Stay ConnectedJoin me as we ride the giddy wave of the discourse, surfing from topic to topic and commentator to commentator, deep-diving into what people are saying, and whether it makes any sense.
Jack Treadwell is currently researching Cognitive Science in a Philosophy PhD (while moonlighting as a podcaster and writer).
Copyright: © Jack Treadwell 2023
Greetings ye surfers of The Discourse!
If podcasts were scented, today’s episode would exude a sweet, though somewhat mildewed musk, courtesy of the main subject of discussion: Mr Elon.
Elon Musk is a noted memer and rascal entrepreneur, famed for his erratic stewardship of several attention-grabbing companies, and for his many blundering and awkward forays onto the public stage as a speaker, tweeter, pundit, and podcaster.
In this episode, we’ll pick through Elon’s recent appearances on the Joe Rogan and Lex Fridman podcasts, and take a magnifying glass to his multifarious hot-takes, to see whether he lives up to his (erstwhile) reputation as a mega-genius.
The episode covers a wide range of topics, from consciousness and free will, to Ukraine, Covid, and the Twitter Files. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get Musky!
Links
Elon on Joe Rogan
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7edwvm2c6Ieuzun4xtFYCJ
Elon on Lex Fridman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN3KPFbWCy8
Relevant Twitter Files Posts
https://twitter.com/davidzweig/status/1607378386338340867
Debunking Musk on Ventilators
Welcome, Discourse Surfers!
In this episode, we peer behind the curtain that conceals Konstantin Kisin, and let me tell you, there’ll be no Kisin up to the fellow here. While he exhibits all the superficial trimmings of a well-groomed thinker, upon closer inspection we find him rather epistemically-bedraggled - at least, on certain topics. He seems to be mid-slide on that slippery slope towards the pits of Heterodox Land, and as a result he’s a predictably murky thinker on any topic that even mentions the word ‘institution’.
Meanwhile, we take a closer look at Chris Williamson, a man with a prodigious memory for quotes, and a penchant for delivering arm-chair diagnoses of the human condition (the quality of which are to be determined in this episode).
Finally, we’ll try to get to grips with some of Joe Rogan’s homespun philosophy – ideas that are well-worn, if sometimes poorly thought-out.
So in all, a bit of a hodgepodge for us to wade through; but I assure you, the lack of cohesiveness is no barrier to enjoyment or edification. So strap in, and enjoy!
Some citations (I really ought to get better at including these!)
Welcome to the discourse!
Today we’re going to take a peep at what the commentariat have to say about the war in Ukraine – a topic that has proven irresistible to non-expert partisans of all stripes. As we’ll see, there’s a particular narrative that has bubbled up in the discourse – seeded by an absolute scallywag of a political scientist, John Mearsheimer. His ideas were once the scorn of his fellow academics, but have now vaulted him into superstardom among heterodox and anti-establishment commentators across the world (an honour that no doubt has its drawbacks).
So join me, as we listen to Jordan Peterson, Dave Rubin, Russell Brand, Candace Owens, and others, opining with much self-assurance on the intricacies of geopolitics and international relations.
As we’ll see, they uniformly argue that the Ukraine war is not really the fault of renowned dictator and brutish former KGB-agent Vladimir Putin and his Kremlin kin, but the fault of NATO, and The West more broadly. I’ll argue that this self-flagellating view derives not from an honest attempt to appraise our own culpability, but rather from a deep-seated and myopic disdain and distrust of western governments.
So, strap in, and let’s dive headlong into the dizzying chatter of our ever-opinionated chums!
We're doing something a bit different this week - surfing further afield than normal, to get a feel for the broader conversation 0n a topic that's on everyone's lips: the scurrilous (and rather serious) allegations against Russell Brand.
In this episode, I sketch a cross-sectional view of the conspiratorial-right-wing's reaction to it, by looking at a bunch of their conversations. We'll see what Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin, Andrew Tate, and Steven Crowder have to say on the matter.
As it happens, it would have been sufficient to have listened to only one of them, because they all seem to echo one another's views with an eerie degree of similarity - almost as though these ideas have been bouncing around some sort of echo chamber. But surely that can't be the case - these are all free thinking, conformity-defying, independent journalists, of outstanding intellectual integrity.. right?
Tune in to find out precisely how sarcastic I'm being!
G'day discourse surfers!
Join me as we surf the foamy wave of Eric Weinstein's recent conversation with Chris Williamson. This is an exhilarating ride - though the seas are rather perilous; strewn as they are with Eric's jargon and obscure references, as well as his murky arguments and cloudy concepts.
The conversation dwells on the misbehavior of Jeffrey Epstein, the malice of the mainstream media, and the urgent need for us to escape our doomed planet. These are heady and tumultuous seas indeed - so take a couple of sealegs, and let's dive in.
Sources
Eric Weinstein on Modern Wisdom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJxBnSyH0T4
Eric Weinstein's Portal episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxnkGymKuuI&list=PLq9jO8fmlPee9ezOraOHAJ3g9Zh3V2F2G&index=14
Decoding the Gurus episodes on Eric: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/decoding-the-gurus/id1531266667?i=1000621155618
https://pod.link/1531266667/episode/6992d793833f2b27cfd5eea6aa93dccf
Been wondering what the inestimable Gad Saad has been up to? This episode has the goss. And that’s only the entrée. The main course of the episode is a light analysis of the dynamic duo - Lex Fridman and Andrew Huberman – with a side of amusing clips guaranteed to whet your appetite. Specifically, I’ll be attempting to decipher the recent exchange these two brawny bro-scientists had on Lex Fridman’s illustrious podcast.
So, if you’re itching to ascertain Dr Huberman’s epistemic prowess on matters that fall outside the scope of his domain of expertise, look no further – because this episode features hot-takes galore on this all-important question.
Or if, alternatively, you’re looking for something a little more tender and philosophical – a gentle plunge into the poetical and sentimental mind of Lex Fridman, this episode shan’t disappoint.
Jordan Peterson - the man, the myth, the legend!
Some say he has become passé in the political arena; I say the man is an evergreen source of - well - if not good ideas and clear thinking, then at the very least of amusement and salutary lessons in how not to reason.
In this episode I examine a couple of his recent interviews: his appearance on Bill Maher's 'Club Random' podcast, and his appearance on Russell Brand's show.
We'll see Peterson's recent decent into the dark rabbit hole of psychopathic, machiavellian villains, and the fruits of his efforts to expose the myriad misdeeds of this menacing menagerie.
We'll uncover the logic behind Peterson's incessant references to the bible (as well as Disney cartoons), and, more importantly, we'll unlock the key to Jordan Peterson's successful love life!
So, whether you're a Peterson stan, or a diehard critic, you're bound to get something out of this episode!
Gad Saad - anti-woke crusader; political firebrand; evolutionary virtuoso; shameless self-promoter - he's a man of many hats.. actually, about 4 or 5 hats, as will become clear in this episode.This is Gad's umpteenth appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, and there's some indication that, when it comes to Gad's 'self-promoting' hat, Joe's patience is starting to wear thin.In this episode I delve into the minds and ideas of both Joe and Gad, to see whether any of what they're saying checks out. I argue that much of it does not - but you be the judge!
Join me as we surf the wave of cultural discourse - where this week we ride the crest of Andrew Tate's recent 2.5 hour interview with Tucker Carlson. In this episode, we pick apart the brain of self-styled philosophical giant and world's smartest man Andrew Tate. We'll uncover the deepest and most intimate parts of his worldview to see just how deep they go (spoiler - it ain't very deep).
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