Podcast of the Week No.6

I listened to quite a few podcasts last week. Several of them were quite good.

Each episode of Caliphate has been must-listen stuff, but I keep finding myself disappointed that each episode isn't longer.

Patrick O'Shaughnessy and Ezra Klein both pumped out solid episodes as well.

But it was Sam Harris and his discussion with Tamler Sommers about 'honor' that was my favorite podcast from last week [here]. That said, it wasn't my favorite episode because I agreed with everything in it; far from it.

I found myself disagreeing with Tamler's argument for championing the better parts of honor whilst condemning the negative consequences that arise when honor culture is taken to its extreme (e.g. in extreme Islam when families murder daughters for "bringing" shame upon them for being raped...).

I'm not sure if the opposite of honor culture is a society governed by rule of law as much as it's a society where citizens have a well developed sense of empathy from traveling widely with governing laws and enforcing institutions developed therefrom. After all, laws developed from cultures governed by honor codes will be just as if not more fucked up.

Like I said though, there are good parts of living honorably that would seem to be conducive towards fostering a better future for humanity. Perhaps Tamler mentioned that in the episode that I missed. Or perhaps his case for honor is clearer on his own podcast 'Very Bad Wizards' co-hosted with David Pizarro. I'll keep an open mind and continue listening for it.