Tablet Magazine senior writer and irresistible baritone Jacob Siegel finds it impossible to be in America and write about America. He gave up on New York, his former haven, and moved to the provinces of the Empire (namely, Israel). What changed? We talk about fancy buzzwords — from gentrification to critical race theory — and how they all played a role in his disillusionment. Adaam and Jake also fly into a tangent argument about parenthood, child-rearing, and anti-natalism. Oh, yeah, and Afghanistan. Plenty of gloom and existential angst to go around.

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On the agenda:

-Why not have kids? (Intro)

-Why have kids? (Jake’s argument)

-The ubiquitous Brooklyn

-Guilt, race, and elementary schools

-Who does CRT benefit?

-Goodbye, Afghanistan

-Hello, bad media

Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday ruminations, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com.

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