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It's New Years Eve and the last day of 2025. Good riddance. Just me tonight. Let's get into it.
Another TT Live podcast and another great conversation. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
What is rationality? Why is it or is it not important? And where does perversity fit in?Join psychologist Paul Bloom in this interview where he discusses his research on these themes and defends his viewpoints.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Make Morality Mainstream Again The adultification of teen fiction has intentionally Frankensteined books for teens into cesspools of ideological normalization. A while ago, I met a mother and her daughter, the latter of whom I hadn't seen in several years. On the cusp of turning twelve, she'd obviously grown in the time since, and, her mother proudly informed me, had become quite the reader. Indeed, the girl held quite a thick book in her hand. Which was it? The girl showed me the cover. I turned to the mother. “Do you know what your daughter is reading?” She'd figured telling her eleven-year-old she could read whatever was marked 14+ was a safe enough guardrail for appropriate content. As reading is an experience between book and reader, the mother wouldn't have seen what her daughter was taking in. She couldn't either know that her daughter's book was familiar not because it was something I'd read but because it was something I wouldn't. Worse, she thought she could trust the institution. THE READING DILEMMA Parents want kids to read, but as most can't keep up with their reading habits, they don't fully realize what's being allowed, even promoted, in books for young readers. As with other once vaunted institutions, the publishing world has morphed in ways many aren't fully aware of. Over a decade ago, I signed my first contract for Young Adult (YA) fiction. Before and since, I've watched the genre boom through the stages of audience demographic to viable business. Throughout, YA has expanded from books for teens to a genre unto itself, attracting talented writers, lucrative contracts, and the golden goose of Hollywood adaptations. YA is officially for readers 14-18 years (and up). However, as it's after Middle Grade (8-12 years), tweens are frequent readers, plus many eleven-year-olds reading up. There is “lower” and “upper” YA, but they're unofficial categories for libraries or writers specific about their target audience. Most retailers and publishers categorize all teen books under the general YA umbrella. NA, New Adult, mainly written for college-aged readers into their early twenties, is often sheltered under the YA umbrella too. Alongside the wider publishing industry, YA has changed significantly over the years, reflecting broader shifts in society. What follows isn't an analysis on talent or quality but content, as something about words in a book makes what's written more real, valid, romantic, admirable, aspirational. Thus, the intent is to shed light on some of the many topic and imagery that are included in books for young readers. At risk that this won't earn me any friends in publishing (at best), here's some of what I've seen: DEVOLUTION OF YA FICTION Growth of the YA audience/genre is an objective benefit, logical as it is to increase methods for targeting potential customers. As YA has increased in business and position, its morphing into genre unto itself has attracted many adults readers. As a YA author, I read mainly within my market and see the appeal for adult readers considering how well the genre's developed. The migration of older readers to YA is certainly one of the many reasons it's been so adultified. Other factors include the poisonous stranglehold ideological tentacles have on many aspects of culture, entertainment, and education. The shifts adults have finally caught onto in adult fiction and film have infected literature for younger audiences, picture books through YA. A quick example, originally, romantic comedies centered on a man and woman who clashed at the outset, then eventually found their way to each other at the end. The story would build to some romantic declaration, then a kiss. Anyone who's been watching knows that there's now a whole lot of touching that happens before any romantic declaration occurs. Longer, more frequent kisses are only second to scenes of the pair sleeping together before deciding how they really feel about each other. All this is becoming commonplace in YA. What was once cutesy stories about a high school girl chasing a crush has now become stories featuring a whole lot of other firsts, even seconds, and then some. The devolution of YA is a result of purposeful normalization and reshaping of societal norms through manipulatively emotional appeals by writers, agents, and editors. On average, books from larger publishing houses take roughly eighteen months to two years to evolve from contract to product on the shelf. To say, story trends are set in motion well before their rise in popularity. Whatever the view on agents as gatekeepers to the larger houses, publishers only publish so many books in a year, an amount significantly less than all the people who want to be published. Hence, agents act as preliminary filters for editors, whittling down potential authors to relatively more manageable numbers. An agent must really believe in a writer and project to nab one of those few spots. Like most creative fields, writing is highly subjective, so in addition to general quality, each agent and editor has preferences for stories they want to work with. They're also usually pretty clear about what they're looking for, so part of the progression of change can be traced back to what's being requested. CHARACTER INCLUSION CHECKLISTS When I first entered the “querying trenches,” wish lists from agents mainly specified genres and their various offshoots. Although ideologies make a home in all genres, most were subtler, more akin to a light sprinkling than the deluge of today. Within a few short years, wish lists changed. Unofficial “checklists” appeared in the now familiar cancerous categories of equity, representation, marginalization, and other socialist pseudonyms. Nonfiction for teens is dominated by activism, coming out, and adaptations of left-wing figures' biographies. Rather than prioritize quality, potential, uniqueness, the new gatekeeping is often focused on the inclusion of certain ideologies. For the first while, emphasis was on strong female characters, an odd request considering the YA market is dominated by female writers and readers. Previous character portrayal thus had little to do with some imagined patriarchal oppression. Now, female characters are “fierce”, projections of feminist fantasies celebrating girl bosses who are objectively pushy, uncooperative, obnoxious, self-righteous, and/or highly unrealistic. Somehow, they capture the most desirable love interest, a magical combination of masculinity and emotional vulnerability, who is inexplicably un-neutered by support of her domineering principles. Frequently, the girl makes the first move. Worse than overbearing feminism is unrealistic portrayals of a girl's physical abilities accompanied by most unsavory rage and wrath and anger. Supposedly, these traits aren't anathema to the gorgeous guys (when it is a guy) these girls miraculously attract. Unless there's a moth to flame metaphor here, it's a lie to pretend wrath is a healthy attraction. This well reflects the move away from what's become so-last-century stories featuring underdogs who searched deep for courage and heart to overcome challenges, raising up others alongside themselves. A time when character development focused on, well, character. More wholesome stories have been replaced with a self-proclaimed oppressed burning with self-righteous rage and violence. Such characters have seeped into fantasy for adults as well, most notably in armies featuring female combat soldiers and warriors without special powers, who somehow go toe-to-toe if not best male counterparts. Often this sort of matchup is shown as some cunning of smallness, agility, and destruction of arrogant male condescension. Never mind that such fighting is highly unrealistic, and any male is rightly confident if paired against a woman in physical combat. No amount of small body darting or ingenuity will save a girl from the full force of one landed male punch. The unquestioned portrayal of women able to best men in physical combat is worrying considering the real possibility of a reader confusing fact with fiction. Besides, a country which sends its women to war will no longer exist, as it's a country with males but not men. The current not-so-secret of major houses is that a book doesn't have a high chance of getting published if it doesn't check certain markers, especially for midlist and debut authors, though A-listers are not immune. A Caucasian is hardly allowed to write a story featuring a so-called BIPOC, but a straight author must somehow include the ever-expanding gay-bcs, and it must be in a positive light. Some authors were always writing these characters, which at least reflects acting of their own volition. For the rest, many didn't start until required. Because of the careful wording around these ideologies, many don't speak out against these practices so as not to appear hateful and bigoted. The mandated appearance of so-called marginalized and under-represented in stories lest the author risk erasing…someone, somehow also operates along these lines. Although, apparently, only very specific groups are at risk of disappearing. These standards are ridiculous in their least damaging iterations. How many so-anointed BIPOC were consulted over their standard portrayals? How can every individual of every minority be consulted for approval, and who chooses which faction decides? How many Latinos, speakers of gendered language, agreed to Latinx and Latine? Christian characters in mainstream publishing are rarely portrayed as steadfast believers or even rebels rediscovering faith. Jewish stories usually feature a character who's “lived experience” is assimilation, so the character is of a religion but doesn't represent it. A real portrayal of the true beliefs these characters come from would not align with the world mainstream publishing wants to shape. Even more ludicrous is that “disabled” and “neurodivergent” are considered identities, as if a physical or medical condition is cause for new labeling. The approach used to be that you are still you, worthy of respect and consideration, despite these conditions. In the glorified world of the self-hyphenate, the world of we-are-our-self-declared-identity, it's the foremost feature mentioned, with accompanying expectation of praise and exaltation, regardless of an individual's character or behavior. Don't confuse the argument against the labeling with the individuals, because they are separable. Worse than the tokenism is the reduction of individuals to secondary characteristics. Is this really the first thing you have to say about yourself, the most essential thing to know? When did it become norm to turn skin color or medical condition or physical ability into a character trait, the very notion of which says that anyone in this group must be viewed primarily through this lens, as if each is exactly the same? How myopic. How belittling. Following the cue set by movies, books for teens also morphed from cutesy rom-coms to ideological showcases. Unsurprisingly, there's been the introduction of the stereotypical gay best friend. Then storylines focusing on coming out or discovering someone close was gay, with accompanying template for writing them. The one coming out is always the strong one, the resilient one, though much language must be banned lest they be offended or erased, so their strength is dependent upon a carefully constructed bubble. Not only is inclusion necessary but happiness is the only possible, deliberately portrayed reaction. Never mind if some or all of it runs counter to a writer's religious beliefs. Moreover, “I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I'll still treat you with respect” was never an acceptable response. And it is an acceptable response in all manner