Experts like Niall Ferguson and Tyler Cowen predict potential World Wars and the challenging domestic situation in the US in 2024. They also discuss health trends, pop culture, dressing young girls, emergence of new words, politicization of language, and economic predictions. Concerns about ongoing conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, Russia's aggression, tensions in Israel, and the potential Taiwan Strait crisis are also discussed.

John McWhorter is a linguistics professor at Columbia University specialising in research on creole languages. He's also a content-producing machine, never afraid to give his frank opinion on anything and everything. On top of his academic work he's also written 22 books, produced five online university courses, hosts one and a half podcasts, and now writes a regular New York Times op-ed column. • Links to learn more, summary, and full transcript • Video version of the interview • Lecture: Why the world looks the same in any language Our show is mostly about the world's most pressing problems and what you can do to solve them. But what's the point of hosting a podcast if you can't occasionally just talk about something fascinating with someone whose work you appreciate? So today, just before the holidays, we're sharing this interview with John about language and linguistics — including what we think are some of the most important things everyone ought to know about those topics. We ask him: • Can you communicate faster in some languages than others, or is there some constraint that prevents that? • Does learning a second or third language make you smarter or not? • Can a language decay and get worse at communicating what people want to say? • If children aren't taught a language, how many generations does it take them to invent a fully fledged one of their own? • Did Shakespeare write in a foreign language, and if so, should we translate his plays? • How much does language really shape the way we think? • Are creoles the best languages in the world — languages that ideally we would all speak? • What would be the optimal number of languages globally? • Does trying to save dying languages do their speakers a favour, or is it more of an imposition? • Should we bother to teach foreign languages in UK and US schools? • Is it possible to save the important cultural aspects embedded in a dying language without saving the language itself? • Will AI models speak a language of their own in the future, one that humans can't understand but which better serves the tradeoffs AI models need to make? We then put some of these questions to ChatGPT itself, asking it to play the role of a linguistics professor at Colombia University. We’ve also added John’s talk “Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language”  to the end of this episode. So stick around after the credits! And if you’d rather see Rob and John’s facial expressions or beautiful high cheekbones while listening to this conversation, you can watch the video of the full conversation here. Get this episode by subscribing to our podcast on the world’s most pressing problems and how to solve them: type 80,000 Hours into your podcasting app. Producer: Keiran Harris Audio mastering: Ben Cordell Video editing: Ryan Kessler Transcriptions: Katy Moore

Left-skeptic liberals like Nellie Bowles, Yascha Mounk, and John McWhorter are explored as potentially new neocons. The podcast delves into the history of neoconservatism, analyzing its origins and intellectual roots. It also discusses the evolution of leftist ideologies from class-based to identity politics, reflecting on the current landscape of political ideologies.

Linguist and professor John McWhorter engages in a Q&A session covering topics such as Trump's morality, gender pronouns, African American scholastic performance, linguistics, and advice on dealing with tragic events. The episode explores ethical considerations, societal shifts in gender identity, language structure comparisons between German and English, and navigating grief and justice in a changing neighborhood.

Linguist and professor John McWhorter discusses the irregularities of English, the ideal language, and the equality of dialects. They explore superlatives and annoying expressions in English, share their fascination with languages and language acquisition, discuss advancements in linguistics and language patterns, delve into the uniqueness and preservation of East Asian alphabets, and end with a discussion on their favorite record album.

Linguists and a social psychologist explore the history and significance of words like 'they', 'Latinx', and 'rigged'. They discuss language evolution, inclusivity, and the impact of words on perception and society. The podcast delves into linguistic changes, political discourse, and the power of words in shaping our understanding and beliefs.

In a thought-provoking discussion, John McWhorter, a Columbia University professor and New York Times writer, reflects on the legacy of civil rights leader John Lewis and the evolution of Black activism. He critiques the effectiveness of past figures like Stokely Carmichael, noting a shift from genuine protest to performative activism today. McWhorter shares his views on the importance of education in understanding identity and examines the absence of conservative voices in current discourse, contrasting them with influential progressive figures like James Baldwin.

w/ John McWhorter and Glenn Loury- No Moynihan, No Welch- Progress or Pesmissim- Campus Culture- Culture Warriors- Gaslighting + Reactionaries- DEI Obstacles- Overstatement and Bravery- Dignity + Individualism- Race as Ethnicity- All in Bounds- Pride, Honor, Shame- “Tolstoy is Mine. Dickens is Mine.”- Everything is permissible to meRecorded: 6/14/22Published: 7/24/22 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

John McWhorter, a renowned Professor at Columbia University and New York Times contributor, dives into the complexities of Trump's surprising victory. He discusses voter motivations, highlighting the disconnect between political elites and working-class concerns. The conversation explores disillusionment with the Democratic Party and the significance of family stability. Additionally, they share insights from a captivating trip to Dublin with Richard Dawkins, reflecting on genetics, race, and the influence of social media on contemporary politics.

John McWhorter is a linguist, associate professor of linguistics at Columbia University and an author.The last 5 years has seen race become a primary flash point for culture, news, protests, social justice, hiring, firing, media and politics. But why have race relations come back to the forefront and who is driving this new religion of Woke Racism forward?Expect to learn what John McWhorter thinks of White Fragility and How To Be An Anti-Racist, whether cultural appropriation is an actual thing, how anti-racism actually hurts black people, why black people are attracted to a movement that treats them like simpletons, the problem with the concept of "whiteness" and much more...Sponsors:Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/Get 15% discount on the amazing 6 Minute Diary at https://bit.ly/diarywisdom (use code MW15)Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)Extra Stuff:Buy Woke Racism - https://amzn.to/3ATTdxmFollow John on Twitter - https://twitter.com/johnhmcwhorter Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom-Get in touch. Join the discussion with me and other like minded listeners in the episode comments on the MW YouTube Channel or message me...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillxTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillxYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ModernWisdomPodcastEmail: https://chriswillx.com/contact/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices