Sam Harris on Populism, Inequality, and Polarization

"Moment of Zen"

For the holiday stretch, we're publishing a few of our favorite episodes from this year. Today, we’re airing Erik's solo interview with Sam Harris over on his Upstream podcast. This discussion covers Sam’s concerns about populism, polarization, and inequality. We also discuss why Sam is hated by the left and the right. Moment of Zen will return with a new episode this weekend.

This episode originally aired on May 29th, 2023

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(05:07) Discussion on Misinformation and Social Media

(07:34) Sam Harris's Decision to Leave Twitter

(14:43) SPONSORS: SHOPIFY | NETSUITE

(19:30) Exploring the Conflict Between Left and Right

(22:27) Debate on Equality, Disparities, and Discrimination

(28:54) Continuation of the Discussion on Equality and Discrimination

(46:57) The Rise of Contrarianism and its Impact on Politics

(51:55) The Dangers of Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation

(55:19) The Impact of Online Politics and Misinformation

(01:00:28) The Influence of Wealth and Power on Society

(01:06:03) The Dangers of Polarization

(01:25:19) The Role of Capitalism and the Need for Reform

(01:28:28) Wrap