The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove

The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove

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The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove episodes

  • Episode 190 – Erik Mostert
    An interview with Erik Mostert about the source of moral belief and Erik’s theory that we need to keep in mind our animal nature.
    Here is a link to Erik’s article in Areo Magazine.
    Here is a link to David Gillespie’s book Taming Toxic People
    You can follow Erik on twitter @erik_mostert
    Here is the graph about spindle neurons:

    Below are my notes of Erik’s article:

    * Science caused change in religious beliefs once they became undeniable.
    * Therefore religious moral codes are unreliable.
    * If we abandon religious moral codes, what are we left with?
    * Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro say the stories in the Bible provide important moral guidance even if they are just stories.
    * Erik says he could make up fables which illustrate underlying moral principles but don’t pretend to be true.
    * Peterson and Shapiro claim atheists derive their moral code by osmosis from the Christian culture they are immersed in AND atheists could not have arrived at secular moral principles without religion.
    * But, Erik says we had morals, laws and norms before the 10 commandments. Religion did not invent love and compassion.
    * Religions claim on the high ground is overstated. Christianity condoned slavery.
    * Slavery shows why flexible moral codes are needed rather than fixed rules.
    * So, if we haven’t relied on religion, how do we arrive at an atheistic moral code?
    * David Hume said just because we do doesn’t mean we ought to. Peterson says our sense of morality is subjective in that it varies depending on what we are taught. If we grow up in a cannibal society we will think it is moral to be a cannibal. We of course find it immoral. It seems to show you can’t derive ought from is.
    * If we want to build a stable society (a goal) we know things like co-operation and fairness are better than the alternatives. If we accept we are apes, then we should accept Sam Harris’s moral ethic of maximizing wellbeing.
    * Globalisation has created a melting pot of rival groups. If we recognize our identity as apes it will help us shake off our attachment to our sub group identities.
    * It is time for us to identify as apes not nations or religions.


    Ideas I would like to add are:
    These 7 Rules Could Be The Universal Moral Code Shared by Every Culture, Study Finds
    These cooperative behaviours and rules – the proposed universal moral code – are the following: helping family, helping your group, reciprocating, being brave, deferring to superiors (respect), dividing disputed resources (fairness), and respecting prior possession (property rights).
    That aside, the universal code also means that conduct in opposition to the cooperative behaviours is considered as morally bad: neglecting kin, betraying your group, free-riding (not reciprocating), cowardice, disrespect, unfairness, and theft.
    Does Sam Harris’s ethic of maximizing well-being take into account my “animal desire” to favour my genetic off spring and those likely to carry similar genetic code?
    What makes us different to the apes?
    Becoming bipedal, with a resulting narrowing of hips, leading to premature births, leading to greater need for group co-operation to raise babies, followed by control of fire which 1.allowed cooking which meant less energy was required for the digestive tract which allowed for the ...
    1 hr 9 min
  • Episode 190 – Erik Mostert

    An interview with Erik Mostert about the source of moral belief and Erik’s theory that we need to keep in mind our animal nature.

    Here is a link to Erik’s article in Areo Magazine.

    Here is a link to David Gillespie’s book Taming Toxic People

    You can follow Erik on twitter @erik_mostert

    Here is the graph about spindle neurons:

    Below are my notes of Erik’s article:

    • Science caused change in religious beliefs once they became undeniable.

      • …

      Read more ›

      The post Episode 190 – Erik Mostert appeared first on The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove.

      Mentioned in this episode:

      Website

      1 hr 11 min
    • Episode 189 – Left, Right, Black Face, Colourism and Universal Morals
      Plenty of humour in this episode as we debate a breadth of topics that no other podcast would be game to attempt.
      Generally in this podcast:
      We criticise the left for obsessing over identity politics while ignoring the poor, for using offensive speech as a reason to restrain free speech and for being duped by Steven Pinker.
      We criticise the right for conservative social values, neoliberalism, favouring the rich and for glorifying Steven Pinker and Jordan Peterson.
      1:58 Stephen Fry put it well
      “A grand canyon has opened up in our world,” Fry said. On one side is the new right, promoting a bizarre mixture of Christianity and libertarianism; on the other, the “illiberal liberals”, obsessed with identity politics and complaining about things like cultural appropriation. These tiny factions war above, while the rest of us watch, aghast, from the chasm below.
      2:58 Left Vs Right
      I was listening to the John Anderson podcast and picked up one fun fact.
      The terms ‘left’ and ‘right’ appeared during the French Revolution of 1789 when members of the National Assembly divided into supporters of the king to the president’s right and supporters of the revolution to his left. One deputy, the Baron de Gauville, explained: “We began to recognize each other: those who were loyal to religion and the king took up positions to the right of the chair so as to avoid the shouts, oaths, and indecencies that enjoyed free rein in the opposing camp” … The contemporary press occasionally used the terms “left” and “right” to refer to the opposing sides.
      The use of the words Left and Right spread from France to other countries and came to be applied to a large number of political parties worldwide, which often differed in their political beliefs.
      The Scottish sociologist Robert M. MacIver noted in The Web of Government (1947):
      The right is always the party sector associated with the interests of the upper or dominant classes, the left the sector expressive of the lower economic or social classes, and the centre that of the middle classes. Historically this criterion seems acceptable. The conservative right has defended entrenched prerogatives, privileges and powers; the left has attacked them. The right has been more favorable to the aristocratic position, to the hierarchy of birth or of wealth; the left has fought for the equalization of advantage or of opportunity, for the claims of the less advantaged. Defense and attack have met, under democratic conditions, not in the name of class but in the name of principle; but the opposing principles have broadly corresponded to the interests of the different classes.
      5:57 We have to talk about the Morrison government. Should we start with a prayer?
      Let us pray.
      6:44 The Latest Ipsos Poll
      Oh dear … A Royal Commission and its aftermath exposed this pathetic government but the conversation turned to illegal boat people and their polls numbers went up?
      Conducted by Ipsos and published overnight by Nine newspapers, the poll finds Labor’s lead being slashed from 54-46 to 51-49 — which, The Australian proclaimed this morning, showed that Labor was being “badly punished” for its position on the bill.
      Did a boat people scare campaign do the trick?
      As it happens, there was another,
      1 hr 32 min
    • Episode 189 – Left, Right, Black Face, Colourism and Universal Morals

      Plenty of humour in this episode as we debate a breadth of topics that no other podcast would be game to attempt.

      Generally in this podcast:

      We criticise the left for obsessing over identity politics while ignoring the poor,

      …

      Read more ›

      The post Episode 189 – Left, Right, Black Face, Colourism and Universal Morals appeared first on The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove.

      Mentioned in this episode:

