Victor Davis Hanson and host Jack Fowler on the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, the nature of war and deterrence, the decline of Howard Stern, cultural coarseness in public discourse, the controversial policy of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, and more.
For sheer comedic relief, try listening to the late Mr. Ted Kennedy, who purportedly graduated from Harvard University, no less, with a Major in Spanish, attempt to speak Spanish.
A dollar to a donut, no one will be able to keep a straight face. The first time that entered my ears to make me smile, i began to wonder about the ‘goings on’ in the Ivy League; surely it was not scholarship.
Some of our most noted politicians are stunning in their stupidity. Ted Kennedy was among the worst. In fact, they are legion. But how did we get here? Surely, the people who put our politicians in Congress repeatedly and who actively support the coarsening of our culture must be looked at for the cause. I’m sorry but too many voters clearly are stupid; too many lack foresight or an ability to ponder consequences.
Which brings us to the late professor Carlo M. Cipolla, former professor of Economic History at the University of California, Berkeley. In the mid 1970’s he noted the phenomenon and then developed five Laws of Stupidity:
1st Law: Always & without variation everyone underestimates the number of stupid
individuals in circulation.
2nd Law: The probability that someone is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
3rd Law: A stupid person is a person who causes losses to others while he, himself, derives no gain or loss. Often the stupid person is not even aware of the harm he/she has done.
4th Law: Non-stupid individuals always underestimate the damaging power of stupid
people. Notably, non-stupid individuals frequently forget that, at all times,
and in all places, and under any circumstance, dealing with or
associating with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake.
5th Law: A stupid person is a dangerous, regressive person.”
Tell me it “ain’t” so; tell me the late professor Carlo Cipolla missed the boat.
Victor,
You lost me on the rebuttal of this academic who seems like a pedant. Just state your case and move on.
I type this with a bit of trepidation because it won’t be received well by many. On the subject of coarsening, President Trump is going to schedule a UFC cage fight on the White House grounds on the 250th anniversary of our independence declaration (Independence was achieved in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris). I’m a retired Marine who boxed, wrestled and fought my share in bars at the beginning of my career so it isn’t about pugilism. It is about the coarseness of cage fighting which we are now going to broadcast as the main event of our celebration. I always envision the proverbial Man from Mars visiting us and wonder what he would think.
Also nothing could be more coarse than the way we (and he) refers to our president as “Trump”. I know of many Marines, soldiers and sailors who were steely hard but who employed the appropriate honorifics when addressing or discussing others. President Trump is a crude New York developer. I was born in Astoria and grew up on Long Island so I understand him. I wouldn’t have any other person as President right now. He is one of your tragic heroes. Yet, I still think the President of the United States should conduct himself with a certain amount of decorum, as J.D. Vance and/or Marco Rubio will.
I offer the the thoughts of Robert A Heinlein, the Grandmaster of Science Fiction. “A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Friday”
With dismay I have watched the coarsening of culture for the last 50 years. Are we a dying culture? Hollywood is a major contributor. For instance I enjoyed the movie Margin Call except for the dialog that was loaded with F bombs. In my working career upper level management simply did not talk like that and nor did my professional coworkers. So I have a few questions. Do you think Robert Heinlein is correct? Are there any historical examples where a declining civilization exhibited a decline in manners? It there anyway back from this morass of stupidity?
Mr. Hansen thank you very much for all you do. I’ve just finished your book on the Athenians and the Spartans. Well done. Please, as soon as you can speak to the issues, both historically and contemporary regarding the Zangezur Corridor near the Iranian border. I think it’s a growing issue. Jim in TN.
Dear VDH
This program I am sorry to say was the worst you have ever done in my appraisal.
As a loyal follower of your podcasts I felt compelled to let you know.
No one cares about the dirt bag known as Howard Stern, his few selective followers are far to stupid to ever tune into your great shows and we that do follow you could care less if Howard Stern meets his maker today. Please do not waste our time or yours on such a useless topic.
As for illegals getting tuition and other perks denied US Citizens again the problem is far greater than that.
Affirmative action has destroyed the quality of professions for over 50 years that is the bigger issue.
Blacks have been given jobs they were and are never qualified to have. Race does play an important part in society because we have coddled the stupid and low IQ populations for so long.
Let’s be clear Black Lives DO NOT Matter at all. Ask any gang member in Chicago. The carnage in Chicago, Philly, NY and other black cities is actually a great thing, let them kill each other off.
Sorry, I have had it with the black race, let us swap their silly 9mm hand guns with 12 ga shotguns so their kill percentage increase considerably. A current weekend kill percentage in Chicago averages about 18%, pathetic. Give them 12 gauges and lets see it get to 90%.
Feel free to call me racist, the older I get the happier I am when I see another dead black person or stupid person of color.
I have ranted enough.
Chris L
Ted Kennedy was the Tom Cat of the Senate.
Folks should view the 1994 A&E DVD — Investigative Reports Chappaquiddick.
The official story is most likely fiction.
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Request
Trump says Big Beautiful Bill does not cut Medicare or Medicaid.
Main Stream Media repeatedly says both programs cut.
Can you sort this out for us?
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Keep Up your great work !!
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