DiscoverDecoder with Nilay PatelRecode Decode: Sam Harris
Recode Decode: Sam Harris

Recode Decode: Sam Harris

Update: 2019-05-088
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Description

Writer and podcaster Sam Harris talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about his views on Islam, social media, and President Trump.

In this episode: Harris’ background; why he wrote his first book; the controversy around his books about religion and why Harris didn’t initially call himself an “atheist"; Islamophobia and Harris’ enemies; Christopher Hitchens and the performance of public debate; identity politics; feminism and hijabs; white supremacists online; the terror attacks in Sri Lanka and New Zealand; the Trump effect; Should Jack Dorsey delete Twitter?; Harris and Swisher’s Twitter history; free speech online; what should tech companies do and what should be done to them?; the “moral panic” side of #MeToo; and keeping focused on the right problems.

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Comments (21)

Lauren

Kara for the love of party mix get a speaking coach!! You have great guests but your constant interrupting and grunting is impolite to the guest and unbelievably annoying to the listener.

Nov 6th
Reply (1)

guitarforumdude

Really good interview. The most relevant question, "who gets to choose what's 'enough'" with regard to "important" issues, was never answered by Sam. Clearly, as an entitled white dude, Sam believes only he, and those that agree with him, are the only arbiters of logic and reason. NO one gets more butthurt over perceived slights more than Sam, and that's what makes his constant whining about "cancel culture" so laughably ironic.

Aug 5th
Reply (1)

Matt Masotti

An entertaining 1:40 of Kara barely listening.

Jul 9th
Reply

Laura Salo

"I've never taken drugs. Ever. None! ...I did smoke pot once." -interviewer. Smug moron clearly doesn't understand the difference between truth and bullshit.

Jun 29th
Reply

yakurbe 0112

I greatly enjoyed the bickering about what happened on Twitter. I know I shouldn't have, and I don't know anything about what actually happened, but it was just so humanizing after all the stuff with identity politics and religion. I'm glad you talked with Sam despite it all

Jun 8th
Reply

William MWestcott

She was actually pretty nice to him.

May 28th
Reply

William MWestcott

As opposed to the non idealogical Sam Harris lol. Kara likes pushing people on her interviews regardless of their ideology.

May 28th
Reply

Mai

I heard her trying to swing the conversation to her perspective and not actually listening. I like Sam because he gets to the point without worrying about how it comes off and the issue with people who interview him is they demand he take feelings into consideration in his wording instead of listening for meaning. He kindly assumes people are smart enough to get the point but they are so often not

May 28th
Reply (2)

Josh Bryan

Kara was pretty bad. Idealogues are always insufferable.

May 22nd
Reply (4)

Elan Zankman

I had to stop listening hallway through because Kara was consistently rude to her guest. Why was she being such a bitch?

May 19th
Reply (3)
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Recode Decode: Sam Harris

Recode Decode: Sam Harris

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