of situations, unless you exorcise it in efforts to forcibly shape a particular worldview. Additionally, the attitude is that since you can't tell me who to love, and loving this person makes me happy, you must not only ally but champion me. Why is it offensive to present different acceptable, respectful reactions to teens? Who exactly is erased if this character isn't presented at all? As before, don't confuse the argument against mandate with the individuals. The contention isn't about love, but about religion protecting the sanctity of romantic relationships and marriage, a religious practice since the dawn of time, as seen across centuries and civilizations. Marriage is described as sanctified and holy, because it's Divine in nature, and thereby under the domain of the religious. If it's just a contract, then of course any government can regulate it. It’s disingenuous to deny that such enforcement clashes with the very nature of what writing is about. It shuts down discussion, then subverts it entirely by pretending there's nothing to debate. That shouldn't be a source of pride for publishing, but deepest shame. In their efforts to supposedly widen the window of story matter, they've narrowed the frames and tinted the panes to exclude suddenly unacceptable voices entirely. PORNOGRAPHY AND CONSENT Compounded upon all this, most books are no longer relatively clean romances building to a single kiss, as every stage of the relationship has become more explicit. Some scenes are akin to manuals, containing the sort of imagery once the sole province of steamy romances. When efforts are rightly made to remove these books from shelves, screeches of censorship! erasure! representation! resound. We wouldn't, and shouldn't, tolerate any adult approaching a kid on the street and telling stories with such description, nor should we allow it from close friends or family. Authors do not hold special status in this, no matter what the screechers screech. Taking such books off shelves isn't an indication of bigotry, intolerance, hatred, or erasure, but moral obligation. The counterargument from writers, agents, and editors is that explicit detail is necessary because of something to do with “lived experiences” and consent. First, if kids are doing it anyway, then adults definitely needn't assist. Second, consent is not quite the magical word society would have us believe. Third, “everyone has different experiences” is not a reason for writing graphic content, and the replacement of “intimacy” with “experience” is largely responsible for why relationships are in the gutter and leaving people unfulfilled. Intimacy is something private between two individuals; experience is a vague euphemism to pass off what should matter as transitory, despite irrevocable effects. It's difficult to imagine in an age when phones, cameras, and microphones track a person everywhere, but there was once an ideal called privacy, and the intimate was part of it. Pushback also leads to defenses of “sexuality,” another way of saying adults want to teach kids all kinds of ways to pursue these “experiences”. Changing the wording doesn't alter the nature but does allow immoral actors to force celebration of their fantasies and fetishes. The wrongness is incontestable, though not surprising from those who promote polyamory for teens and romantic relationships between humans and demons or other ungodly creatures. The feeble argument for writing scenes of teens sleeping together is they must see what consent looks like. Again, authors do not hold special status or exemption. There is no strong enough argument for writing scenes for teens in which one character undresses another and verbally asks permission every step of the way. Especially because the new trend seems to be the girl not only “consenting”, but also a burning I want this. If she wants, this wording implies, then she must have, abandoning all reason and morality. Consent has become an excuse for all sorts of undesirable, immoral, even illegal behavior, but mutual agreement is supposed to make it okay. This isn't the behavior we should be promoting for teens; we should be giving them better things, bigger ideas to think about. Worst of all, why is any adult writing about two sixteen-year-olds sleeping together? A teenager, no matter how mature, is still developing and while smart and clever not really old enough to fully understand what she's “consenting” to, and is probably being taken advantage of. We treat eighteen with the same magical power as consent, as if any age should be sleeping around, even if legalese only extends so far. Teen pregnancy, abortion overall, would hardly be an issue if everyone stopped sleeping with people they shouldn't. Any adherent to morality knows this, though morality is just another thing scuttled from teen fiction. G-dless ideology is the new morality; immoral, manmade gods have replaced G-d; lust is the new love; sexuality excuse for pornography; perceived racism and misogyny validation for violence and rage. Many are we who did not consent to this. These scenes are in teen films as well, though how many parents know this in an age of individual devices? Adults pretending to be teens take each other's clothes off before a camera for real tweens, teens, and/or adults to watch. Please explain in clear and simple language why this is not a form of pornography. What absolutely vital role does this scene have in advancing the story? Consent is not enough. Wanting is not enough. We're encouraging teens to turn their bodies into used cars, dented, scraped, scarred, and baggage laden, for what? Why is this hollowing out of self and morality good? This serves no benefit for teens and the overall state of relationships. Consent has become an excuse for all sorts of undesirable, immoral, even illegal behavior, but we're supposed to think that everyone agreeing makes whatever they agree to okay. It's incredibly obvious that feminism and the sexual revolution didn't free women, but chain them in a prison of animalistic, unsatisfying desire, dooming them to jadedness, frustration, and loneliness. But they're so