Bill Maher: A boozy, stoned, liberal take on classic anti-vax tropes
Decoding the Gurus25 Helmi 2023

Bill Maher: A boozy, stoned, liberal take on classic anti-vax tropes

Bill Maher is an American comedian, political commentator, and television host from the tail end of the baby-boomer generation. He's principally a centrist liberal in terms of his political leanings, being well known for his anti-religious and pro-animal rights positions, as well as a supporter of things like cannabis legalisation. On the other hand, he's something of a contrarian and styles himself as anti-political correctness and anti-woke, identifying as a disenchanted liberal, like Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris.

Now, all of that is well and good, let a hundred flowers bloom! But... on the less-salubrious side, he's also a contrarian when it comes to his extreme scepticism of conventional medicine, and vaccines in particular. And as we'll see in the two interviews we cover, with Sam Harris ^ and Richard Dawkins, it never seems to take him very long before the conversation is steered back to vaccines.

So, will Maher make the gurometer go 'DING'? Let's face it, probably not. But if not, why not? It is worth checking to tune up the old instrument. And it is indeed something to behold as a boozy, stoned Maher tries (and manifestly fails) to coax Richard Dawkins out of his prim and proper shell.

Also features discussions of Chris' run-ins with the rationalists, a new 'Whinge of the Week' segment, and the rhetorical technique of 'pouncing'.

Links


Jaksot(238)

Supplementary Material 46: Epstein Did Microtransactions, Grok Did Nothing Wrong, and Murder is Bad

Supplementary Material 46: Epstein Did Microtransactions, Grok Did Nothing Wrong, and Murder is Bad

In our never-ending quest to alienate all potential online audiences, we finger-wag about rampant Epstein conspiracism and explain why we are, on balance, anti-murder.The full episode is available to ...

15 Maalis 36min

Blindboy, Part 2: Where Have All the Good Men Gone?

Blindboy, Part 2: Where Have All the Good Men Gone?

In Part 2, Matt and Chris return to Blindboy, now broadcasting from a solar-powered podcast and therefore morally unimpeachable. The darkness, however, remains. Having established in Part 1 that the g...

14 Maalis 1h 49min

Blindboy, Part 1: Unmasking the Evil Elite Cabal

Blindboy, Part 1: Unmasking the Evil Elite Cabal

In this episode, Matt and Chris turn their attention to Blindboy Boatclub, the Irish podcaster, satirist, and former member of the Rubberbandits. Blindboy is recognisable for his plastic-bag headwear,...

6 Maalis 2h 21min

Decoding Academia: Moral Entrepreneurs, Measurement Issues, & Screentime with Andrew Przybylski (Patreon Preview)

Decoding Academia: Moral Entrepreneurs, Measurement Issues, & Screentime with Andrew Przybylski (Patreon Preview)

Another episode where the guest is not a sense-making prophet or a galaxy-brained guru, as we engage in academic dialogos with Oxford psychologist Andrew Przybylski. This is a preview of our Decoding ...

27 Helmi 1h 13min

Supplementary Material 45: Mick Drops, The Weinstein Conspiracy Hour, and Lessons from History

Supplementary Material 45: Mick Drops, The Weinstein Conspiracy Hour, and Lessons from History

We return to some old friends, and almost immediately, we regret the decision. Also, get ready for some heady insights from history, a new conspiracy hypothesis, and Game Theory based insights.The ful...

19 Helmi 33min

Decoding Academia 35: When Prophecy Fails Debunked? (Patreon Series)

Decoding Academia 35: When Prophecy Fails Debunked? (Patreon Series)

Ever heard of cognitive dissonance? That thing a psychology lecturer might have explained to you once upon a time, likely using the same UFO cult example everyone else uses. Well, a new paper by Thoma...

16 Helmi 37min

Teal Swan: All Hail Source

Teal Swan: All Hail Source

Cult Season rumbles on as Chris and Matt expand their minds in an attempt to absorb the cosmic insights of spiritual influencer and alleged cult leader Teal Swan (born Mary Teal Bosworth, 1984). Our i...

13 Helmi 2h 59min

Decoding Academia 34: Empathetic AIs? (Patreon Series)

Decoding Academia 34: Empathetic AIs? (Patreon Series)

In this Decoding Academia episode, we take a look at a 2025 paper by Daria Ovsyannikova, Victoria Olden, and Mickey Inzlicht, asking a question that might make some people uncomfortable/angry, specifi...

12 Helmi 22min

Suosittua kategoriassa Tiede

rss-mita-tulisi-tietaa
tiedekulma-podcast
rss-poliisin-mieli
utelias-mieli
rss-duodecim-lehti
radio-antro
mielipaivakirja
rss-ylistys-elaimille
rss-lihavuudesta-podcast
rss-sosiopodi
docemilia
menologeja-tutkimusmatka-vaihdevuosiin
rss-tiedetta-vai-tarinaa