A Conversation with Paul Bloom (Episode  

I can't imagine a less Sam Harrisy intro song.

I really, *really* miss the original music from the 'Waking Up' days. More importantly, I miss when the RU-vid uploads weren't chopped up. Your new business model/approach to uploading sucks, dude.

I don't understand why the pay wall. Just put ads on your videos man, it's not a question of integrity, with enough viewers you can pick and choose what ads go on. Then we use ad blockers, the ads go into the never and every body is happy. It's getting like this with subscription channels all trying to be netflix. So you cough up dough for netflix, disney, amazon, CBS, and bla bla bla and suddenly you're obliged to pay $100+ for the content you like and use twenty different apps and websites. I see bundles and packages on the horizon. Comcast will be the only winner at the end of this road. We're moving backwards, and the internet is meant to be forwards. When you weigh production costs against subscription fees*subscriptions, these people (not Sam... yet) are making a huge profit. It's getting gratuitous. Disney doesn't surprise me, but Sam Harris? Sam is usually a very deep and complete thinker. However I have heard him say that he thinks the problem with the youtube internet model is that people have become accustomed to getting everything for 'free'. I think this paywall shit is Sam's personal war on that. And it is free, well except for my phone and internet subscription, my pc, laptop, phone, my electricity bill, after all of which I am barely left afloat. Tell me Sam when people write to you asking for free subscription, do you reply asking them how they pay for all the stuff necessary to consume podcasts? If all your listeners wrote to you would you just return to free model, or remove the write in for help option entirely? I'm mourning a loss...

Okay, the intro music is objectively awful. On Sam's deathbed, he'll have to account for that. The eternity after Sam's death will be this music humming in the background of exploding stars.

What broke my heart most is that he went back and removed the old music from older podcasts lol I went back to the first Paul Bloom days ago just to refresh my memory of how amazing this podcast's intro vibe was...and it was sad

So we cant watch full podcasts on RU-vid anymore? Looks like I won't be listening as much any more. Sam, dude, we all listen in out phones in the car, at work, etc. We're not going through the hassle of signing up on your website. Please just release them on RU-vid.

My first downvote of a Sam Harris video ever. I don't like this new approach at all, and I'm just not going to listen to partial content. The music is terrible too, but I can live with that. I'm not here for the intro. There's nothing wrong with trying to create a business model around your podcast, but I do think the current model is just never going to work. The thing is, your ability to have interesting, enlightening and educational conversations with the world's leading intellectuals is unrivaled. It is what sets you apart from the likes of Rogan and even Fridman. However, unlike them, you're making it difficult to access your content. To put up a paywall of any kind, even one with a financial 'backdoor' for those who are less well-off, is going to significantly reduce your exposure. Most people simply aren't going to bother to become a member or to send the e-mail. It requires an admission of having financial constraints that many people won't be willing to make. Here's the thing about the internet: if it cant be accessed in 2 clicks, you're going to miss out on a whole bunch of people. For instance, if Joe Rogan decided to go for a pay-per-view format, even if it cost like $0.10 per view, he would almost certainly lose more than half of his audience. I fear that the net effect of reduced exposure would cause more harm than good: people need this stuff, and you're making it difficult for people to stumble upon you when you're surrounded by paywalls. Rogan's influence did not depend on his business model either. Rather, it was a result of the quality and accessibility of the content he produced.

Sam!! Sam! You really really need to consider changing that horrible music. It's an unbelievable downer.. right from the start. What were you thinking?

Add me to the apparently growing list of long-time podcast supporters who have largely lost interest in SH's output over the past 6 months or so. I generally don't find the guests or the topics as interesting as before. The last one I really enjoyed was the Ricky Gervais episode. I'd almost rather he didn't focus on political issues because it more often than not turns into the same tired anti-Trump diatribe. I've continued to download each podcast, but it seems that every time I start listening, I can't seem to get more than 20 minutes in before I want to switch it off. Finally - and I realize this is fairly trivial - I also think the intro music is a total mismatch. To me, the original Waking Up music perfectly encapsulated the Sam Harris "brand." The current one seems like he's fishing for hipster cred (or something...)

