It's so refreshing, and incredibly interesting, when someone like Srinivasan is forced to defend and justify all the various dogmas that are just taken for granted within the insular bubble of elite academia. I have no doubt that she could spend years, even decades, at Oxford & Yale without having to address some of the questions that Tyler asked her.
Thanks a lot for this great article. I like how you share your experience and feedback on how to be a good podcast host. I have been into a few podcasts and this is something I enjoy a lot and I am trying to do more. Some of your tips will definitively be useful for me. Oh, and I am also building my own podcast with a friend, so your post is definitively a good inspiration for building some podcast guest checklist :).
I will endorse your recommendation of Wright's pod with Russ Roberts. I felt it was a rare instance of discussants from different perspectives agreeing together to openly interrogate their own biases with the good faith assistance of their interlocutor.
Roberts in particular, I felt, kept returning to that theme and it was encouraging to see that approach, when it feels like most podcasts are predominantly people talking about how wonderfully open-minded they are as they collaborate to avoid any meaningful interrogation of their views.
Brought to mind this podcast discussion between Glenn Loury and Stephanie Lepp, and the "case for integralism" (43:02)
I thought that podcast was fantastic. As much as I think that Glenn has trended away from openly interrogating his own views lately, this was a fascinating example of how open he can be to that process, and Stephanie's probing was fearless.
I can't get over it that robotic q&a style he has, where he doesn't seem to deviate from the script. Might as well listen to an audiobook at that point - I turn to podcasts for the interactivity element
Whether he uses stereotypes for other religious identities wouldn't change that he's stereotyping Muslims.
But he doesn't apply the same stereotypes as clearly he differentiates Muslims from people of other religions. His comments about Christian nationalists recently shows that he places them as a group in a very different category than he does devout Muslims.
The greatest podcast episode ever is a podcast about podcasters - it's Alex Blumberg (Gimlet) interviewing his former boss Ira Glass (This American Life) on Without Fail (https://gimletmedia.com/shows/without-fail/brhj37), and the whole thing crackles with this emotionally charged 'master and apprentice' energy, backed up by the two of them just knowing that 'going there' is what great podcasts are all about
Tyler's podcast sounds like him pulling random cuts of meat out of a cooler box, slapping them down on the table and saying 'what do you think'? But when he gets into conversation it's quite interesting.
Thank you for such great recommendations. I was an early adopter of podcasts - I listened to Serial when it was first gathering momentum in the US, and didn’t have many fans here in the UK yet - and have since listened to many others over the years, but I haven’t discovered anything exciting for a while now, so thanks again.
Paul, would you please comment on the recent Making Sense podcast episode with Sam Harris and Rory Stewart? (episode #352). I shared the episode with many people, citing it as an example of an interesting spirited debate. So I was quite disappointed when I discovered that after Stewart’s conversation with Sam, Stewart, on his podcast with Humza Yousaf, characterized Sam as holding stereotypical views about Muslims.
I would think that pushing back against your podcast host during the episode is an example of how to be a good podcast guest since it allows your host the opportunity to clarify their position.
I agree with Stewart that Sam holds (dangerous) stereotypical views of Muslims. In a recent podcast he described his hierarchy of desirability among Muslims:
1) ex Muslims
2) secular Muslims
3) devout Muslims
4) what he calls Jihadists
That seems unequivocally consistent with stereotypical views of Muslims. I'll note that he also praised Ayaan Hirsi Ali as a most desirable type as I'm category one. Apparently he's now aware that she's now a Christian (given his disdain for religious identification).
I wasn’t weighing in on the validity of Stewart’s characterization— just that his comments about Sam should have been directed to Sam during the podcast, not in his absence.
I haven’t listened to the podcast so maybe there’s more to it, but the example you give here is certainly not “unequivocally consistent” with stereotypical views about Muslims. As a fairly ardent atheist I’m confident Sam Harris would have the same hierarchy of preference for any religious group, where he favoured the ex-practitioners and disfavoured the most fervent.
Excellent description of Conversations with Tyler and totally agree about the Amia Srinivasan episode - slightly awkward but strangely compelling
Oh man, that episode with Srinivasan was extremely awkward, but a great listen anyway.
It's so refreshing, and incredibly interesting, when someone like Srinivasan is forced to defend and justify all the various dogmas that are just taken for granted within the insular bubble of elite academia. I have no doubt that she could spend years, even decades, at Oxford & Yale without having to address some of the questions that Tyler asked her.