responsible! So mature! By such logic, a responsible sixteen-year-old should be able to buy guns, alcohol, and drugs. But identity! No, identity doesn't mandate a book with graphic imagery, nor is it “sexuality” or “feeling seen” or any other term you hide behind. Witness the tattered remains of social morality that writers do not balk at writing this for teens. They should balk at writing this for anyone. Once we recognized that betterment came through battling temptations. It is not difficult to see how the enforced normalization of all this was also an effective ridding of undesirable shame. Not only have we banished feeling bad, we've enforced celebration of what shame once kept in line. But they'll never be prepared! How did any of us get here if none of this existed for millennia? But look at the sales! Many people also bought rock pets. Deviants and defenders will attempt to claim that (a) this sort of stuff always existed, which isn't really a reason for its continuance, and (b) previous generations were undoubtedly stifled in their inability to express their true selves. Perhaps. And yet, previous generations built civilization, with significantly less medical prescriptions too. Previous generations were better at family and community, meaning and purpose. We have “experiences.” But this is what married people do! Some writers introduce a faux or rushed marriage into the plot, perhaps because their weakening moral compass prevents writing an explicit scene between unmarried characters. Marrying the characters and making them eighteen doesn't magically okay writing this for teens. Everyone does it—indeed there are many common bodily functions which shouldn't be demonstrated in public—isn't either reason enough. Pressures to include these scenes is evidenced by authors long regarded as “clean” storytellers, authors who won't swear or indulge in graphic or gratuitous content, authors who clearly express Christian beliefs in their acknowledgements, writing them too. Would they give this book to their priest? To a young church member? Would they read the scene aloud for family or friends or the very teens they write for? If even the professed religious authors do not have the fortitude to oppose this, if even they can be convinced of the supposed validity, then gone is the bulwark protecting children from the psychological and moral damage resulting from these scenes. But inclusivity! We must reflect the world around them! Considering what's in these books, all should pray teens aren't seeing this around them. Either way, that doesn't excuse writing about it. Moreover, cries for inclusivity from those shutting down differing opinions are inherently without substance. True inclusivity is achieved when stories focus on universal truths and laudatory values shared by all. The fundamental argument is that “could” is not “should”, and the only reliable arbiter between the two is Divinely-based morality. Current permissiveness is only possible in a society which worked for decades to expunge religion from its vital foundational position and influence. The demonization piled atop its degradation was simple insurance that the moral truths of religion wouldn't interfere with the newly established secular order. We can still be good people, they claimed. Witness the tattered remains. Allowing, championing, this sort of writing has not made us better, and instead of listening to concerns, activists and proponents double down. Need you any proof of the separation between ethics and morality and elitism and academia, scroll through an article or two in defense of these scenes. The more “educated” the individual, the twisted the pretzel of rationalization. Rational lies, all of them. These lies are prominently center of the new crusade against so-called “book banning,” although the books are still available at retailers and publishers. Fueled by self-righteous hysteria, activists take great pride in influencing state legislatures to enact decrees against book bans in protection of “lived experiences,” representation, and the like. If a teen doesn't see two boys or girls or more sleeping together, so the thinking goes, then they face imminent, unspecified harm, never mind that their sacred voice has been quashed. They claim BIPOC and queer authors are specifically targeted, failing to mention it's the content not the author rejected. Somehow the bigots are the ones who don't want kids reduced to “sexuality”, while the tolerant are the ones who do. Need anyone ask if these protections extend to writers who don't align or even disagree with their worldview? I'd say these books are better suited for adults, but adults are despairing of the unreadability of books in their categories too. And that aside from the targeted “decolonization” of books and authors that adults, especially men, enjoyed reading. From the myriad of books extant, no plot was ever turned, no story ever dependent upon an explicit scene, in the bedroom or elsewhere. Neither does such render the work art or literature, but rather indecent and abhorrent. Parents struggle to encourage their kids to read when such are the books available. ELIMINATING THE WEST For some time, agents have specifically requested non-western narratives, histories, and legends. Atop the deteriorating state of the current education system, teens aren't being presented with a fictionalized character in history, which may thereby spark interest and curiosity in real history. No wonder they know so little of the past when they're not offered history at all. What does make it in represents very select time periods. Other permitted historical fiction is alternative histories where the past is magicked or reimagined, almost always in some gender swapped way. While alternative histories can be creative, the lack of regular historical fiction seems to indicate the only permitted history is a remade one. Otherwise, most of western history isn't on shelves because no one wants to represent it. Which means no one's fighting for it to be published. Which means young readers aren't given glimpses into the past that made this present and will