The Glenn Show

0:00 Steven’s best-selling book, Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters2:38 Steven: Concerns about catastrophic climate change “beggar belief”9:43 The complexities of climate change models15:07 Should we worry about rising sea levels?24:54 Hurricanes, tornados, and other extreme weather events29:59 Is a zero-emissions goal worth the cost?38:05 How to fix climate science45:02 Are the Paris Accords viable?48:13 The coming climate backlashRecorded January 3, 2023Links and ReadingsSteven’s book, Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It MattersSteven’s recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, “Will Climate Change Really Put New York Underwater?”Steven’s 2022 Wall Street Journal op-ed, “Greenland’s Melting Ice Is No Cause for Climate-Change Panic” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 A brief intro from Glenn1:03 The lionization of the lightweights5:45 The unified field theory of non-whiteness19:16 An honest conversation about crime27:51 Glenn’s birthday menu30:46 It’s time to choose a side41:46 Clarence Thomas, black icon44:54 Policing Joe Rogan51:56 By any means necessary? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

This week I’m very pleased to have with me the political philosopher Michael Sandel. I’ve been an avid reader of Michael’s work for decades, ever since coming across his first book, Liberalism and the Limits of Justice in the 1980s. Michael’s latest book, 2020’s The Tyranny of Merit, couldn’t be more timely. In it, Michael elaborates a critique of the meritocratic ideology that divides society into winners and losers, each of which has earned the fate that has befallen them. In our conversation, Michael lays out his argument in the book, which takes issue with the notion that an individual’s economic success or failure is an index of their character. The idea that the wealthy deserve their wealth and the poor deserve their poverty ignores the powerful economic forces that shape the outcomes of people’s lives, forces that operate well outside the control of the people affected by them. We discuss the distinction between profit and value, and the ways that the cultural and economic rise of tech, finance, and knowledge work has stripped the dignity and honor from formerly dignified and honorable professions. The rise of populism since Trump’s election serves as compelling evidence that society’s “losers” recognize the bad hand they’ve been dealt, but Michael’s critique of meritocracy has made him an influential figure in China as well, where meritocracy is arguably an even more powerful cultural force. It’s an honor to have such a distinguished figure on the show. I have the feeling that what Michael says here will ring true for many of my listeners, so I’m looking forward to your comments. This post is free and available to the public. To receive early access to TGS episodes, an ad-free podcast feed, Q&As, and other exclusive content and benefits, click below.Featured Content from City JournalSteven Malanga discusses why the middle class flees states that tax the rich. 0:00 Some of Michael’s key works 4:01 Meritocratic ideals and meritocratic fantasies 10:07 The animus against elites 16:26 Shouldn’t innovators reap their rewards? 23:09 Does more profit create more value? 28:42 Renewing the dignity of work 37:43 The uses of punishment 43:57 Our responsibility to national and global communities 46:17 Michael: Diversity has “monopolized” discussion of affirmative action 52:52 China’s reception of Michael’s critique of meritocracyRecorded November 18, 2022Links and Readings Michael’s book, Liberalism and the Limits of JusticeMichael’s book, What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets Michael’s book, The Tyranny of Merit: Can We Find the Common Good?Michael Young’s book, The Rise of the MeritocracyIndustrial Areas Foundation  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

This week, John McWhorter and I are joined by Greg Thomas, senior fellow at the Institute for Cultural Evolution and CEO of the Jazz Leadership Project, to discuss one of our perennial Big Questions: Are we ready to deracialize? As you may have gathered from his previous TGS appearance, that’s the kind of issue Greg loves to sink his teeth into. But I do have some questions of my own for Greg. Let’s get into it.We begin with a little jazz talk. I ask Greg how he goes about incorporating the principles of the music into the workshops he leads with the Jazz Leadership Project. He goes on to explain how the history of jazz provides a way of understanding how we can begin to envision a society that moves past race. Greg uses the work of Albert Murray and Ralph Ellison as examples, but I want to know why I and other black people should have to abandon our racial self-identification? Surely this task can’t fall to black people alone. I suggest to Greg that he’s unjustifiably conflating black identity and the victim mentality—you can have the former without the latter. After a brief discussion about whiteness and deracialization, Greg departs, leaving John and me to do a quick review of 2022 and to look ahead to 2023. This is a fiery one! It’s our final episode of the year. Thank you all for watching, listening, and reading. John and I will be back in 2023. See you there!Featured Content from the Manhattan InstituteDaniel Di Martino released a report with reforms to America’s immigration system, which is turning off high-skilled immigrants due to slow processing and unneeded bureaucracy.  0:00 The principles of jazz 7:14 “Deracialization Now” 13:00 Becoming Omni-American 20:46 What’s wrong with racial identification? 25:36 Black victimization and cultural memory 35:15 The transformations of James Baldwin 42:10 Convincing white people to deracialize 48:40 Takeaways from 2022 55:33 2023’s big Supreme Court decisionsLinks and ReadingsJazz Leadership ProjectInstitute for Cultural Evolution BME CommunityGreg’s essay, “Deracialization Now” Albert Murray’s book, The Omni-Americans: Some Alternatives to the Folklore of White Supremacy John’s book, Talking Back, Talking Black: Truths about America’s Lingua FrancaKwame Anthony Appiah’s book, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers Reconstruction.us Abigail Thernstrom’s book, Whose Votes Count?: Affirmative Action and Minority Voting Rights  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 Why Glenn does The Glenn Show13:02 Glenn: “If I was going to vote for Trump, I wouldn’t tell you”19:21 “The cat is out of the bag” on election denial25:45 Modeling epistemic modesty31:12 Why is race such an important issue for Glenn?39:13 The Old Glenn and the New Glenn45:46 Confronting the past50:44 Putting “the funk” on the story of your lifeRecorded October 27, 2022Links and ReadingsHamish’s podcast, The Active VoiceEmily Oster’s SubstackRobert Wright’s Nonzero NewsletterNonzero’s YouTube channelMatt Taibbi’s SubstackMatt Taibbi’s book, Hate, Inc.: Why Today’s Media Makes Us Despise One AnotherBraver AngelsJohn McWhorter’s book, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black AmericaBenjamin Crump’s book, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored PeopleGlenn’s Quillette piece, “Unspeakable Truths about Racial Inequality in America”Glenn’s first Bloggingheads appearance, with Joshua Cohen in August 2007James Q. Wilson’s book, Thinking about CrimeRafael Mangual’s recent TGS appearanceAndrew Sullivan’s SubstackAlex Berenson’s Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 Why are we paying so much attention to Kanye West’s antisemitism?14:02 The two words you never say together23:28 Could widespread antisemitism take hold in the US?36:53 The mythological black past and the realities of the present48:12 How necessary is rootedness to the modern human experience?56:54 How we make race, how race makes usRecorded on December 10, 2022Links and ReadingsDave Chappelle’s SNL monologue on Kanye West and Kyrie IrvingJohn’s NYT piece, “It’s Too Darn Loud”  Wilson Jeremiah Moses’s book, Afrotopia: The Roots of African American Popular HistoryOrlando Patterson’s essay, “Toward a Future That Has No Past – Reflections on the Fate of Blacks in America”Rogers Brubaker’s book, Ethnicity without GroupsGlenn and John’s May 2020 conversation about George Floyd This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

This week we’ve got something special for you here at The Glenn Show. In late October, I convened in person in New York City with the economist Richard Wolff for an extended debate on the comparative merits of capitalism and socialism. Some of you may have seen Rick’s previous appearance on TGS, where he joined John McWhorter and me for a similar debate. Rick and I both felt that we had more to say than that format allowed, so we agreed to meet face to face. Both of us are passionate defenders of our positions—capitalism for me and socialism for Rick—so we knew we needed a moderator to keep things on track. Luckily, I knew just the person: my lovely wife, LaJuan Loury. If you’re a regular viewer, you’ll know that LaJuan and I have some stark political differences; her views have more in common with Rick’s than with mine. (And if you’re a regular podcast listener, you’ll recognize her voice from the introduction to every episode.) Rick and I agreed that LaJuan would set the agenda, formulate the questions that we would debate, and moderate the conversation. I think you’ll agree that she more than rose to the challenge. As you might expect, this is a lively exchange. Rick and I have real differences in the ways we think about economics and politics. One thing on which we do agree is the necessity of having serious debates like this one in a civil and open manner. As TGS continues to grow, you can look forward to more content like this. You can also look forward, if all goes according to plan, to more LaJuan. And if you find yourself wishing for even more pushback on Rick’s positions than I offered, stay tuned. This Sunday’s edition of the newsletter will feature a bonus episode with the economist Gene Epstein, who offers a forceful rebuttal to Rick’s previous appearance on the show. This post is free and available to the public. To receive early access to TGS episodes, an ad-free podcast feed, Q&As, and other exclusive content and benefits, click below.Featured Content from the Manhattan Institute“Prejudice must be measured rigorously. Statistically. Disparity doesn’t necessarily imply racism. It may feel omnipresent, but it isn’t all-powerful. Skills matter most,” writes Roland Fryer.  0:00 Is capitalism a “winner take all” system? 12:54 Why does the word “socialism” make so many Americans afraid? 24:55 Has neoliberalism been beneficial for the US? 33:25 Capitalism’s role in rising living standards around the world 40:59 Are higher interest rates the only solution to inflation? 52:36 Can the market eradicate employment discrimination? 1:02:12 Why is the rent too damn high? 1:13;20 Can there be a kinder, gentler form of capitalism? 1:18:58 Closing statementsRecorded October 26, 2022Links and Readings Rick’s previous appearance on The Glenn ShowGary Becker’s book, The Economics of Discrimination Matthew Desmond’s book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 How the pandemic affected diversity in the theater10:24 James gets drawn into an “antiracist” meltdown during rehearsal21:08 James’s story of ostracism and Loving v. Virginia26:58 Juilliard students revolt39:19 A plea for mutual understanding in the theater47:57 A preview of things to come on The Glenn Show50:32 Glenn’s problem with “racial inequity”59:18 Getting through to “Donna”1:03:58 To speak your mind or to speak strategically?Recorded November 27, 2022Links and ReadingsJames’s homepageGlenn and John’s conversation with Don BatonJohn’s NYT piece, “‘Racism’ Without Racists”Ronald Ferguson’s speech from Glenn’s festschrift This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 What does “black identity” mean?4:53 Why Bob left the Civil Rights Movement8:04 Shelby: Our problem today is freedom, not racism15:36 Glenn: We can’t afford to give up on black collective goals21:30 Why Shelby wouldn’t sign a letter of support for Clarence Thomas30:13 Would freeing ourselves from race mean sacrificing collective action?39:10 The tactical efficacy of racial identification44:32 The struggle for human freedom50:46 Can we take pride in group achievements past?1:02:22 Kmele: We have a too-narrow sense of diversity1:07:20 Glenn: “The future is assimilation”1:13:03 Concluding statementsLinks and ReadingsKmele’s podcast, The Fifth ColumnThe Woodson CenterGlenn and Bob’s letter of support for Clarence ThomasThomas Chatterton Williams’s book, Self-Portrait in Black and White: Family, Fatherhood, and Rethinking Race This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 Glenn’s culinary dilemma3:31 Why the Republican Party depresses John8:14 What’s the difference between Herschel Walker and John Fetterman?13:12 Glenn’s argument for voting Republican30:01 Woke theater’s “melodramatic agitprop”43:10 Kanye, Kyrie, and the Jews54:00 What’s “systemic,” “structural,” or “institutional” about racism?Recorded on November 13, 2022Links and ReadingsJohn’s NYT column, “Racism and Theater, Then and Now”Glenn and John’s conversation with orchestra conductor Don BatonWilson Jeremiah Moses’s book, Afrotopia: The Roots of African American Popular History This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe