Comedy

The Political Orphanage

Politics minus bile plus jokes. Comedian and avowed independent Andrew Heaton interviews authors and thought leaders about policy and big thinky stuff.

Latest Episodes:

Upwingers Fighting Downwingers Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Steve Fuller of Warwick University says the meaningful split in society is not Leftwing vs. Rightwing, but rather Upwing vs. Downwing. Both have radically different attitudes to both risk and human nature, which informs their policy decisions and the direction they want to steer society.

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Dr. Fuller's book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Referenced in the show today:

TPO: "Was Abraham Lincoln Leftwing or Rightwing?" https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/hyrum-lewis

"Transcenant Man" – Documentary by Ray Kurzweill about the Singularity https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcendent-Man-Ray-Kurzweil/dp/B016V7WCLA

ATA: The Bioethics of Gattica – Discussed on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/gattaca

ATA: How Cryonics Works – Interview on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/we-can-freeze-you-how-cryonics-works

Lizard People and SuperPACs Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Lawrence Lessig of Harvard University is the nation's foremost thinker and advocate for campaign finance reform around SuperPAC's. He joins the show to argue for governing political campaigns and SuperPAC's under the same rules.

Lessig's website and contest: https://equalcitizens.us/crowdfund-video/

How to Spot Statistical Garbage Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

Statistics can be mangled to say whatever you'd like, and sometimes they're garbage to begin with.

Aaron Brown teaches statistics at New York University and at the University of California. He joins to tip us off on statistical malfeasance.

Government Minus Geography Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

America is less geographically-focused than ever, but her government is still foundationally built around land areas. What would politics look like if geography played less of a role? Max Borders joins to discuss. SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton TOP TEN EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof Max's Constitution writing contest: https://underthrow.substack.com/p/the-constitution-of-consent-contest Referenced Today: The Network State, by Balaji Srinivasan The Dawn of Everything, by David Graeber and David Wengrow

The Economics of Bad Films Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Thom Taylor is Los Angeles financial advisor who spent a decade writing for movie magazines. He knows the creative and business side of Hollywood, and how the current writer strike is apt to alter the trajectory of entertainment. Thom's website is www.delreycap.com Raymond Chandler article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1945/11/writers-in-hollywood/306454/?fbclid=IwAR1_W5PZ_esxYb8WCRViCmsVfnEyyw8eedUhOVN1hiPrXQ3ji3nIYemTtOI

Clarence Thomas Hates Affirmative Action Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

Last week the Supreme Court effectively banned race considerations in higher education admissions. Anastasia Boden returns to discuss the relevant constitutional law, and the underlying ideological issues.

Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Top Ten Episodes: mightyheaton.com/bestof

Mugs at: www.mightyheaton.com/merch

Anastasia's Twitter: @Anastasia_esq

The Longest Happiness Study in History Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

The Harvard Study of Adult Development spans 83-years of health and happiness data analysis, and counting! Its director is Dr. Robert Waldinger, author of "The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness." He joins to discuss his findings.

Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Top 10 Episodes! www.mightyheaton.com/bestof

Discord Link: https://discord.gg/9JnUfp627n

Find the Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Waldinger's Sangha: http://newtonzen.org/teachers.html

Cancel Culture Runs Out of Steam (WSPN) Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

The World's Smartest Podcast Networks convenes to ask: is Cancel Culture on its way out? Comedian Hannah Gadsby's art exhibit "Pablo-Matic" draws attention to the misogynist side of Pablo Picasso… but didn't seem to get much attention itself. Turner Sparks, Andrea Jones-Rooy, and Andrew Heaton combine forces to discuss the end of Cancel Culture and how funny comedy needs to be to be comedy.

NYT piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/arts/design/hannah-gadsby-brooklyn-museum-picasso.html

Poll: Who Gets Canceled? https://www.patreon.com/posts/poll-who-gets-84935788?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Because of the Commerce Clause! Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

Attorney Anna Gorisch returns to explain the Commerce Clause, and how it's gone from a restraint on state-on-state protectionism to a trump card for federal oversight to subvert local control.

Big Ag's Meat Ethics Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

This episode we dive into animal suffering, big agriculture, and the laws Big Meat has on the books to restrict freedom of speech. As well as what basic animal welfare laws would look like, and how much they would cost. Guest Lewis Bollard leads Open Philanthropy's strategy for Animal Farm Welfare.

TOP EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

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