Two for Tea Podcast

Note: Sean B. Carroll the evolutionary biologist and Sean M. Carroll the quantum physicist are both equally awe-inspiring. They are not the same person.

Sean’s new book A Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You (2020) can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fortunate-Events-Chance-Making-Planet/dp/0691218900/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611219491&sr=1-1

Sean’s classic book Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo and the Making of the Animal Kingdom (2005) can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endless-Forms-Most-Beautiful-Science/dp/1849160481

His book and film The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works can be found here:

https://www.seanbcarroll.com/the-serengeti-rules#:~:text=In%20The%20Serengeti%20Rules%2C%20award,the%20planet%20we%20depend%20upon.

For more on Sean:

https://www.seanbcarroll.com/

Follow Sean on Twitter @SeanBiolCarroll

Further References

Evo-Devo (Despacito Biology Parody) | A Capella Science - YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydqReeTV_vk

The Hox gene family synteny on chromosome 3 of Drosophila melanogaster... | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net):

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Hox-gene-family-synteny-on-chromosome-3-of-Drosophila-melanogaster-and-the-segments_fig4_322698687

Introduction to Trilobites:

https://www.trilobites.info/trilobite.htm

Eye Development - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/eye-development

Timestamps

03:00 Misunderstandings about chance and probability

04:42 The precise timing of the asteroid strike 66 million years

07:48 Quantum fibrillation in the structure of DNA

14:34 Redundancy in the genome

17:50 How small the differences are that matter

20:51 The central insight of evo devo

28:38 Genetic switches and the choreography of development

32:13 It’s ain’t what you have, it’s the way that you use it. How diversity is achieved.

38:52 Homologous modular structures

43:20 Hox genes and the GPS coordinate system for the body

45:00 Williston’s law and why we have leeway to experiment

49:47 Polarities, how changes in the embryo create changes in the animal

55:02 Chance and the individual

You can find Visa’s book here:

https://gumroad.com/l/friendlynerdbook

Subscribe to Visa’s YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/visa

Follow Visa on Twitter @visakanv

Further References

The wisdom of crowds concept is well described in Philip E. Tetlock and Dan Gardner’s Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction (2015)

See @naval’s Twitter account, whose approach I compare with Visakan’s

Sonke Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes (2017)

The Karate Kid (1984); Cobra Kai (2018—)

Timestamps

03:18 Growing up online: how to use social media constructively to make friends and be a good member of the online community; the value of public comment spaces; the importance of scenes.

31:18 Why we no longer fear strangers in the internet age; the wisdom of crowds; public and private spaces and liminal spaces and the opportunities they bring.

47:22 Parasocial relationships; why Visakan’s approach brings him fans.

51:08 Social dark matter

57:18 What it means to be ambitious, the opportunities and dangers of idealism, the importance of public accountability

01:10:41 Getting addicted to interim stages

01:16:57 Note taking, tips for the writing process

01:33:15 Using statistical understanding to improve your marriage

01:38:52 What does mean to be a nerd? The value of pure curiosity.

Erratum: The attack on Charlie Hebdo took place in 2015, not 2017 (I misspoke).

References

Fred’s open letter following Charlie Hebdo: In defence of Charlie Hebdo:

https://samsholli.blog/2017/09/01/in-defence-of-charlie-hebdo-open-letter-to-an-american-friend/

Fred on the face coverings ban: The burqa ban:

https://samsholli.blog/2017/09/02/the-burqa-ban-thoughts-and-clarifications/

Follow Fred on Twitter @fred_connection

Further References

La République en actes : discours et conférence de presse du Président depuis Les Mureaux. - YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcIDKr9mJ7c

Macron unveils anti-separatism bill aimed at promoting secularism - YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuY7JQjhw9Q

1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State - Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1905_French_law_on_the_Separation_of_the_Churches_and_the_State

Hommage à Samuel Paty: le discours d'Emmanuel Macron en intégralité - YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En5TVJGrC0U

