E10: Sam Harris on Populism, Polarization, and His Beef with the Left and the Right
"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg
The Moral Illusion of the Left
"We know how our politics should be. We know we want to treat people as individuals," he says. "Knowing that a person is a member of any one of these groups gives us very little information about them, right? It just doesn't matter."
Erik sits down with Sam Harris, an author, neuroscientist, podcaster, and philosopher. Sam is known for having crucial conversations about morality, religion, rationality, and the pursuit of truth. This discussion covers Sam’s concerns about populism, polarization, and inequality. We also discuss why Sam is hated by the left and the right. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM
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LINKS:
Sam's work: https://www.samharris.org/
Sam's podcast Making Sense: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode preview
(03:00) Sam’s life’s work
(05:00) Sam’s concerns around the marketplace of ideas
(12:25) Sam is a mistake theorist
(16:45) Sponsors: Secureframe
(21:00) Why Sam is hated by both the left and the right
(23:30) Fundamental conflict between the left and the right
(32:00) Navigating group disparities
(42:00) Individual rights vs group rights
(48:00) Is wokeness the new religion?
(52:00) Sam’s critique of populism
(59:00) Sam’s defenses of experts/institutions
(1:12:00) The right doesn’t sufficiently appreciate luck
(1:17:45) Polarization is better than a one-party state
(1:22:00) Global governance
TWITTER:
Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenberg
Upstream : @upstream__pod
Making Sense Podcast: @MakingSenseHQ
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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.
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