Podcasts

By popular demand, psychologist and author Jean Twenge joins the Remnant today to affirm Jonah’s status as America’s most arrogant Gen Xer. Dr. Twenge’s recent work has focused on generational differences, the challenges facing Generation Z, and how generational changes are influenced by developments in technology. All of these subjects and more are examined throughout, and many disturbing questions are answered: Why are Gen Zers living life at such a slow pace? What’s the real link between pornography and America’s sex recession? What determines generational happiness? And can anything shatter Jonah’s ‘70s-bred ego?

Show Notes:

–Dr. Twenge’s webpage

–Dr. Twenge’s latest book, Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents―and What They Mean for America’s Future

–The Dispatch reviews Dr. Twenge’s latest book

–The Remnant with Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff

–William Strauss and Neil Howe’s Generations

Today’s Ruminant raises a predictably peculiar question within its opening moments: How can rodentology help us understand the first Republican debate? Jonah’s answer may surprise you, but what’s more surprising is that it connects quite naturally to another of the week’s hot topics: the debate over what America’s role should be in the war in Ukraine. With plenty of vim and slightly less vigor, he dedicates most of this episode to exploring what form American foreign policy should take, and why we must remember that Putin is the villain in this conflict.

Show Notes:

– The Remnant with Michael H. Parsons (rat guy)

– The Dispatch Podcast on the debate that didn’t matter

– A post-debate Dispatch Live 

– Jonah breaks down the debate with Chuck Todd

– Tevi Troy: “Moderators Have Ruined Presidential Debates. Let’s Get Rid of Them.”

– The Remnant with Luke Coffey

If the Remnant has a failing, it’s that, in almost 700 episodes of relentlessly nerdy conversation, Robert P. George hasn’t once appeared on the program. Today, Jonah rectifies that mistake, inviting the beloved Princeton professor and director of the James Madison Program onto the show to discuss America’s fraying civic bonds, and what we can do to stem the tide of illiberalism. They also provide some uniquely sophisticated punditry on the 2024 election, examine what it takes to build a conservative institution, and clear up some confusion around Robby’s name. Brothers and sisters alike are encouraged to tune in.

Show Notes:

-Watch on YouTube

–Dr. George’s webpage

–Dr. George: “Universities Shouldn’t Take Political Positions”

–Dr. George: “How Universities Can Restore Academic Freedom and Free Speech”

–Dr. George’s advice for incoming students

–Julien Benda’s The Treason of the Intellectuals

It’s another round of intense national security wonkery on today’s Remnant, but this time, Jonah’s joined by an overdue first-timer rather than a returning favorite. His guest is Robert D. Kaplan, a prolific writer on foreign policy and author of the new book, The Loom of Time, which explores the state of politics in the Greater Middle East and makes the case for a realist approach to the region. But what does foreign policy realism look like in practice? What kind of shape is democracy in around the world? And what does the future hold for today’s great powers?

Show Notes:

–Robert’s webpage

–Robert’s new book, The Loom of Time: Between Empire and Anarchy, from the Mediterranean to China

–Robert: “Order After Empire: The Roots of Instability in the Middle East”

–Robert: “Will America Share Rome’s Fate?”

–Frederick Kagan: “Biden Could Have Stopped the Taliban. He Chose Not To.

–Orlando Figes’ The Story of Russia

Jonah’s in an uncharacteristically effulgent and ebullient mood on today’s Ruminant, but don’t let his high spirits trick you into expecting a less ranty and discombobulated episode than usual. Jonah kicks things off with some extended thoughts on the problems with small dollar donors, before shifting, somehow, into a discussion of the coalition instinct among human beings. If that sounds a little too cerebral, rest assured that the latter half of this episode provides nothing but unfiltered punditry on the ongoing Hunter Biden scandal, the latest Trump controversies, and the state of conservative commentary.

Show Notes:

–Jonah’s problem with small dollar donors

–This weekend’s Dispatch Podcast

–The Remnant with Daniel Hannan

–The Remnant with Ken Pollack

–Advisory Opinions on the Georgia indictments

In keeping with the Remnant’s long tradition of providing edifying counter-programming, Jonah’s joined today by Ken Pollack—AEI senior fellow and expert on the Middle East—to discuss the latest on Iran and American policy toward the region. “Since the 1979 revolution,” Dr. Pollack writes in his latest piece for Foreign Policy, “Iran’s leadership has single-mindedly attempted to dominate the Middle East and drive the United States and Israel out.” But now, Tehran is shifting its approach, and Iranian grand strategy is placing a new emphasis on diplomacy. What does that mean for the United States? How will it affect other relationships between nations? And does Jonah’s general grouchiness stem from his political realism?

Show Notes:

– Dr. Pollack’s page at AEI

– Dr. Pollack: “Iran’s Grand Strategy Has Fundamentally Shifted”

– The Remnant with Frederick Kagan

– The Remnant with Daniel Hannan