My husband just convinced me to watch The Diplomat with him! (He watched the whole thing but is very kindly rewatching starting with season 1). It's not as good as Veep in my book but it's got potential.
Interesting eclectic, almost random list, which I appreciate. Enough of charts and statistics and numbers already! Better the unexplainable preferences of an individual person whose preferences have earned the right (however that might be decided) of special consideration.
I'll weigh in on only one--the Diplomat--and subscribe to the last (Substack) one, which I too had not seen before.
When the Diplomat first came out, for understandable reasons it caused a bit of a splash--or commotion--in the foreign service community, of which I am (or used to be) a part. It was clearly entertaining, and compelling, and even seemed to take the diplomatic profession seriously, incorporating familiar elements which all of us recognized. Hooray for the DCM! At the same time, it was patently "unrealistic", particularly in the way it portrayed career officials like the main character (who I, like many, like a lot). No way in hell a mere career person would be tapped for the London post! Everyone knows that that kind of crown jewel post would go to a close personal friend of the president or a big time bundler who brought in many millions to the campaign coffers. At that level, it's always been pay to play in the United States of America. As for being spirited off to London without Senate confirmation: Unthinkable!
In the end, most of us (I may be projecting here) came down on the side of it being an entertaining series that does no harm and may even do some good by showing real stuff, some of it fun, that happens behind the scenes. (The flirtation between the smoking hot foreign minister and the ambassador is a bit of a stretch, but still.) Full disclosure: I lost interest early on in Season 2, feeling the plot veer off track deep into delusional Hollywood territory. But I now I may have to give season 3 a second look.
Some people can read prolifically in a short period of time. Unfortunately I'm not one of those people. I struggle to get through material and books and am àuditory so listening to audible means my comprehension is much higher. I'm sort of overwhelmed looking at my next options that appreciate all the suggestions. Generally, I listen to a lot of music and I listen to the create Channel and travelogues and I like Facebook reels and cooking plus things that I like like Marine engines and ships. My interests are not static but evolve. I don't have a lot of money or funds so this is entertainment for me and I also learn and find it constructive to put me in a creative mood. I'm thinking of going live with my substack and maybe doing a questionnaire. Plus plus..... It's nice to have nice books and movies and podcasts in one's back pocket in case we want something different and interesting. Thank you Paul for all you do.
Thank you for all these suggestions. I should try watching Moneyball -- I know nothing about baseball but my best friend is a huge fan of it. Also, I was wondering if you personally prefer fiction or nonfiction in general.
Thanks, Dr. Bloom! I agree re: McEwan, and The Diplomat, too. Season 3 is, at least what we've seen, easily the best.
I disagree about Douthat. IMO, he is a net negative in the world, and the people he gives a platform to are also, on net, a negative. (I do get the liberal urge to show how liberal we are by praising at least some conservatives.)
Well, at this moment, kinda. Everyone is inundated by anger and doom and divisiveness.
Promoting listening to Steve Bannon is not something I would do. Promoting a podcast host who basically sees everything through his own personal beliefs (You should only go to church to worship [my] god), etc.
I also think he's a lousy interviewer. Your example with Thiel: Why not explore what Thiel is thinking, rather than just saying "YES OR NO?" over and over? What is the point if not to explore complexities?
IMO, this is a great discussion of being a good podcast host, vs being a tool
Yes, he’s a lousy interviewer. He can’t get out of his own way, including his worldview, his need to impress his interlocutor or audience, or his wanting to curry favor (his interlocutor or his boss(es)).
My husband just convinced me to watch The Diplomat with him! (He watched the whole thing but is very kindly rewatching starting with season 1). It's not as good as Veep in my book but it's got potential.
Sweet Tooth has one of the best last chapter reveals of any book I’ve ever read! Sorry you missed it…
Interesting eclectic, almost random list, which I appreciate. Enough of charts and statistics and numbers already! Better the unexplainable preferences of an individual person whose preferences have earned the right (however that might be decided) of special consideration.
I'll weigh in on only one--the Diplomat--and subscribe to the last (Substack) one, which I too had not seen before.
When the Diplomat first came out, for understandable reasons it caused a bit of a splash--or commotion--in the foreign service community, of which I am (or used to be) a part. It was clearly entertaining, and compelling, and even seemed to take the diplomatic profession seriously, incorporating familiar elements which all of us recognized. Hooray for the DCM! At the same time, it was patently "unrealistic", particularly in the way it portrayed career officials like the main character (who I, like many, like a lot). No way in hell a mere career person would be tapped for the London post! Everyone knows that that kind of crown jewel post would go to a close personal friend of the president or a big time bundler who brought in many millions to the campaign coffers. At that level, it's always been pay to play in the United States of America. As for being spirited off to London without Senate confirmation: Unthinkable!
In the end, most of us (I may be projecting here) came down on the side of it being an entertaining series that does no harm and may even do some good by showing real stuff, some of it fun, that happens behind the scenes. (The flirtation between the smoking hot foreign minister and the ambassador is a bit of a stretch, but still.) Full disclosure: I lost interest early on in Season 2, feeling the plot veer off track deep into delusional Hollywood territory. But I now I may have to give season 3 a second look.
Some people can read prolifically in a short period of time. Unfortunately I'm not one of those people. I struggle to get through material and books and am àuditory so listening to audible means my comprehension is much higher. I'm sort of overwhelmed looking at my next options that appreciate all the suggestions. Generally, I listen to a lot of music and I listen to the create Channel and travelogues and I like Facebook reels and cooking plus things that I like like Marine engines and ships. My interests are not static but evolve. I don't have a lot of money or funds so this is entertainment for me and I also learn and find it constructive to put me in a creative mood. I'm thinking of going live with my substack and maybe doing a questionnaire. Plus plus..... It's nice to have nice books and movies and podcasts in one's back pocket in case we want something different and interesting. Thank you Paul for all you do.
Thank you for all these suggestions. I should try watching Moneyball -- I know nothing about baseball but my best friend is a huge fan of it. Also, I was wondering if you personally prefer fiction or nonfiction in general.
+1 on Douthat!
Good calls.
Book: Dominion (Tom Holland), TV Series: The Sandbaggers (available on Youtube, watch successively if possible; hang in through first few episodes).
Thank you Paul
Thanks, Dr. Bloom! I agree re: McEwan, and The Diplomat, too. Season 3 is, at least what we've seen, easily the best.
I disagree about Douthat. IMO, he is a net negative in the world, and the people he gives a platform to are also, on net, a negative. (I do get the liberal urge to show how liberal we are by praising at least some conservatives.)
I don't get the second part of your critique of Douthat. Surely you don't think the only good interviews are of good and decent people?
Well, at this moment, kinda. Everyone is inundated by anger and doom and divisiveness.
Promoting listening to Steve Bannon is not something I would do. Promoting a podcast host who basically sees everything through his own personal beliefs (You should only go to church to worship [my] god), etc.
I also think he's a lousy interviewer. Your example with Thiel: Why not explore what Thiel is thinking, rather than just saying "YES OR NO?" over and over? What is the point if not to explore complexities?
IMO, this is a great discussion of being a good podcast host, vs being a tool
https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/the-joe-rogan-intervention
Yes, he’s a lousy interviewer. He can’t get out of his own way, including his worldview, his need to impress his interlocutor or audience, or his wanting to curry favor (his interlocutor or his boss(es)).