Uncertain Things

William Deresiewicz — author of (the newly updated) Excellent Sheep, The Death of the Artist, and The End of Solitude — returns to the pod! This time we dive into one of the institutions we love to hate: elite universities. We dwell on and debate the protests at Columbia (et al.), the reasons why it’s all gone so wrong, and whether or not the solution is just to raze them to the ground. Check out our ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for updates and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice.On the agenda:-The context for Excellent Sheep, c. 2014 [2:39-12:21]-The student as customer / PC police officer [12:22-27:32]- The emptiness inside [27:33-40:02]-To fix or ruin the elite reputation? [40:03-49:54]-Getting into the protests & elite failure [49:55-58:58]- What exactly went wrong [58:59-1:08:08]-The answer isn’t yoga [1:08:09-1:29:36]Mentioned in this conversation: -Our last conversation with Bill -Vanessa’s newsletter on solitude/friendshipUncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, author, and former Columbia Journalism School dean (to us!), Steve Coll, takes us deep into the conspiracy-plagued mind of Saddam Hussein, the subject of his latest book The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq. We go deep into the wonky journalism weeds — including what it took for Coll to get his hands on the Saddam tapes. And we ask our former dean the eternal question: Is J-School worth it?-What it takes to put a book like this together [0:00-19:15]-The Saddam tapes [19:16 -23:46]-Inside the conspiracy rabbit hole [23:47-29:52-Behind the conflicting perceptions [29:53-41:12]-Oil, Israel, and failed policies [41:13-49:46]-The U.S.-Israel relationship [49:47--53:32]-How the media is covering the conflict [53:33-57:43]-Objectivity and the rifts in journalism today [57:44-1:06:44]Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

With Vanessa off for the weekend to explore the world of psychedelics, the podcast has been hijacked by a cabal of furious, loud, and lubricated Jews. Adaam, 3 martinis and a Laphroaig in, is joined by Newsweek opinion editor and author of Second Class Batya Ungar-Sargon, and Free Press reporter and host of The Re-Education podcast Eli Lake. The three have gathered to refute Jonathan Glazer’s Jewishness being worth hijacking by anyone. In proper Talmudic engagement, Batya spits fire, Eli plays devil's advocate, and Adaam speaks up for the grammar Nazis. Be warned, this may be our most petty, potted, parochial, and problematic episode yet.Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Authors and co-hosts of the Cut the Bull podcast, Charles Love (Race Crazy) and Wilfred Reilly (Taboo, Hate Crime Hoax) join us for a lively conversation/debate about race, history, and K-12 education — and Vanessa gets put in the hot seat. Questions covered include: Should Black history be separate from American history? Are we over-indexing on sex and gender in the classroom? Is social media an “environmental toxin” — or just another misdirection from the left? And, of course, what are the biggest blindspots on the left and the right?  -Where we’ve been [0:00-4:47]-Eric Adams, “environmental toxins,” and the Left [4:48-10:43] -1619 and documenting history [10:44-30:54] -Black history vs. American history [30:55-42:43] -Sex and gender in the classroom [42:44-59:29] -Diagnosing the misdirection [59:30-1:03:36] -The failings of integration [1:03:37-1:09:20] -How to fix education [1:09:50-1:13:18] -Blindspots on the Left and the Right [1:13:19-1:18:39]Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Einat Wilf is an Israeli writer, speaker, former (and future?) politician, podcaster (We Should All be Zionisists), and co-author of The War of Return. In this episode, we dive into some historical context for the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Vanessa asking all the ignorant questions you were too afraid to ask: What/who was there in Israel before 1948? Was displacement a part of the Zionist vision? Why did displacement happen? Then we pivot to the subject of Dr. Wilf’s book: The right of return, and the fundamental reason why peace, until this day, has been impossible. We conclude with a deep dive into UNRWA — the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees — and explain the role it’s played in perpetuating the conflict, to this day. On the agenda: -Zionism’s Parents and the Land of Israel [3:22-11:33]-The Disappointment of Emancipation/The Possibility of Self-Determination [11:34-21:21]-On Sovereignty and Displacement [21:22-53:29]-The Refugee Question [53:30-1:02:37]-UNRWA & Palestinian Identity [1:02:38-1:33:58]-Where do we go from here? [1:33:59-1:42:30]Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Iranian historian and writer Arash Azizi comes on the pod to share his perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict today — and why he believes ceasefire is the only viable path forward for Israel’s war with Hamas. Along the way, Azizi gives us on an overview of Iran’s politics since the Revolution of 1979 (i.e. how Soleimani became The Shadow Commander) and explains the country’s current stance toward Israel (which stands in contrast to the position of many Iranians). His second book about the country’s recent protest movements — What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom — will be out next year. On the Agenda: -Unpacking the Iranian Revolution (and the Left’s participation)-Arash’s background-Soleimani’s appeal (How we consolidated supreme power)-Iran’s stance on Israel vs. Iranians’ sentiments-Debating ceasefire Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