You have to pay now to listen to his full podcasts!!!?? WTF!?????????

I seriously recommend subscribing to the podcast for all of those commenting about feeling like they're missing out. It's because you are. This episode was stellar. In fact, it prompted me to purchase TWO of Bloom's works (Against Empathy, and Just Babies). Also, I love this new format of the show. Not that I want to see away with the classic format, but I think this is my favorite of the two.

Haven’t listened to much of your content recently. Thanks for making it even more of a pain to access it. Probably won’t be listening to much more. I used to love this podcast.

Bring me back to those dramatic tones and the face in the sky ... that got me through some hell in my life... bring it back Sam, don't feel sheepish about it... just bring it back baby.

As for saying bad things about people after they are dead... I had a neighbor, Stan, who was a crusty old guy. Stan would bark at people who touched his lawn. He would turn off his porch light on Halloween and leave a "Do not disturb" sign in the door. When speaking to another neighbor after Stan's death, I was very critical of Stan. The neighbor sort of chuckled nervously after I spoke and reminded me that old Stan had died only a few days earlier. I told her that Stan is the topic only because he died but alive or dead, I would express the same opinion. Then I added that depending on the persons in the discussion, it's always best to be critical of someone after they died simply because they will never hear the harsh things said about them.

I LOVE YOU SAM, you changed my life for the better and made me live a more moral life

This is where we part ways. I've read all of your books (most as physical purchases), and much of your old blog. I just finished _Conscious._ I've listened to countless hours of your audio content. But I listen from RU-vid, and I'm not going to change. I will not be using a sign-in medium. I will not be paying. I will not be visiting any annoying, third-party websites, or downloading any silly 'apps' just to access content that will still end up available here for the price of a click. I am, as of yet, unconvinced by the arguments to build such a model as a means of subsistence. There seems little rationale for this jump-ship move, and so I'm not compelled to follow. As a fellow critically-thinking person, I do not consider myself a 'fan' in the fanatical sense: at least, not enough to do a beg-for-free-content dance just to assuage the primary symptom of what I can easily recognize as social media sickness- that is, vanity. It is regrettable that this place is so corrosive. Clearly, none of us are immune. Sorry to sound sanctimonious; I genuinely believe that the pressures of large-scale exposure can/will break us all, and further, that it is impossible for any colors to remain unfaded under the paradoxical light of celebrity. One more thing that I must say, even though I know it's near delusional to believe that you will actually read this. RU-vid is the trenches; it is the front-line in a war against ignorance and intolerance. It is the singular most hostile, vitriolic cesspool of Id expression around, and so this is precisely where reason is most needed. Here, speech is unbridled by restraint. Here it fights dirty. *If ideas can win here, they can win anywhere.* In contrast, preaching to a bubble-wrapped room filled with a choir of like-minded patrons is hardly progressive or utilitarian: one might say that it makes no sense. Sigh. Either case, thank you for all of the ideas that you've given me thus far. You've become a valuable voice inside of my head. I'll try to do my best to listen to you in genuine form there. Really- thanks. Best wishes! Back to Sapolsky.

I make decent money, but I am also EXTREMELY frugal and can't justify the $60 a year for his podcast. But I ALSO would feel extremely guilty for asking for a free account, so I end up just not listening to Harris anymore besides these shorter clips. Anyone else in a similar situation?

Awesome. I'd love to see this format with Douglas Murray on a monthly basis.

golly gosh please change music sammy boy

Sam, would you entertain the idea of interviewing Michael Malice?

Did NOT like the intro song, nor the switch to partial podcasts here. Not cool.

Please add a per episode pay option. 1$ an episode?

"So, in order to live a happy, stress free, productive life all you need to do is..."(music plays)..If you'd like to listen to the rest of this podcast...

Did Mr. Harris just start taking guitar lessons? If he sticks with it, he'll get good, eventually.

I feel blue balled

So I can't get the full podcasts on Spotify anymore? I don't use a podcast player that supports RSS :(

this intro..........>>>>>>> :(

Been a while now since hearing anything from Sam, and I'm so disappointed to hear that he still can't get through one conversation without obsessing over Trump (over three years later, still doing it seemingly every podcast). I've never voted R before, and I couldn't care less about Trump; but shit this was abortion of the ears compared to what I remember of you.

Sam, the intellectual giant, has meager taste for theme music. This is goody-goody, saccharine pap with zero umpf. Totally without substance and non-reflective of the heft of Sam's work. Except concerning Trump, of course, which is almost a deal-breaker for me. So tired of “orange-man bad” thinking.

I love Bloom.

I find it sufferable to hear people talk endlessly about a celebrities sudden death, Kobe, Bowie, Bourdain, Robin Williams, ect. What? You thought these people were more valuable or worthy of remorse than the thousands dying in yehmen today? It reminds me of the shallow pond analogy from Peter Singer. The parasocial relations people develop with their idols are so blinding. Anyway, rest in peace all those poor souls which go unnoticed. :(

Nah sorry, this is bullshit. I've been listening to Sam's podcasts on RU-vid for quite a while now, and have always enjoyed them. However, the fact that I am now being forced to subscribe to his website if I want to hear the full content is probably just going to result in me unsubscribing from him on RU-vid. I have noticed Ben Shapiro has now started doing this as well. If this is going to be the trend from now on, what is essentially happening is a generation of thinkers are retiring from RU-vid and that will have to pave the way for a new generation of thinkers to grow on the platform. For all its flaws, RU-vid remains the dominate video sharing platform because it allows people to get all their content in one place. It is not only costly (which I appreciate Sam is at least offering to grant free subscriptions to those who cannot afford it) but unfortunately also just purely impractical to subscribe to umpteen different websites in order to view content. Forget it.

Thanks Sam, just listened to this on your feed, great talk

Not sure I'll pay for subscription, maybe will just because Sam has helped me a lot with meditation. And Paul Bloom is an absolutely brilliant psychologist

The comment section: 30% music complaints 10% please invite my favorite white nationalist thinker 🤮 25% complaining about pay wall 10% complimentary posts 25% pro-Trump people who became Sam Harris fans because he criticized Islam and are for some reason still lurking here

Sam has such a way with words... he perfectly summed up the Kobe effect on me. I wasn't even a Kobe fan...I am a nuggets fan but his death messed me up.

I hope Sam is paying his guests to be on the podcast. It wouldn't be fair if they come on to promote their latest book, with Sam deciding to greatly limit their exposure so he can make more money, unless he passes on some of the profit.

This will probably do it for me. Can't deal with partial SH. 👍

Haven’t watched an episode since they went behind a paywall. No Point remaining subscribed.

It's interesting; I don't give a fuck about basketball, don't pay the slightest bit of attention to basketball, have never even watched a full game of basketball -- but when I read Kobe died, my jaw dropped.

Finally, more Paul Bloom

Cheers, Sam!

Do you know what the Music reminds me of? South Park's "Rob Schneider derp de dur!"

"The sociopath... Paul Bloom..."

Here is something I would of liked to add to the discussion about redemption for celebrities. An important factor is what the celebrity is famous for. And what kind of culture/group of people value this celebrity. And most importantly, if the crime that the celebrity allegedly commited is a big deal to them. Humans tend to believe what they want to believe in order to keep their star on a pedestal. Even when the evidence goes against their precious star. Another point I would like to make, infidelity is by far the easiest thing to get redemption for, for obvious reasons ( at least in the public eyes, maybe not their spouse or loved ones), especially when the celebrity is rich and famous!!!

I gave the music a chance. It still sucks.

watching the biographic on Shindler makes it clear that redemption is real - the same person, in different circumstances, can be a hero or a villian, we need to give them the chance to be the good guy and see if they take it

The first Glenn Greenwald reference in a while. You gotta love it😆

Sam I'm happy to support you but I'd rather pay a mandatory fee and stay on RU-vid somehow rather than a subscription on another website. I often listen to this via the RU-vid app which lets me lock my phone etc.