highly influence the future. And this from those who claim large swaths of the population don't properly teach history. The same who pushed the fabricated and widely debunked lie that slavery was unique to the west, the only culture who actively sought to end it. The same who have yet to consider the absolute necessity of mandating schools to teach the true horrors of communism done right. The same who have a monochrome view of colonization and chameleon approach to the faux oppressed-oppressor narrative. A rather high volume of Asian-based stories, histories, and mythologies fill the market instead. The proliferation of Asian and other eastern fiction isn't objectively concerning, but it's deliberate increase alongside western stories' deliberate decrease is. It's less an expansion of viewpoints and more a supplanting of anything west. I grew up reading historical fiction, but there's a dearth on shelves for teen readers, who must see where we come from through the eyes of characters resembling our ancestors. Instead of walking through time in their shoes and understanding their struggles in the context of when they lived, we project modern ideologies upon the one protagonist somehow vastly ahead of her time. It's deliberately false and disconnects readers from the world that created the one we live in. Whatever your opinion of our world, it was formed in those histories, and we cannot appreciate the present without understanding the world that made it. MENTAL HEALTH Another major trend in teen fiction is the focus on the broad category of mental health, its emergence unsurprising considering the uptick in modern society. Whatever the viewpoint on diagnoses, the truth is that the ones calling for greater awareness have much to do with having caused the issues. Teens living in the most prosperous, free society that ever was should not have such measures of mental health struggles, yet they do. Skim the messaging of the last several decades and it's no wonder why. Teens are raised on a bombardment of lies and damaging viewpoints resulting in a precarious Jenga structure at their foundation. For decades they've been told they can sleep around without lasting consequence, negating the need to build deep, lasting, exclusive relationships. Families, a fundamental source of meaning and grounding, have been shoved aside for the faux glory of sleeping with whomever, whenever, and the new solution of “found family”. Just because a pill supposedly prevents biological consequences doesn't mean a different sort of toll hasn't been exacted. And that follows the perpetual degradation of dress, reducing the entirety of an individual to a form as valued or devalued as any other physical object. Added to the disrespect of the body is the incessant, unfounded claim that “climate change” is going to destroy the planet by…well, soon. Never mind that we're doing better than before, and all predictions have been proven wrong. Imagine what continual doom and gloom does to the mental state of a teenager already grappling with ping-ponging hormones, who should be presented with optimism for the future they're about old enough to create. Well, we have a pill for that too. Teens have been told the American dream is gone by those who set out to destroy it, that American greatness isn't worth dreaming about by those who recolored it a nightmare. Hobbies and collected skills, the work of their own hands, have been shunted for social media trends and unfettered internet access. Phones are given to younger and younger kids, so they don't grow up in the tangible, real world but an algorithmic, digital one. Inevitably, the worst of that world affects them. They're told that they're hated, feared for the way they were born. They're told they're not even who they've been since birth, basic facts purposely turned into issues and doubts to shake the foundation of self. Those most adamant about the contrived need for teens to discover identity are the most diligent at axing their very roots. The response to the mental health crisis, the jadedness, the internal turmoil they've helped facilitate by destroying the enduring, reliable fabric of society is to encourage more of the same empty, hollowing behaviors. Atop all this is never-ending rage, rage, rage. At the base is the deliberate removal of religion. No matter an individual's choice of observance, religion undeniably provides what liberal society and decadence cannot; meaning. Eternal, enduring meaning. The knowing that you're more than a clump of cells passing through this timespan, because you are an integral link in a chain reaching back millennia. Your ancestors didn't endure hardships or fight to build civilization so you could be the end of the line, but so you could gratefully take your place in it. You and your actions matter. Not because you're a political vote or celebrated community, but because you were made in the image of G-d Who woke you today as there's something only you can do in His world. What effect would the proliferation of this messaging in literature have on the mental state of the youth? And for those pontificating about diversity and inclusion, who in truth only want different skin colors espousing the same beliefs, there is no greater unifier than religion. Belief in a higher power unites individuals of different backgrounds, colors, and, most valuably, opinions, in ways no mandate or ideology ever can. While lengthy, the above in no way encompasses all the changes, reasons, and effects pertaining to the devolution of teen fiction. And, as the focus is not on talent but content, it can be shifted as easily as it was before. You may disagree with everything I've written. You may accuse me of jealousy, hatred, bigotry, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, erasure, et al. I only encourage you to look for yourself. Peruse bookstore aisles; click through new releases; check who's getting awards. What do your eyes see?
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Will is finally back on the program. Will has been sick for awhile. I know everyone was anxious to hear from him. So let's get into it.
