This was a fun post, I'm honored to be counted among the friends of Eminent Americans and anxious to see what the future of the blog and pod looks like! I don't think I'm qualified to talk about any of the people you're looking for hosts on right now and the topic I suggested last year wound up eluding me, but hit me up if you ever want to talk Podhoretz or (half joking here) gnosticism!
Enjoyed this! Also: "Podcast episode in which I do the best impression of my wife, the therapist." I was hooked from minute two when you suggested that Dreher's demonic possession sounded a lot like Family Systems Theory, and he was like, yeah.
I wish it were otherwise, something more upbeat like a bit of Blake Smith's drollery, but from all the podcasts the moment that looms largest in the back of my mind (or maybe it would be better to say, keeps sending a chill through me from time to time) was when JW talked about the decline in enrollment in the Romantic Poetry class at Duke over the last two decades. brrrrr
Congratulations on what you've been able to do here! Genuinely, you're the most curious podcast host and writer I've encountered recently, and I think your curiosity has a lot to do with not only joining the scene but, in some ways, charting it and forming part of it around Eminent Americans. I keep thinking of the names you've listed and interviewed as celestial bodies dotted on a map you're designing and updating. I'm glad to make the (best) list in the round-up!
If I were a more skilled maker of maps or network diagrams I’d probably be doing precisely that. Back in the 00s, when I was working at a small paper, I tried to enlist my colleagues in doing a big network map/diagram of the blogosphere, which no one had really done, but I couldn’t get them to buy in so it didn’t happen. It was a shame, though, because it would have been really interesting to see.
That image was a lot closer to the truth than I'd thought, then -- I like that. And definitely, a document like that one would be culturally valuable now as we continue to reference that era, its writers, and its effects.
Honored to make the close friends roll! I rant about politics too much but I feel you and I get something from our exchanges, plus I spare my family and friends...
The paperback of Adolph Reed's The South is coming out soon. I've mentioned this to you before, but I really think Reed would great EA podcast guest if you got him to talk about that book. He might dislike being compared with Coates, but The South is obviously an effort to enter the lists against Coates on the part of somebody who really had to force himself to write in such a personal register. I've never read anything like his recollections of the liminal couple of years when Jim Crow was off the books but a Black man still didn't know where to sit on a Louisiana bus, or whether he could enter an airport lounge in Arkansas.
The reception of his (Verso) book in the mainstream press was shockingly condescending, Reed has these fascinating stories about his aunt passing for white to buy beignets from a store the family liked and the (white) WaPo reviewer claimed he doesn't really understand the trauma that passing involves...
You’re a great podcast host. In terms of people to get on the pod, I would suggest Justin Smith Ruiu for pretty much any topic or Jon Baskin to talk about his new project that he recently posted about.
Thanks for the update Daniel. Glad to be following your work.
Regarding thinkers on the left, I recommend Yascha Mounk. I just read his "Identity Trap" back to back with "We Have Never Been Woke", the latter which your "Post Left" guest recommended. Although the two books aren't exactly the same, they share a critique of the contemporary elite left, but Mounk's was so much more compelling.
I found his critique of Identity politics to thoughtful, complex, but also sympathetic. I have never read a critique of identity politics that so effectively removes all the chatter, the loaded concepts, the political echochambers constructed around it; distills down the key ideas, explain their origins, and then presents a compelling critique of methods while sharing many of the same goals. It gave me an entrypoint for a public conversation about Identity politics--something I previously avoided categorically.
I loved the candor you shared in the recent episode with your brother, where you said you've avoided some topics because the public echochamber wasn't in a mature enough place to understand that content in the open-ended, curiosity-driven way that you seek to explore it (this is my poor summary). I think Mounk would share this perspective with you.
Whether Mounk or someone else, I think there's rich ground to explore studying the last few years of woke/identity culture as the dust is settling and with some degree of safe distance from its apex.
I've thought about inviting Mounk (don't know if he'd do it; he seems in high demand). He'd be good. He doesn't quite count as "on the left" in the sense I mean, because he's such a critic of the left, from the center-left. I'm thinking more full on lefties. But he would be a good guest in his own right.
Come on, the Kiese episode is worthy of some sort of award. You connected two long lost friends after 25 years! We talked about playing basketball for the JCC in the basements of Catholic churches! You made one too many jokes about Kiese's MaCarthur Genius award!
Congratulations, Daniel! I've enjoyed your substack-ing and I'm looking forward to your further work this year. The Covid era, racial reckoning and Biden presidency unleashed a bunch of nascent right thinkers. I'm curious to see if the second more energized Trump term will do a similar thing to the Left. I'm hoping your exploration of the contemporary Left unearths some of that!
This was a fun post, I'm honored to be counted among the friends of Eminent Americans and anxious to see what the future of the blog and pod looks like! I don't think I'm qualified to talk about any of the people you're looking for hosts on right now and the topic I suggested last year wound up eluding me, but hit me up if you ever want to talk Podhoretz or (half joking here) gnosticism!
Well we should do something. Is there one of the new neocons you have a particular bee in your bonnet about?
Unfortunately not, in my readings I've maybe observed archetypal figures that do that, but not so much actual individuals!
Let’s do some brainstorming, some pushing the envelope, thinking outside the box
Enjoyed this! Also: "Podcast episode in which I do the best impression of my wife, the therapist." I was hooked from minute two when you suggested that Dreher's demonic possession sounded a lot like Family Systems Theory, and he was like, yeah.
