Making Sense with Sam Harris
#331 — A Golden Age for Assholes
Aug 20, 2023
Dive into the cultural upheaval driven by social media and the emergence of provocative figures like Andrew Tate and Donald Trump. Explore how the concept of an 'asshole' has evolved, shedding light on our societal values. The podcast also delves into self-absorbed behavior and the necessity for self-awareness, urging a shift towards compassion. Furthermore, it examines our fascination with shamelessness and its implications for moral accountability in today's world.
09:25
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Quick takeaways
- Assholes lack priorities and mistake their vices for virtues, leading to a misunderstood notion of living a good life.
- Assholes like Trump provide permission for their followers to live morally vacuous lives, embracing selfishness and dishonesty without any standards or hypocrisy.
Deep dives
The Problem with Assholes
Being an asshole is not just a matter of style, but a matter of substance. Assholes care about the wrong things and lack priorities. They mistake their vices for virtues and fundamentally misunderstand what it means to live a good life. Assholes only truly care about themselves, and any love they express is instrumental. The goal of an examined life is to notice and transcend these moral failures.
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