Dave Rubin on Speaking Your Truth in a Divided World (Archived Episode)

Dec 27, 2024

In this engaging conversation, Dave Rubin, author and host of The Rubin Report, shares insights on navigating identity, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, discussing resilience and authenticity. He opens up about his experiences with surrogacy and modern parenting challenges, weighing the balance of freedom and protection in raising children. Rubin also delves into capitalism, personal responsibility, and the importance of self-reliance, all while reflecting on the political landscape and the influences of figures like Jordan Peterson.

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ANECDOTE

Book Launch During Quarantine

Dave Rubin discusses the challenges of launching a book during the coronavirus pandemic.
He explains his decision to release "Don't Burn This Book" as planned despite the circumstances.

ADVICE

Conflicted Feelings on Writing

Tom Bilyeu expresses his conflicted feelings about writing a book due to the time commitment involved.
He prefers creating video content, which allows for constant adjustments and revisions.

ANECDOTE

Rubin's Writing Process

Dave Rubin describes his disciplined writing process, often working long hours without breaks.
He compares finishing the manuscript to giving birth, followed by the "weird" process of editing.

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On liberty

John Stuart Mill

Published in 1859, 'On Liberty' is a seminal work by John Stuart Mill that argues for the protection of individual freedoms from the tyranny of the majority and government interference. Mill uses utilitarian philosophy to justify the value of liberty, emphasizing the importance of freedom of thought, discussion, and action. He introduces the 'harm principle,' which states that individuals should only be restrained from acting when their conduct may harm others. The essay is structured into five chapters, each addressing different aspects of liberty, including the liberty of thought and discussion, individual liberty, the limits of authority, and practical applications of his theories. Mill argues that protecting individual liberties is essential for societal progress and the avoidance of social stagnation[2][3][5].

Don't burn this book

thinking for yourself in an age of unreason

Dave Rubin

In 'Don't Burn This Book,' Dave Rubin provides tools for critical thinking in an era dominated by tribal outrage and PC culture. The book focuses on checking facts rather than privilege, standing up against the mob, and defending classical liberal principles such as individual rights and limited government. Rubin draws from his own experiences and the front lines of the free speech wars to empower readers to make up their own minds on various issues and to survive the current political upheaval.

The Coddling of the American Mind

Jonathan Haidt

Greg Lukianoff

The book explores how the ideas 'what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker,' 'always trust your feelings,' and 'life is a battle between good people and evil people' have become embedded in American culture. These 'Great Untruths' contradict basic psychological principles and ancient wisdom, leading to a culture of safetyism that interferes with young people’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. The authors investigate various social trends, including fearful parenting, the decline of unsupervised play, and the impact of social media, as well as changes on college campuses and the broader context of political polarization in America.

12 Rules for Life

An Antidote to Chaos

Jordan B Peterson

In this book, Jordan B. Peterson offers twelve profound and practical rules for living a meaningful life. He argues that happiness is a fleeting and unpredictable goal, and instead, people should seek meaning as a defense against the suffering inherent in life. The book is divided into chapters, each representing one of the twelve rules, such as 'Stand up straight with your shoulders back,' 'Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping,' and 'Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).' Peterson draws on examples from his clinical practice, personal life, cutting-edge psychology, philosophy, and ancient myths to provide a guide for personal improvement and coping with adversity.

Maps of Meaning

The Architecture of Belief

Jordan B Peterson

In 'Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief', Jordan Peterson synthesizes insights from neuropsychology, cognitive science, and Jungian approaches to mythology and narrative. The book examines why people from different cultures and eras have formulated myths and stories with similar structures, and how these myths reflect fundamental aspects of human cognition and morality. Peterson argues that the human mind categorizes the world into known and unknown territories, and that myths and religious stories represent the eternal struggle between order and chaos. He also discusses the role of heroic figures in bridging these two realms and the importance of confronting the unknown to achieve personal and societal growth. The book is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary work that aims to make the wisdom of myth accessible to the modern mind[3][4][5].

The Power of Myth

Joseph Campbell

This book is derived from a series of television interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers, aired in 1988. It delves into the universal themes and functions of myths across various cultures, highlighting their role in uniting communities, explaining social, cosmological, and spiritual realities, and guiding individuals through life's significant stages. Campbell discusses how myths help people understand common human experiences such as love, death, and the search for meaning. He also addresses the modern world's disconnection from mythological narratives and the consequences this has on individual and societal well-being. The book emphasizes the importance of myths in providing a framework for life, fostering community identity, and helping individuals navigate life's transitions and challenges[1][2][4].

On this episode of Conversations with Tom, author Dave Rubin and Tom Bilyeu discuss the nature of identity and freedom, and talk about how we might do better as parents, citizens and individuals.

SHOW NOTES:

Dave talks about trying to launch a book during a quarantine [0:30]

Tom discusses his conflicting feelings about writing a book [3:26]

Dave describes his process for getting his book written [4:47]

Tom explains how he became the “mindset guy” [8:02]

Dave discusses the difficulties facing entrepreneurs and small business owners [9:54]

Dave talks about how his interest in politics developed [13:08]

Dave describes his experience of being “in the closet” [19:53]

The terrible results of refusing to let people be who they are [24:49]

Dave explains how he deals with surrogate parenting [30:26]

Dave details the criteria he and his partner use to choose surrogates [35:04]

What is the definition of a decent parent? What constitutes good parenting? [38:35]

Dave and Tom discuss helicopter parenting and how technology has changed kids [41:45]

Tom talks about why he would be much too overprotective as a parent [46:05]

Your kids will rebel against you no matter what, so there’s no perfect parenting method [49:38]

Dave celebrates the freedom that has transformed people who live in the US [51:26]

Dave and Tom discuss the difference between equal opportunity and equal outcomes [57:16]

Tom talks about the influence on luck in life, and how the education system works [1:06:13]

Dave strongly advocates for stable families [1:09:23]

Tom talks about his experience working with people who grew up in South Central LA [1:12:01]

You can’t solve everyone’s problems, but they still might haunt you [1:16:19]

Dave advocates helping out small businesses and mom and pop stores [1:19:53]

What is the government really good at? [1:25:01]

Dave claims that the individual is the only thing that matters [1:27:47]

Tom and Dave discuss Jordan Peterson [1:30:50]

Tom strongly advocates deep personal responsibility [1:39:49]

FOLLOW DAVE:

WEBSITE: daverubin.com

INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/34X3w5i

FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/2Vupp8V

TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2KqyitT

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