Are Paul Bloom-level podcast guests born, or made?
I hope Tyler Cowen has you on sometime, and that Mickey would join you on Bob’s podcast occasionally.
I'm often asked to speak on local radio about tech news.
For informal chats I pretend that me and the host are great friends and have known each other for years.
This helps with the second tip: smile as much as you can. It will help you relax and listeners will feel it in your words.
Thanks a lot for this great article. I like how you share your experience and feedback on how to be a good podcast host. I have been into a few podcasts and this is something I enjoy a lot and I am trying to do more. Some of your tips will definitively be useful for me. Oh, and I am also building my own podcast with a friend, so your post is definitively a good inspiration for building some podcast guest checklist :).
I will endorse your recommendation of Wright's pod with Russ Roberts. I felt it was a rare instance of discussants from different perspectives agreeing together to openly interrogate their own biases with the good faith assistance of their interlocutor.
Roberts in particular, I felt, kept returning to that theme and it was encouraging to see that approach, when it feels like most podcasts are predominantly people talking about how wonderfully open-minded they are as they collaborate to avoid any meaningful interrogation of their views.
Brought to mind this podcast discussion between Glenn Loury and Stephanie Lepp, and the "case for integralism" (43:02)
https://bloggingheads.tv/videos/64028?
I thought that podcast was fantastic. As much as I think that Glenn has trended away from openly interrogating his own views lately, this was a fascinating example of how open he can be to that process, and Stephanie's probing was fearless.
Thanks, Paul!
IMHO, the "conversation" bit is the most important. People might think they are interviewers, but everyone wants to give their opinion.
IOW: Letting the podcast host talk a lot will make them like you more.
When you mentioned "robotic interviews", I was actually thinking of Tyler Cowen. He asks questions like a cold assassin, without much feedback.
I can't get over it that robotic q&a style he has, where he doesn't seem to deviate from the script. Might as well listen to an audiobook at that point - I turn to podcasts for the interactivity element
Whether he uses stereotypes for other religious identities wouldn't change that he's stereotyping Muslims.
But he doesn't apply the same stereotypes as clearly he differentiates Muslims from people of other religions. His comments about Christian nationalists recently shows that he places them as a group in a very different category than he does devout Muslims.
The greatest podcast episode ever is a podcast about podcasters - it's Alex Blumberg (Gimlet) interviewing his former boss Ira Glass (This American Life) on Without Fail (https://gimletmedia.com/shows/without-fail/brhj37), and the whole thing crackles with this emotionally charged 'master and apprentice' energy, backed up by the two of them just knowing that 'going there' is what great podcasts are all about
Tyler's podcast sounds like him pulling random cuts of meat out of a cooler box, slapping them down on the table and saying 'what do you think'? But when he gets into conversation it's quite interesting.
Thank you for such great recommendations. I was an early adopter of podcasts - I listened to Serial when it was first gathering momentum in the US, and didn’t have many fans here in the UK yet - and have since listened to many others over the years, but I haven’t discovered anything exciting for a while now, so thanks again.
Paul, would you please comment on the recent Making Sense podcast episode with Sam Harris and Rory Stewart? (episode #352). I shared the episode with many people, citing it as an example of an interesting spirited debate. So I was quite disappointed when I discovered that after Stewart’s conversation with Sam, Stewart, on his podcast with Humza Yousaf, characterized Sam as holding stereotypical views about Muslims.
I would think that pushing back against your podcast host during the episode is an example of how to be a good podcast guest since it allows your host the opportunity to clarify their position.
I agree with Stewart that Sam holds (dangerous) stereotypical views of Muslims. In a recent podcast he described his hierarchy of desirability among Muslims:
1) ex Muslims
2) secular Muslims
3) devout Muslims
4) what he calls Jihadists
That seems unequivocally consistent with stereotypical views of Muslims. I'll note that he also praised Ayaan Hirsi Ali as a most desirable type as I'm category one. Apparently he's now aware that she's now a Christian (given his disdain for religious identification).
I wasn’t weighing in on the validity of Stewart’s characterization— just that his comments about Sam should have been directed to Sam during the podcast, not in his absence.
Ah. My misunderstanding.
I haven’t listened to the podcast so maybe there’s more to it, but the example you give here is certainly not “unequivocally consistent” with stereotypical views about Muslims. As a fairly ardent atheist I’m confident Sam Harris would have the same hierarchy of preference for any religious group, where he favoured the ex-practitioners and disfavoured the most fervent.