Sam Harris: Debating conspiracy theorists, wokeness, Trump, collapse of Intellectual Dark Web

[@doyle6000]

I'm a big fan of Sam! Thanks for having him on!

[@pgaquigz1125]

How could u donate to this misinformation machine?

[@doyle6000]

@@pgaquigz1125 Obviously different people think different things are misinformation (I don't think this is)

[@allisons6910]

@@pgaquigz1125 How's Russia? Heard you have great loafs. Nice touch with the "u" btw. Bet you're glad you got assigned social influencing over the front lines eh? ❄🤧

[@bigollameo]

You're a fan because because you're a racist social outcast.

[@IgN5P]

Lost my respect the moment he started genocide apologia.

[@AzimuthTao]

Sam warned about the dangers of Trump way before he was elected president. And everything he worried about came to pass and worse. I always enjoy hearing his clear-headed reasoning.

[@ErutS]

As a thinking person in europe, closely following Usain politics, and know a little about AI, I think this bs .."for the most... part" Untangle this logically😮😂

[@theJudge6990]

Sam has TDS

[@alexmajax]

He said that he was a tyrant in the making. True. That he was a malignant narcissist motivated by greed. True. He has no ideology, no beliefs and only cares about himself. True Those who think that he's a good pick are gambling with the future of our country. (His fans admit that they want trump to be a dictator, they want to torch the constitution and its democracy just to own the libs). True. He is a petty little man child who has no interest in anything but himself. True.

[@synchronium24]

@@theJudge6990 "TDS" is what people who deepthroat Trump 24/7 call anyone who dares criticize their beloved leader.

[@tschorsch]

​@@theJudge6990 The derangement of the Trump cult knows no bounds. The glorious youtube algos thank you for your absolutely stupendous triggering.

[@louislafontaine5984]

‘’The problem in this world is that idiots are sure of themselves while reasonable people full of doubts’’. Bertrand Russell

[@JohnnyTwoFingers]

Sam is rather confident in his beliefs I've noticed.

[@HyperMoon]

@@UsernameVincentEven so, this is objectively a fair observation. Being reasonable means to be open-minded, use critical thinking, and having the ability to weigh different viewpoints without relying on preconceived notions or biases. It means inviting in the possibility that you could be wrong. Truly stupid people don't entertain any of that and often assert their viewpoints with total certainty. By refusing to invite skepticism and reason against your views means you probably haven't thought them through well enough to be so sure of them in the first place.

[@DoomSausage1]

@@HyperMoon kind of like what happened with the vaccines huh?

[@alexkhadr1039]

@@HyperMoon who’s an idiot is the subjective part however

[@ggk9828]

The problem with that statement is that it, like the topic it discusses, is brief and quippy and utterly lacking in nuance and depth and just like the people the quote refers to, those that like it and keep scrolling..... Are just as dumb and gullible and sure of themselves.

[@mosshark]

Thanks David for having Sam on.

[@sstone1992]

He sucks and has been doing the bill maher anti Islam anti woke material for like a decade now let’s not bring him back again thanks

[@sotthapana]

It was definitely interesting, right up until he denied the reality of Israeli colonial occupation of Palestinian territory. Tribalist nonsense!

[@Shane-zl9ry]

👎@@sotthapana

[@sotthapana]

@@shrubsangry According to every human rights agency and the vast majority of UN members, Oct 7th is an inevitable and predictable result of 70+ years of colonial occupation. What do you know about clues? What part of your brain doesn't understand that people naturally want to break free from the largest prison in the world?

[@JustMeeZZ]

Thanks goes to Sam Harris for making time to come on the DPS.

[@geodude7116]

A conspiracy theorist is someone who's wrong 95 percent of the time but thinks they're a genius for the 5 percent they do get right.

[@theywouldnthavetocensormei9231]

Everyone believes at least one conspiracy theory, even if you don't believe any, that means you believe conspiracies don't exist.

[@geodude7116]

@@theywouldnthavetocensormei9231 “believing conspiracies don’t exist” is not the same as “not believing in any conspiracy theories”. I don’t believe in any, but I’m also still open to the idea that some could be true.

[@theywouldnthavetocensormei9231]

@@geodude7116 so what are your thoughts on Russiagate?

The term "conspiracy theory" was created to discredit people

[@elmo430o]

😂😂😂❤

[@Teflon247]

I don't agree with Sam about everything but if nothing else, I really appreciate his clarity.

[@PresidentKang90]

“Uncharitable framings of the border crossings” - there is no clarity in a man that can downplay or even call the border crisis a conspiracy.

[@JRDavis-hj4si]

He caught the mind virus.

[@mrloop1530]

I don't agree about everything with anyone.

[@waedjradi]

Imagine someone, walking around, agreeing with every thing someone says haha.

[@patryk6769]

If nothing else, 20 years Sam spent meditating in a cave really gave him the clarity.

[@mysterious_monolith_]

Epistemology should be mandatory in schools. In the US, civics should also be mandatory. With AI developing so quickly, the methods to debunk falsehood need to also be taken seriously or there will be no hope for democracy in the future.

[@fredgarvinMP]

We just need a ministry of truth to determine what are falsehoods, right?

[@dankdude92]

Dude most people can't even spell.....

[@Triple_J.1]

AI will fix everything.

[@joediesen1]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@fredgarvinMP No. How did you read a post that suggested we emphasize epistemology in schools and conclude that means we need a ministry of truth. Teaching epistemology is the opposite of having a ministry of truth.

[@JohnnyTwoFingers]

Sam himself would benefit from studying epistemology.

[@LanceLegend]

Sam was the only IDWer who came out with his integrity intact.

[@Saintjackoftrades]

I never considered him in the IDW. He never claimed that group.

[@Galumpa22]

Kinda

[@kiraiskringe]

i knew he was the real deal ever since i heard him debunking free will on his podcast. he's always been a smart guy. not always right but it always bothered me how he was lumped in with other people who are clearly unserious.

[@jokersdemise]

​@Saintjackoftrades he def was in that group. He didn't mind correcting anyone of his affiliation with IDW, UNTIL he disagreed with it. Didn't he openly do a photoshoot with the IDW?

