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Freddie Sayers sits down with renowned cognitive psychologist, author, and Harvard Professor of Psychology Steven Pinker to discuss his latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows… and explore how common knowledge shapes our social, political, and economic worlds. Their conversation delves into the power and pitfalls of collective thinking, the dynamics of cancel culture and censorship, and the Trump administration’s clashes with academic institutions like Harvard. They also consider whether democracy is in decline, if society is losing its shared sense of reality, and whether there’s still reason to be optimistic about the future.
Asks questions that he is unwilling to answer.
Courage or cowardice?
The latter. As with many academics he’s more willing to carp against Trump’s boorishness than to delve into the liberal lies, follies and excesses that empowered Trump and enabled him to rightly say “Kamala is for they/them; President Trump is for you”.
Mind you, Pinker has a book to sell, predominantly to those who share his prejudices.
All I heard was a man infuriated and perplexed that his right to choose what is right and proper for the rest of us has been challenged.
really interesting discussion, and so pertinent to our times, thank you both
I think Freddy could have pushed back more on Pinker’s wholesale condemnation of the resistance to the neo-liberal dogma around his use of the term “Quackery”. The use of this term reinforces the hopelessness of Pinker’s position.
Not asked or answered (or maybe I missed it): “should Harvard receive American taxpayers’ dollars if it discriminates on the basis of race and tolerates anti-Semitism on campus?”
I would have liked to see the professor squirm a little bit.
the cowboy boots say it all. all tooled boots and NO cattle. eeewww
What stood out to me is how pinker (a male jew) would have never had an academic career if he was starting out last year.
Firstly the chances he had would be offered under DEI to someone else and what he is really upset about is the fact that an immigration status (Canadian) would be prohibitive today.
The fact that the public has suddenly taken an interest in what exactly they get back from public investment in academia is something academics deplore.
They want grants not scrutiny how they are spent. Pinker seams to refuse to acknowledge there could be wisdom outside academia!
What else is evident is academia’s lack of ability to keep up with the rest of humanity and its utter reliance on methods (peer review for example) which are corruptible.
As if the small world of academic common knowledge is the only way forwards for humanity.
BTW: boorish Trump May have just ended a 2 years war.
Maybe he will also make peace in the Middle East.
Credit when credit is due.