Kibbitzing with Neil and Mitch

Neil Offen and Mitchell Stephens consider the various marks we use to punctuate our writings. They have their favorites. Oscar Wilde's experience with one particular comma is among the tales told.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts

Neil Offen, a writer and inveterate reader, is bummed out that people, especially young people, are increasingly watching and listening instead of reading. Mitchell Stephens, author of the rise of the image the fall of the word, notes that Socrates was upset that people in his day were reading instead of sitting at the feet of wise old men. Mitch thinks human beings should be able to find better ways to enlighten themselves than black lines of type on white pages or the equivalent. Neil thinks reading, on whatever medium, is the route to wisdom

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

Neil Offen, a writer and inveterate reader, is bummed out that people, especially young people, are increasingly watching and listening instead of reading. Mitchell Stephens, author of the rise of the image the fall of the word, notes that Socrates was upset that people in his day were reading instead of sitting at the feet of wise old men. Mitch thinks human beings should be able to find better ways to enlighten themselves than black lines of type on white pages or the equivalent. Neil thinks reading, on whatever medium, is the route to wisdom

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

This is my second attempt to send out this very short (47 second) video on the damage done to the American democracy by the current president and his fellow billionaires, and how difficult it will be to restore that democracy.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

Thrilling romp through the NBA playoffs this spring by the New York Knicks--featuring dramatic comebacks, spectacular plays, at least one great player and surprising dominance. But in this, the first installment of "The Kibbitzer's Podcast" with Mitchell Stephens and Neil Offen, the fellas consider whether the 2026 Knicks were in fact the most important team in New York history. Neil covered some of the other fantastic New York teams for the old New York Post. Mitch watched most of them on TV. We count down from the tenth most important team to the first…in 15 minutes.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

This video is two minutes long.

Here are some other short “idea videos” by Mitchell Stephens:

* “Reversing Time”

* “Thinking about Thinking, and It’s perplexities”

* “Undead”

* “The End of Work”

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

Now that we seem to be approaching the moment when there are entities on this planet more intelligent than we are, is it not time to consider what being more intelligence means? No, it is not an simple question.

Thanks for reading Mitchell Stephens, Ideas on Ideas! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com

A few quick—and political—thoughts on humans being made redundant

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mitchellstephens542132.substack.com