Unsurprisingly, Macron’s new anti-separatist law isn't fascist - The Post (unherd.com):

https://unherd.com/thepost/unsurprisingly-macrons-new-anti-separatist-law-isnt-fascist/

Séparatisme: ce que contient la loi présentée ce mercredi en Conseil des ministres (lefigaro.fr):

https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/separatisme-ce-que-contient-la-loi-presentee-ce-mercredi-en-conseil-des-ministres-20201208

07 - Stephen Knight and Iram Ramzan by Two for Tea Podcast | Free Listening on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/twoforteapodcast/episode-007-stephen-knight-and-iram-ramzan

Maajid Nawaz: On blasphemy – Quilliam (quilliaminternational.com):

https://www.quilliaminternational.com/maajid-nawaz-on-blasphemy/

After Teacher’s Decapitation, France Unleashes a Broad Crackdown on ‘the Enemy Within’ - The New York Times (nytimes.com):

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/world/europe/france-raids-teacher-beheading.html

Shashi Tharoor, An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India (2016)

Timestamps

7:23 The neutrality of public services, the origins of laïcité

10:32 French schools

16:41 Secular values

19:59 Has the French state failed young French Muslims?

27:37 What the Anglosaxon world gets wrong about French secularism

31:08 Free speech, freedom of religion, freedom from religion, self-censorship and blasphemy

56:17 Culture versus race, finding a balance between victim blaming and failure to take responsibility

01:02:54 Differences between the First Amendment and laïcité

01:11:58 Working with French Muslims

References

William’s article, “Step Your Dick Up: Why Incels Deserve Better Advice”:

https://williamcostello.medium.com/step-your-dick-up-why-incels-deserve-better-advice-307879d7c97b

William’s other discussions of this topic can be found here:

Incel: 36: “Step Your Dick Up” w/ William Costello on Apple Podcasts -

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/36-step-your-dick-up-w-william-costello/id1469915971?i=1000489484162

ICMI20: William Costello - Step Your Dick Up: Incels and Men Generally Deserve Better Dating Advice - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5daap8dr3R0

Evolutionary Psychology and Incels - interview with William Costello - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlNsD5zymYg

Why Society Has an Incel Problem - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_KUJ6x4L8g

Be Kinder to Incels with Dr Sarah Daly & William Costello - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrfDnQOULcw

Diana Fleischman, “Uncanny Vulvas”: Uncanny Vulvas:

https://jacobitemag.com/2018/04/24/uncanny-vulvas/

James Bloodworth’s Letter exchange with Louise Perry:

https://letter.wiki/conversation/789

The Mating Mind podcast with Geoffrey Miller and Tucker Max: ‎

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-mating-grounds-podcast/id894712811

More on Tucker Max’s books:

https://www.amazon.com/Tucker-Max/e/B001JSAOIA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

The Joker film, 2019

Bradley Campbell and Jason Manning, The Rise of Victimhood Culture (2018)

Ralph Leonard, There's nothing wrong with Obama's pick-up artistry:

https://unherd.com/thepost/theres-nothing-wrong-with-obamas-pick-up-artistry/

For more on Aella Girl:

https://www.reddit.com/user/AellaGirl/posts

or see @AellaGirl on Twitter

Matthew Hussey - YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9HGzFGt7BLmWDqooUbWGBg

JOANNA R. PEPIN - About Joanna Pepin:

https://www.joannapepin.com/

Geoffrey Miller and Tucker Max, Mate: Become the Man Women Want (2015)

Follow William on Twitter @costellowilliam

Timestamps

4:52 How incels are defined

06:40 The incel community

16:49 The empathy gap and the differences between attitudes towards women’s and men’s problems in love

27:38 Looks and the dating market

30:43 Online dating

39:54 Women’s mating choices

40:40 Male grooming

45:33 More on online dating

46:37 Pornography, sex robots, Only Fans and fake fitness

56:47 The incelosphere and the manosphere, pick up artists, dating coaches

1:05:36 Our cruelty towards the sexually rejected

1:16:52 Advice for incels

Nick’s writing for Arc Digital:

https://medium.com/@nickclairmont

Nick’s “Word of the Week” column for the Washington Examiner: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/word-of-the-week-brand

Nick on wokese for Tablet:

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/woke-language-privilege

Some particularly relevant essays of Nick’s:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/word-of-the-week-community

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/word-of-the-week-intersection/ar-BB19p8vw

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/word-of-the-week-capital

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/word-of-the-week-marxist

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/word-of-the-week-trauma

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/word-of-the-week-problematic

Additional References

My essay on academic writing for Areo:

https://areomagazine.com/2020/07/06/writing-wrongs-why-academics-write-so-badly-and-how-that-hurts-them/

Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay, Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity—and Why This Harms Everybody (2020)

Kate Burridge and Keith Allan, Euphemism & Dysphemism: Language Used as Shield and Weapon (1991)

Thomas Nagel, “The Absurd” (1971)

Black Panther, Marvel Studios (2018)

My essay on Freddie Mercury for Areo:

https://areomagazine.com/2018/11/11/a-persian-popinjay-a-review-of-the-film-bohemian-rhapsody/

Timestamps

01:58 The language of wokeness—who uses it and why

07:58 The word “woke” and the self-labelling of the Social Justice left

16:48 The terms “systemic” and “systemic racism”

21:12 Twitter’s impact on real life

23:05 Language as a social project

30:08 The terms “people of colour” and “AAPI” and “Black” with a capital B

43:35 The term “erasure”

45:58 Sloganeering in lieu of debate

54:13 Marxism as a fashion choice

01:03:05 Intersectionality vs. race blindness

01:14:53 Groups versus individuals, communities, connections

01:27:08 The term “problematic” and the problem with enforcing politeness

01:33:46 Gestural politics and the term “settler colonialism”

01:40:08 New terminology in response to the coronavirus, giving up on lexical pedantry, why good writing is important

For more on Matt’s work on gambling see:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthew_Browne

You can find his podcast with Chris Kavanaugh, “Decoding the Gurus” here and on most reputable podcast apps:

https://decoding-the-gurus.captivate.fm

Follow Matt on Twitter @arthurcdent

Further References

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow (1990)

George Eliot, Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life (1871–72); Daniel Deronda (1876)

Stuart J. Ritchie, Science Fictions: Exposing Fraud, Bias, Negligence and Hype in Science (2020)

Johann Hari, Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression—and the Unexpected Solutions (2018)

Timestamps

3:25 How Matt became interested in this topic; how gambling differs from other forms of risktaking

11:32 Dark flow states

19:38 Evolved psychology and low-effort activities

21:25 Skinner, behaviourism and superstition in humans and pigeons

24:48 Changes to the ease and addictiveness of gambling over time

25:58 Passages describing gambling in George Eliot’s Deronda and Middlemarch

29:34 Young men and gambling

31:08 How technology enables problem gambling

38:08 Responses from the industry to Matt’s work

46:24 When gambling isn’t a problem

47:40 What drives problem gaming behaviours?

54:19 Societal measures that could reduce problem gambling

References

Ralph Leonard, a writer for UnHerd:

https://unherd.com/author/ralph-leonard/

See esp: Why are we racialising Beethoven? - The Post (unherd.com)

https://unherd.com/thepost/why-are-we-racialising-beethoven/

and

Stop apologising for cultural appropriation - UnHerd:

https://unherd.com/2020/07/cultural-appropriation-is-progressive-and-anti-racist/

Ralph Leonard, Author at Areo (areomagazine.com)

https://areomagazine.com/author/herrera96/

Ralph Leonard, Author at Uncommon Ground (uncommongroundmedia.com)

https://uncommongroundmedia.com/author/ralphleonard/

C. L. R. James, The Black Jacobins (1938)

Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952)

Frederick Starr, Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane (2013)

Yacob and Amo: Africa’s precursors to Locke, Hume and Kant | Aeon Essays

María Rosa Menocal The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain (2002)

Thomas Pain, The Rights of Man (1791)

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly (1852)

Oliver Goldsmith, The Citizen of the World; or, Letters from a Chinese Philosopher (1760–61)

Joseph Conrad, The Heart of Darkness (1899)

Timestamps

01:55 Excerpt from Frantz Fanon. The universality of great culture and literature.

