Lost Debate

Greg Lukianoff, president of FIRE, discusses cancel culture on college campuses and its impact on academic freedom. The podcast explores the consequences of cancel culture in the short and long term, including concerns about free speech, conflicts in the Middle East, and a possible constitutional crisis. Solutions are also explored, such as rethinking higher education and promoting individual dignity. The role of parenting in shaping attitudes towards freedom of speech is discussed, as well as the importance of raising children who can engage respectfully on social media. The speakers express their gratitude for writing a collaborative book together and discuss the process and challenges they faced.

Harvard Law School professor Jeannie Suk Gersen discusses college admissions in a post-affirmative action world. Topics include the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, the impact on diversity in college admissions, the Thomas Jefferson case, text messages as evidence of racial discrimination, Asian American perspectives, and the interpretation of statutes and utilization of equal opportunity offices.

Yascha Mounk discusses his new book on identity politics and critical race theory, exploring their dominance in education and the difficulty in understanding them. They delve into the concept of affinity groups and their prevalence in workplaces and schools. The podcast explores the rise of wokeness and critical race theory, as well as the influence of postmodernism on identity politics and the implications of separating people by race.

Failed cryptocurrency founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial kicked off this week. Rikki and guest co-host Isaac Saul explain what you need to know about the case and what we can expect from the proceedings.Many congressional Democrats have called for New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez to resign after being indicted on federal bribery charges in September. Is this the right move?Finally, the hosts discuss the current state of elections and why so many people complain about a broken system without taking action to fix it.Time StampsMenendez Scandal - 0:14Broken Elections - 11:55SBF Trial - 31:13Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTFSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debateiHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Populace CEO Todd Rose returns to Lost Debate to discuss his think tank’s latest study on what Americans want out of life. Todd and Ravi explore the study’s findings, what constitutes a successful life, and why Americans are profoundly wrong about how their fellow Americans define success and the American Dream.Read the full study here: Success Index: Misunderstanding the American DreamLeave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTFSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debateiHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

The GOP presidential candidates took to the debate stage for a second time last night. Were any of them able to escape former president Donald Trump’s shadow? Rikki and Ravi sort through the substance of the discussion and take stock of the night’s winners and losers.San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a new proposal to combat the city’s fentanyl epidemic: mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients to participate in mandatory drug testing. Why is the Democratic mayor, who’s running for reelection next year, taking a step to the right?Finally, Ravi and Rikki sit down with FIRE’s Nico Perrino to discuss the flaws of the work of Chris Rufo, one of the leading conservative voices on education.Time Stamps:GOP Debate - 0:43SF U-Turn - 15:33Who is Chris Rufo? - 29:00Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTFSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debateiHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate 

Boston University's Center for Antiracist Research, which is run by prominent scholar, activist, and author Ibram X. Kendi, announced it will scale back operations amid allegations of poor management. Are Kendi’s ideas to blame?The fallout continues for Russell Brand after claims of sexual assault and rape became public earlier this month. YouTube has demonetized his videos, the BBC has removed some of his programs, and upcoming tour dates have been canceled. Rikki and Ravi discuss the claims and whether this is another example of “trial by media.”Finally, the hosts look at the backlash to the “Victoria's Secret Karen” viral video. What actually happened, and was anything taken out of context?Time Stamps:WGA Deal & North Carolina ESA - 0:45Kendi’s collapse - 6:51Russell Brand Fallout - 23:38“Karen” Backlash - 36:07Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTFSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debateiHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Rikki is joined by guest co-host Isaac Saul, founder and author of the popular newsletter Tangle.The rise of candidates like Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert Kennedy Jr. has shaken both Republican and Democrat establishments’ expectations for the upcoming election cycle. Rikki and Isaac discuss how their candidacies could shape the presidential race.Citing “It's time for a new generation of leaders”, Mitt Romney announced he would not seek re-election in 2024, retiring after one term. The hosts debate the timing of the announcement and whether other leaders should follow the 76-year-old’s lead.There are ways to protest that encourage others to join a cause, and then there are methods that push potential supporters away. Rikki and Isaac discuss the latest tactics from climate change protesters and why many consider the approach ineffective.Time Stamps:Romney Retires - 0:27Climate Protests - 14:48Rise of Vivek & RFK Jr - 33:56Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTFSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debateiHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

UAW strike, unconventional approach to anonymous social media accounts, Biden administration's proposal for monopoly crackdown

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden this week. Will the GOP find evidence of wrongdoing, or is this a last-ditch effort by McCarthy to convince members of his party to pass pending spending bills and help avoid a government shutdown?Tech titans like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates have descended on Capitol Hill for a closed-door meeting regarding future AI regulations. Ravi and Rikki discuss what they hope to see from this session, but more importantly, will we finally get the cage match we’ve been promised?The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the Biden admin, health officials, and the FBI likely violated the First Amendment when they pushed tech companies to take down or suppress posts on COVID and elections. The hosts debate the key takeaways from the ruling and how we should address the threat of misinformation in the future.Finally, Ravi and Rikki look at the red states that have greenlit PragerU’s controversial K-12 curriculum. Is the company’s curriculum a new form of indoctrination or simply an additional resource for educators?Time Stamps:Biden Impeachment - 0:28AI Hearings - 8:07COVID censorship - 19:07PragerU Edu - 36:47VM - 47:03Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTFSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debateiHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate