AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
3min snip
#361 – Aaron Smith-Levin: Scientology
Lex Fridman Podcast
The Devil will not be ugly, but charismatic
Ideas that sound appealing can become dangerous. It is important to take ideas seriously and understand where they can go wrong. Caricaturing and making fun of ideas does not help to understand their potential dangers. The devil is charismatic, not a caricature. Understanding the appeal of dangerous ideas can help prevent their negative effects. Empathy is necessary to reach people influenced by charismatic leaders. Making fun of these leaders as caricatures misses the point. Hitler and other charismatic leaders influenced millions of people, causing suffering. Scientology, being close to the core of America, offers an interesting study of the beauty and power of ideas and where things can go wrong.
00:00
Transcript
Episode notes
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode