Think Again - a Big Think Podcast

173. Wesley Yang (writer) - The Souls of Yellow Folk


Listen Later

Such and such “doesn’t suffer fools gladly”. That phrase has always bugged me a bit. It’s like someone has just squeezed a pillow infused with an admiration-scented vapor that then hangs in the air for just a second, leaving you to wonder: Who is this remarkable personage? And who are these fools, so unworthy of his regard that he doesn’t even have to suffer them? Well maybe he suffers them. But not gladly. And yeah, it’s usually a “he”.

I don’t suffer that phrase gladly. But it’s trying to get at something. It’s asserting that the world is divided between affable idiots and those whose intellectual rigor leaves no time for idle chit chat. Or that the shared social—and now social media—space is mediocre, coercive, and corrupting. That clear thinking is independent and often lonely. When you put it that way, it’s harder to argue with.

My guest today doesn’t suffer fools gladly. His pen is sharp and uncompromising, even when he turns it on himself. Wesley Yang writes essays mostly about outsiders and outliers. Some try to fit in. Some try not to. Some succeed. Some fail by succeeding. His new book of essays, which contains some of the best writing I’ve ever read, is called THE SOULS OF YELLOW FOLK. It was just justly named one of NY Times 100 notable books of the year. And I’m so glad it’s brought him to Think Again.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Think Again - a Big Think PodcastBy Big Think / Panoply

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

552 ratings


More shows like Think Again - a Big Think Podcast

View all
Bookworm by KCRW

Bookworm

572 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

293 Listeners

On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

On Being with Krista Tippett

10,350 Listeners

World Book Club by BBC World Service

World Book Club

360 Listeners

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast by Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

2,075 Listeners

Books and Authors by BBC Radio 4

Books and Authors

371 Listeners

The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

The LRB Podcast

288 Listeners

Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry by David Naimon, Tin House Books

Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry

442 Listeners

Tricycle Talks by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

Tricycle Talks

343 Listeners

Intelligence Squared by Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared

775 Listeners

Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

Making Sense with Sam Harris

26,321 Listeners

The History of Literature by Jacke Wilson / The Podglomerate

The History of Literature

1,088 Listeners

Philosophy For Our Times by IAI

Philosophy For Our Times

308 Listeners

The Paris Review by The Paris Review

The Paris Review

785 Listeners

City Arts & Lectures by City Arts & Lectures

City Arts & Lectures

369 Listeners