I am afraid to like your post. Aren’t you just saying what I was already thinking, but better than I could, which make me feel smart in the process, and then I can imagine myself using your arguments even though I have not deep knowledge of the question?
I nearly clicked on that video, then I realized I don't actually have to suffer through Destiny, so I didn't. I'm guessing you likely want to yell "you are such a fantastic moron. . . " like Norm Finkelstein yelled at him. This is more his pace of guest.
I never actually knew anything about the guy before this except that he has some kind of weird friendship with Nick Fuentes, which is already disturbing enough for me to write him off. Now I think he serves more or less the same role for liberals as Joe Rogan serves for the right.
I think his role(and I think it's an actual ROLE) is actually to pull liberals to the right. That's what I see at a quick glance. That was a bad hire.... LOL
I had never heard of him either, until he foolishly debated Norm Finkelstein. Someone else was highly suspicious of how fast he popped out of nowhere, I hadn't heard the Nick Fuentes thing, but after watching him try to defend Israel, I'm not shocked. If you dislike him, you can watch Norm berate the fuck out of him, it's entertaining(find the highlights tho it's a 5 hr debate).
Opinions on social media should be portioned out like online poker chips. You only get so many opinions to share. If you run out of opinion chips, you have to earn more by logging off. Or by the watching Schoolhouse Rock cartoons.
I like this- it reminds me of a couple of critical distinctions: skeptics (people who need evidence in order to believe things) vs contrarians (people who attack “conventional wisdom” with little concern for objective truth); and also deliberate centrists (“nobody knows for sure”) vs accidental moderates (I dislike fringe cranks no matter which side they occupy). Also this: https://youtu.be/z-EfEaFWh3w?si=Vj8V3xxYbgr-_rZT
“The point is, our deference to charismatic ideological “fixers” like Peterson to reassure ourselves that we aren’t actually any less knowledgeable than experts in their fields of expertise is a matter of ego.”
We now have more experts at doubting experts than we do actual experts. And they won’t shut up about it. Because it’s an industry now. Like you said: smart-sounding people who, rather than explain complicated actual truths, can EMPATHIZE with the huge swaths of people who can’t follow more than one if-then statement. It’s comforting, empowering and immediately creates a bonded in-group. That’s why it’s so portable to any other (even moderately) complex truths. Anything with more than one or two if-then statements (and anything involving nuance) is easily rejected and replaced with daisy-chained might-be-truths. These, unsurprisingly, are proof of nothing but what they already desire to be truth. It’s the same impulse behind any old-fashioned witch hunt, only now algorithmic reach and the feudalized internet make it very profitable, infectious, and, sadly, *enjoyable*. The mental rewards are *real* to the ones consuming it.
It’s like shopping at Kohl’s. The truth is you just blew $200, but they’ve made you feel like a boss about it because you feel like YOU gamed the system. YOU earned Kohl’s Cash. YOU used a 40% off coupon. YOU thought your way to using an additional 20% email offer. Screw all those other suckers shopping at Target—YOU have the superior approach! Excuse me…just got an email notification…OH MY GOD 60% OFF (tomorrow only).
Midway through your first paragraph on Peterson, you start talking about “he” right after mentioning Destiny the pewdiepie, and for most of the rest of the article it looks like you’re still talking about Destiny. I had to jump back several paragraphs to figure out what I’d missed.
You cannot reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.
...unless you create them a life-changing experience.
I am afraid to like your post. Aren’t you just saying what I was already thinking, but better than I could, which make me feel smart in the process, and then I can imagine myself using your arguments even though I have not deep knowledge of the question?
Damn, hoisted by my own petard!
Space for a two-person hanging if using underpants (a.k.a. briefs).
I nearly clicked on that video, then I realized I don't actually have to suffer through Destiny, so I didn't. I'm guessing you likely want to yell "you are such a fantastic moron. . . " like Norm Finkelstein yelled at him. This is more his pace of guest.
I never actually knew anything about the guy before this except that he has some kind of weird friendship with Nick Fuentes, which is already disturbing enough for me to write him off. Now I think he serves more or less the same role for liberals as Joe Rogan serves for the right.
I think his role(and I think it's an actual ROLE) is actually to pull liberals to the right. That's what I see at a quick glance. That was a bad hire.... LOL
I had never heard of him either, until he foolishly debated Norm Finkelstein. Someone else was highly suspicious of how fast he popped out of nowhere, I hadn't heard the Nick Fuentes thing, but after watching him try to defend Israel, I'm not shocked. If you dislike him, you can watch Norm berate the fuck out of him, it's entertaining(find the highlights tho it's a 5 hr debate).
Opinions on social media should be portioned out like online poker chips. You only get so many opinions to share. If you run out of opinion chips, you have to earn more by logging off. Or by the watching Schoolhouse Rock cartoons.
Why I dread the day I say that substack is social media.
I like this- it reminds me of a couple of critical distinctions: skeptics (people who need evidence in order to believe things) vs contrarians (people who attack “conventional wisdom” with little concern for objective truth); and also deliberate centrists (“nobody knows for sure”) vs accidental moderates (I dislike fringe cranks no matter which side they occupy). Also this: https://youtu.be/z-EfEaFWh3w?si=Vj8V3xxYbgr-_rZT
We are good at figuring things out but we are terrible at knowing what the results will be over time. And then we built the Internet. WHEE
“The point is, our deference to charismatic ideological “fixers” like Peterson to reassure ourselves that we aren’t actually any less knowledgeable than experts in their fields of expertise is a matter of ego.”
We now have more experts at doubting experts than we do actual experts. And they won’t shut up about it. Because it’s an industry now. Like you said: smart-sounding people who, rather than explain complicated actual truths, can EMPATHIZE with the huge swaths of people who can’t follow more than one if-then statement. It’s comforting, empowering and immediately creates a bonded in-group. That’s why it’s so portable to any other (even moderately) complex truths. Anything with more than one or two if-then statements (and anything involving nuance) is easily rejected and replaced with daisy-chained might-be-truths. These, unsurprisingly, are proof of nothing but what they already desire to be truth. It’s the same impulse behind any old-fashioned witch hunt, only now algorithmic reach and the feudalized internet make it very profitable, infectious, and, sadly, *enjoyable*. The mental rewards are *real* to the ones consuming it.
It’s like shopping at Kohl’s. The truth is you just blew $200, but they’ve made you feel like a boss about it because you feel like YOU gamed the system. YOU earned Kohl’s Cash. YOU used a 40% off coupon. YOU thought your way to using an additional 20% email offer. Screw all those other suckers shopping at Target—YOU have the superior approach! Excuse me…just got an email notification…OH MY GOD 60% OFF (tomorrow only).
Great take on this topic. And Pargin’s shit stirring videos are awesome! He’s the reason I found you on here and I’m grateful.
Midway through your first paragraph on Peterson, you start talking about “he” right after mentioning Destiny the pewdiepie, and for most of the rest of the article it looks like you’re still talking about Destiny. I had to jump back several paragraphs to figure out what I’d missed.
You're right, thank you - I've corrected it
(It’s a great article by the way. If I didn’t like it I would never have bothered to complain!)
Thanks!
I liked Jordan but his swing to distastefulness non-coincidentally happened with his swing to religion.