PODCAST

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies Affair"--a conversation with Peter Boghossian, James Lindsay, and Helen Pluckrose

In 1996, Dr. Alan Sokal, a physics professor, wanted to test the intellectual rigor of “postmodern cultural studies.” To do so, he wrote an article titled “Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity.” This article was full of absolute nonsense—but Dr. Sokal believed it would be accepted by an academic journal anyway. And he was right. This hoax—called the “Sokal Affair” or “Sokal Hoax”—caused an uproar in academia because it questioned the validity of

society & culture

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Colonel Hennadiy Kovalenko: Military Insights Into...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2022/02/18

Expected Russian aggression against Ukraine has dominated the news, but the situation may be difficult to understand. On this episode of Watching America, we hear an intimate conversation from a military perspective. Colonel Hennadiy Kovalenko is a “NATO officer in a Ukrainian uniform.” He brings valuable insight to the current crisis, history, and possible future of relations between Ukraine and Russia. A truly captivating conversation.

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Daniel Pink: The Power of Regret

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2022/02/11

Regret is something we’d all prefer to avoid. Regrettably, we can’t. Bestselling author Daniel Pink has studied regret extensively. On this episode of Watching America, he speaks with host Dr. Alan Campbell about his research, the value of regret, and experiences that bring different types of regret. “You're at a juncture in your life, you can play it safe, or you can take the chance. People don't take the chance. And over and over again, they regret it.” Pink’s book is “The Power of Regret: How

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"Dark Night of the Soul" with Gina Gambony

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2022/02/04

This episode of Watching America harks back to 2019 when host Dr. Alan Campbell asked to interview the show’s senior producer, Gina Gambony. The topic was a “dark night of the soul” Gina experienced during a strange medical phenomenon that lasted the better part of a year. It included mistaken diagnosis, aphasia, brain surgery, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and a rare disorder called “paraneoplastic syndrome.” It also included a reorientation to life that was perhaps spurred by the temporary dominance of the

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Faisal Al Mutar: Ideas Beyond Borders

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2022/01/21

According to Faisal Al Mutar, less than 1% of internet content is available in Arabic, creating a bubble of misinformation for many Arabic speakers. Al Mutar came to the United States as a refugee in 2013. In 2017, he founded the nonprofit “Ideas Beyond Borders” to provide educational opportunities to people who have little or no access to information about science, literature, philosophy, and history. In this deep discussion with host Dr. Alan Campbell, we hear about Al Mutar’s experiences in the

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Notes from the End of a Very Long Life with John Leland

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2022/01/14

“Journalism tends to look away from people at the end of life, especially at the undramatic end of a long life… Aging may be an ordinary bodily process, but like other bodily processes, it can elicit shame or embarrassment in others, maybe also fear or disgust.” New York Times reporter John Leland is at the end of a very long project--7 years to be exact. His in-depth interviews with six people over the age of 85 were chronicled in the New York Times and in his book, “Happiness is a Choice You

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Megan Fairchild: The Ballerina Mindset (not just for...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2022/01/12

Ballet performance appears glamorous and effortless to audiences; in reality, it requires grueling mental and physical discipline. Megan Fairchild believes the skills she learned as a principal ballerina with New York City Ballet can be transferred from the barre and stage to other pursuits. In this episode of Watching America, Fairchild talks about her new book: “The Ballerina Mindset: How to Protect Your Mental Health While Striving for Excellence.” Her experience is valuable to high achievers in

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"Miserable Holiday Stories" with Alex Bernstein

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/12/17

Alex Bernstein is a comedian and the award-winning author of the “Miserable” series of books (Miserable Adventure Stories, Miserable Holiday Stories, Miserable Love Stories), and “Plrknib.” His work has appeared at McSweeney’s, NewPopLit, The Big Jewel, The American Bystander, Yankee Pot Roast, Swink, and many others. In this episode of Watching America, we hear an excerpt of his popular story, “Blue Christmas,” wherein a Jewish man struggles to shield his son from Santa Claus while hiring an Elvis

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Poetic Song Verse: Blues-Based Popular Music & Poetry...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/12/03

Singer-songwriter Mike Mattison is an award-winning musician and founding member of Scrapomatic and Tedeschi Trucks Band. Ernest Suarez is the David M. O’Connell Professor of English at the Catholic University of America and the executive director of the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers. They joined forces to create “Poetic Song Verse: Blues-Based Popular Music and Poetry,” a book that lovingly examines the relationship between blues-based music and poetry starting in the

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A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century by...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/11/12

Did evolution prepare us for modern times? According to two evolutionary biologists, the modern world is out of sync with our ancient brains and bodies. On this episode of Watching America, Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying discuss their new book, “A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century: Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life.” Learn more: huntergatherersguide.com

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Michael Shellenberger: San FranSicko

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/11/05

Best-selling author Michael Shellenberger is a Time magazine “Hero of the Environment” and writes on environmental issues for various publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. He graduated from the Peace and Global Studies program at Earlham College. In this episode of Watching America, we hear about his latest book, “San Fran-Sicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities.” It’s an analysis of homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction in California’s tent

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Phil Donahue & Marlo Thomas on "What Makes a...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/10/29

Phil Donahue (The Phil Donahue Show) and Marlo Thomas (That Girl) have been married for 40 years. They authored a book last year titled “What Makes a Marriage Last,” featuring their interviews with 40 couples. In this interview from August 2020, we hear details about some of their most revealing and tender conversations. Dr. Alan Campbell also talks to Phil and Marlo about interesting moments in their storied careers.

