cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/27088982
This book is creating quite a buzz. See the basics and one review among many.
People being what they are, there’s no doubt that this is an election-winning agenda for the Democrats. And the authors are both very serious people. I’m reluctant to write off Ezra Klein, who IMO is not just very smart but also circumspect and fair-minded.
But all this also looks to me like an advanced case of deluded wishful thinking. Or of “cornucopian economics”, as EO Wilson called it.
What to conclude?
He’s mentioned often what a hyper conscious over thinker he is. Have you seen the scene in The Princess Bride where Wallace Shawn is trying to guess which cup is poisoned? And he speculates what his adversary thinks he’ll think they think he’ll think they think? I think that’s an example how at a certain point, it doesn’t matter how smart you are. When you’re trying to predict other people, logic only goes so far before it just breaks down.
Perhaps EK has considered what you’ve observed. But I think what he says has to be presumed to be through a tremendous filter. Hit him up when he’s on a gummy and a glass of Pinot Noir and I bet he sounds like Carl Sagan or some shit. We can’t really know, because he minds his words carefully.
Anyway, I like to listen to him, but I take everything he says in all that context.
Ha. Amusing. I haven’t seen that scene but I know what you’re talking about. Seems like a decent theory of mind for EK. What remains for me is the interesting paradox of being intellectually in awe of someone who holds what seems to be a transparently dumb opinion. Still, his voice is very nice to listen to. And that beard looks great too - such an improvement.