Wisdom of Crowds

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveAre Muslim communities increasingly tilting to the right? After about two decades of being alienated by Republicans, American Muslims continue to align themselves with the Democratic Party. But as the country polarizes and the progressive agenda makes gains, writers like our guest find it increasingly untenable for Muslims to continue nodding along with the left’s conceptions of gender identity, sexuality, and secularism. This week, Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic talked to The Dragoman, a pseudonymous writer who wrote a fiery provocation in The American Mind titled “Meet Your New Allies”, where he makes the case for why Muslims should align themselves with the right to counter the left’s excesses. This is a provocative and wide-ranging conversation that really gets at how deep difference and philosophical disagreements are difficult to reconcile. You won’t want to miss this one.The three discuss Dragoman’s decision to remain anonymous, whether he considers himself a reactionary, his appeal to the dissident right-wing, and his plans to leave the United States to raise his children. As a believing Muslim himself, Shadi challenges Dragoman to articulate the threat to Western civilization posed by the left and the implications of aligning with the Trump wing of the GOP. In the full episode (for paying subscribers only) Shadi and Dragoman diverge on the role of Islam and democracy in shaping a moral society. It gets heated, leading to one of the more charged exchanges in recent WoC history. They also delve into the influence of Western academia on Muslim thought and the Anglo world’s limitations in understanding non-Western perspectives. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the generational differences among Muslims.To listen to the full episode, subscribe here. Required Reading:* “Meet Your New Allies,” by Dragoman (The American Mind).* Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle Over Islam Is Reshaping the World, by Shadi Hamid (Amazon).* “Subversive with Alex Kaschuta” (Apple Podcasts).* “Muslims vs. Democrats: A Story of Betrayal,” by Shadi Hamid (Wall Street Journal)* The Liberal Archipelago: A Theory of Diversity and Freedom, by Chandran Kukathas (Amazon). * “Navigating Differences: Clarifying Sexual and Gender Ethics in Islam,” the statement signed by dozens of American Muslim scholars and imams. 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.liveDoes the United States Supreme Court’s legitimacy hang in the balance — or is it itself the balance keeping the union centered?After handing down blockbuster decisions this term on gerrymandering, executive authority and affirmative action, the highest court in the land is facing fierce criticism from progressives in the media and in elected office. This week, we welcomed Washington Post columnist Jason Willick back on the podcast to help us unpack it all. Jason discusses how the Court’s decision to outlaw affirmative action in higher education was straightforward and popular. But after the Court’s unpopular decision last year striking down a constitutional right to an abortion, the grounds for accepting the high court’s rulings based on popularity appears to be all but dependent on whether one finds any given outcome favorable. Shadi Hamid questions the coherence of liberal arguments when it comes to popular decisions that go against the left’s expectations. Meanwhile, Damir Marusic makes the case that despite it being undeniable the Court operates with political considerations, pretense is a critical aspect to the institution’s survival.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only) Shadi raises concerns about the perception of the Court’s legitimacy among Democrats. After threats against the justices and warnings from Democratic lawmakers, the three discuss scenarios that could provoke efforts to stack the deck. The conversation winds down as the guys acknowledge that when it comes down to it, the law is not neutral; it is political.Wisdom of Crowds is a reader-supported publication. To support our work and receive the latest, please subscribe.Required Reading: * “Sorry, Democrats, there is no Supreme Court ‘legitimacy’ crisis,” by Jason Willick (Washington Post).* “How John Roberts is outmaneuvering his critics,” by Jason Willick (Washington Post).* “This is the most mischaracterized Supreme Court case in recent history,” by Jason Willick (Washington Post).* “The Supreme Court will increasingly control U.S. elections,” by Jason Willick (Washington Post).* “Trump’s Justices Didn’t Doom Affirmative Action. Demography Did.” by Christopher Caldwell (New York Times).* “What’s Behind the Conservative Rift on the Supreme Court,” by Sarah Isgur (Politico).* Jason’s interview with sociologist Nathan Glazer (Wall Street Journal).* Inventing the People, by Edmund Morgan (Amazon).Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us!