[@8eight104]

It's because he had actual academic rigor and discipline with his thinking. He's a total shitlib, but way less unhinged than the other IDW guys.

[@Socrataclysm]

Sam Harris has changed my life more than once. Love this man. Thanks for a great interview David.

[@TCASAnalytics]

I feel the same way about The Insane Clown Posse's Shaggy Two Dope and Violent Jay. Love those guys. David, what the hell, why haven't you had a rap battle with these guys?

[@jamesdalton7234]

Did you make love to David??❤

[@therainman7777]

@@TCASAnalytics😂😂😂

[@TCASAnalytics]

@@therainman7777 Thank you for validating my immature and/or obnoxious comment. Your willingness to acknowledge the humor underlying my comment is what drives my passion to keep improving my obnoxiousness moving forward. Please accept this virtual high-five as a small token of my appreciation for taking the time to respond to my comment by tapping that laughing emoji not just once or twice, but alas thrice!

[@therainman7777]

@@TCASAnalytics Dude if there’s one thing I love and respect in this life, it’s _good_ trolling. Not the BS that most people consider trolling, but the good stuff. Which is like an art form, and always funny. And your comment was very good, and very funny. High five back at you ✋

[@kevinbeck8836]

There are a handful of things I disagree with Sam on but agree with him 98% of the time. Glad you had him on

[@Hubadadubada]

Same here. who in the world do we agree with all the time anyway

[@andrewdesrosiers5658]

@@Hubadadubadathat’s fair, but it’s really hard for some reason when it comes to politics and our world view. The Israel/Hamas part for example. No one likes Hamas. It’s the concern around the situation the civilians Palestinians are in that is my concern on the matter. He takes the position of Israel vs Hamas alone which isn’t anyones real argument I’ve heard. All in all great conversation they had though.

[@theboss4359]

Did you like the part where he characterized all of the world’s 2 billion Muslims as being culturally inferior and prone to violence?

[@westcoastramen]

Same. I'm a lefty and I occasionally have my quibbles with Sam, but he honestly attempts to elucidate the issues of our time and I respect him for that.

[@kevinbeck8836]

@theboss4359 I dont, and thats because while I do think Islam is violent compared to contemporary religions, I dont think 2 billion Muslims ARE violent. I respect Sam's point about how its easier to get violent rhetoric out of the Quran but think he could be more charitable to Muslims. most are not jihadists thats my view

[@legitdragon6202]

When you're a conspiracy theorist you're never wrong, there's just another explanation/conspiracy 😎

[@Ifoughtpiranhas]

They're masters of moving the goalposts.

[@Sampsonoff]

Any evidence that confirms the conspiracy is valid. All evidence to the contrary is made up to deceive you. You can never lose 😎

[@misterdemocracy3335]

The alternative facts that all the sheeple are not privy to, of course.

[@Excelcior58]

Well said

[@Sampsonoff]

It’s amusing to see conspiracy theorists reference government workers who say anything that confirms their narrative but simultaneously discount anything government employees say out of hand that doesn’t confirm.

[@YourCritic]

David, I have to thank you for having Sam on your show. The world needs more exposure to voices of sanity like Sam's in order to combat some of the issues discussed in your conversation.

[@bryankinney1]

Just more brilliance from Sam.

[@yogiperogy]

One of your best David! Sam Harris is the kind of guest I would certainly love to see on your show again. Amazing,impressive genius!

[@decimustv4257]

If you think Sam Harris is a good guest then you have low standards. However, I suppose you are right for the standards of this show. It upsets me when I hear comments like yours that lavish excessive adulation on people like Sam Harrison because you can't tell the difference between a person who SEEMS to be clever and a true intellectual. If you actually critically analyse the substance of his arguments you will realise that he makes logical errors or absurd unbalanced claims. How can he be a top intellectual if he often makes these types of ridiculous claims? Anyway, you are clearly not a critical thinker, and therefore will probably not understand what I'm saying. You will just get emotional and react in anger. People like you just hear a few sentences that please your biases, and then you praise the speaker with over the top non-critical praise.

[@duncandownham4726]

@@decimustv4257 Can you cite the logical fallacies? Cause while I don't agree with everything Sam says he is generally pretty rational from what I have seen. However, I am happy to be corrected

[@IgN5P]

He used to be decent. Now he's a narrow-minded hypocrite. Here there is an ongoing genocide done by a Jewish supremacist state, and he fails to see that lunacy, because he apparently agrees with the genocide, since it's done to Muslims.

[@BooksForever]

Sam is a rare gem among the most rational and articulate minds in the world today… practically a unicorn. Great interview.

[@knguyen4c]

wish Christopher Hitchens was still around

[@Stinkfist69]

Sam is everything that JP thinks he is. Covid broke JP. Harris made it out the other side intact.

[@henryjumbohead5391]

I always appreciate Sam’s point of view.

[@JockoJonson17]

Sam is good folks. 👍

[@kevinvieths3604]

I may not always agree, but I always appreciate.

[@henryjumbohead5391]

@@kevinvieths3604 agreed. Same with most public intellectuals and political talking heads. I agree with many but not about everything. I like and respect the ones whose line of reasoning is easily followed so I know specifically where my disagreement with them lies.

[@roddyboethius1722]

He is dry and dull. He has no sense of humor.

[@henryjumbohead5391]

@@roddyboethius1722 we I certainly won’t disagree with you on that point. lol

[@robertgaines7507]

Sam Harris, as is Richard Dawkins and was the late Christopher Hitchens, is a candle in the darkness of our societies apparent attempt to return an ignorant barbaric epoch of human evolution. Thank you Mr Packman for giving this brilliant man air time on your podcast.

[@heynow_4982]

With respect, I gotta say to you that Sam is a total fraud. ‘Stop the Spread’ is just one issue that Sam used to propagate disinformation. You don’t have to be right, but you have to be honest - neither of these men are that. Own your mistakes instead of making a straw-man to double down on your position

[@bigollameo]

Hahaha! Calm down, dummy.

[@TimHoustonSB]

Thank you both! Great to see you in conversation together 👍

[@jackp584]

Cannot overstate how great it is to listen to these guy's conversation. Love both of their podcasts

[@TheLastSisyphus]

Sam continues to be a tiny glimmer of light in an otherwise brutal cultural climate. Huge thanks to David for having him on.

[@donnasaucier3978]

Sam keeps me centered. Always glad to hear his point of view. He’s spot on.

[@hazelpage1803]

Love this guy! Finally, someone besides yourself, speaking sense!

[@Gsd112]

This was my first time seeing Sam Harris. Saw this when it first came out, I have been following Sam ever since, his Making Sense podcast, on Substack, and his books. Truly admire Sam and his intellect. Through him I found Jasmine Mohammed and her podcast which has been one of the most informative shows out there highlighting treatment of women in Islam. Thanks so much for having Sam on your show David.

[@EvidenceOfTheDivine]

Bot. These types of comments are not real humans. There is no way a human has seen what Sam has become to, and still claim higher ground. lol.

[@USMC-1]

Great Conversation David - Really happy you got Sam to come back on. Sam is such a profound thinker and we need more of this type of content.

[@anarcho-communist11]

He sounded so prejudiced and right wing-ish in the past I didn't stick around to discover his profoundness. I'll give him another chance.

[@EmilySalter-xd8uy]

@@anarcho-communist11 He is still a bigot and he is not profound.

[@envispojke]

​@@EmilySalter-xd8uyYou see some one with the nickname 'anarchocommunist' (something I also called myself in my youth, btw) write "hey, maybe Sam isn't so evil, I'll *give him a chance*" and you're like "fuck, I gotta write words and call names so this guy falls back in line, before it's too late" 😂 Just because accusing people without evidence or arguments works on you, doesn't mean it works on everyone.

[@EmilySalter-xd8uy]

@@envispojke o wow, are you Sam Harris? Sam Harris promotes Jewish supremacy while feigning atheism. Islamic terrorism is a propaganda project of Netanyahu to dehumanize Muslims. Kind of like your empty hasbara post. Who is doing the genocide in the Middle East? Which nation has rap music about killing babies and is doing it by the thousands? It’s not Iran. It’s not Yemen. It’s not Iraq. It’s the depraved nation of Herzl. Stern Gang in the house!!!

[@EmilySalter-xd8uy]

@@envispojke you reported my comment! You propagandist chicken. Anarcho-comm on liberal Zionism is big joke!

[@evillemike2009]

"... radicalized by their own audience." That's a pretty scary thing.

[@roddyboethius1722]

​@@angelobalbiit goes back thousands of years. Christianity is a perfect example of fake victimhood and denial of reality

[@SteveLastname715]

I know David can't follow-up on everything, but the notion of Trump-ism being this fringe issue when he was President and may soon be again is bizarre. I get that Academia affects him more directly, but he's still needlessly minimizing an obviously impactful cohort.

[@metapotamus]

I agree with you, but I also think you might’ve missed part of the point Sam was trying to make. His point is that the people and institutions who dictate most of American culture, that being Universities, Hollywood, and Big Tech companies, are mostly not part of the Trump Cult, and so there are separate issues to worry about outside of Trump. But he also stated beforehand that he views the radical right-wing threats as more dangerous than the radical left-wing threats, which I definitely agree with.

[@godisbollocks]

The tsunami of ludicrous accusations of "Trump derangement syndrome" that have been levelled at Sam Harris prove that he has never minimised the severity or political impact of Trump

[@sulljoh1]

Very true. It's not fringe. Trump was fking president!

[@drugmoney4996]

​@@metapotamusWhat right wing threats are you speaking of?

[@metapotamus]

@@drugmoney4996 Cutting social security, being anti-union, supporting a candidate who tried to undermine democracy (and getting caught acknowledging it behind closed doors), pushing for Christian-based policy in education and government even though the country is founded on religious freedom, removing the rights of women to get abortions, and more.

[@CM3Dave]

Excellent interview. Always a pleasure listening to Sam Harris!

[@Aristotelezz]

I've discovered Sam Harris when youtube came to light. Learned a lot from him about philosophic issues.

[@henryjumbohead5391]

Yeah. He’s a unique guy. He’s capable of in depth conversations about a variety of topics unrelated to politics.

[@Pinkfongfan24]

Yeah I’ve been following him since 2009ish 😂 one of the best podcasts ever ❤

[@l000tube]

I did too, since the beginning, but i lost track of him over the years as his stream got paywalled. I also got a bit fed up with his caricature of 'the left', i am of the left, but i did not recognise the label he was bashnig. It was almost like he was attacking a strawman of 'the left'. Anyway, I agreed with most of what he said and glad he recognises the assymetry of danger level between a social justice warrior type person and the hard right MAGA crowd, which is rightly so - insane.

[@slime8177]

Good to see Sam talking to David, two great voices

[@cgaud1n69]

Sam brings a metric ton of credibility. I trust Sam's spiritual and moral compass above these pseudo Christian Nationalists. No comparison really.

[@brandonwilliams957]

"Waking Up" is awesome. Much love to Sam Harris.

[@conservatismisadisease6130]

Theres a meditation app by harris too

[@marcomoreno6748]

Sam has maintained his integrity and intellectual honesty through the shit show that was 2015-2022. He is now reaping his rewards.

[@Gulfstreams]

I could do without the Murray interviews, v*le man.

[@ittositto6494]

Yeah… it’s not new. When I was 12 on Y2K-eve my family had us standing on a deserted footy oval waiting for the end of the world. Spent all evening giving out sausages in bread to the people at the actual party in a building nearby… but they had to come to us. Mum now hand-waves it off as: “Oh that, that was just a computer virus thing” Fortunately they weren’t into actually ‘drinking the cool-aid’ The whole family are still into every conspiracy, but I cannot say the same about the cool-aid. Just tired of the anti-vax bs.

[@cgsec2275]

Are you saying we don't need to worry about AI because the Y2K thing turned out to be nothing?

