Leighton Woodhouse, a freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker based in Oakland, delves into the chaotic urban landscapes of America. He discusses the consequences of crime and disorder, particularly in Oakland, and pinpoints the judicial system's role in rising petty crime. Woodhouse examines the political elite's impact on public safety, contrasting West Coast and East Coast liberalism. He also highlights how homelessness is a unique crisis tied to specific political conditions, making for a compelling exploration of urban dynamics and governance.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Gas Station Robbery
Razib Khan's friend was robbed at an Oakland gas station with her child in the car.
The gas station employees seemed unfazed by the incident.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Airport Robberies
Leighton Woodhouse notes that the area around the Oakland airport is notorious for robberies.
Tourists are easy targets, especially when stopping for gas or food.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Skyline Boulevard Robbery
A viral video shows a woman's car being blocked by a robber with a gun on Skyline Boulevard.
She escapes, but the incident highlights the brazen nature of Oakland crime.
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A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America
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In 'American Nations,' Colin Woodard explores the history of North America through the lens of eleven rival regional cultures. He traces the cultural, ethnic, religious, and political differences among these regions, which have shaped the continent's past and continue to influence its future. The book provides a revelatory take on American identity and the ongoing conflicts between these regional cultures, from the Deep South to the Far West, and from Yankeedom to El Norte.
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The world without us
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In 'The World Without Us', Alan Weisman presents a detailed thought experiment on how the Earth would change if humans were to vanish suddenly. The book draws on interviews with scientists and explores various scenarios, including the decay of cities, the persistence of certain human creations like plastic and nuclear waste, and the potential for nature to reclaim and heal from human devastations. Weisman also delves into historical and scientific contexts, such as the evolution of humans, the impact of human activities on the environment, and the long-term effects of pollution and industrial activities.
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This book, the first volume in a projected cultural history of the United States, examines the folkways of four groups of immigrants from distinct regions of Great Britain and their lasting impact on American culture. Fischer argues that these groups—Puritans, Cavaliers, Quakers, and Scotch-Irish—each contributed uniquely to the formation of modern America, influencing aspects such as education, government, gender roles, and violence. Despite most Americans not having British ancestors, these regional cultures have persisted and continue to shape national politics and societal attitudes[2][4][5].
On this episode of Unsupervised Learning Razib welcomes Leighton Akira Woodhouse back to the podcast. Woodhouse is a freelance journalist and a documentary filmmaker, currently based in Oakland, California. He grew up in Berkeley, and was a doctoral student in Sociology at UC Berkeley. After leaving academia he contributed to outlets like The Intercept and The Nation, before starting his own Substack, Social Studies, as well as working with Michael Shellenberger. He also has a new podcast with Lee Fang, Le Pod.
Woodhouse and Razib discuss the broader issue of the necessity of order in cities, how important cities are to American economic dynamism, and how the problems of cities impact us all. One of Woodhouse’s beats has been crime and public disorder, and living in the Bay Area he has been unwitting witness to some of the most flagrant dysfunction of the current era. He outlines the culpability of the judicial system in the rise of petty crime and details organized crime’s opportunistic manipulation of the system.
Razib inquires about the political elite’s role in fostering disorder, in particular the policies and views of the mayor of Oakland and the Alameda County district attorney. They address the rise of the movement against law and order on the West coast, its connection to social libertarianism, and how that differs from East-coast big city liberalism. Woodhouse believes that the West coast’s homelessness crisis emerges in particular from its unique political configuration accelerated by a judicial system that aids and abets social libertarianism that is operationally pro-crime. Finally, they discuss the possibility that the 2024 elections will throw out of office many of the mayors and district attorneys brought in in the last few years on a plan of social justice activism.
Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning 
