Are People Becoming Less Moral? - Alex O’Connor (4K)

The video is about a podcast interview with Peter Hitchens, a well-known British author and broadcaster, where he discusses his views on various topics such as drug decriminalization, the existence of God, and the monarchy. The host, Alex O'Connor, reflects on the interview and discusses the moral implications of running it, as Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization. O'Connor also discusses the criticism he has received for the interview and his own thoughts on the subject.

This video by Chris Williamson was published on Jan 8, 2024.
Video length: 01:39:09.

The video is about a podcast interview with Peter Hitchens, a well-known British author and broadcaster, on the topic of drug decriminalization.

The host, Alex O'Connor, discusses the challenges of running the interview and the controversy surrounding the topic.

O'Connor also talks about the importance of education and rebuttal in debates, and the need for a more nuanced approach to the issue of drug decriminalization.

• Alex O'Connor welcomes the audience to the show.
• He discusses the first time they were on a Skype call with Peter Hitchens, who was a guest on the show.
• O'Connor reflects on the interview and discusses the moral implications of running it.
• He discusses the criticism he has received for the interview and his own thoughts on the subject.
• Hitchens expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor was in two minds about uploading the interview.
• Hitchens said that he wasn't speaking entirely clearly and that he had something on his mind.
• Hitchens said that he didn't think O'Connor should run the interview.
• O'Connor initially decided not to run the interview.

Are People Becoming Less Moral? - Alex O’Connor (4K) - YouTube

Introduction

• Alex O'Connor welcomes the audience to the show.
• He discusses the first time they were on a Skype call with Peter Hitchens, who was a guest on the show.
• O'Connor reflects on the interview and discusses the moral implications of running it.
• He discusses the criticism he has received for the interview and his own thoughts on the subject.

Interview with Peter Hitchens

• Hitchens expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor was in two minds about uploading the interview.
• Hitchens said that he wasn't speaking entirely clearly and that he had something on his mind.
• Hitchens said that he didn't think O'Connor should run the interview.

Decision to Run the Interview

• O'Connor initially decided not to run the interview.
• Hitchens kept saying that he could run the interview if he wanted to.
• O'Connor asked Hitchens why and he said it was because O'Connor was a propagandist for drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor disagreed with Hitchens' view on drug decriminalization.

Are People Becoming Less Moral? - Alex O’Connor (4K) - YouTube

Other Topics Discussed

• O'Connor and Hitchens discussed the existence of God and religion.
• They also discussed the monarchy.
• O'Connor agreed with Hitchens that the monarchy is boring.
• They decided to run the interview for about an hour and a half.

Criticism and Response

• Some people have criticized O'Connor for running the interview.
• O'Connor listened back to the interview and sent it to some friends.
• He believes that Hitchens was being unreasonable.
• O'Connor believes that Hitchens' attitude was a common one in philosophical and political discussion.

Section 1: The Video

• The video is from Chris Williamson's YouTube channel.
• The host, Alex O'Connor, reflects on an interview with Peter Hitchens.
• Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor discusses the moral implications of running the interview.
• He also discusses the criticism he has received for the interview.

Section 2: The Interview

• The interview was with Peter Hitchens, a well-known British author and broadcaster.
• Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor reflects on the interview and discusses the moral implications of running it.
• He also discusses the criticism he has received for the interview.

Section 3: The Attitude of Peter Hitchens

• O'Connor thought Hitchens' attitude was pessimistic and unlikable.
• Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• He kept walking back over to O'Connor, as if to say "what have you got a go?".
• Hitchens spent 17 minutes standing at the door telling O'Connor how much he personally dislikes him.
• Hitchens told O'Connor that he didn't want to see him again.

Section 4: The Podcasting Equivalent of "Come on Mate, Have a Go"

• Hitchens' behavior was like the podcasting equivalent of "come on mate, have a go."
• He wanted to look like he didn't initiate the fight but wanted to look tough.
• O'Connor didn't think it was his fault that Hitchens behaved this way.
• He left it up to the judgment of the listener or viewer.
• Hitchens spent 17 minutes standing at the door telling O'Connor how much he personally dislikes him.

