair were polite but it felt forced - as if there was some underlying dislike between the interviewers and their guest.

[@michaelfinnigan]

Yer, I kinda felt that was too. But it kinda also felt like Michael had a level of playful bants you'd normally ascribe a Brit. Maybe it's just a bit jarring to have a very smart American doing it to you.

[@EasyTiger.01343]

The opposite. They were clearly enthralled by him.

[@timanderson6005]

Im so ignorant. Dudnt know Alastair did Dickins.

[@krzgo_is_drowning_please_help]

Never knew Gordon Ramsey's brother wrote Moneyball

[@elainerempel1613]

????

[@ben.prescott]

Tech and neural divergence being intertwined isn’t a coincidence: the computers we all carry around and rely on are built on a stack of technology that has been created and shaped over decades by brains that are not wired the same way as most folks. I say this as someone who spent my childhood most comfortable infront of a screen and keyboard, and am over 25 years into a career doing the same. My wife would tell you: my brain is not normal. Example: Ruby contains an operator: UNLESS. It’s used in logic handling instead of IF. The job of UNLESS, I think, is to allow the code to be written using double negatives. I don’t think human brains are wired to intuitively cope with understanding code that is written like this: that is, I struggle with it, and I’m one of the nerds. But someone thought it was a good idea. This is tech. All the way down.

[@hammerborg5663]

Trump, no truth, no spine, no real smile, but a real racist, what a joke.

[@oliversissonphone6143]

I don't agree with this logic, but Dave Chappelle explains how it's seen kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIjJgnZ6lqaUbNUsi=z119JckRtsiNv968

[@clario2178]

Don’t think he lied and thousands were killed.

[@glasperlinspiel]

I hope Amaranthine: How to Create a Regenerative Civilization Using Artificial Intelligence inspires you as much as you just delighted me

[@typxxilps]

Sam Bankman Fried is in prison and Trump is where ?

[@elainerempel1613]

OMG. In the Oval Office 😢

[@lukeraynorguitar5885]

41:45 😂😂😂

[@voranartsirisubsoontorn]

Look at American people with much better feeling after this election.😊

[@vatsmith8759]

Since when have civil servants been 'selfless'? They're just people doing their jobs for the same reasons other people do their jobs.

[@bobpurcell8357]

Ever since we had Trump to compare them to? 🤔 The timeline fits...

[@elainerempel1613]

You weren't listening. People don't go into civil service or research to become "rich & famous". Read The Fifth Risk. At least watch the PBS News Hour interview 6 years ago with Michael Lewis.

[@Joe-sg9ll]

5:27 wtf

[@DSTH323]

But seriously, why is this show almost a constant mocking echo chamber? Why not a real conversation with dissenting, challenging voices?

[@foldingglint1514]

A lot of those with opposing views refuse to go on

[@elainerempel1613]

Because people who are Trump True Believers, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, don't make interesting interview subjects.

[@MargaretCollopy-jr3xh]

Shame