Jonah AMA 3

It has a quality of doneness.

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Jonah’s back to answer your questions on another AMA. This time, he’s freed Guy from the dank pit he’s come to know as home for an in-person recording in the American Enterprise Institute’s sanctum sanctorum. Somehow, this new arrangement provokes an even nerdier and less substantial conversation than usual, with topics ranging from the philosophy of Doctor Who to the use of “mutant” as a superhero descriptor. But some serious ruminations are also offered on the differences between liberalism and conservatism, what Jonah’s next book might be about, and the influence of intellectual minorities on history. Oh, and let’s not forget the most important topic of all: the relationship between John Podhoretz’s blood pressure and Twitter usage.

Show Notes:

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Comments (17)
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  1. Avatar photo
    Ehoop

    As Jonah explains the origin of "left" and "right," politically, I have an amusing image of someone in the French parliament saying something crazy, and the guy to his outer hand raising an eyebrow and then changing seats with him.

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    C C Writer

    One more comment, about voting, and I think I heard Jonah back this up:

    The way I see it, everyone gets to decide how to use their vote, based on their own judgment and priorities. Voting is not transferable, nor is it subject to direction by others just because the others may feel it's in their interest to direct a person how to vote. So the concept is that your vote belongs to you. And if you get away from that concept, then voting loses its meaning. It has to be decided at the individual level, or there's no point.

    Now, that doesn't mean people can't compare notes and discuss what they think they're going to do, given the dilemmas that face us, and why, and throw out general suggestions and arguments. But strategies may vary. That's just as much a part of your ownership of your vote as your choice of what candidate to give it to. If someone doesn't like someone else's strategy--or even lack of strategy--they don't have to follow it themselves. And that's as far as they get to go.

    (A few years ago in the Dispatch comments I encountered a troll who insisted that he was entitled to direct abusive language at me based on his belief that my voting plans would bring results that would literally cause him personal harm. I suspect he was given the option to behave or get his money back. I conjecture he behaved for a little while, found it boring, and left. Oh, and his worst-case scenario didn't come to pass.)

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    Erik Martin

    It's gonna feel weird voting for a Democrat after 36 years of voting, but at least Jonah won't condemn me.

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      C C Writer

      It's your vote, dude, and nobody else's. If you've decided that's the right way for you to go given the situation, then go for it. And I think you'd say the same to me, however I vote.

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    C C Writer

    I, too, loved George Will's book. I was especially struck by your C-SPAN interview of him when the book came out. The two of you could skip the preliminaries of each question because you both already understood what the question meant. And so you got to some really advanced discussion.

    But I agree with your point that the book was about the relationship between George Will and conservatism. There is lots of room for a book about the relationship between Jonah Goldberg and conservatism, and I definitely want to read that book. Not just because you know a lot about conservatism (and stuff it overlaps with), but because you have put so much personal skin in the game and, yes, you were so right about a lot of things. So what you have to say about it all matters a great deal.

    But it would be good to let things settle down a bit first. I've been taking the argument made by the Lewii pretty seriously, and I'd rather see your take on what the new landscape (once it takes shape) is supposed to be about, what the name for it should be, where the remnant is going, and many other things that can't be addressed while the wheel is in spin (and there's no telling who that it's naming, for the loser now will be later to win--my gosh how prophetic some of Dylan's lyrics are). So I'm willing to be patient. Keep your eyes wide, the chance will come.

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  5. Elizabeth Isaac

    Oh, write the book, Jonah! Write the book. The bandwidth will come.

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    Taylor L

    Thanks for the episode. I enjoy the AMA's, I'm a big fan of all things Dispatch, and I like Guy. HOWEVER, if Guy could do us the favor of not showing naked contempt for those of us who find the AMA's and solo Ruminents interesting, it would be a welcome change. I even get where he is coming from, podcast world is filled with oddities to me as well, but it is a disincentive for me to listen to an episode where the host/interviewer openly laughs at the idea that someone could find the product appealing.

    Again, I like Guy and enjoy the banter between him and Jonah. I would love to hear a "Nerdfest" episode with them both discussing The Simpsons or further probing the depths of KISS fandom. But perhaps using him as the interviewer for the AMA isn't the right fit.

    Thanks again for all of the work. And good luck to Guy with his other podcast venture.

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    Katenesvick

    For the love of SMOD, please no more KISS cruise chat.

    When I saw the Remnant handle being used to promote a different podcast, I expected to look the next day and learn Guy had logged into the wrong account or been fired.

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    Christopher Jenkins

    Has Guy been appropriately punished for using The Remnant twitter account for self-serving purposes?

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      C C Writer

      Mmm, I think having to admit it on this podcast was some punishment. And Jonah's matter-of-fact tone did not suggest to me that he did not mind. The inferences were that obvious.

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    CynthiaW

    I listened to the whole thing, even the comic book stuff. Hi, Guy! Love your accent!

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  10. Alex Weiss

    Isn't Spider-Man a mutate? His mutation is external vs. the X-Men being born with the X gene that initiates mutation?

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