Section 1: Introduction

• The host, Alex O'Connor, reflects on a podcast interview with Peter Hitchens.
• Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor discusses the moral implications of running the interview.
• He also discusses the criticism he has received for the interview.

Section 2: Assessment of Ben Shapiro's Debating Style

• O'Connor assesses Ben Shapiro's debating style as having a high verbal IQ and being difficult to interrupt.
• He notes that Shapiro can throw out multiple points at once and it can be challenging to keep up.
• O'Connor also notes that Shapiro is charitable and listens to what his opponent is saying.
• He concludes that Shapiro matches the energy he gives and taking him seriously is important.

Section 3: Misconceptions about Ben Shapiro

• O'Connor notes that people often get Ben Shapiro wrong and think he is a grifter or not a fan.
• He notes that Shapiro often comes across as slightly sneering and owning the college student kind of thing.
• O'Connor notes that Shapiro matches the energy he gives and taking him seriously is important.
• He concludes that Shapiro is not incapable of humility and is willing to concede a point to his opponent.

Section 4: Conclusion

• O'Connor concludes that Shapiro is a formidable debater with a high verbal IQ and a charitable approach to debate.
• He notes that Shapiro matches the energy he gives and taking him seriously is important.
• O'Connor concludes that Shapiro is not incapable of humility and is willing to concede a point to his opponent.
• He encourages listeners to take Shapiro seriously and listen to what he has to say.

Section 1: Discovering an Old Email

• The host, Alex O'Connor, stumbled upon an old email from 2019 while looking for an email related to their filming location.
• The email was from Chris Williamson, the host of the Modern Wisdom Podcast, expressing interest in having a conversation with Alex.
• Alex found the email fascinating and expressed interest in having a conversation with Chris.
• Chris agreed to the conversation, and they discussed various topics, including drug decriminalization and the existence of God.
• The conversation was recorded and uploaded to the Modern Wisdom Podcast.

Section 2: Criticism and Reflection

• The interview received criticism from some viewers, who felt that Chris's views on drug decriminalization were not well-informed or balanced.
• Alex reflected on the criticism and realized that they could have done a better job of addressing the topic in the interview.
• Alex also reflected on the importance of being mindful of the impact of their interviews on their viewers and the wider community.
• They resolved to be more careful in the future when selecting guests and discussing controversial topics.
• Alex also expressed gratitude to their viewers for their feedback and for helping them to improve their content.

Section 3: Chris Williamson's Background

• Chris Williamson is the host of the Modern Wisdom Podcast, which focuses on a wide range of topics, including philosophy, politics, and culture.
• Chris has a background in music and has worked in the entertainment industry for many years.
• He has also been involved in various political campaigns and has spoken out on a range of political issues.
• Chris has a reputation for being a controversial figure, and his views on certain topics have been the subject of much debate and discussion.
• Despite this, Chris has a large and dedicated following, who appreciate his unique perspective on the world.

Section 4: The Future of Chris Williamson

• Chris Williamson has recently announced that he will be launching a new project, which he believes will be even more groundbreaking and controversial than his previous work.
• The project is still in the early stages of development, but Chris is excited about the potential impact it could have on the world.
• He believes that the project will challenge people's assumptions and force them to rethink their beliefs about the world.
• Chris is confident that the project will be a huge success and will catapult him into the limelight once again.
• He is currently working hard to bring the project to fruition and is excited to share it with the world when the time is right.

The Interview

• The host, Alex O'Connor, reflects on a podcast interview with Peter Hitchens.
• Hitchens expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor discusses the moral implications of running the interview.
• He also discusses the criticism he has received for the interview.
• O'Connor reflects on his own thoughts on the subject.

The Getia Case

• O'Connor discusses a "getia case" where he had a Justified true belief that he was going to see a horse.
• He explains that the difficulty with this example is that it may not be justified to believe that he was going to see a horse.
• He also discusses a simpler example where he had a Justified true belief that he was going to see a horse.
• He explains that this example is better because it is based on a simpler explanation.
• O'Connor also discusses a "geet case" where he had a Justified true belief that his watch was broken.

