Bill Maher episode released (Discussion/Feedback Thread)
Added 2023-02-25 08:34:58 +0000 UTCWell, we promised you Rubin and Maher and delivered 50% of that. Rubin will be following shortly (probably next week) as we are prepped to go but felt we had too many clips for a single episode and that they each deserved some time on their own.
I do not think Matt or I came away big fans of Maher... but we also did not really think he fit the secular guru template very well. He is what he appears to be, a rather shallow talk show host with strong convictions in his opinions be they political or vaccine related.
The dramatic contrast in personalities was enjoyable for us, but how about you lot? Anything we missed? All comments and feedback welcomed!
Comments
I wonder if Maher’s skittishness about vaccines & his discomfort with anal sex come from the same place: penetration as feminisation/ loss of bodily sovereignty (I mean, is that how HE conceives of it, it ain’t how I do!)
Simon Patience
2023-03-11 04:55:11 +0000 UTClol, I noticed that too. A woman you say?!?
Christopher Kavanagh
2023-03-09 02:53:04 +0000 UTCYeah there was a fair bit of a woo-ish vibe to the conference organisers. I remember that too. Zichichi was still there and yes I believe someone mentioned the room belonging to Majorana, but it seemed lived in so probably was Zichichi's office or previous office. Beautiful place!
Christopher Kavanagh
2023-03-09 02:52:38 +0000 UTCWe've done a bunch of explicitly anti-vaxx episodes, see Robert Malone & Peter McCullough or Bret Weinstein. Maher's anti-vaxx stuff is of a slightly older and different variety. As for his op-ed's are you talking about his scripted monologues? If so, they would be useful to look at too but I suspect Club Random is where you get the more unfiltered version of Maher.
Christopher Kavanagh
2023-03-09 02:46:53 +0000 UTCThis was, in my opinion, by far the most disappointing episode you've released so far. Not because Bill Maher is a poor contender for your work or the fact Co-Vid consumed 80% of the episode, but for the reason that, on what is still an incredibly important topic, you chose to dunk on the flimsiest, worst constructed, argument available - made by a drunk guy. I doubt anyone is going to Bill Maher for advice on the vaccine anyway but even if they are, they surely can't take seriously what a hammered stoner has to say on this podcast. [NB: when a few months ago YouTube suggested that episode to me, Dawkin’s name made me give it a try and I lasted 10 mins before Maher's condition made me give up]. Regardless, if you feel you absolutely should dissect Maher's views on Co-Vid, wouldn't it be better to choose his "New Rule" op-eds on the matter? - they aren't much better but at least it avoids the above criticism. However, if you really want to do something worthwhile around the virus, why not do an episode on Vinnay Prasad [e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W0THhfYIZ4] or Jay Bhattacharya himself e.g. [e.g. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6o2OVfQ1a5OjMR4b6CSAvg?si=c766a37ebbc94e02]. They are the people most often cited by anti-vaxxers in this area and far more worthy of debunking than a baked, befuddled comedian.
Neil Hornsby
2023-03-07 18:47:41 +0000 UTCThat whole twitch thing had me crying. Just kept mentally replacing ‘kids’ with my dads name and replacing ‘twitch’ with curling. Just sitting there all day watching it as if he thinks it’s a sport! He never goes outside and gets any exercise. Dads these days are never going to amount to anything at this rate.
Heather Elaine
2023-03-03 19:55:39 +0000 UTCFair enough! I’m still confused cuz center is very meaningless to me
YellowDreams
2023-02-28 09:16:44 +0000 UTCCentre left. Matt and I are not confused about who we vote for.