[@garrymcfadden4105]

It’s just these vaxxes

[@peterfazio9306]

Sausages in bread? You mean, hotdogs? And what's a "footy oval"?

[@ittositto6494]

@@peterfazio9306 I'm Australian. Hotdogs are a very different thing. A 'Sausage sizzle' is the correct name for a basic sausage 'Snag' in bread with optional serving of onion and sauce, and canned drinks (soda's) for sale also. Typically on weekends, outside big events or big stores, charities would sell them to the public for a couple dollars each, from a small portable picnic shelter in the carpark (parking lot). Footy Oval, is a large oval shaped sporting ground for Australian Rules football or 'footy', the field is about twice the length (or larger) than an American football stadium. I forget the lengths. Think American Football, with no scrum, no body armour and no cheerleaders. Just burly, speedy guys in close fitting clothing, punting (kicking with style) a slightly skinny football equally the length of a American field into goal posts at each end of the field. or... just pummeling each other in pretty spectacular tackles, It's a good watch, and good exercise to play yourself

[@envispojke]

I'm sorry for your loss

[@freshfalcon3996]

Dave is very good at asking questions. They're thoughtful, delivered one at a time. SO many "interviewers" can't seem to do that.

[@AJ-hc5zo]

Like Sam, agree with some stuff and disagree with some. I'm glad he admitted that the IDW has a VERY shakey track record. The original crew is like 90% grifting lunatics at this point.

[@westcoastramen]

Yes. And it's patently obvious to anyone outside of their little cult.

[@AJ-hc5zo]

@@westcoastramen Completely agree, however, it feels like internet media folks stick together normally even if they hugely disagree. I think it is a badge of honor to seem "balanced and fair" to be like "Jordan Peterson has some good points but..." where the reality is JP a televangelist that uses jargon that impresses people who don't know about the topics.

[@dustyeskie4956]

@@AJ-hc5zololz

[@anarcho-communist11]

@@AJ-hc5zo He's really been getting pushed down our throats, for crying out loud. I don't watch any of his stuff but he always appears in my recommended list or pops up unexpectedly in a video created by someone else.

[@wyomountainhippie]

I wonder what your guest would say about the risks of creating more “jihadists” through the oppression and war against of the Palestinian people. Unhappy and oppressed people (especially young men) are easy to radicalize in any fundamentalist religion, and they don’t always see the problems with that radicalization, because they just know they (and their families/communities) are suffering

[@talmeretz]

I believe I've heard him tackle that exact issue and has argued that if terrorism was based on material conditions then Palestinian Christians would also join terrorist groups in equal measure.

[@ghintz2156]

Yeah Sam's response was rambling nonsense. Thought I was listening to a Republican for a minute there. GENOCIDE IS GENOCIDE.

[@jordanbabcock]

@@ghintz2156i recommend listening to sam's latest Making Sense episode called 5 Myths About Israel and the War in Gaza

[@JamesSmith-sw3nk]

@@talmeretz That's b.s. No one in Appalachia has had half of their family killed by a drone strike. The most backward Red state is still much a LOT more free than many Islamic states. Not comparable.

[@talmeretz]

@@JamesSmith-sw3nk I'm talking about Palestinian Christians

[@moxiechacha1146]

We need to listen to Sam. Wake up America!

[@kathleenoconnor5527]

So happy to listen to this! Sam is a national treasure. ❤

[@SpacemanSpiff9406]

Great questions. Great answers. Harris/Pakman 2024!!

[@gregruddock5662]

Class act interview here. Mr Pakman is asking INCREDIBLY qualified questions. Most interviewers lag behind Sam. Great work!!!

[@adamsandler8885]

Let’s go, don’t hear enough of Sam these days

[@MamaJanella]

The biggest problem is that there are people who WANT to be lied to. Those people are going to believe whatever they want to. Right or left.

[@littlejerryseinfeld4168]

yep. i stopped trying to reason with those people, they take too much energy for very little return on time investment. idealist young lefties and batshit right wingers of all ages, i just let them spout off now, theyre energy vampires

[@mph650]

Alot of lies coming from science and Fauci

[@anarcho-communist11]

Mama - So true. It's the biggest problem in the US right now; people unwilling to face reality.

[@frankmarsh1159]

Nobody wants to be lied to. But some people are attracted to liars. The people who watch Fox news and support Trump are attracted to snarky, cynical men and women who wear too much makeup and brush their hair 20 times a day. For some strange reason they believe those people would never lie to them...These are the same people who watch TV preachers and professional wrestling.They don't know they are being lied to.

[@ecyranot]

I saw a perfect example of this earlier today. A MAGA man said he was sure the George Floyd story was made up. He said the policeman didn't have his knee on his neck. The interviewer asked what he thought of the video evidence. The man said he hadn't seen a video!! I think it was Yeats who saw the downfall of the world in his poem "Second Coming" in which, to paraphrase, the ignorant are the most passionate in their opinions.

[@Mrscvbuzz]

I appreciate the conversation and one of the attributes I’ve always admired about David P. Is his pragmatism and objectivity, but I am sorely disappointed that you had a conversation about Israel and Palestine and only spoke of middle eastern terrorists (who do need to be eradicated), but completely skip over the thousands of innocent civilians who have been murdered by the IDF with the support and funding from the U.S. That conversation was such a myopic point of view without considering the other variables. I am voting for Biden (although I don’t want to, but I know what is at stake if trump regains the White House), but do you know how many peaceful Muslim or Palestinians Americans and their allies are affected by this as well?? There was no mention of the ICJs recommendation about the civilians (and they are not able to call for a ceasefire because Hamas is not a part of the UN). Maybe you can have an objective expert in the matter on your show instead of just another Israeli apologist.

[@NebraskaGonvilleJones]

I appreciate your point of view

[@Mikejr91]

Boo hoo😢

[@danieliusblackius1130]

Agreed. There was even talk in this interview basically insinuating that the average protester protesting on the behalf of Palestine is a "Hamas supporter". Or, at the very least the mention of "Hamas supporters" was very cavalierly made - when that must represent such a very small percentage of any protesters actually existing in reality. I have never once heard from a pro-Palestine person who wouldn't immediately denounce Hamas, even if they also went on to denounce illegal Israeli settlements, Israel controlling input and output of Gaza, the current conflict and the killing of thousands of people, including thousands of children, or the completely disparate power dynamic leaving one side of the conflict entirely incapable of defending itself. The treatment of the Israel topic in this interview was absolutely pathetic.

[@PiccolaMonalisa]

Critical Thinking and common sense in one conversation

[@chinkasuyaro8983]

Sam demonstrates uncommon sense.

[@Progger11]

Aside from the transphobia and fear mongering against Muslims, sure.

[@bastiaanvanbeek]

The world needs more rational people and emotionally driven people with the right ethical compass. I am getting sick of superficial influencers, religious extremism, conspiracy theorists, money makers, corruption, endless economic expansion, people like Tucker Carlson and Vladimir Putin, etc. We live in 2024 for God's sake! Not in 2004, 1974 or 1014. PS I am not religious.

[@moja6380]

Sam Harris is a fraud

[@codysterling3870]

I have never so strongly agreed with someone on certain topics and so strongly disagreed with that same person on other topics as I do with Sam. Either way his voice is very important in our public discourse.

[@CGW129]

His takes on “wokism” and obsession with Islam are ridiculous. I think that he represents most American centrist’s thoughts on those subjects though.

[@jj-mcgreezies]

Damn, I'm so glad you guys did this, Sam is one of the greatest minds of our time

[@Not_Vladimir_Putin]

Sam makes a good point with the "faster to set many fires than to put them out" analogy. Before two people debate a topic, they should submit their evidence in advance (like discovery in court), to allow the opposition time to test the veracity of claims to be made. If you trust your evidence, you shouldn't fear it's scrutiny.

[@Anniducati]

I kind of like that idea.

[@DavidRamos-nz4bh]

My two favorites together! WOW!

[@jgreen2015]

These two have kept me sane since 2015 The left has gone absolutely nuts in most areas. But these two remained staunchly sensible

[@eduardhenny1]

Agree, both class acts

[@jgreen2015]

@@GrumpyRobot75 here's the thing though - it is the craziness of the left that created maga Maga is a reaction to the insanity of the left I predicted it... And I was right. And the number of people now alt right who used to be left wing and say shit like 'i didn't abandon the left it abandoned me' is insane. And I have managed to have more sane debates with maga loons than woke loons. And I achieved that by agreeing with their criticism of the loony left. Because by doing so it opens up them to be able to criticise their side. When all you do is attack them it puts their back up against the wall and dig their heels in. And the loony left have been attacking republicans since 2001 when after 9/11 it was just standard to call bush a nazi when he really wasn't lol but what happens when you just blindly call everyone on the right Nazis? It creates a breeding ground for Nazis to groom them. It makes it harder for them to recognise actual Nazis

[@jgreen2015]

@@GrumpyRobot75 here's the thing though - the insanity of the left is what created Trumpism. Maga is a reaction to the American left

[@BrianBattles]

I wish this discussion went on for a couple more hours

[@novelknowledge]

Need Sam to talk some sense into Joe Rogan.

[@fredlang5997]

Joe Rogan is focused on the cents and the dollars!

[@FighterFlash]

Rogan is just at a “higher plane”

[@rosykatzCATS]

Not possible

[@rosykatzCATS]

​@@FighterFlasha plane of insanity

[@fredlang5997]

@@rosykatzCATS I think he wanted you to focus on the "higher" bit in that statement... 😉

[@fishbone2921]

Thank you for this interview. Fascinating.

[@WHATISTRUTHTV]

Lol two people dead wrong over covid .... 😂😅

[@stanh24]

David, thanks for having Sam on your program. Both of you are among my favorite KZbinrs! 👏👏👏

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Same

[@myselftik]

Both are on the wrong side of history in the ongoing conflict. Very disappointing.

[@mrtambourineman6107]

@myselftik yeah mate and Trump is Jesus.

[@therainman7777]

@@myselftik😂😂😂

[@VaughanMcCue]

Sam is brilliant at expressing his ideas, and I wish I could be half as good.

[@Ritch98777]

His answer to the question at 7:46 was excellent. Called out the rest of the IDW and rogan essentially for only seeing the problems of the far left.

[@buckchile614]

Only using one hemisphere--the emotional one

[@SI-cd7xs]

The far left are the only ones in power.

[@markbeames7852]

46:33 “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." Isaac Asimov

[@aaronlogan_music]

Love that you got Sam on

[@SohelBahjat]

I have enjoyed watching every minute of this nice interview!

[@stevensiwinski]

You need Sam on more often. Great discussions.

[@brendaoneill1581]

Wow! This conversation is exactly why I respect you David and this podcast. I have to admit I didn't know Sam until this episode. Thank you both for your insight and thoughts

[@brendaoneill1581]

Oh and I'm not being radicalized Sam by watching this show lol....or am I.... just joking

[@sidar2071]

These 2 are lost causes on Israel. Sam talks about the idw failing to compartmentalize the anti-woke and trumpism yet fails completely to apply the same thing to Israel. You can think Hamas is trash while acknowledging killing tens of thousands of civilians is bad. Also acknowledging this issue predates hamas by over 50 years. I’m sure global jihad is what motivates the common citizen in gaza to hate Israel. It has nothing to do with living in an open air prison. Pakman also doesn’t want to acknowledge that this is a failed plan. USA bombed Afghanistan for 20 years and literally the day we left the taliban took the country. He reported on this failure for years but doesn’t want to see its the same dumb strategy in Israel This campaign will never get rid of Hamas.

[@solo741]

You can and should be upset at the loss of civilian lives but the blame belongs to Hamas and not Israel. Israel never voted to put Hamas in power. You can say that most of the current Palestinian population also didn’t vote for Hamas but that is not Israel’s problem, and Hamas still has a majority of Palestinians supporting them. It’s an “open air prison” because Hamas hasn’t given anyone a choice. Also, every theocracy is an open air prison for the people who live in it, just ask Iranians and Afganis. The problem the U.S. is facing is that a large portion of republicans believe Russian propaganda while a growing number of democrats are believing jihadist propaganda.