27mins? O-O what happened to the 2.5 hour long podcasts? oh no... SUBSCRIBER ONLY CONTENT!? XD

Sam, thank you for starting with Kobe Bryant’s death - I like you even more now.. Kobe was the symbol of meritocracy / how hard work pays off and the more you put in, the more you get out. The fact that his daughter who was pursuing basketball died too was not only a symbol dying, but a huge loss of potential (past and present).. I don’t believe in God, but Kobe was the god of basketball. I hope you will agree with me on that.

Paywall. Thanks, Sam

Great, thanks Sam! The app is absolutely amazing, it changed my life :) My only "problem" is that I now need to translate your content for my mother and other elderly German fellows because there is nothing alike in my native language available at the moment. Thank you so much, all the best to you and your team 🎇

unfortunately, most people in UK and Europe have no idea who Kobe Bryant is. But I do. Even the BBC got it wrong they showed a picture of Le Bron James

Yeeees I was just listening to Paul Bloom

serious question what made Diana so "good" ??

Sam has been consistently trying to alter the current status quo podcast model. Heres an idea Sam... Open up your podcast to advertisers for the free / youtube audience Have a clean podcast with no adverts behind a paywall where people can pay as much as theyd like. I think this would make everyone relatively happy, offering "scraps" of podcast is frankly just annoying whether or not you offer it free if we go through a sign up on your website. You have interesting discussions that need to be heard, make it easier for people please.

Sad that Sam has decided to paywall his content. It's a tough call, but I'm unsubbing. There are plenty of free, ad-supported podcasts where the hosts speak their minds. The Weinstein brothers and Joe Rogan, for example, have not been hampered by advertiser opinion. Could I afford to subscribe? Yes. Could I afford $5 a month for every podcast I follow? No. I'll miss you, Sam. If you ever go free again, I'll gladly watch a few ads for the privilege of enjoying your show.

The music is fine, the partial content however is a bit tough for me to accept and I fear it’s gonna cause people to abandon the podcast rather than subscribe on his website. I understand you need to make money but for a podcast built on the concept of spreading ideas and conversation you are putting up a big wall for a lot of people. Are ads really that bad? Most people just skip over them anyway

Sam still searchin for an intro song I see lmao

I am posting this while signed-in to youtube under an old account, because comments on Sam Harris videos made from my regular account are blocked! And I don't even know why. It has been this way for quite a while, and his staff (via e-mail) are completely dismissive, and blame it on youtube. That doesn't make sense, because I only have this problem with videos by Sam Harris. The fact is that I have always valued his thoughts and content, and have contributed $ to him for, well, years now. But, this is it... he has received the last dime from me. - s.west

Its makes Jesus sad that you are so greedy sam.....

Sam needs to feed his family too. It would be a different story if the quality want there but it def is. Money well spent.

I like sam Harris but he’s hard to trust considering he barely criticizes the left yet has had many podcasts specifically about Trump. This is alarming to me considering how dangerous the leftist ideologies are. I do hope his political views won’t continue to pollute his work.

Terrible music sam what the hell!?

He keeps saying you can get the podcast for free on his website but I absolutely cannot find *where* you make such a request.

I don't trust a RU-vid video which asks me to visit another website.

Guys I walked away from the podcast for a little bit and now I can't keep track of whats free and whats subscription based. Can someone fill me in on what is free and what isn't now?

Hypnosis pornography need to be addressed fucking quickly.

sam there is something off with the audio. the intro song sucks.

Sam should get Howard Bloom on.

Tom Cruise's career was dead after the Oprah/Scientology tiff. But he re-established himself with some very creative roles in Tropic Thunder and Valkyrie.

thank you samuel

An extraordinarily shallow conversation from two people I admire for their depth of thinking. I'm struggling to justify this comment in a few words. How about this: what kind of a value system supports the vindication of an adultrous spouse based on family reactions? What if the wife is a narc and comes from a warped family that breeds personality distortions and has no room for forgiveness or fairness? What if the hubby is a psyscopath whom no one at home wishes to cross and condem? In any case, to try and form opinions regarding individual indescritions at the distance of media coverage (social or conventional) is plain foolhardy. Public opinion is not for serious thinkers in my view. Thats why we should judge public figures for the public aspect of their lives only, like a sportsman for his or her performance or Trump for his administrative competency (or lack of it). Was Diana a great parent for example? Thats something William and Harry would know, not us. As for pissing on someone for sexual gratification, what if they both enjoy it? There is a scope of moral assessment that reduces at the square of the distance between people, in my view. We should stop moralizing, be practical and practice restorative justice.

im not american but like why does anyone care that much about some basketball player? feels fame culturey to me..

When do we get back to that meditative, thought-provoking music from the "Waking Up" days? It's like Sam is trying to appeal to the Trump crowd, first with that country guitar lick, and now this 2nd-rate, non-swingin', library-music sounding jam. Makes me not want to listen to one of my favorite thinkers.

Ham Sarris please get on this, there's too much potential in this episode.

It does not seem like redemption exist with some people. Some people will never forgive and forget, they just want the transgressor to "burn." But that does not represent everyone....

I wish Sam would talk about something other than Trump...I find it terribly boring

Basketball is not big in Europe but I recognise it is like Ronaldo or messi dying here

Turning it Up with Sam Harris

Bout time u uploaded

It does happen to everyone. I am pretty fuckin annoyed at how it seems 10000 times more important because this guy was good at basketball.

Intro sounds like Be Mine by Ofenbach

Bad episode this time

Can you have on Robert Plomin

I'm inclined to say that people should be completely honest about there attitudes towards people who've just died. I don't really understand why we've created a cultural situation where we have to only talk about the good aspects of someone after they've just died. Everyone who likes this now-dead person is on high alert for infidels, and even the people who didn't like this now-dead person would get very close to defending them if some infidel were to criticise them. That means you're on your own if you're going to say something negative, and that's scary; and most people don't like saying anything without the support of other people. If I'd call someone a bastard when they're alive, I'd like to think I'll call them a bastard when they're dead - unless something in me, or in the information available, changes that. I'm not suggesting people go out of their way to be arseholes, I'm just suggesting people don't deny their actual views simply because someone died

It's good and proper to be kind and compassionate to others. I don't take pleasure in seeing others suffer sickness, injury or premature death. With the Kobe Bryant death it became ridiculous really fast. All sorts of tributes. The Grammy's dropped their socially progressive ideals and any connection to the Me Too Movement. The public and sports journalists weren't just saying that it was sad that a retired basketball player had died horrible with six others. They were saying that he was a great man who touched many lives, inspired them to do great things, a loving soul, a character person and someone who could move mountains and heal the sick. Fandom meant ignoring the rape.

I quite like listening to Sam Harris as he's generally an intelligent guy. However, he peaked with the Islam stuff which was really important at the time (and still is). Although he's still interesting, he's not interesting enough for me to take out a subscription.

Just ask Rivers to do the podcast intro....

I wish Sam would follow Eric Weinsteins lead and do ads only for products he believes in. That would probably solve his moral issues with advertising. Also, the idea that advertising for Dollar Club Shave is somehow going to influence what you can say to your guests is silly. Unlike a pharmaceutical ad during a DNC debate on medicare for all...

Are we Really Ridiculing Kobe For cheating on his wife ? Because that's all he did wrong!

you'd gain way more subs if you didn't hide content behind a pay wall.

Damn am I the only one who likes the intro music?

The new look and sounds of the show are a downgrade imo. Also, the recent guests are "safe" and... boring. The show has lost its spice and heading towards mundanity. It also feels like the show is being run by hipsters. Did he hire new staff? Snooooooreeeeeeeee. Skipping until Sam finds his balls again.

Jared Taylor.

I hate when same talks trump because I feel like he just doesn’t see clearly when it comes to trump. But, if those tapes exist then I’m there with you Sam. I’m going to be against Trump all the way and ask for his resignation. But, cmon... you’re telling me some super left wing journalist has tapes of him saying the N word and he isn’t releasing it????? Sure....

Public Perception - Talking Shop

so funny that these smart guys "dont get" the support for Trump....

The conservatives and others who voted for trump overlook his crass behaviour as they are sick of the left labeling them all as deplorables racists, homophobic, islamaphobia etc for simply having different views on immigration etc..