That was amazing!
I wish it were otherwise, something more upbeat like a bit of Blake Smith's drollery, but from all the podcasts the moment that looms largest in the back of my mind (or maybe it would be better to say, keeps sending a chill through me from time to time) was when JW talked about the decline in enrollment in the Romantic Poetry class at Duke over the last two decades. brrrrr
Yeah that's stayed with me too. Maybe the Bleakest Moment Award?
Congratulations on what you've been able to do here! Genuinely, you're the most curious podcast host and writer I've encountered recently, and I think your curiosity has a lot to do with not only joining the scene but, in some ways, charting it and forming part of it around Eminent Americans. I keep thinking of the names you've listed and interviewed as celestial bodies dotted on a map you're designing and updating. I'm glad to make the (best) list in the round-up!
If I were a more skilled maker of maps or network diagrams I’d probably be doing precisely that. Back in the 00s, when I was working at a small paper, I tried to enlist my colleagues in doing a big network map/diagram of the blogosphere, which no one had really done, but I couldn’t get them to buy in so it didn’t happen. It was a shame, though, because it would have been really interesting to see.
That image was a lot closer to the truth than I'd thought, then -- I like that. And definitely, a document like that one would be culturally valuable now as we continue to reference that era, its writers, and its effects.
Honored to make the close friends roll! I rant about politics too much but I feel you and I get something from our exchanges, plus I spare my family and friends...
The paperback of Adolph Reed's The South is coming out soon. I've mentioned this to you before, but I really think Reed would great EA podcast guest if you got him to talk about that book. He might dislike being compared with Coates, but The South is obviously an effort to enter the lists against Coates on the part of somebody who really had to force himself to write in such a personal register. I've never read anything like his recollections of the liminal couple of years when Jim Crow was off the books but a Black man still didn't know where to sit on a Louisiana bus, or whether he could enter an airport lounge in Arkansas.
The reception of his (Verso) book in the mainstream press was shockingly condescending, Reed has these fascinating stories about his aunt passing for white to buy beignets from a store the family liked and the (white) WaPo reviewer claimed he doesn't really understand the trauma that passing involves...
Good idea. Just sent an email to the Verso people to see if I can get a copy of the book.
Do you have a copy of that WashPo review. It's paywalled.
You’re a great podcast host. In terms of people to get on the pod, I would suggest Justin Smith Ruiu for pretty much any topic or Jon Baskin to talk about his new project that he recently posted about.
Jon is already on tap. I’ve thought about asking JSR - I’d have to figure out what the right topic would be.
Skeptical of substack, but yours is my favorite at the moment. You give “institutional” vibes/credibility, which is rare here.
Lol. I do my best! Thanks!
Thanks for the update Daniel. Glad to be following your work.
Regarding thinkers on the left, I recommend Yascha Mounk. I just read his "Identity Trap" back to back with "We Have Never Been Woke", the latter which your "Post Left" guest recommended. Although the two books aren't exactly the same, they share a critique of the contemporary elite left, but Mounk's was so much more compelling.
I found his critique of Identity politics to thoughtful, complex, but also sympathetic. I have never read a critique of identity politics that so effectively removes all the chatter, the loaded concepts, the political echochambers constructed around it; distills down the key ideas, explain their origins, and then presents a compelling critique of methods while sharing many of the same goals. It gave me an entrypoint for a public conversation about Identity politics--something I previously avoided categorically.
I loved the candor you shared in the recent episode with your brother, where you said you've avoided some topics because the public echochamber wasn't in a mature enough place to understand that content in the open-ended, curiosity-driven way that you seek to explore it (this is my poor summary). I think Mounk would share this perspective with you.
Whether Mounk or someone else, I think there's rich ground to explore studying the last few years of woke/identity culture as the dust is settling and with some degree of safe distance from its apex.
I've thought about inviting Mounk (don't know if he'd do it; he seems in high demand). He'd be good. He doesn't quite count as "on the left" in the sense I mean, because he's such a critic of the left, from the center-left. I'm thinking more full on lefties. But he would be a good guest in his own right.
I love Alan Alda! I think you're doing great, keep up the good work!
Come on, the Kiese episode is worthy of some sort of award. You connected two long lost friends after 25 years! We talked about playing basketball for the JCC in the basements of Catholic churches! You made one too many jokes about Kiese's MaCarthur Genius award!
How about Best Episode in which I Reunited Long Lost Friends, Including One Who Won a MacArthur "Genius" Award
Sounds good!
Haha! Nicely done!
I am not "too cool" for anyone LOL. Congrats on 20 months!
:) I'm elevating you to my Friendly Acquaintances with Potential list.
Great work on the Substack and podcast! Honoured to be counted among such an eminent group of close friends!
(BTW I don't know if I'd be good on Andrew Sullivan, but I certainly have plenty of thoughts on him)
Sold! What's your email address?
Fabulous! I DMd you
Congratulations, Daniel! I've enjoyed your substack-ing and I'm looking forward to your further work this year. The Covid era, racial reckoning and Biden presidency unleashed a bunch of nascent right thinkers. I'm curious to see if the second more energized Trump term will do a similar thing to the Left. I'm hoping your exploration of the contemporary Left unearths some of that!