The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg The Case for Competition
Greg Lukianoff, President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, dives into the erosion of free speech in America and its implications on college campuses. He discusses the tension between defamation and free expression amidst today’s disinformation challenges, while also reflecting on Elon Musk's Twitter takeover and its impact on discourse. The conversation highlights the essential role of competition in political discussion and the need for reforms in higher education to foster critical thinking. A must-listen for anyone passionate about free speech!
01:00:18
Disinformation vs. Misinformation
- Disinformation is the deliberate spreading of falsehoods, while misinformation is simply getting it wrong.
- Tolerance for misinformation is crucial for open debate and the pursuit of knowledge.
AI and Defamation
- Deepfakes and AI-generated content can be subject to defamation and false light defamation laws.
- First Amendment law is often more nuanced than people realize.
Honor Codes and Speech
- While honor codes have value, applying them to speech can be problematic due to administrative bias.
- Speech restrictions should focus on harassment and threats, not simply offensive ideas.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
The Erosion of Free Speech in America
02:46 • 16min
Navigating Defamation and Free Speech in the Digital Age
19:09 • 3min
Advocacy for Individual Rights and Health Solutions
22:36 • 3min
Navigating Free Speech on Campus
25:06 • 24min
The Essence of Competition in American Political Discourse
48:51 • 3min
Elon Musk and the Evolution of Free Speech on Twitter
51:39 • 6min
Advocating for Free Speech in Higher Education
57:11 • 3min
#12069
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
Words That Wound
Richard Delgado
Kimberle Crenshaw
Lawrence, Charles
Mari J. Matsuda
In this book, four prominent legal scholars from the tradition of critical race theory draw on the experience of injury from racist hate speech to develop a First Amendment interpretation that recognizes such injuries.
The authors critique 'first amendment orthodoxy' and argue that only a history of racism can explain why defamation, invasion of privacy, and fraud are exempt from free-speech guarantees while racist and sexist verbal assaults are not.
The book demonstrates how critical race theory can be used to motivate a responsible regulation of hate speech, also incorporating insights from feminist theory.
#8512
• Mentioned in 6 episodes
The greening of America
Charles A Reich
Published in 1970, 'The Greening of America' is a seminal work that captures the essence of the counterculture movement.
The book introduces a typology of three types of consciousness: Consciousness I (village life), Consciousness II (Corporate State), and Consciousness III (a radical, idealistic new consciousness).
Reich argues that social and political change must begin with individual transformation, leading to cultural and eventually systemic change.
The book was widely discussed and debated upon its release, reflecting the societal upheavals of the time.
#20642
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
The Promise of America
Harvey Kaye
#53102
FIRE's guide to free speech on campus
Greg Lukianoff
Harvey Silverglate
David A. French
First published in 2005 and updated in 2012, FIRE's Guide to Free Speech on Campus informs students about their rights to free speech and provides strategies for combating censorship on campus.
The guide is particularly relevant in the era of social media and the internet, offering examples from FIRE's case archives, updates on state and federal case law, and incisive analysis.
It aims to empower students to defend their civil liberties and promote a culture of free expression on college campuses.
#75342
Vixi
Memoirs of a Non-Believer
Richard Edgar Pipes
In 'Vixi: Memoirs of a Non-Believer,' Richard Pipes reflects on his life, from his escape from Nazi-occupied Poland to his distinguished career as a historian of Russian and Soviet history.
The book covers his academic achievements, his role in shaping U.S.
policy towards the Soviet Union, and his personal philosophy.
Pipes recounts his experiences at Harvard University, his involvement with the National Security Council, and his critiques of communism and the Soviet regime.
#2938
• Mentioned in 16 episodes
American Covenant
How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—and Could Again
Yuval Levin
In 'American Covenant,' Yuval Levin argues that the U.S.
Constitution is not the source of contemporary political discord but rather the solution.
The book blends historical analysis with practical insights, highlighting the framers’ sophisticated understanding of political division and the Constitution’s power to facilitate constructive disagreement and forge unity.
Levin provides a hopeful and insightful perspective, rooted in American political tradition, and offers practical solutions for reforming aspects of the constitutional order that have malfunctioned.
#26246
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Unlearning liberty
Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate
Greg Lukianoff
In 'Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate,' Greg Lukianoff examines the decline of free speech on American college campuses.
The book argues that decades of campus censorship have contributed to a culture of hyperpolarization and groupthink, undermining the essential principles of academic freedom and open debate.
Lukianoff discusses how the therapeutic turn in society, which emphasizes the vulnerability of individuals, has justified censorship as a means to protect students from hurtful words and opinions.
He also highlights the historical importance of free speech in academic life and its current erosion, which he believes threatens the broader American discourse.
#94114
Hume
David Hume
#42
• Mentioned in 265 episodes
The Wealth of Nations
Adam Smith
Published in 1776, 'The Wealth of Nations' is Adam Smith's magnum opus that laid the groundwork for modern economics.
The book critiques mercantilist economic theories and introduces the concept of the 'invisible hand,' which describes how individual self-interest leads to societal benefit.
It emphasizes the division of labor, the accumulation of capital, and the importance of free markets.
Smith argues that a nation's wealth is not measured by its gold and silver reserves but by the stream of goods and services it produces.
The book also outlines the core functions of government, such as maintaining defense, enforcing civil law, and promoting education, while advocating for limited government intervention in market activities.
#8080
• Mentioned in 6 episodes
Freedom from speech
Greg Lukianoff
In this book, Greg Lukianoff argues that the threats to free speech extend beyond political correctness or liberal groupthink.
He discusses how global populations are increasingly expecting not just physical but also intellectual comfort, leading to heightened demands for 'freedom from speech.
' Lukianoff emphasizes the need to understand and combat this trend to protect free speech, especially in academic environments where it is already in decline.
#74912
Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
#86
• Mentioned in 190 episodes
The Coddling of the American Mind
Jonathan Haidt
Greg Lukianoff
The book explores how the ideas 'what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker,' 'always trust your feelings,' and 'life is a battle between good people and evil people' have become embedded in American culture.
These 'Great Untruths' contradict basic psychological principles and ancient wisdom, leading to a culture of safetyism that interferes with young people’s social, emotional, and intellectual development.
The authors investigate various social trends, including fearful parenting, the decline of unsupervised play, and the impact of social media, as well as changes on college campuses and the broader context of political polarization in America.
#9811
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
Repressive Tolerance
Herbert Marcuse
#19928
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Locke
John Locke
In this monumental work, Locke defends modern empiricism and examines the sources and nature of human knowledge.
The essay is divided into four books, where Locke argues that there is no innate knowledge, and all ideas come from experience through sensation and reflection.
He also discusses the distinction between primary and secondary qualities of physical objects and the concept of personal identity as a continuity of consciousness.
#51662
Kendi
Ibram X Kendi
#231
• Mentioned in 102 episodes
The Population Bomb
Anne H. Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich
Published in 1968, 'The Population Bomb' by Paul and Anne Ehrlich predicts catastrophic consequences, including mass starvation and environmental ruin, due to unchecked population growth.
The book argues that immediate action is necessary to control population growth to prevent these dire outcomes.
Although many of the Ehrlichs' predictions did not come to pass, the book significantly raised awareness about population and environmental issues and influenced public policy in the 1960s and 1970s.
The authors emphasize the need for conscious regulation of human numbers and highlight the strain that growing populations place on the natural world.
#471
• Mentioned in 63 episodes
Suicide of the west
How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy
Jonah Goldberg
In 'Suicide of the West,' Jonah Goldberg argues that the principles of liberal democracy and capitalism, which he terms 'the Miracle,' are under threat from various forms of illiberalism.
He contends that the West's prosperity and political stability are not inevitable but rather the result of unique historical and philosophical developments.
Goldberg warns that complacency and the erosion of these principles due to partisanship, polarization, and identity politics could lead to democratic decline.
He emphasizes the importance of gratitude for the achievements of Western civilization and the need to rediscover and uphold its founding ideals to prevent its downfall.
#1557
• Mentioned in 27 episodes
Power
Why Some People Have It—and Others Don’t
Jeffrey Pfeffer
In this book, Jeffrey Pfeffer provides insightful and often counterintuitive advice on how power is successfully built and maintained in organizations.
Drawing from his extensive experience in consulting and teaching, Pfeffer argues that power is not just for a select few but can be harnessed by anyone.
The book dispels the myth that power is only for those in charge and instead reveals the true paths to career success, emphasizing the importance of personal networks, reputation, and effective social interactions.
Pfeffer uses numerous examples from various countries and industries to illustrate his points, making the book an essential organizational survival manual and a new standard in the field of leadership and management.
#922
• Mentioned in 39 episodes
Scale
The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies
Geoffrey West
Scale by Geoffrey West explores the hidden mathematical laws that govern growth, life, and evolution across organisms, cities, and companies.
Drawing on his background as a theoretical physicist, West reveals how everything from the lifespan of animals to the pace of innovation in cities follows universal scaling laws.
He demonstrates that despite their complexity, living systems and human organizations obey predictable patterns that can explain why cities thrive while companies tend to die.
Blending insights from biology, physics, and social science, the book provides a scientific framework for understanding sustainability, innovation, and the limits of growth.
It’s an ambitious, interdisciplinary look at the underlying principles that shape life and civilization itself.
#1045
• Mentioned in 36 episodes
The Constitution of Knowledge
Jonathan Rauch
#6034
• Mentioned in 8 episodes
Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Jonah Goldberg has been feeling censored by the tyranny of Sarah Isgur lately, so he’s decided to bring in the big guns: Greg Lukianoff, the president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Greg and Jonah discuss the current state of free speech writ large, the legal distinction between defamation and free expression as it relates to artificial intelligence and deepfakes, and what it really means to defend morally reprehensible speech.
Plus: a closer investigation into the intellectual history of the destruction of free speech and Greg’s evaluation of Elon’s Twitter takeover.
Show Notes:
—Greg’s recent piece for The Dispatch
—FIRE’s college free speech rankings
The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including Jonah’s G-File newsletter, weekly livestreams, and other members-only content—click here.
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