Entertaining, engaging conversation. Independent thinking + sanity + amity = a good thing.
Wrt the protesters etc. it was nice to hear people pointing out that nobody is obligated to state an opinion on any particular matter whenever prompted. A couple of weeks ago during his conversation with Walter Kirn (I think it was a later transcript post) Matt Taibbi referenced current events in Israel/Gaza but said he didn't have deep enough knowledge about the details/history behind the strife to issue any definitive statement one way or another.
Numerous commenters were outraged, foaming at the mouth at the fact that he didn't give his hot take. It's insane. An intractable, horrible conflict has been going on since forever, and now randos who live six thousand miles away from it are outraged that some guy they've never met who also lives six thousand miles away hasn't picked a side, and are informing/warning him that his refusal to give his hot take, on demand, is morally inexcusable and disgusting, and that by not taking a stand he's complicit in genocide, etc., etc.
I would normally end on a lighter note but that's just where the typing stopped.
YES. I hate it! Like, the problem IS that far too many people take hard and fast positions on things they don't understand — the idea that we should do that more is nonsense. They are just wanting people to fake it, essentially.
I loved this conversation too! I have only recently got into podcasts. Been reading your articles for a while but so enjoying your discussions and interviews.
Oh I'm so glad! To be honest, I don't use YouTube that much either hahaha. (As a viewer/listener, I mean... I hate watching and prefer to listen while I'm doing other things — walking, cooking, while on the plane etc, so listen to podcasts far more.) But apparently others do! In any case, I'm glad you are enjoying the conversations :)
Entertaining, engaging conversation. Independent thinking + sanity + amity = a good thing.
Wrt the protesters etc. it was nice to hear people pointing out that nobody is obligated to state an opinion on any particular matter whenever prompted. A couple of weeks ago during his conversation with Walter Kirn (I think it was a later transcript post) Matt Taibbi referenced current events in Israel/Gaza but said he didn't have deep enough knowledge about the details/history behind the strife to issue any definitive statement one way or another.
Numerous commenters were outraged, foaming at the mouth at the fact that he didn't give his hot take. It's insane. An intractable, horrible conflict has been going on since forever, and now randos who live six thousand miles away from it are outraged that some guy they've never met who also lives six thousand miles away hasn't picked a side, and are informing/warning him that his refusal to give his hot take, on demand, is morally inexcusable and disgusting, and that by not taking a stand he's complicit in genocide, etc., etc.
I would normally end on a lighter note but that's just where the typing stopped.
YES. I hate it! Like, the problem IS that far too many people take hard and fast positions on things they don't understand — the idea that we should do that more is nonsense. They are just wanting people to fake it, essentially.
And this is exactly why I subscribe to Matt Taibbi's Substack and consider him to be one of the best, most ethical journalists we have.
He is excellent and consistently honest, careful, and ethical.
I loved this conversation too! I have only recently got into podcasts. Been reading your articles for a while but so enjoying your discussions and interviews.
Yay! I'm so glad!
Love these chats, I look forward to seeing them drop in my Substack feed. Thanks for making them available to us that don’t really use YouTube.
Oh I'm so glad! To be honest, I don't use YouTube that much either hahaha. (As a viewer/listener, I mean... I hate watching and prefer to listen while I'm doing other things — walking, cooking, while on the plane etc, so listen to podcasts far more.) But apparently others do! In any case, I'm glad you are enjoying the conversations :)
I have just discovered the writer Elizabeth Nickson on substack. Are you familiar with her writing?
I am not! Will look her up thanks!