The Geier's Revelation

• O'Connor discusses a "geier's revelation" where he had a Justified true belief that his watch was broken.
• He explains that this example is a genuine novelty in the history of philosophy.
• O'Connor also discusses a "geier's revelation" where he had a Justified true belief that he was going to see a horse.
• He explains that this example is a genuine novelty in the history of philosophy.
• O'Connor also discusses a "geier's revelation" where he had a Justified true belief that his watch was broken.

The Science-Backed Electrolyte Ratio

• O'Connor discusses a product called Element, an electrolyte drink mix.
• He explains that the product has a science-backed electrolyte ratio of sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
• O'Connor also discusses the benefits of the product, such as regulating appetite, curbing cravings, and improving brain function.
• He explains that the product tastes phenomenal and is a healthy alternative to sugary electrolyte drinks.
• O'Connor also discusses the product's refund policy, which is no questions asked.

Philosophy as Foundation

• The host, Alex O'Connor, reflects on a podcast interview with Peter Hitchens, where Hitchens expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor discusses the moral implications of running the interview, as Hitchens had reservations about the topic.
• O'Connor also discusses the criticism he has received for the interview and his own thoughts on the subject.
• The host reflects on the importance of consistency in philosophy, as it is foundational to the entire universe.
• O'Connor discusses the idea that most of what we're doing is just testing for consistency, and that proving an axiom wrong is difficult because we need an axiom to get off the ground.

Ethics and Matter

• The host, Alex O'Connor, teaches the difference between ethics and matter.
• Ethics is someone that isn't formally trained in either, and the meta-ethical foundation is needed to have a discussion about ethics.
• The entire ethical discussion on top will just continue to fall back to definitional problems if the meta-ethical foundation is not agreed upon.
• The host discusses the importance of consistency in ethics, as it is necessary for a discussion about ethics to take place.
• The host reflects on the idea that most of what we're doing is just testing for consistency, and that proving an axiom wrong is difficult because we need an axiom to get off the ground.

Freedom

• The host, Alex O'Connor, discusses the different ways of conceiving freedom, such as freedom from and freedom to.
• The host reflects on the idea that people can be right when defining freedom differently.
• The host discusses the importance of metaphysics in ethical debates, as it is necessary to have a meta-ethical foundation to have a discussion about ethics.
• The host reflects on the idea that most of what we're doing is just testing for consistency, and that proving an axiom wrong is difficult because we need an axiom to get off the ground.
• The host discusses the importance of consistency in ethics, as it is necessary for a discussion about ethics to take place.

Abortion Debate

• The host, Alex O'Connor, discusses the different questions about biology and consciousness that are often raised in the abortion debate.
• The host reflects on the idea that people think they're having an ethical debate when they're actually just having a debate about facts that can be resolved in principle by scientific empirical inquiry.
• The host discusses the importance of consistency in ethics, as it is necessary for a discussion about ethics to take place.
• The host reflects on the idea that most of what we're doing is just testing for consistency, and that proving an axiom wrong is difficult because we need an axiom to get off the ground.
• The host discusses the importance of consistency in ethics, as it is necessary for a discussion about ethics to take place.

The Extent of Emotions in Ethical Thinking

• The host, Alex O'Connor, reflects on the interview with Peter Hitchens and discusses the moral implications of running it.
• Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• O'Connor discusses the criticism he has received for the interview and his own thoughts on the subject.
• The host takes a relatively unconventional view that ethics is the expression of emotion.
• This view is called emotivism, which is a philosophy of language more than a philosophy of ethics.

Emotivism as a Philosophy of Language

• Emotivism tries to describe what people mean when they say "good" or "bad" and famously comes up with an analogy that saying murder is wrong is like saying "boo murder."
• The statement "murder is wrong" is just the expression of the emotion "yuck" or "boo" and is not even the same thing as saying "I like charity" or "I don't like murder."
• Even if you don't agree with emotivism to that extent, recognizing the extent to which emotions dominate ethical conduct can help pay attention to what it feels like when you analyze something as wrong.
• Emotions can be seen as a sort of "soup" of stimulus going on inside of you, and it can be difficult to separate what it feels like to feel something is wrong from the rational decision to act on that feeling.
• Terror management theory suggests that all human beings are trying to manage their fear of death and that this motivation drives all human activity.

Terror Management Theory

• Terror management theory suggests that all human beings are trying to manage their fear of death and that this motivation drives all human activity.
• Studies have shown that people change their rational behavior based on their emotions.
• For example, judges who were reminded of their own death were more likely to set harsher bonds for those accused of prostitution.
• The interpretation of terror management theory is that when we're reminded of our own deaths, we need to temporarily reaffirm the sort of death-denying aspects of our culture.
• The thesis is known as the mortality salience hypothesis, which suggests that for a judge who is reminded of their own death, they will be compelled to reaffirm the death-denying aspect of their daily life, such as participation in the legal system.

The Denial of Death

• Ernest Becker wrote a book called "The Denial of Death" which suggests that people try to deny their own death.
• For judges, participating in the legal system can be seen as a way to deny their own mortality.
• This can lead to harsher penalties for those accused of wrongdoing.
• Religion is also seen as a manifestation of the denial of death.
• Religion deals with the fear of death and tries to provide a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Death and Morality

• The host discusses the idea that people become more religious when reminded of their own death, even if they don't ultimately believe in God.
• The host reflects on the interview with Peter Hitchens and the moral implications of running it, as Hitchens had expressed reservations about the topic of drug decriminalization.
• The host discusses the criticism he has received for the interview and his own thoughts on the subject.

Death Denialism

• The host discusses the concept of death denialism, which he believes is prevalent in the modern world.
• The host argues that productivity movements, health and fitness movements, and the biohacking movement are all examples of death denialism.
• The host discusses the arguments about diet, such as whether it's better to be carnivore or vegan, and how these arguments relate to death denialism.

Fear of Death

• The host discusses the fear of death and how it can lead people to make certain choices.
• The host argues that the fear of death is a driving force behind many people's decisions, including their approach to health and fitness.

Nihilism

• The host discusses his experiment with nihilism and how it went.
• The host reflects on the cliff of Jordan Peterson's comments on the Lex Freedman podcast and how they related to nihilism.

The Definition of Living Like a Nihilist

• The rejection of any such thing as a non-contingent reason for acting.
• The belief that there's no reason to do anything outside of essentially your crude preferences and biological drives.
• The idea that living like a nihilist means rejecting any non-contingent reason for acting.
• The belief that there's no reason to do anything outside of your crude preferences and biological drives.
• The idea that living like a nihilist means rejecting any non-contingent reason for acting.

The Ethical Implications of Nihilism

• The question of what happens when somebody doesn't have a view on nihilism.
• The difficulty in explaining away the mechanisms that lead to nihilism.
• The idea that the more we try to explain away the mechanisms that lead to nihilism, the less ethical force is left in the concept.
• The idea that culture is just an adaptive response to coordination at large scale.
• The idea that morality is just an adaptive response to coordination at large scale.

The Nihilist Conundrum

• The idea that the reason why you're not killing people is just because you evolved that way.
• The idea that the reason why you're not killing people is just because you evolved that way.
• The idea that the reason why you're not killing people is just because you evolved that way.
• The idea that the reason why you're not killing people is just because you evolved that way.
• The idea that the reason why you're not killing people is just because you evolved that way.

The Illusion of Meaning

• The idea that the experience of a thing is not just the confused chemical signals of your body.
• The idea that the experience of a thing is not just the confused chemical signals of your body.
• The idea that the experience of a thing is not just the confused chemical signals of your body.
• The idea that the experience of a thing is not just the confused chemical signals of your body.
• The idea that the experience of a thing is not just the confused chemical signals of your body.

Watch the video on YouTube:
Are People Becoming Less Moral? - Alex O’Connor (4K) - YouTube