      Website

      1 hr 34 min
    • Episode 188 – Peterson, Pinker and Peckers
      The only podcast to discuss Mortgage Brokers, Jordan Peterson, Steven Pinker, franking credits and restoring a circumcised penis. And people say we are too blokey?
      Review of The Secular Party event in Melbourne.
      Review of Episode 187
      Brian Morris wants to pitch a secular programme to the ABC. Any ideas?
      11:23 The National Student leadership Forum on Faith and Values.
      Speaking of soft theocracy, what about the NSLF?
      NSLF is a 4 day conference that brings together today’s leaders and the leaders of tomorrow to discuss openly who they are and what they believe.
      …It is easy to begin with great idealism but to become disillusioned and cynical in the face of adversities and disappointments. That’s why our faith and values are so important: … Jesus of Nazareth introduced the concept of servant leadership when he said to his followers that, unlike the leaders of the day who “lorded it over” the people, “it will not be so with you. Instead the greatest among you must be the servant of all.” We have adopted this idea of servant leadership as the broad theme of the Forum. … The National Student Leadership Forum is an opportunity for the emerging generation to discuss the significance of faith and values as foundations for effective leadership…
      14:11 The Banking Royal Commission
      From Wikipedia:
      The Royal Commission heard that ANZ had failed to accurately verify the living expenses of home loan customers referred to the bank by mortgage brokers, believing that this was the responsibility of the brokers, in spite of a conflict of interest in doing so.
      Commissioner Hayne questioned whether the CBA was “economical with the truth” in failing to tell customers the value of commissions it pays to mortgage brokers in return for selling its products. The Royal Commission also heard that due to a system of trailing commissions paid to mortgage brokers, the CBA rewarded brokers for encouraging customers to enter into larger homes loans and for longer terms than needed.
      The Commission heard that, similar to ANZ, Westpac believed that it was not its responsibility to verify loan applicants’ personal expenses, with this responsibility resting with brokers, especially for car loans originated by motor vehicle dealers acting as brokers; and that financial kickbacks to car dealers reflected a conflict of interest.
      The RC recommended banning upfront and trailing commissions which would wipe out the Mortgage broking industry.
      Are mortgage brokers seen as advisers or salespeople? The former is under a duty but for the latter, it is buyer beware.
      59% of mortgages are settled by brokers.
      The RC is giving even more power to Banks.
      From Mungo Maccallum
      Hayne did mention the possibility of criminal proceedings, but if they are to occur it will be through APRA and ASIC, the two toothless poodles Hayne had already dismissed as failing to do their job – we are not holding our breaths. It is hard not to believe that Hayne was a judge at the Nuremberg trials, he would have let off Hermann Hesse as a first offender.
      In the short term this can be seen as deeply disappointing, even a cop out. But the longer term danger is the message it gives to the other fat cats of the system:  if you are a blue collar crook you will be arrested, charged and imprisoned, but if you are rich and powerful, you won’t really have to worry; your elitist peer group will look after you. Too big too fail, too big too jail.
      1 hr 27 min
    • Episode 188 – Peterson, Pinker and Peckers

      The only podcast to discuss Mortgage Brokers, Jordan Peterson, Steven Pinker, franking credits and restoring a circumcised penis. And people say we are too blokey?

      Review of The Secular Party event in Melbourne.

      Review of Episode 187

      Brian Morris wants to pitch a secular programme to the ABC.

      …

      Read more ›

      The post Episode 188 – Peterson, Pinker and Peckers appeared first on The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove.

      Mentioned in this episode:

      Website

      1 hr 29 min
    • Episode 187A- God Forbid
      There was a problem with the first post so here is a second attempt.
      In this episode, The Iron Fist reviews a recent God Forbid podcast. That podcast purported to provide a balanced discussion of religious freedom in Australia but, in fact, failed miserably to shed light on many compelling secular arguments.
      So sit back and relax as The Iron Fist tries to live up to his name.
      1 hr 45 min
    • Episode 187 – God Forbid
      In this episode, The Iron Fist reviews a recent God Forbid podcast. That podcast purported to provide a balanced discussion of religious freedom in Australia but, in fact, failed miserably to shed light on many compelling secular arguments.
      So sit back and relax as The Iron Fist tries to live up to his name.
       
      1 hr 45 min
    • Episode 187A- God Forbid

      There was a problem with the first post so here is a second attempt.

      In this episode, The Iron Fist reviews a recent God Forbid podcast. That podcast purported to provide a balanced discussion of religious freedom in Australia but,

      …

      Read more ›

      The post Episode 187A- God Forbid appeared first on The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove.

      Mentioned in this episode:

      Website

      1 hr 47 min
    • Episode 187 – God Forbid

      In this episode, The Iron Fist reviews a recent God Forbid podcast. That podcast purported to provide a balanced discussion of religious freedom in Australia but, in fact, failed miserably to shed light on many compelling secular arguments.

      …

      Read more ›

      The post Episode 187 – God Forbid appeared first on The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove.

      Mentioned in this episode:

      Website

      1 hr 47 min

    About The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove

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    A small independent Australian podcast about news, politics, sex and religion. An easy and entertaining way to keep up to date with the weekly news.

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