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Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less by Leidy Klotz

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/10/22

Engineering professor Leidy Klotz says human beings are wired to add, not subtract. In fact, he says we're twice as disappointed to lose something as we are happy to gain something of the same value. The human aversion to subtraction can result in inferior design, unmanageable amounts of regulations, and a chaotic personal life. In this conversation with Dr. Alan Campbell, Klotz discusses his research and offers tips on how to wield the power of subtraction for the benefit of yourself and your

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Laurence Leamer: "Capote's Women"

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/10/15

Truman Capote’s social life amongst the rich and famous is the latest topic examined by acclaimed biographer, Laurence Leamer. “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era” looks at the author’s relationships with fabulously wealthy women, and why he betrayed them in the end. Laurence Leamer is an award-winning journalist and author of multiple bestselling biographies, including the trilogy, “The Kennedy Women,” “The Kennedy Men,” and “Sons of Camelot.” He has been

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Niall Ferguson on "Doom: The Politics of...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/10/08

The Times says Niall Ferguson is the “most brilliant British historian of his generation.” He hails from Scotland precisely, and he’s now a U.S. citizen, just like Watching America’s host, Dr. Alan Campbell. In this conversation between the two British Americans, we hear about Ferguson’s latest book, “Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe.” Ferguson claims that all disasters in some sense are man-made, and we’re not getting any better at managing them. In fact, bureaucratic inertia and general

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Dr. Randall Bell: Post-Traumatic Thriving

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/10/01

Dr. Randall Bell is an economist and a sociologist who boasts the nickname “Master of Disaster.” He’s been a consultant for hundreds of catastrophes, include the biggest tragedies of our time: the World Trade Center attack, Sandy Hook, Hurricane Katrina, the Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test sites, the BP Oil spill, the OJ Simpson trial, the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, and “Heaven's Gate,” to name a few. Bell has been featured in all major media outlets, and while you may be familiar with his work, you

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FAIR: Bion Bartning & Daryl Davis discuss a...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/09/17

FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism) is a new organization founded by people from diverse backgrounds—its advisory board includes left-leaning thinkers like Steven Pinker to right-leaning economists like Glenn Loury. Many on the board are harder to define ideologically, including the guests on this episode of Watching America. Bion Bartning is the executive director of FAIR. He is half Mexican and Yaqui, half Jewish. He pulled his children from a private school in New York because he

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Larry Elder: A Conversation From 2019

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/09/03

This is an intimate conversation with controversial radio talk show host and author, Larry Elder. We hear about his childhood, his relationship with his father, and his perspective on guns, race, and health care. He’s said publicly on multiple occasions—including in this interview—that he would not run for office. Of course, we know that Elder is indeed running for office right now in California … which is what inspired us to dust off this conversation and have another listen. Find out more

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J.W. Freiberg: Surrounded By Others, And Yet So Alone

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/08/27

Studies show that loneliness has been on the rise in the United States—even before the pandemic. Social psychologist and lawyer, J. W. “Terry” Freiberg, explores the very real pain of chronic loneliness in his latest award-winning book, “Surrounded By Others, and Yet So Alone.” It’s the third publication in his award-winning series exploring the profound impacts of loneliness. In this episode of Watching America, we hear heartbreaking stories of loneliness. We also hear inspirational stories of

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Clarissa Ward: On All Fronts, The Education Of A...

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/08/20

Clarissa Ward has been reporting from Afghanistan as the Taliban takes control. Her compelling journalism from the streets of Kabul brings the reality of the situation to the world. Ward spoke about her career as a journalist in hectic environments earlier this year on Watching America. - Growing up between two cultures - two worlds - can teach a kid a lot. But it cannot teach an innate love and talent for storytelling. Clarissa Ward has both. Ward is the chief international correspondent

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Alan C. Logan: The Greatest Hoax On Earth

"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies... ·

2021/08/13

Stephen Spielberg’s blockbuster film “Catch Me If You Can” brought the story of con man Frank W. Abagnale into widespread public awareness. But as award-winning author Alan C. Logan reveals, Abagnale’s confessions of his own exploits are hoaxes themselves. Logan’s new book, “The Greatest Hoax on Earth: Catching the Truth, While We Can,” is an exhaustively researched debunking of the myth crafted by the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest con man.” Watching America host, Dr. Alan Campbell, notes

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"Sokal Squared" or "Grievance Studies Affair"--a conversation with Peter Boghossian, James Lindsay, and Helen Pluckrose

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