15:30 The historical significance of the American Revolution

26:34 The importance of the Haitian revolution

28:19 Why C.L.R. James is important to Ralph

33:13 The British slave trade and the revolts in the West Indies

Patrons Only

36:47 Why Ralph describes himself as a “libertarian Marxist.”

40:30 The concept of cultural appropriation; cultural mixing in a globalised society; cultural identitarianism; the importance of the outsider’s viewpoint

55:42 The differences between racism in the UK and racism in the US

58:25 The concept of the white working class; what it means to be working class

Follow Adam on Twitter @adamdavid85

To follow Ewan’s work:

https://www.ewanmorrison.com/

His 2012 collection, Tales from the Mall, can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Mall-Ewan-Morrison/dp/1908885017

His 2019 novel, Nina X, can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nina-X-Ewan-Morrison/dp/0708899013

His 2013 book Close Your Eyes can be found here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/109/1091019/close-your-eyes/9780099565758.html

His 2005 collection The Last Book You Read can be round here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Book-You-Read/dp/1845020480

Watch the 2015 film version of Ewan’s novel, Swung, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmcvLt5BOmU

Ewan on utopian communities:

https://areomagazine.com/2019/04/26/why-we-join-cults/

https://areomagazine.com/2018/03/08/why-utopian-communities-fail/

https://areomagazine.com/2020/08/27/why-we-must-walk-away-from-omelas-the-problem-with-utopias/

Follow Ewan on Twitter: @mrewanmorrison

Some of the Other References

Emma Donoghue, Room (2010)

Will Storr, Selfie: How We Became So Self-Obsessed and What It's Doing to Us (2017)

Thomas More, Utopia (1516); Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland (1915);

William Morris, News from Nowhere (1890);

H.G. Wells, A Modern Utopia (1905);

Ursula K. Guin, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1975);

Leila (2019, Netflix);

Sacred Games (2019, Netflix);

Lois Lowry, The Giver (1993);

The Maze Runner (2014);

Smithereen (2020)

Timestamps

1:57 Ewan reads from Nina X

3:48 Nina X, the novel. How we treat former cult victims, especially children.

11:58 Ewan’s personal experiences of utopian communities, cults and alternative lifestyles.

17:58 Competitive puritanism, taboos on feedback

24:41 Self-improvement and narcissism

26:26 Attitudes towards children in utopian communities

32:31 The distrust of individualism and its emotional impacts

(Patrons only)

40:08 The alienations of modern life

46:25 Tricking ourselves into authenticity and doing versus having done

54:15 Shopping malls

59:25 Ewan’s experiences as a swinger and the novel Swung.

1:09:36 Dystopias and utopias in fiction and politics

Kat is the author of two novels—Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone (2012); Inland (2014)—and the co-author of A Trick of Light: Stan Lee's Alliances (2020).

You can find out more about her writing here:

https://katrosenfield.com/.

You can listen to the Feminine Chaos podcast here (and elsewhere):

https://bloggingheads.tv/programs/feminine-chaos.

Kat is also the agony aunt at Yascha Mounk’s Persuasion, available on substack, here:

https://www.persuasion.community/

The following articles of Kat’s are alluded to on the podcast: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/sarah-silverman-tweaks-metoo

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/birth-of-the-cool-guy

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/npr-neo-puritan-revival

Follow Kat on Twitter @katrosenfield

Further References

For more on Amy Alkon:

http://www.advicegoddess.com/ag-columns-blog/newindex.html

My interview with Amy:

https://soundcloud.com/twoforteapodcast/10-amy-alkon

Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider, The Rules (1995)

Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1788)