John Aziz is a British Palestinian musician who has come into the public spotlight since October 7th for tweeting out for peace and against Hamas. In this conversation, we unpack why it’s so controversial for a Palestinian like John to be pro-peace, the trauma both sides aren’t acknowledging or addressing, and the overly-simplified, ironic, Star Wars narratives of the Western Left. Follow him on X and read John’s article in The Atlantic here. On the agenda:- John’s Background  [0:00-08:37]-The Challenge of Advocating for Peace [08:38-18:34]- The Trauma on Both Sides [18:35-24:51]-Why is so hard to speak out against Hamas? [24:52-29:59]-New Ideology, New Leaders [30:00-38:36]-The Star Wars Ideology of the Western Left [38:37-54:33]- LGBT+ in Gaza [54:34-1:01:03]- "I'll Debate Anyone" [1:01:04-1:02:51]Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Friend of the pod Batya Ungar-Sargon, deputy opinion editor for Newsweek and author of Bad News, returns for a deep, contentious conversation about the responsibility of journalists covering the Israel-Hamas war, the people worth expending energy on (versus relegating as enemies), and the uncomfortable embrace of moral certainty. While much vitriol is expended on the “journalists” bringing shame to the (let’s face it, already pretty scumbag) profession, we also shout out the reporters doing good, honest analysis, even if we don’t always agree with their positions: Zaid Jelani, Lee Fang, and Arash Azizi. On the agenda:-The Moral Imperative of Remembering [1:55-9:11]-On Emotions and Moral Certainty [9:12-16:54]-Disgusting "Journalists" [16:55-20:39]-On Journalistic Responsibility / Objectivity [20:40-26:36]-Debating How - and Who - to Trust [26:37-38:39]-Liberal vs. Jewish Values [38:40-52:14]-On Moral Equivalence and Retaliation [52:15-58:24]-Who is reachable? [58:25-1:07:22]-The battle continues [1:07:23-1:12:40]Check out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Note: This episode is far more explicit — and way more rage-ful — than your average. As you have likely read by now in the news, last Saturday, a group of Hamas combatants infiltrated Israel and massacred about 1300 people, mostly civilians.Usually, Uncertain Things is all about embracing epistemological uncertainty. This conversation is not about that. To help Adaam process his rage and achieve some much-needed catharsis, he turned to returning guest, Eli Lake. Eli — host of The Re-Education Podcast, contributing editor to Commentary, and columnist for the New York Sun — did not disappoint, bringing some awesome, righteous outrage toward the American Left.On the agenda:- Hamas and their attack on Israel [0:00-7:15]- Contextualizing the catharsis to come [7:16-17:04]- Eli’s moral outrage [17:05-25:17]- On policy: blockades and Iran [25:18-29:22]- Back to our previously scheduled outrage [29:23-35:19]- Predicting the fallout [35:20-43:54]- Debating the culture of life, the culture of death [43:55-1:01:58]- Coexisting with evil [1:01:59-1:05:29]- The Left IRL [1:05:30-1:07:46]- The rage returns [1:07:47-1:13:51]- Outro: On moral relativism and forgiveness [1:14:10-22:58]We also recommend: -Adaam’s first impressions, on Jonah Goldberg’s The Remnant-Adaam’s bleaker thoughts, on the Dispatch Live -David French and Sarah Isgur’s conversation on the Law of War and Anti-Semitism on Advisory OpinionsCheck out our ‘Inscrutable’ blog and ‘Uncertainty’ newsletter for thoughts and rants. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Follow @UncertainPod on your social media of choice. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

Yascha Mounk returns for round two! If you missed part one of our conversation with the political theorist, writer, and podcaster about his latest book, The Identity Trap, stop now and listen to that episode first. We pick up where we left off last time and get deep into debate about strategic essentialism, the privileging of marginalized voices, and the incoherencies of standpoint theory. We also ask Yascha why he disagrees with John McWhorter’s theory that the proponents of the Identity Synthesis are members of a new religion. Plus, Yascha plays relationship counselor for your sparring hosts and his dog finally gets outside. Follow Uncertain Things on uncertain.substack.com or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.On another note, we will be attending Yascha’s Oct 4 talk at the Streiker Center in NYC. See you there?Also check out:-Our talk with James Kirchick about the contradictions of our current gender debates.-Our talk with Yuval Levin on the moral failure of civic institutions in the age of narcissism.-Our talk with Tom Holland about his lost faith in liberalism.On the agenda:-Re-capping Round 1 [0:00-3:03]-On Justice, essentialism, and race (the implications of standpoint theory) [3:04-15:12]-Who Gets to Speak for their Race? [15:13-23:49] -The Catastrophes of Unsalvageable Liberalism [23:50-32:15]-On intention and persuasion [32:16-42:03]-The woke religion? [42:04-50:31]-The Identity Synthesis [50:32-54:43] -Outtake: Against Monocausal Explanations [55:00-57:25]Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe