Wisdom of Crowds

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveJason Blakely of Pepperdine University joins Shadi and Damir to discuss his new book, Lost in Ideology: Interpreting Modern Political Life. A professor of political science, Jason claims that everyone has an ideology. The point is to be aware of it, and to remember that there’s always more to reality than your ideology can explain. Damir doesn’t buy it. The quest for power, he thinks, is what ultimately drives politics, not ideas. Meanwhile, Shadi tries to figure out Jason’s ideology. Required Reading:* Jason’s new book, Lost in Ideology: Interpreting Modern Political Life* Jason’s controversial Harper’s essay, “Doctor’s Orders”* Jason’s old book, We Built Reality: How Social Science Infiltrated Culture, Politics, and Power* Jorge Luis Borges, “On Exactitude in Science”* Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan* Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince* Thomas More, Utopia* Desiderius Erasmus, In Praise of Folly* Anthony Fauci, “I represent science” statement and backlashThis post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets.Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveOur brand new Executive Editor, Santiago Ramos, joins Shadi and Damir to discuss his first-ever essay for Wisdom of Crowds, “Empathy for the Devil.” The essay is about the need for cognitive empathy in politics. But Damir wants to discuss something slightly different: Whether “the Good,” as a category, is something real, out in the world, or whether it is completely contingent on tribal allegiances. Santiago comes to the Good’s defense, and Shadi joins him in a good cop/also good cop situation.Required Reading & Listening:* Shadi’s big announcement* Santiago’s writing* Santiago’s debut Wisdom of Crowds essay, “Empathy for the Devil”* Robert Wright’s Nonzero Newsletter* The Rolling Stones, “Sympathy for the Devil”* Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and the Margarita* Maurice Blondel, in the International Encyclopedia of Philosophy* Amy Winehouse, “You Know I’m No Good”Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveAre ideas overrated? Shadi’s recent column (and controversial tweet) exploring the reasons behind Trump’s popularity launches a discussion about what exactly drives politics. Are politicians motivated by winning more than ideology? Do voters respond to strong personalities, rather than policies and promises?As expected, Damir makes a case for “materialism” over ideas. Shadi isn’t totally convinced.Required Reading:* Shadi, “The Peculiar Moderation of Donald Trump,” Washington Post, 1/25/2024* Shadi’s tweet* Bruno Maçães’ tweet* David Ignatius, “The Midwest Tacks Hard Toward a Mideast ‘Moment of Truth’,” Washington Post, 2/1/2024* Eduardo Porter, “Republicans’ Immigration Bill is Not Serious Legislation,” Washington Post, 2/2/2024* Thomas Friedman, “A Biden Doctrine for the Middle East is Forming. And it’s Big,” New York Times, 1/31/2024* Bruno Maçães on Wisdom of Crowds

The podcast discusses the morality of states in international relations, questioning the Western concern for human rights. They debate whether America is just another empire or an agent of democracy and moral progress. The speakers explore the pressure to maintain interesting views as public intellectuals and discuss America's treatment of Arab and Muslim life. They also examine America's history of violence and the contradictions of democracy and American hegemony. The chapter on surprising casualties analyzes the high number of civilian deaths in the conflict.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveLongtime member of the Crowd and WoC contributor Tom Barson once called episodes when Shadi and Damir just chew over stuff “train wrecks”. (He meant it in an affectionate way — we think.) Well that’s what this episode is: a classic back and forth that ranges far and wide.Shadi asks Damir how his year ended. Damir admits he’s feeling properly burned out. Does following two bloody wars all too closely contribute to a feeling of helplessness? And isn’t feeling drained by reading about war itself a product of extreme privilege and luxury? With signs of wider conflict spreading in the Middle East, we still can’t properly wrap our heads around what a world-changing war might look like.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), Shadi reveals how the rise of urban violence — DC surpassed Baltimore in murders last year — has him thinking about zombie movies, and the gnawing uncertainty that was the hallmark of the early days of COVID.Required Reading:* “The Unserious Generation,” by Damir Marusic (WoC).* “Unconstructive Ambiguity,” by Damir Marusic (WoC).Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveAaron Sibarium, a star reporter over at the Washington Free Beacon covering the campus culture wars, joined us this week to talk about Claudine Gay’s resignation. Aaron’s reporting on Gay’s plagiarism was instrumental in her eventual downfall.We start the episode discussing the merits of the case, but quickly switch gears to talk about first principles. What does it mean for our society if culture war becomes a war of personal destruction? Will it lead to a better world, in universities and more broadly, or have we just descended into another level of vengeful retribution?In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), we discuss the parallel with the Supreme Court, and the railroading of Robert Bork in 1987. The Court has never been the same since, and is arguably quite degraded since its mid-century heyday. Maybe this is all just the product of the inherent, glorious messiness of democracy? Or are we going the way of Weimar Germany?Required Reading:* “Fresh Allegations of Plagiarism Unearthed in Official Academic Complaint Against Claudine Gay,” by Aaron Sibarium (Washington Free Beacon).* “Harvard Itself Unearthed New Case of Plagiarism,” by Aaron Sibarium (Washington Free Beacon).* “Harvard President Claudine Gay Hit by Six New Charges of Plagiarism,” by Aaron Sibarium (Washington Free Beacon).* “Harvard’s President Claudine Gay Should Resign,” by Ruth Marcus (Washington Post).* “The Rise and Fall of Claudine Gay,” by Shadi Hamid (WoC).* “The Weimarization of the American Republic,” by Aaron Sibarium (American Purpose).

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveThis week, our in-house philosopher and very own Editor-at-Large Samuel Kimbriel returns to the podcast for a one-on-one discussion with Shadi Hamid about wealth, ambition and whether they are the paths toward happiness.How do societal values, especially those in American culture, influence our sense of fulfillment? The guys probe why those who are perceived as the most successful — like tech entrepreneurs and posh weekend travelers — seem to be the least happy. This opens up questions about how those who face adversity find forms of happiness be it through a craft, a spiritual pursuit, or the broader expectations baked into their life circumstance. This deep and free-wheeling episode opens up rifts between Shadi and Sam’s perspectives on the utility of the happiness literature, the role economics and material success play, and what we sacrifice in the pursuit of what we think will ultimately bring us contentment.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), Shadi and Sam continue exploring the tension between ambition and spiritual fulfillment. They explore how societal values, rooted in seeing humans as economic entities, lead to existential despair. Shadi calls attention to how religious practices, like Ramadan, compel individuals to break from a regimen of relentless productivity and consumption. This episode is a real treat and we’re excited to share it with you.Required Reading:* Friendship as Sacred Knowing: Overcoming Isolation by Samuel Kimbriel (Amazon).* “Thinking Is Risky” by Samuel Kimbriel (Wisdom of Crowds).* What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets by Michael Sandel (Amazon).* The Sickness Unto Death: A Christian Psychological Exposition For Upbuilding And Awakening by Soren Kierkegaard (Amazon).* More about Aspen Institute’s Society and Philosophy Initiative.Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveWe’re thrilled to publish the audio from our first major event in collaboration with Aspen Institute’s Philosophy & Society Initiative. P&S and Wisdom of Crowds have grown up together and are both relentlessly focused on getting down to first principle questions. Click the link below and add your email to the mailing list to find out when we’re doing more of these kinds of events.In this episode, we take on the crisis of masculinity. Damir Marusic asks our own Christine Embaand Washington Post nonfiction book criticbecca rothfeld whether the crisis is in fact real, and if so, what can be done about it.Christine argues there is hard evidence that young men are struggling — young men are dropping out of school, their unemployment rates are up, and deaths of despair are rising. Becca is less convinced — she thinks we may be misdiagnosing the problem, and in doing so are entrenching harmful stereotypes and gender norms.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only) the audience chimes in with questions, and the conversation takes some surprising turns. Is modernity making heterosexual relationships more difficult? Is technology making re-evaluating gender roles easier? And who has the advantage on dating apps?Required Reading:* The Aspen Institute’s Philosophy and Society Initiative.* “If attitudes don’t shift, a political dating mismatch will threaten marriage” by Editorial Board (The Washington Post).* “How to be a man? Josh Hawley has the (incoherent) answers” by Becca Rothfeld (Washington Post).* “Men are lost. Here’s a map out of the wilderness” by Christine Emba (The Washington Post).* “‘The Two-Parent Privilege’ gets caught in the trap of convention,” by Becca Rothfeld (Washington Post).* “Single moms know marriage would be ideal, but how do they get one?” by Christine Emba (Washington Post).* “An uneasy political marriage... or not” by Christine Emba (Wisdom of Crowds).* The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind by Melissa Kearney (Amazon).* Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi (Amazon).* Rethinking Sex: A Provocation by Christine Emba (Amazon).* Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs (Amazon).Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveWhat constitutes justifiable warfare—and how should the overall impact of conflicts be evaluated? With the United States being so closely associated with Israel’s war, is it possible to still envision America as a “force for good” in the world? One of America’s leading leftist intellectuals, Samuel Moyn, joins us to debate these questions and much more. Sam is the Chancellor Kent Professor of History at Yale University and the author of Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War and most recently Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times.Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, the conversation dives into the potential for humane wars and whether progress, even in war, is possible. While Sam acknowledges that the conduct of war has become more “targeted” and “proportional,” he argues that relatively more humane wars can distract us from more ultimate questions of whether wars are just or moral in the first place. The questions at hand sharply divide Sam, Damir Marusic and Shadi Hamid in this charged conversation. In the post-9/11 era, the U.S. has pioneered a new way of waging war, with lawyers present at various levels of military decisions. But what has resulted is a world where wars are endless in part because they are less lethal. Is this “progress” or is it something more sinister?In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), the three clash over moral warfare in the real world, including whether American hegemony has prevented large-scale conflicts and can continue to do so, including between China and Taiwan. Has American dominance been good for the world, on balance? Yes, less people die and there may be less major wars, but Sam argues that this is an unacceptably minimalist standard for judging progress. What, then, is the alternative? The conversation ends with Sam’s optimistic vision for a narrative of progress that focuses on pivoting the U.S. in a leftward direction that avoids repeating the mistakes of an overly interventionist era.Required Reading: * Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War, by Samuel Moyn (Amazon).* Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times, by Samuel Moyn (Amazon).* Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb, by James M. Scott (Amazon).* The Hamid-Moyn cage match on whether America is a force for good in the world, hosted by Intelligence Squared (YouTube).* “The Moral Dilemmas of Total War,” by Tom Barson (Wisdom of Crowds).Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveWhy do Americans struggle so much to understand Palestinians? A former advisor to the Palestinian leadership and a participant in the doomed 2008 Annapolis peace talks, Khaled Elgindy has written arguably the definitive account of America’s blind spot. In Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump, Khaled chronicles how time and time again the U.S. has failed to see the Palestinians as actors in their own right.But beyond the specifics of policy, there is a question of humanity—specifically, the seeming inability or unwillingness of American politicians to extend any genuine consideration towards Palestinians’ suffering. The White House’s empathy gap has surprised even Khaled. He traces this back to an affinity for Israel’s Western liberal values but also the various and entrenched mythologies that obscure the dispossession of Palestinians. Khaled, Damir, and Shadi clash over whether Cold War geopolitics is what drove America to deprioritize the ethical considerations of Palestinians and whether Israeli consensus sees a distinction between Hamas and Palestinians broadly.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), the three debate how much blame Hamas deserves for provoking a war whose burden ordinary Palestinians would have to bear. What was Hamas thinking—and when the fighting stops, will Palestinians direct their anger towards Hamas and other militants? Is it possible to envision a future scenario where Hamas, now chastened by its first total war with Israel, fully commits to politics and eschews armed struggle? Finally, the three discuss whether it’s reasonable to expect Israeli officials to care about Palestinian suffering. This is the reality of states, particularly after the other side has been dehumanized: they simply don’t care. Why should Israel care? This leads into a sobering consideration of nightmare scenarios in which tens of thousands of Palestinians may die, including from the “slow death” of hunger and disease. Require Reading:* Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump by Khaled Elgindy (Amazon).* “A cease-fire in Gaza isn’t a fantasy. Here’s how it could work.” by Shadi Hamid (The Washington Post).* “Thinking About Peace” by Damir Marusic. (Wisdom of Crowds).* Khaled’s Twitter page.Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!