This monthly link roundup summarizes the best, short-ish content from the Intellectual Dark Web for August 2018.
Cut that Cord!
The internet and social media have fundamentally changed the way we communicate. Mainstream Media’s reacted to declining ratings and ‘Cord Cutting’ by producing more and more sensational news content. When Mainstream Media airs a prime-time interview with the President’s ex-pornstar lover, Stormy Daniels, instead of reporting on ISIS’s defeat it makes me feel like they’re a 24/7 Jerry Springer Show wannabe. Recent polls show many Americans don’t trust traditional media.
Poll: 72 percent [of Americans] say traditional outlets ‘report news they know to be fake, false, or purposely misleading’
92% of Republicans say “traditional news outlets knowingly report false or misleading stories at least sometimes.” This sentiment extends to 79% of Independents. And 53% of Democrats agree Mainstream Media isn’t always trustworthy.
New Landscape for Truth and Authenticity
This lack of trust results in a deterioration of our collective sensemaking ability. We need reliable facts and honest, intelligent points of view to understand the world.
A new group of critical thinkers, jokingly referred to as the Intellectual Dark Web (IDW), continue to gain followers. Hosts like Dave Rubin, Ben Shapiro, and Joe Rogan create great content and strive for intellectual honesty. Intellectuals like Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris discuss and debate relevant topics with intellectual rigor and an authentic concern and respect for the truth.
But, the internet’s a big place, and many of these high-quality long-form discussions go on for hours. Sam and Jordan’s recent debate/discussion in Vancouver went on for around five hours and two nights.
That’s why I decided to start publishing a monthly link round-up of the best, short-ish content from the Intellectual Dark Web. I hope this will save you some time and point out something important you might’ve missed. You can always dig a little deeper if you have the time and inclination.
I’d love to hear from you if I’ve missed something. Please leave a comment with your link below. I hope this will become a community effort to share the best IDW content for the month.
Claire Lehmann
In this read from Claire Lehmann’s magazine, Quillette, the author, a lifelong liberal, discusses his concern with some Leftist’s suspicious attitudes towards Western ideals and institutions. He believes attitudes of suspicion have become a foundational and unquestioned assumption for some left of center.
Those who have absorbed the mindset now extend suspicious reading to everyone and everything anyone does: words, body language, dress, hair, music, art, even food. They actively reject the face value of communication, whether literary or social; hold nothing as innocent of power motivations, whether directly or through unconscious complicity in those power motivations.
An effective two Party System is crucial. We need a real, intellectually honest debate between politicians on things like healthcare, climate change, and immigration now more than ever. All too often, ad hominem attacks on anyone who disagrees with them dominate the headlines while articulate well-reasoned arguments and good policy seem more and more out of favor.
Read the article here: Suspicion and the Corruption of the Liberal Mind
Joe Rogan
This short video summarizes Joe Rogan’s daily shows for the week of July 29, 2018. The first segment highlights his discussion with Michael Scott Moore. Michael was kidnapped, and held hostage by Somali Pirates for years. I found his interview to be a fascinating, honest window into the world of Somali Pirates. Other shows that might pique your interest are summarized in this
David Rubin
Dave Rubin did a great video on Tolerance. Tolerance is not only a moral imperative but a vital aspect of a well-functioning democracy. Read it or watch the video here: Dave Rubin: So You Think You’re Tolerant?
Jordan Peterson
Kenny interviews Jordan in this far-ranging discussion in less than twenty minutes. Every IDW aficionado is familiar with Jordan’s thinking. But we usually hear him focused on complex philosophical or psychological issues in marathon deep dives. But, in this interview, Jordan discusses everything from his new book, the crisis of meaning in the West, climate change, poverty, and the ubiquity of Western self-criticism. Watch the interview here: Dr. Jordan Peterson – Kenny on Sunday.
Eric Weinstein
Eric and Dave Rubin spoke about how language can be weaponized to shape public opinion using the ‘Russell Conjugation,’ a concept introduced by famed logician Bertrand Russell.
Yet the question remains: If something objectively happens, how can two different publications have such obvious differences in reporting? Many publications claim to be closer to the truth than others are but fail to sound remotely alike.
This article summarizes the weaponization of language from this hours-long discussion with Eric. Read the article here: Opinion: The Controversial Conjugation.
Christina Sommers
In this episode of her series, The Factual Feminist, Christina Sommers critiques a recent study by Thomson Reuters which claims the USA is one of the most dangerous places in the world for women. Watch the video here: United States and India: Two of the world’s worst countries for women?
Ben Shapiro
Edward Feser and Ben discuss why modern people abandon religion. The full interview covers logical arguments for the existence of God. This clip explains why we’ve lost sight of the logical arguments for God’s existence. I’d recommend going deep and watching the whole interview if you’re interested in logic and religion. Watch the clip here: Sunday Special ep 17: Edward Feser.
I’d love to hear from you if I’ve missed something. Please leave a comment with your link below. I hope this will become a community effort to share the best IDW content for the month.
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