Something's Off With Andrew Heaton

CROSSOVER EPISODE from Alienating the Audience When does science fiction get "too political"? What separates a film with a strong point of view from stale publum or Woke pulpitry? Josh Jennings joins to discuss how political messaging can derail or suffocate good storytelling.   

America has one educational path: go get a university degree! If you stray from it, you're in trouble. Could shifting the education system towards apprenticeships be a more effective way to help prepare students for life and careers?   Noel Ginsburg is the Founder and CEO of CareerWise, following the 41-year stint as the founder and CEO of the manufacturing company Intertech Plastics. He's a national advocate for apprenticeships, and has testified to the U.S. Senate on their effectiveness. 

A new study shows that “affective polarization” is on the upswing: negative feelings about enemy parties is on the increase, even if policy positions and ideology are not. What’s the main drive behind the increase? Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy joins to discuss the primary factor in partisan rancor.  Morris Fiorina: The Country Isn’t Polarized https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/ep-28-the-country-isnt-polarized-guest-morris-fiorina-0  Tim Carney: Loneliness is Worse for Cities Than Godzilla https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/ep-109-loneliness-is-worse-for-cities-than-godzilla/id1439837349?i=1000436493673  Amusing Ourselves to Death https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/amusing-ourselves-to-death  “The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States” https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-polisci-051117-073034  Heaton on Andrea’s show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-kKDkeauj4&list=PLoGqAxLE0kqxeilRQgba67-b45UCE9tQw&index=18 

Generative AI like ChatGPT and Dall-E 2 are poised to change… everything.   Tom Merritt of the Daily Tech News Show and Darren Kitchen of Hak5 join to discuss its ramification, and how automation will free up everybody… or put everyone out of a job.   See Heaton’s AI artwork from Lensa and Dall-E 2 at www.mightyheaton.com/aiart SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Joel Kotkin worries that we're careening into a new bout of feudalism.   He sees a resurgence of intellectual dogmatism, coupled with inequality and lack of mobility, pushing civilization back into a feudalistic power structure of lords, peasants, and priests.   He joins to discuss his book "The Coming Neo-Feudalism: A Warning to the Global Middle Class"

It's the fifth annual comedy Christmas special! All underwritten by Snuffy's (Off Route 44).   This year's Christmas special includes: Inappropriate curse words; World War I; discussions about bats; hilarity; gluten   Enjoy!   PRIOR SPECIALS:   A Rather Snuffy's Christmas - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-political-orphanage/id1439837349?i=1000545755269 A Grander Snuffy's Christmas - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-grander-snuffys-christmas/id1439837349?i=1000503286243 Another Snuffy's Christmas - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/another-snuffys-christmas/id1439837349?i=1000460559897 A Very Snuffy's Christsmas - https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/ep-30-a-very-snuffys-christmas-0

Scott Horton wants America to go home. He does not think we should be the world’s policeman. And when we try to be, our foreign policy incites blowback, foreign chaos, and unnecessary bloodshed. He joins to discuss isolationism and non-interventionism.   His Soho Forum Debate with Bill Kristol Bill Kristol interview IR Theory: How to Prevent and Provoke Stupid Wars

Phil Gramm is the author of “The Myth of Inequality: How Government Biases Policy Debates.” He joins to discuss the metrics by which we identify poverty, and how otherwise sound data is frequently misinterpreted.

Should America actively promote democracy and liberalism abroad, to the point of destabilizing authoritarian regimes, or arming their enemies? Bill Kristol is a prominent Neocon, and proponent of muscular liberalism–the idea that a robust American presence abroad is integral to global peace and security.  IR Theory Episode: “How to Prevent and Provoke Stupid Wars” https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-prevent-63903085?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link PATREON.COM/ANDREWHEATON to support the show and get weekly bonus episodes!

This Thanksgiving Brian Brushwood joins to discuss the many ways an average American's life is more comfortable, affluent, and magical than the vast majority of human history--including that of pharaohs and kings.  BOOKS: This episode relies heavily on "The Rational Optimist" by Matt Ridley, "Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know" by Ron Bailey, and "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Stephen Pinker, and "Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think" by Peter H. Diamandis. All great books that present convincing stats on the positive trajectory of the world. They're all linked to at www.mightyheaton.com/featured RELATED INTERVIEWS:  Matt Ridley on Rational Optimism  Ron Bailey on Positive Trends 

The idea that we can eliminate poverty by outlawing greed is like trying to increase marriage rates by making people less horny. In this episode we go over the Medieval understanding of greed, against that employed by economists.   

Noam Dworman is owner of the Comedy Cellar in New York City. A huge critic of Cancel Culture, he caught flak for allowing Louis C. K. to perform at his club. He joins to discuss: should anyone ever be canceled? SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Student Councils are meant to teach young people about democracy, but what lesson are they learning? Namely that elections are popularity contests with no stakes or results! Turner Sparks and Michael Ira Kaplan join to discuss the abolition of student councils, and also give updates on Ruby Kaplan's elementary school candidacy

Jeremiah Johnson of The Neoliberal Podcast joins to discuss how NEPA and environmental impact reports stall construction pretty much everywhere, and alternatives to the red tape.

My recent speaking engagement at Oxford University, the various ne'er-do-wells claiming I am a fascist, and why politics attracts toxic personalities. Plus, protocols to help us remain good faith actors and not drink deep of the bile. Find the Heaton Protocols at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/so-i-got-at-73864329?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

The government of Iran has shut down its Internet, and brutally clamped down on dissent. Why are the people protesting, and are they within striking distance of revolution? Should America root for them from the sidelines, or send guns? Lisa Daftari of The Foreign Desk joins to discuss

Did Florida's fast-and-loose Covid policies fail compared to New York's strict lockdowns? How effective were mask mandates? How did the United States stack up against Europe and Australia? Maxim Lott of "Maximum Truth" crunched the numbers on which regimes saved or lost lives during Covid 19. And offers a tool to asses if otherwise effective restrictions are actually worth it.

Kristaps Andrejsons is a war correspondent regularly covering the conflict in Ukraine, ad the host of the Eastern Border podcast.   He joins the show to discuss:    * Why Russia pushed patently false referendums in Ukraine * Who blew up the Nord 2 pipeline * How the Ukrainian conflict might play out * What the West should do in its aftermath

Lee Drutman is the author of “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America.” He joins to discuss electoral reform, multi-member districts, and proportional voting.

The British monarch reigns as the United Kingdom’s head of state, while war and taxes are carried out by the head of government, its Prime Minister. Meanwhile, in the United States of America, the President is both. In this episode we explore the nature and benefits of ceremonial monarchs.