[@Kaddywompous]

⁠@@solo741I think plenty of blame for the loss of civilian lives can be reserved for the people taking those lives. The assumption seems to be that Israel had no choice but to bury and maim countless children, who of course were not even alive when Hamas was voted into power with a plurality of the vote, a government that is such a thriving, Jeffersonian democracy that they haven’t allowed an election since.

[@nicholasdale2910]

True, inevitably I believe Israel will fail as a concept. It is simply not a sustainable pop-up country model to have been done in that region.

[@NeurosisOsmosis]

Palestaine & Israel are neighbors, not across the world like us/afghanistan

[@solo741]

@@nicholasdale2910 everyone is worried about Iran getting a nuclear weapon, a legitimate concern, but we also need to be concerned about terrorists using AI as a weapon of mass destruction, maybe more so than nukes. Muslim fundamentalists want to see the end of the world and AI will give them a real chance to make it happen.

[@asian432]

Im a fan of his works, David. Thanks for the video. 😊

[@crestiferhuez5620]

This is what actual sanity looks like. Sadly we’ve seen so little of it and the comment section only reinforces this reality.

[@danielmeshel3809]

Can you possibly apply chapters to the videos in order to be able to skip to different topics?

[@margaretshepard9466]

I am on the far left as is the people I listen to, read, talk to and I take issue with Sam Harris that the left see racism as worse than it ever was. Do you know where I can get information for the veracity of that statement.

[@AdamTondowsky]

@@margaretshepard9466 I think Sam Harris just makes stuff up.

[@conservaliberal]

entitlement alert. cmon dude

[@22niloc]

Arguments and reasoning made very compelling by the eloquent lucidity of Sam Harris.

[@BassByTheBay]

Sam is a gift to rational people. He's one of the increasingly rare voices who puts truth as the desirable goal in and of itself regardless of where it points. So glad you had him as a guest!

[@jmc5335]

Sam Harris just disproved this by sayong that the current conflict in Gaza has nothing to do with Israel or American foreign policy

[@BassByTheBay]

@@jmc5335 Timestamp?

[@BassByTheBay]

@@jmc5335 I'll do it for you: 20:04. You're mischaracterizing what he said and what he means. He said that _jihadism_ is "much bigger than Israel and...American foreign policy." You're straw-manning.

[@jmc5335]

@@BassByTheBay You've not done it for me. I do appreciate that you've pulled the mischaracterising card out so early though

[@BassByTheBay]

@@jmc5335 I just quoted Harris and pointed to the part of the video you're apparently referring to which shows that your claim is inaccurate at best and dishonest at worst. And you say _I'm_ pulling the "mischaracterizing card" 😄.

[@musicman9023]

Man it's wild to see someone who I once had so much respect for have such giant blinders when it comes to Israel-Palestine; Pakman on the other hand I've just accepted is terrible when it comes to Israel. Enlighten us Sam, are the plethora of nations across the world that have agreed with the ICJ ruling calling what Israel is doing a genocide, are they also 'woke' and undergoing a 'moral confusion'?

[@brady3126]

No, they’re just the regular kind of antisemitic.

[@JungleScene]

great interview david, thanks for bringing Sam on... hes one of the few sober minds left in public intelligencia. Voices like this are going to be invaluable if we are to keep our societies and democracies tied together.

[@tallmikeholley]

I don't agree with David on most of his ideas, but I love his willingness to have conversations and debate. Good job David!

[@civilape]

we didn't kill all Germans because of what the Nazis did to the Jews. No, only the high ranking were held accountable. So I don't know why the position of "don't kill all the Palestinians for the crimes of Hamas" is such a controversial positional. seems entirely reasonable to me.

[@CM3Dave]

What on earth are you talking about! Google WWII Dresden and Hamburg allied bombing campaigns.

[@joebigguybiden]

All the “high ranking” Nazis were brought back to the U.S. and given new “high ranking” jobs within its government 🤡🤡

[@Classicalliberal85]

Many German civilians were killed on defeating the nazis

[@dirtydish6642]

While I find Harris to speak quite intelligently on a number of subjects, his pushing the generics of "wokeness on the left" as a grotesque object on par with Trumpism "more or less" is not worth entertaining. I may as well be listening to Joe Rogan or Tim Poole at that point.

[@Gershwood]

They fuel each other I think

[@user-py5fj1ce2c]

Well that's a problem. It's not the same when Ben Shapiro says it on the Joe Rogan podcast, and when Sam Harris says it. Nuance and intent is important. It's easy to overshoot when talking about "wokeness going too far" and there should be good faith criticism towards the idea, but your comment is just dismissing and reducing it completely.

[@richevangelista3069]

This just made my day! Thanks David and Sam.

[@freshfalcon3996]

Sam has unimpeachable intellectual integrity. He's part of an ever-shrinking club.

[@reggielewis4196]

He was wrong about Covid and has a ridiculous unfalsifiable claim of free will. Real genius.

[@justgivemethetruth]

True, I admire Sam so much for his integrity of turning his back on some of the "intellectuals" of the West who are more concerned by imposing the far-right wing on the world than in finding the truth. Bravo Sam!

[@kstar1489]

Except for his platforming of a racist without challenging him, and stoking Islamophobia

[@elmoblatch9787]

@@kstar1489 He does not stoke islamaphobia. He points out the bad ideas within islam. There is a crucial difference. The death penalty for homosexuality is one of many bad ideas within islam. The death penalty for apostasy is another. Extremism that takes the form of murder / torture is another.

[@disdoncable]

@@kstar1489 Lol @ "Islamophobia"

[@livealoha50f]

2 of the top 10 most articulate English speaking dudes on the planet.

[@mattayoubi9829]

Who are the others?

[@NotJasperinthePhilippines]

You must not know a lot of people...

[@CrabtreeBob]

If you like people who use a lot of words to say little of substance.

[@frankmossa6445]

Great sit-down David, we can never go wrong, having aware and conscious people discussing the truths of society..