Christopher Kavanagh
2023-02-28 08:08:58 +0000 UTChow funny that bill had to get absolutely plastered to even broach the topic of the virus to (probably) the most well-known biologist of the last century. and even then.. i could still hear bill's voice shaking at times during this convo lol
ketracel-white
2023-02-28 02:13:32 +0000 UTCBack when I was there (early 2000's) Zichichi was the director of the conference complex (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettore_Majorana_Foundation_and_Centre_for_Scientific_Culture). Your description of the room perfectly matches the one I visited, but it was at that time simply labeled as his office, not as belonging to some earlier famous scientist (Majorana?). Zichichi himself gave a "guest" lecture which bordered on pseudo-science, which I recall to this day, as we had to stifle snorts of laughter to the horrified looks of my advisor, who believed Zichichi had ties with the Sicilian families... And it was such a respectable conference with (future) Nobel laureates like Thorn too!
Tomasz
2023-02-27 20:41:57 +0000 UTCI sometimes wonder where the boys would put themselves politically of they just forgot about the “woke” aspects of some left movements. Like if you look at it free market capatilism and small government with minimal tax etc on the right. Vs socialism, workers rights, social safety nets, and redistribution through tax on the left. Are they still centrist? Only wonder cuz to me centrist is the most meaningless label to me esp when you (as above comment does) compare say Australia “center” and US “center”.
YellowDreams
2023-02-27 20:09:25 +0000 UTCenjoyed the episode as always, i like when you take apart annoying people 😅 just really didn‘t agree with categorizing bill maher on the political (center-)left spectrum, but that might also be my central-european bias. (in germany the us-american democratic party would mostly be considered center-right, the republicans extreme right, and figures like bernie sanders and aoc as center-left.) i would categorize bill maher more as center-right politically, with an extra helping of annoying.
Georg Tarne
2023-02-27 18:00:57 +0000 UTCOh man. I didn't realize I could find Maher more annoying, but drunk Maher does it.
Anonymous ethicist, not a serial killer at all, just asking questions.
2023-02-27 16:03:37 +0000 UTCGetting the gross vibes of a Konstantin Kisin who spent his entire 20s (or more) trying to trade weed and acid for pussy, and still thinks that's what every Young Liberal should be doing. Stupid, generic, retrograde. Elsewhere, the casual New Atheist era sexism of Dawkins was almost a bit endearing when he was talking about how his friend Matt Ridley wrote a COVID book "with a woman". It's really a bit like a time capsule in how both are a dying breed. Dawkins made some impact on the world, maybe even positively. Maher might not be a guru, but he is a disgrace.
Exai
2023-02-27 15:55:14 +0000 UTCOh was that his tower?
Christopher Kavanagh
2023-02-27 12:49:06 +0000 UTCHigh-five for sneaking into Zichichi's tower room in Erice! ;)
Tomasz
2023-02-26 20:56:34 +0000 UTCLoved the episode, but Chris it’s RFK Jr., my dear, not RK. It’s a trivial mistake on its face, but RFK senior was an important US historical figure, which is why the son has clout to grift off of.
Carolina Sunshine
2023-02-26 07:39:59 +0000 UTCChris: Miss Frizzle the pagan school bus priestess guiding Children’s minds to unholy enlightenment.
Jason Trock
2023-02-25 18:40:55 +0000 UTCChris, if you see this I have a question, I saw with a great chuckle your spat with Scott Alexander and the broader rationalist community. Do you have a inkling of doubt getting into a spat with him when he has had email leaks and also associates with people who might be giving a bit too much breath to modern day eugenics as the HBD idea/movement? I am gaining a very big side eye every time I see someone associating with the rationalists, EA community, & slate star codex type of people. Just a inkling I have been having, was wondering about your opinion.
Chris Snyder
2023-02-25 17:31:29 +0000 UTCI’m about halfway in and man, it is really difficult to listen to Bill Maher for such an extended period. He’s so condescending that even with the fun Chris and Matt breaks, it’s brutal. This is the first time that the guru of choice has been so insufferable that I’m contemplating not even finishing the episode. Even now, hours after my most recent Maher exposure, I can still hear his perma-sneer between my ears as I’m typing this out. I don’t know how you guys managed to get through the source material. Kudos!
Peter
2023-02-25 16:21:29 +0000 UTC