Регистрируйтесь на курс «Доказательная медицина для каждого: главное о болезнях и врачах» от Level One: https://levelvan.ru/l/dJ1DfY?erid=2W5zFJvc7DA (со скидкой 40% по промокоду RATIONAL) Реклама. ИП Погожева Анастасия Андреевна. ИНН 504790802267. Подпишись на Telegram-канал RationalAnswer — https://t.me/RationalAnswer Бонусные посты из моих ТГ-каналов RationalAnswer: – Новая профессия XXI века: киберпереворачиватель нейропингвинов – https://t.me/RationalAnswer/1511 – ЭТО ДРУГОЕ: ларисодолинг акций у добросовестных приобретателей признали законной практикой – https://t.me/RationalAnswer/1501 – Прикольные байки про Гутенберга из подкаста Меба Фабера с Дэвидом МакУильямсом – https://t.me/RationalAnswer/1503 – Найдена разгадка, что означает буква «Т» в названии Т-Банка! (Речь про темные практики в приложухе) – https://t.me/RationalAnswer/1505 – Что общего между бенчмарками для AGI и экзаменом по греческому языку – https://t.me/RationalAnswer/1510 Дополнительные материалы к выпуску: – Сделать себе ЭКО за счет Павла Дурова – https://altravita-ivf.ru/besplatnoe-eko-ot-pavla-durova.html – История успеха Эпштейна от NYT – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/magazine/jeffrey-epstein-money-scams-investigation.html?unlocked_article_code=1.908.vreV.0OhbUnIJiQT5&smid=nytcore-ios-share Текстовая версия выпуска со ссылками: https://habr.com/ru/articles/981116/ Прослушать выпуск как аудиоподкаст: — SoundCloud — https://soundcloud.com/rationalanswer/246-rationalnews-2025-12-28 — Яндекс Музыка — https://music.yandex.ru/album/23836417 — Другие агрегаторы подкастов — https://pod.link/1457434451 Поддержи проект RationalAnswer и попади в титры: — Patreon (в валюте) – https://www.patreon.com/RationalAnswer — Boosty (в рублях) – https://boosty.to/RationalAnswer 00:00 - Бесплатные дети от Дурова 01:41 - Россия: неквалам разрешат криптовалюту 05:23 - Цифровые несвободы: Иск против РКН 07:42 - Что надо знать о медицине 10:01 - США: чё там по файлам Эпштейна? 13:44 - AI: Китай вводит цензуру 17:18 - Крипта: взломали то, взломали сё 18:45 - Хорошая новость недели 20:00 - Бонусные посты недели из моих ТГ-каналов
Another SS Live Podcast for a Sunday. We go through the mess we lived through the last week. We had a lot of great folks that came through. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Jace from Texas is back on the program. We are coming out of the Christmas holiday and it's going to get crazy. We had a great conversation. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it
Hier geht's zu unserem E-Mail-Newsletter: https://hi.omr.com/de-de/oaws-newsletter Hier zu unserem Whatsapp-Kanal: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaMpX3bDjiOUINh85d3P Ohne Aktien-Zugang ist's schwer? Starte jetzt bei unserem Partner Scalable Capital. Mit eigenem KI-Chatbot, der dir alle Fragen rund ums Investieren beantwortet. Alle weiteren Infos gibt's hier: scalable.capital/oaws. 850% Rendite in den letzten 20 Jahren. 7,5 Mrd. € Börsenwert und eine dominante Marktstellung. Das ist die Rational AG (WKN: 701080). Wir haben mit dem CEO Peter Stadelmann über die Geschichte, das Geschäftsmodell und die Zukunft von Rational gesprochen. Wo sieht er Zukunftschancen? Welche Gefahr ist die Konkurrenz aus China? Können Aktionäre auch weiter Dividenden erwarten? Diesen Podcast vom 27.12.2025, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung.
Here' the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
I recorded this show on Christmas night. So I did this one all by myself again. The news stories will start hitting again today. Let's get into it.
