Podcasts

Chris Stirewalt, the Arby’s of punditry and host of The Hill Sunday, was so eager to return to The Remnant that he joined in the midst of another episode. Awkwardness overcome, the two tackle the big questions: Why can’t we learn our lesson? Where are Nikki Haley voters going come November? How should we interpret primary turnout? When will the reckoning come? And why can’t democrats figure out crime? Chris “Unpledged Delegate” Stirewalt has the answers.

Show Notes:
—The Hill Sunday
—Jonah’s LA Times column on the GOP establishment
—Skiff AMA 3
—Dune Part Two Skiff

Jonah reassures listeners on today’s Ruminant that this election is not a Flight 93 election and America as we know it will not end come January 2025. He then turns to comment on the Supreme Court ruling that Colorado can’t disqualify Trump from their ballots and the growing treatment of presidents as monarchs. And just as you thought you avoided more State of the Union rank punditry…

Show Notes:
—G-File: Apocalypse Not
—The Dispatch editorial: The American People Should Demand Better
—Advisory Opinions on the Colorado SCOTUS decision
—The Dispatch’s new newsletter Techne
—The Skiff on Dune: Part Two

The last time Razib Khan—a geneticist and author of the Unsupervised Learning Substack—appeared on The Remnant to discuss genes and behavior, Jonah couldn’t resist focusing their conversation exclusively on canines. Today, Razib is finally back to explore the genetic makeup of the world’s second most important animal, human beings. He and Jonah try to keep the science simple and the nudity tasteful as they explore some highfalutin topics: How has our knowledge of genetics evolved over time? What can our genes tell us about our ancestors? And are genes the ultimate predictor of intelligence and disease?

Show Notes:

– Razib’s Substack, Unsupervised Learning

– Razib: “The Longer I Live, the Wronger I Get to Be”

– Razib interviews Chris Stringer

How do habits influence behavior? Significantly, according to returning Remnant favorite Cass Sunstein, Harvard professor and co-author of the new book Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There. In it, he argues that breaking habits and routines can enable us to find greater fulfillment in life. But why did humans evolve to acquire habits in the first place? How do habits desensitize us? And how can we encourage people to adopt healthy habits of the heart?

Show Notes:

– Cass’ new book, Look Again

– Cass and co-author Tali Sharot on how we become habituated to horrible things 

– Cass’ Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech

Jonah, used and abused by CNN, is prepared to deliver a level of rank punditry not yet seen in legacy media. He begins today’s episode of The Ruminant by eulogizing Mitch McConnell’s tenure in the Senate, noting the positive correlation between disdain for McConnell and general unseriousness. Briefly touching on the state of primaries and Biden’s low popularity, he then explains his most recent G-File on Aaron Bushnell’s suicide and how boredom is (not so slowly) killing us. Stick around for some ruminations on his episode with James Kirchick.

Show Notes:
—G-File on boredom
—The Remnant with James Kirchik
—Principles First conference

If the American Enterprise Institute were a prison, education policy scholars Rick Hess and Michael McShane would be the leaders of its most feared inmate gang. Today, they join Jonah not simply to pressure him into swearing loyalty, but to discuss their new book, Getting Education Right: A Conservative Vision for Improving Early Childhood, K-12, and College. It’s no secret that America’s education system is struggling, but what can actually be done to reform it? What does it mean to be a conservative in education? Are teachers paid enough? And does the Department of Education have any reason to exist?

Show Notes:

–Rick’s page at AEI

–Mike’s page at AEI

–Rick and Mike’s new book, Getting Education Right

–The Remnant with Brad Wilcox

–Rick and Mike: “The Past and Future of Education Reform”