[@doneestoner9945]

I love Sam Harris.

[@oldtimer7635]

Sam....my hero!

[@LucidityEngine]

First time watching the channel. Enjoyed this conversation, thank you. ✌️

[@CARambolagen]

I call "audience capture" "milking the mob"...

[@LowenKM]

Yeah, you're right, the whole 'populist' thang, both Right and Left, seems to have an 'addictive' quality about it, like it satisfies some 'need'.

[@timbuckll]

Being captured by the audience or capturing an audience is, on the surface, only linguistically different.

[@CARambolagen]

@@timbuckll Tell that to the fish that is being caught 🤣

[@wasdwasdedsf]

@@LowenKM whats wrong with the thing? a politician trying to do what the people want, as he is a representative for thep eople? why dont we just continue this charade thats been goign so well, with stagnant wage growth for half a century despite massive technological progress?

[@scottosia1523]

There were not college students calling for genocide against Jews, they were OPPOSING a genocide against Palestinians. Sam equivocating this to the attacks on trans people is disgusting. And I say this as a straight cis white male. So I have no skin in the game. But I lost a lot of respect for Sam Harris since the war on gaza started.

[@JoshSmithDeeps]

Sam Harris has always had a glaring flaw, unfortunately, which is his hatred for Muslims. His thoughts on Gaza follow his line of bigotry.

[@EducatedGuessGutFeeling]

Fantastic interview. I wish more people would take a rational approach like you guys.

[@alexbade]

03:52 - also the problem of vaccin injury - is not just that, it's also that not only it debilitates the life of the precise individual, but during covid 2021-2023 for instance in France - you couldn't get a job if you didn't have your covid vaccine shots ... and had to go tested with a swab in your nose every morning before work if you're covid vaccines weren't up to date. The rules wore draconic and no NORMAL human being can say that's freedom. I developed chronic urticaria specifically from the covid vaccine. Since then I got vaccinated for Monkey Pox and also Polio and didn't have any side effects, not even urticaria. I profoundly think and it's an evidence for me that the COVI vaccines were totally not enough tested properly before obliging and coursing people into taking them.

[@Triple_J.1]

All of the anti-vaxxers are THE REASON for the MANDATES. If people were not so militantly opposed to science and reason, to the point of FABRICATING a GIANT WORLD OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES about it. There wouldn't have been any problem.

[@curiousabout1]

NORMAL people understand that individual freedoms exist only up to the point of infringing on those of others. Vaccine mandates have been with us for centuries, are not in any way new to the Covid pandemic, and are proven effective. Your individual case is unfortunate if true, no one would deny that, just as no one can deny that mandated vaccines have saved millions of human lives since their inception. Your profound thoughts on the matter are irrelevant to those lives saved.

[@robinhood4640]

@@curiousabout1 The first word of your reply, in capitals, was an indicator that your comment probably wasn't worth reading. If only i had trusted my initial impression, i would have saved a bit of time.

[@curiousabout1]

@@robinhood4640 Brilliant rebuttal. Oh wait, no it wasn't. I see you're incapable of any rebuttal whatsoever. Sad. Edit: Omg lmao I just found that you're also obsessed with perpetual motion. Well well okay then, you really are a special creature aren't you. I won't respond further because it I don't want to take any time away from your critical research roflmao.

[@esrl447-i6j]

You're a great interviewer David. You asked good questions and then let Sam talk. 👍

[@theenspireriann]

What a fantastic interview 🙏⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@PortlandRose]

I take Sam’s point on Jihadism, but that does not address the serious issues in Israel, and the Israeli state control of movement (in and out), goods, medicine etc. in Gaza BEFORE 10/07. You just can’t conflate being Muslim as justification for an apartheid system where the original inhabitants are put under the control of a government imposed from outside the region. (And this is also a separate issue from Israel’s right to exist.)

[@theboss4359]

You realize that just accurately labeling Israel as an apartheid state will get you put into one of the boxes Harris laid out in this interview - ‘woke,’ ‘identity politics,’ ‘anti-Semitic’ - there’s no use reasoning with someone like Sam Harris, he’s an Islamophobic scumbag

[@RobertBaur-pp9kj]

Palestine isn't part of Israel. It's not apartheid. There are many non Jewish people living in Israel. Any additional security measures are directly caused by terrorism.

[@arthurunknown8972]

Liars lie. When caught, they just lie again. The only cure is don't believe liars. Once caught, ignore them forever. That price must be paid to save the truth.

[@HairySourpuss]

You’re talking about like hands up don’t shoot and Russian collusion and 15 days to stop the spread right?

[@Upsideround]

Everyone lies. so don't believe anyone? So you have never lied? sure. That is the silliest thing I've heard in a long time.

[@arthurunknown8972]

@@Upsideround You're engaging in the fallacy of false equivalency. You didn't try to understand the point but rather tried a strawman fallacy. Your pedantic response establishes you're not an honest interlocutor.

[@Upsideround]

​@@arthurunknown8972 What you said was pretty definitive. There are no caveats or variables. I love the pretension.. it's cute. Did you just take a philosophy class?

[@arthurunknown8972]

@Upsideround "When caught, they lie again" is very specific. However, you choose to ignore that foundational premise. So, are you stupid or pretending to be stupid?

[@joethebassplayer]

I appreciate Sam Harris' mind and his positions on most things... even the things I may not agree with him completely, I still reconsider my positions when opposing his positions. His logic and pragmatism is quite sound and his communication skills and craft of articulation is most respectable... Great interview and great show as always... Thank you both!

[@downtownjb100]

Sam is the best! Always happy to clear, rational response to what's going on.

[@chrisboulanger4824]

I like a lot of Sam's ideas and thinking but when it comes to the Gaza war situation, his take is weak. He brings everything down to "jihadism"; not a word about the context of the whole Israel/Palestine history, about the apartheid conditions the Palestinians live under, the daily humiliation at cross-points to go from here to there, about the total destruction of the Gaza strip to make it uninhabitable, about basic humanity in the face of 26,000 dead people including 10,000 children. His formidable rational mind has been hijacked by a deep unconscious tribal identity. Wish David had pushed back a little bit on that one.

[@markhumke9349]

Great show ! Thank you !

[@imac84]

Worlds are colliding! I’ve been a huge fan of Sam Harris for years!

[@vargonian]

Aside from Dave Rubin or maybe Tim Pool, it’s hard to find a better poster child for audience capture than Bret Weinstein.

[@skosh6359]

I would add Jimmy Dore and Russell Brand to that list,

[@reinforcedpenisstem]

True

[@Gabriel2oh6]

@@skosh6359Jimmy Dore’s audience capture is insane. I know Brett Weinstein drifted hard into pseudo intellectual lunatic land, but I didn’t know him so much before he broke out, and immediately when he broke out, he started things by going after the woke crowd so my impression of him was always right of center. Jimmy Dore however, I knew him as a radical progressive who spat in Alex Jones face and hated police officers. Jimmy Dore was too radical for me even, and now he pals around and talks to guys like Tucker Carlson and even the man he once spat on, Alex Jones. Nine years ago, I would have never expected Jimmy Dore to be buddies with the far extreme right but that’s what audience capture does to you. He started getting a ton of praise from MAGA-adjacent right wingers, and I think Jimmy got hooked on the adulation. He loved the whole “Wow, I’m a conservative but Jimmy Dore is the one left winger that I respect” stuff and got hooked on it.

[@interdimensionalsteve8172]

@@skosh6359 Ha, just posted the same before seeing this. Yes, these two are particular egregious because they draw in left-leaning folks, then proceed to rot their brains with same'ism, apathy and doomer'ism. Very dangerous those two.

[@MrGgabber]

It's just establishment vs anti. Many people are happy with the status quo

[@rexpayne7836]

Sam's an intelligent man who thinks logically about important issues. 😊

[@alexobrien3890]

We cannot learn to be better if we don't constantly evaluate what and why we do things and how they impact others. Wokeness is how we change. BEING AWARE AND CONSCIOUS of our thoughts and actions. Sometimes in the attempt to learn and change there may be some overcorrection before we land on common good growth. The friction happens when one finds that their behavior is being targeted as racist, unjust, intolerant and THEY feel offended instead of reflective. One doesn't change easily ,if at all, if one doesn't self reflect and have a willingness to consider that their behavior or ideology might impact others negatively if not harmfully and dangerously and decide that they don't want to be that kind of a person.

[@jeanniep1003]

Bravo!

[@triedandchew]

We don't need an AI to generate mockumentaries...we already have Dinesh D'Souza for that.

[@justgivemethetruth]

I love Sam ... he is really patient, smart, careful as to what he says, and thoughful. Thanks for having Sam on.

[@coach107]

Awesome get! Love Sam! I would sacrifice a digit to get to hang out and chat with him! Thanks for this David!!!

[@MaximoToro]

Sam Harris has always been my go-to voice of reason. He's one of the rare few (the only one I know, apart from Dr. Mike Istaetel) who isn't captured by their audience the way Rogan, Lex Fridman, and company have been.

[@ChazinSthl]

Love Dr. Mike! Good to know others watch him too

[@mlthornton1]

I love listening to Sam because he speaks so clearly and calmly even under duress. However I have noticed he is more and more likely to assume that points of view he disagrees with are the result of 'confusion' or 'monstrosity'. I sometimes disagree with Sam, does that make me a confused monster? Quite obnoxious frankly.

[@MaximoToro]

@@mlthornton1 any particular points you're referring to?

[@Hondodawg]

I agree with Sam's assertion about jihadism. However he did not address the specific situation on the ground in Palestine. The issue of illegal occupation and the expansion of settlements in the Palestinian areas is a fundamental problem that gives the jihadists oxygen. I think Sam's response dodged the question of the impact of illegal Jewish occupation.

[@mariomario1462]

Cant wait to hear what Ben Stiller has to say

[@erniehudson1]

After seeing him on "There is something about Mary" I didn't expect him to give Ted-Talks!

[@littlejerryseinfeld4168]

lol. thats who he reminds me of, thank you for making me realize that. Never made the connection

[@samdg1234]

Let's not forget the hero of Christopher Hitchens, “Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.” - George Orwell

[@draxxthemsclounts2478]

Christopher Hitchens was great in ways but politically insane.

[@samdg1234]

@@draxxthemsclounts2478 I no longer recall what it was in this video that inspired my comment here. However, I did like Hitch, his sophistic tendencies notwithstanding. Harris takes sophism to a new level, though. He is reluctant to show that there was any daylight between his views and those of Hitchens, but I'd suspect Hitch would have seen the gaping flaws in Harris's reasoning. *"Christopher Hitchens was great in ways but politically insane."* I'm not sure to what you are referring. Politics is messy business. There is seemingly no such thing as a party or a candidate that is correct on all fronts and about all questions. Harris and Hitch were both articulate and aligned on some political issues. Here is a memorable quote from Harris, with which I'm sure Hitch would have agreed totally. "Recall how Bill Clinton’s cantatas of indignation were abruptly silenced the moment he learned that a semen-stained dress was en route to the lab. The mere threat of DNA analysis produced what no grand jury ever could - instantaneous communication with the great man’s conscience, which appeared to be in another galaxy." -Sam Harris (The Moral Landscape) Cheers, Sam

[@babymammoth34]

Sounds like you envy Sam Harris and his intellect. Hitchens was an unapologetic Warhawk

[@leeanderson5955]

The Hamas/Israel discussions are at the forefront because otherwise intelligent people have for decades upon decades ignored the ridiculous assumptions of truth regarding the religious times: I.e., Bible, Koran. Intelligent people know by now the universe contains 200 trillion galaxies, that alone suggests our religions are exceedingly myopic and when so-called intellectual people continually pander to religion and won’t come right out and put religion in perspective as being written long, long before people discovered the world wasn’t flat. These flat earth religions do more to confuse people and intelligent people should not pander to religion. Everyone should rely on themselves to understand God, or the concept of God or to not be in the least bit interested.