Larry Sharpe Joins The Rational Egoist to Discuss His Candidacy for Governor of New YorkIn this episode of The Rational Egoist, Michael Liebowitz is joined by Larry Sharpe, a prominent libertarian voice and two-time candidate for Governor of New York. Sharpe brings a grounded, reality-based perspective to politics—one that treats individuals as adults capable of managing their own lives rather than subjects to be managed by the state.The conversation explores why New York has become one of the most heavily regulated, expensive, and politically centralised states in the US—and what a fundamentally different approach would look like. Sharpe explains his opposition to top-down control, endless bureaucracy, and political promises that ignore incentives, consequences, and human nature.Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur, media host, and candidate, Sharpe makes the case for decentralisation, voluntary cooperation, and a politics that respects consent rather than obedience. He also discusses the practical challenges of running against entrenched party machines, the cultural resistance to liberty in large urban states, and why offering voters a real alternative matters—even when winning is not guaranteed.This is a wide-ranging discussion about freedom, responsibility, political courage, and what it means to take ideas seriously in a culture addicted to power.About Michael Liebowitz – Host of The Rational EgoistMichael Liebowitz is the host of The Rational Egoist podcast, a philosopher, author, and political activist committed to the principles of reason, individualism, and rational self-interest. Deeply influenced by the philosophy of Ayn Rand, Michael uses his platform to challenge cultural dogma, expose moral contradictions, and defend the values that make human flourishing possible.His journey from a 25-year prison sentence to becoming a respected voice in the libertarian and Objectivist communities is a testament to the transformative power of philosophy. Today, Michael speaks, writes, and debates passionately in defence of individual rights and intellectual clarity.He is the co-author of two compelling books that examine the failures of the correctional system and the redemptive power of moral conviction:Down the Rabbit Hole: How the Culture of Corrections Encourages Crimehttps://www.amazon.com.au/Down-Rabbit-Hole-Corrections-Encourages/dp/197448064XView from a Cage: From Convict to Crusader for Libertyhttps://books2read.com/u/4jN6xjAbout Xenia Ioannou – Producer of The Rational EgoistXenia Ioannou is the producer of The Rational Egoist, responsible for overseeing the publishing, presentation, and promotion of each episode to ensure a consistent standard of clarity, professionalism, and intellectual rigour.She is the CEO of Alexa Real Estate, a property manager and entrepreneur, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Ayn Rand Centre Australia, where she contributes to the organisation's strategic direction and public engagement with ideas centred on reason, individual rights, and human freedom.Xenia also leads Capitalism and Coffee – An Objectivist Meetup in Adelaide, creating a forum for thoughtful discussion on philosophy and its application to everyday life, culture, and current issues.Join Capitalism and Coffee here:https://www.meetup.com/adelaide-ayn-rand-meetup/Follow Xenia's essays on reason, independence, and purposeful living at her Substack:https://substack.com/@xeniaioannou?utm_source=user-menuBecause freedom is worth thinking about — and talking about.#TheRationalEgoist #LarrySharpe #Libertarianism #IndividualRights #PoliticalPhilosophy #FreedomOverControl #Decentralisation #ReasonAndLiberty #VoluntarySociety #LibertyInPractice
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
It's just me on Christmas day. I read some of the texts and talk about the crazy and traumatizing stories of yesterday. Let's get into it.
It's Christmas Eve and Eric is back on the show. It's a very opportune time with all the new revelations with the Epstein files being released. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Gen X Jace is back on the program. We had a great conversation regarding the E files, the 60 minutes debacle and all the rest. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Well we start another week and after last week this promises to be a doozy. It's just me, text messages and some stories that interest me. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Learn how to determine what your veterinary services are worth so you can set fees that adequately cover your financial costs. Read the full article at https://equimanagement.com/business-development/financial/setting-rational-fees-for-veterinary-care/.Mentioned in this episode:EquiManagement on Audio All the articles you have come to love in EquiManagement Magazine are now available in this podcast for free. Each article is released as its own separate episode to make them quick and easy to listen to. EquiManagement always has the latest insights on equine health, veterinary practice management, and veterinarian wellness.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
We have yet another TT LIVE PODCAST. Kind of low key bit great guests. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Ed is back on the show. We talk about the files, the speech and more. Let's get into it.
It's me on my own again. We go through some texts and the current news stories. Let's get into it.
A Note from James:Tim Dillon is crazy—in the best way. Not “institution” crazy. Crazy smart. Years ago he told me things about Epstein, hustle culture, and how the world really works that felt outlandish then and obvious now. He's quirky, honest, and usually right about what to pay attention to. Also, he's flat-out funny. Let's bring Tim back and see how much of that old conversation still hits today.Episode Description:This redux revisits James's conversation with comedian Tim Dillon on narratives, media incentives, and why “it's all a game.” Tim argues that most public debates are programmed like a TV network—stars, storylines, and predictable reactions—while the real action is off-camera. They examine why certain stories (Epstein, “suppressed” segments, political theater) catch fire and others vanish, the line between authenticity and performance in comedy, and how creators can actually build careers without gatekeepers. It's a practical episode about staying sane—less who's right, more how to think.What You'll Learn:A “game” heuristic for news and politics: spot the incentives (access, ads, algorithms) before you react to the headline.An authenticity filter for creators: why work rooted in your own experience connects—and how to test if a bit or idea is “real enough” to spread.A simple media-diet protocol: cross-reference sources and avoid getting “programmed” into outrage cycles.Platform strategy 101 for comics and solo creators: post consistently, control distribution, and stop waiting for gatekeepers to bless you.Career anti-fragility for uncertain times: ignore hustle theater; build repeatable systems that survive algorithm and industry swings.Timestamped Chapters:[00:02] A Note from James — Why Tim's “crazy smart” observations aged well.