Shadi, Christine, and Sam head to Aspen to record a live episode of the show. The crowd gets involved.The broad topic of the conversation was decline. We don’t always know how to express it, but many of us feel it: There’s something wrong with America today. The mood is tense. More Americans say they won’t have children because of climate change and other future catastrophes. But are things really as bad as they seem? Is decline something we need to accept—or is there a case for a new optimism?You won’t want to miss this one.Required Reading:* Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets, by Svetlana Alexievich (Amazon).* Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, by Christine Emba (Amazon).* Friendship as Sacred Knowing: Overcoming Isolation, by Samuel Kimbriel (Amazon).* “Five Ancient Secrets to Modern Happiness”, lecture by Tamar Gendler (YouTube). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wisdomofcrowds.live/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveThere is the Europe of politics. There is the Europe of ideas. But there is also the Europe of actual people, who live, love, die, and dream. How they live and how they hope is shaped by mass migration, climate change, the war in Ukraine, and any number of other disruptions. Who are they and what do their lives actually look like? This week, British journalist Ben Judah talks to Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic about his outstanding new book This Is Europe, a work of heartfelt and immersive storytelling about individuals amidst the forces reshaping the continent’s landscape.Ben eschewed coverage of superficial political debates and dedicated the book to tell 23 gripping stories of ordinary people — an ex-Muslim porn actor, a Romanian truck driver, a refugee olive production line worker — embedded in this new European life. In addition to relaying parts of these narratives, Ben discusses the unique approach he took, including removing himself from the frame and closely collaborating with subjects to add depth to their stories. Instead of asking them what they thought, Ben chose to ask them “how did this make you feel?” Interestingly, few of them seem to have any distinct politics or ideology, something which seems to especially intrigue Shadi. In the full episode (for paying subscribers only) the three discuss Islam’s growing footprint on a largely secular but still superstitious Europe. Ben also discusses the increasingly blurred cultural lines between Europe, Africa and Asia as well. The conversation winds down with Ben explaining the absence of Jewish stories from the book and the three circling back to a fundamental question: How do we live?Subscribers will also receive the full video of the conversation, available below. Wisdom of Crowds is a reader-supported publication. To support our work and receive the latest, please subscribe.Required Reading:* This Is Europe: The Way We Live Now, by Ben Judah (Pan Macmillan).* This Is London: Life and Death in the World City, by Ben Judah (Amazon).* The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio (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.liveHow important are ideological labels and how might they change over the next generation? A lot is on the minds of Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic this week as the two go on a winding discussion about political identity and ideological shifts amid a tribalistic political culture. The guys discussed the rarity of prominent figures publicly changing their political identity and the friction among Americans in mixed ideology relationships. Having never felt confined by labels, Damir questions Shadi’s preoccupation with belonging to a “team” as Shadi ponders whether he should prioritize perceptions of his political identity, including as a critic of woke orthodoxy. Are we on the cusp of another Cold War era-like realignment?In the full episode (for paying subscribers only) the conversation pivots to declining fertility rates in the United States and the role of immigration in staving off population decline in America and other emerging economies. Damir pushes back against Shadi’s claim implying that something inherent about autocratic regimes make them more distinctly restrictive of immigration compared to democracies. The debate concludes with Damir positing that a coming ideological shift could prompt Shadi to become an apologist for colonialism.Required Reading:Zia Haider Rahman’s tweet about Shadi’s supposed existential crisis (Haider Rahman is also the author of Shadi’s 2nd favorite novel of the 21st century).“Millennials Just Keep Voting,” by David Leonhardt (New York Times).“The greatest threat to democracy isn’t what Republicans or Democrats think,” by Jason Willick (Washington Post).“A Note About Polarization,” from Murtaza Hussain’s terrific Substack.“Lower fertility rates are the new cultural norm,” by Charles Lane (Washington Post).“The Unstoppability of Mass Migration,” from Andrew Sullivan’s Weekly Dish.America at the Crossroads: Democracy Power and the Neoconservative Legacy, by Francis Fukuyama (Amazon).Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire, by Niall Ferguson (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.liveWhy is therapy replacing God on dating apps? If bad things happen, were they “meant to be”? When we say that everything happens for a reason, what do we even mean? This week, Shadi and Damir are back on the podcast together with close friend and guest Rachel Rizzo to discuss her stunning new essay, “Do Liberals Have a God Problem?” Recently, Rachel noted a striking contrast on dating apps: men who openly state their involvement in therapy and the dearth of those professing religious faith. This opens up one of the most personal and searching episodes in WoC history. The three delve into free will, sin, and why spiritual alternatives like therapy and “self-care” are, perhaps insufficiently, supplanting belief in God. Rachel draws on her upbringing in Utah as a non-Mormon among Mormons and as a professional struggling for personal fulfillment in Washington’s environment of brute ambition.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only) the conversation turns to how a distinctly American emphasis on “freedom” creates a series of dilemmas for young Americans searching for meaning and structure. They also debate the influence of generous welfare states on religious identity and how Rachel’s essay may contrast with the experience of a European. And a very special bonus that you won’t want to miss: how easy (or hard) is it to convert to Islam, according to Shadi Hamid?Required Reading:* “Do Liberals Have A God Problem?” by Rachel Rizzo (Wisdom of Crowds).* “Among the Believers” by Rachel Rizzo (Wisdom of Crowds).* Religiosity in Europe from Ryan Burge ‘s Substack.* Eric Clapton’s “The Presence of the Lord”.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.liveAs organized religion declines, particularly among younger Americans, a constellation of spiritual and sense-making phenomena appear to be taking its place. This week, Damir Marusic and Editor-at-Large Christine Emba are joined by the author Tara Isabella Burton whose upcoming book Self-Made: Creating Our Identities from Da Vinci to the Kardashians, chronicles how our sense of self has evolved over time alongside political, religious and societal change.Damir and Christine interrogate Tara’s argument that in adhering excessively to individualism, a principle with deep roots in both liberal and Christian traditions, an imbalance has neglected the importance of integrating self-desire, direct contact and communal ties to find meaning. As a result, a renaissance of alternatives to traditional faith — from fitness and astrology to post-rationalism and cosmic vibes — have culminated into a crisis of spirituality.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), Christine, Damir and Tara discuss the necessity of defining progress, particularly among believers, and how these new belief systems are themselves indicative of “frivolity” and “decadence”. The three also contemplate the uniqueness of human beings and the potential for new versions of spirituality to emerge with greater technology advancement.Wisdom of Crowds is a reader-supported publication. To support our work and receive the latest, please subscribe.Required Reading:* Self-Made: Creating Our Identities from Da Vinci to the Kardashians, by Tara Isabella Burton (Amazon).* Strange Rites, by Tara Isabella Burton (Amazon).* “Rational Magic,” by Tara Isabella Burton (The New Atlantis).* “The Man Who Spends $2 Million a Year to Look 18 Is Swapping Blood With His Father and Son,” by Ashlee Vance (Bloomberg).* “On animate intelligence,” from Dhananjay Jagannathan’s Substack.* “An entire generation is losing hope. Enter the witch.” by Christine Emba (Washington Post).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 big ideas still possible? Are there any “new” ideas left—and what makes an idea new in the first place? If we need new ideas to shake ourselves out of decadence, we should be careful what we wish for. Wokeness is one such “comprehensive framework.” Others might prove similarly frightening.This week, Shadi is joined by New York Times columnist and author of The Decadent Society Ross Douthat and the political philosopher Samuel Kimbriel. Recently, Sam wrote an essay “Thinking is Risky”, which was cited in Ross’s newsletter, calling on academics to be more intellectually courageous. Sam’s call to action relates to a recurring theme in Ross’s work — namely that society faces “decadent” stagnation (or worse, decay) on a number of fronts. To transcend modern mediocrity, the three discuss a path to renewal, but as Shadi argues, the risks of doing so are real.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), the three discuss the extent a break from decadence can be achieved through religion. After all, if what makes an idea “big” is that it offers up a metaphysical/cosmic account of the universe, then cultural renewal may require religion. Anything less would be limiting and finite. Ross makes the case that religious belief is “obviously appropriate”, predicting that elites will eventually recognize its value. But is it enough for people to instrumentally appreciate the importance of religion, or must they believe themselves? Required Reading:* The Decadent Society, by Ross Douthat (Amazon).* “Thinking Is Risky,” by Samuel Kimbriel (Wisdom of Crowds).* “Why Journalists Have More Freedom Than Professors,” by Ross Douthat (New York Times).* Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life, by William Deresiewicz (Amazon).* “At least it’s an ethos” from The Great Lebowski.* “Nude” lyrics, by Radiohead.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.liveThis week, Damir stages an intervention for Shadi.Lately, Shadi’s become gradually detached from the world of current events and political media. Damir probes to understand why, therein unraveling an episode that goes off the beaten path to discuss progress, happiness and meaning at a time when everything feels existential.Shadi maintains that while he isn’t divorcing himself from the commentariat, he’s recognizing the limited fulfillment political awareness can deliver — particularly when progress can never seem to be satiated. Scoffing at Damir’s notion he’s become a conservative, Shadi laments what he sees as more pressing matters, including crime and the unintended impacts of legal marijuana dispensaries in D.C. All of this prompts Damir to press Shadi on how he reconciles this detachment with participation in democracy.In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), the guys pivot toward a critique of the mental health subculture. Damir believes the level of introspection offered by therapy may make us more miserable. Shadi agrees and questions how healthy it is that we seem to be seeking out more reasons to seek therapy. The pod ends on a higher note, however, with Damir and Shadi finding contentment in pursuing Wisdom of Crowds’ mission.Paying subscribers will also be able to watch the whole conversation on video and take note of our facial expressions. We’re really excited to be offering this new subscriber benefit, so please consider joining us.Required Reading:* The Open Letter to President Biden that Shadi helped organize on Tunisia.* “Is It Enough to Tie Your Camel and Trust in God?” by Shadi Hamid (Wisdom of Crowds).* Oliver Traldi's tweet thread* “Pot and Pathology,” by Charles Fain Lehman (Institute For Family Studies).* “How I Changed my Mind About Marijuana,” by Charles Fain Lehman on his Substack, The Causal Fallacy.* “You’re Better Off Not Knowing,” by Shadi Hamid (The Atlantic).* Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman (Amazon).* The Unbearable Lightness of Being: A Novel, by Milan Kundera (Amazon).* “ChatGPT and Me,” by Damir Marusic (Wisdom of Crowds).* “How AI could change computing, culture and the course of history,” (The Economist).* Shadi Hamid’s essay on suicide (Washington Examiner).* “It’s not too late: How to save Tunisian democracy,” by Shadi Hamid and Sharan Grewal (Brookings Institution).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.liveCan a cohesive nation survive without a common identity or shared values? That question is at the heart of this week’s podcast with political theorist David Polansky. Last week, David’s essay in Wisdom of Crowds rebutted the claim that the Israelites can be understood as a modern nation. Throughout history, various peoples, David argues, have coalesced around a shared sense of “peoplehood” without a claim to a nation. From here, a rich conversation ensues as to whether a people—and democracy itself—can endure without anything more than a commitment to peaceful coexistence. Shadi maintains that his conception of democratic minimalism and a belief in “the people” (even if they’re not real) are enough to sustain a democracy. Damir finds this to be insufficient. While a degree of myth-making is necessary to constitute a nation, more is required to undergird an enduring society. But what exactly? In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), Shadi presses David on his assertion that the modern Canadian state, despite being democratic, has far more power over individual citizens than under pre-modern dictators. The three also discuss whether the West’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine means that democracy is rebounding, ebbing, or headed for a different trajectory altogether.Lastly, not only will paying subscribers have access to the full episode—including an awkward but vaguely touching coda from Shadi on his doubts over the future—but they will also be able to watch the whole conversation and take note of our facial expressions on video. We’re really excited to be offering this new subscriber benefit, so please consider joining us.Required Reading:* “Why Ancient Israel Was Not a Modern Nation,” by David Polansky (Wisdom of Crowds).* “Populism and Democracy Conflict: An Aristotelian View,” by David Polansky (The Review of Politics).* Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes (Project Gutenberg).* “For the People to Exist, You Must Believe in Them,” by Shadi Hamid (Wisdom of Crowds).* How Democracy Ends, David Runciman (Amazon).* Shadi and Damir debate “democratic minimalism” in a special live recorded episode in Pittsburgh (Wisdom of Crowds).* Shadi’s book The Problem of Democracy * “On Hindutva,” by Murtaza Hussain on his excellent Substack