[03:09] Ignorance vs. Happiness — “If you learn how the world works, you won't be happier—unless you make it fun.”[06:21] News Is a Bridge to the Next Ad Break — Access, scoops, and why some stories never see daylight.[08:25] History You Don't Hear About — Smedley Butler, coups, and how missing chapters change the plot.[10:28] The Epstein Loop — From wall-to-wall coverage to silence—and what “access journalism” rewards.[15:38] How to Be Informed Without Going Insane — Cross-checking and opting out.[24:03] Rage, Class, and the Party at the Top — Why “difference” wins in politics and comedy.[38:04] UBI, Automation, and Fear Narratives — What's real risk vs. campaign theater.[01:24:14] Owning Your Distribution — Algorithms, streaming “cartels,” and why your social feed is your venue.[01:30:08] From Garage to Millions of Views — The Megan McCain sketch and shipping scrappy work.[01:49:57] Authenticity Over Everything — Why “true to you” outlasts polished but hollow.Additional Resources:Tim Dillon — Official site / podcast hub: https://timdilloncomedy.com/The Tim Dillon Show (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/2gRd1woKiAazAKPWPkHjdsTim on Instagram (@timjdillon): https://www.instagram.com/timjdillon/JRE #1251 — Tim Dillon (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/episode/12jteiLJyQaD85ynvJQBk9JRE #1390 — Tim Dillon (episode info): https://ogjre.com/episode/1390-tim-dillonABC hot-mic / Epstein backstory:Axios recap — https://www.axios.com/2019/11/05/abc-news-jeffrey-epstein-amy-robach-project-veritasThe Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/nov/06/abc-news-leak-raises-questions-about-unaired-interview-with-epstein-accuserSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Another TT Live Podcast. All the regulars and some new folks. it was a fun show. Let's get into it
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
It's a crazy and busy week and Eric stops in to explain it all. This is a good one. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
BWA735 Reasonably Rational Catholic - Steve Greene
We have another SS Live Podcast. We had great participation. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it
After a long sabbatical Gen X Jace is back on the Rational Boomer Podcast. He's our guy in Texas and he's ready to start talking again. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
It's just me again on the podcast. We go through text messages and the latest ridiculous news stories. Let's get into it.
ANGELA'S SYMPOSIUM 📖 Academic Study on Witchcraft, Paganism, esotericism, magick and the Occult
Have you ever lit a candle, whispered an incantation, and watched something uncannily fitting happen days later? Was it magic, or just a well-timed coincidence? In the world of esoteric practice, we are trained to notice patterns, to read signs, to find meaning where others see randomness. But what if some of those connections aren't what they seem? What if we're mistaking correlation for causation, and calling it magic?In this video, we're diving into the most seductive illusion in both magic and conspiracy thinking: the leap from “this happened” to “I caused it.” Drawing on philosophy, psychology, and the history of occult thought, we'll explore why our brains are wired to see patterns, how magical fallacies take root, and how to practise with both conviction and discernment. If you want to refine your craft, sharpen your thinking, and avoid the traps that turn meaningful magic into wishful thinking, stay with me. This might just be the most important spell you ever learn.CONNECT & SUPPORT
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Our elder statesman Ed is back on the program. He's a welcome sight and always brings a great conversation and perspective. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
Matt from Ohio stops in on the program. He's a young Democrat with a young family living in a ruby Red State. Let's get into it.
Here's the latest Not A Podcast. A compilation of the days TTs. Let's get into it.
#945 | In this episode of the United Inc, NQAT's Finance Pod, Ed and Jamie discuss Manchester United's financial performance in Q1, covering July through September. They highlight the club's revenue, operating losses, and debt situation, noting that while total revenue was slightly down year-over-year, the club has made some progress in cost reductions, including wage cuts and staffing changes. However, the club's debt has increased to approximately £750 million. The episode also explores the impact of United's financial condition on potential player transfers and the football team's overall strategy, emphasising the need for rational decisions and long-term financial stability. 00:00 Introduction 00:42 On-Pitch Performance vs Financial Reality 22:15 Europa League Impact on Revenue 30:46 Credit Facility and Financial Constraints 31:10 Staff Cuts and Restructuring 32:46 Player Bonuses and Contract Structure 33:24 Wage Bill Analysis 34:00 The Rebuild Strategy and Taking Pain 36:02 Transfer Spending Strategy If you are interested in supporting the show and accessing a weekly exclusive bonus episode, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Supporter funded episodes are ad-free. NQAT is available on all podcast apps and in video on YouTube. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on Apple or Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
December 5, 2025; 6pm: Trump Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing war crime allegations. MS NOW's Ari Melber reports on new details and video from the September strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Plus, Melber reflects on his interview with 50 Cent. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.