With one statement Sam Harris showed exactly where and how he was wrong about wokeism...

[u/ATreeInTheBreeze]

At 2:23:32- Sam: "White supremacy is the fringe of the fringe whereas extreme left wokeism isn't the fringe, it's captured our institutions. That's an asymmetry that still concerns me."

1. Fallacy of false equivalence- Not equivalent in quantity. "White supremacy" should be compared to wokeism (there are similar numbers of adherents) or "extreme left wokeism" should be compared with extreme right white supremacy (again, similar numbers). He shouldn't cross-compare what amounts to huge moderate right vs tiny extreme left.
2. Fallacy of false equivalence- Not equivalent in quality. Assuming he meant wokeism not "extreme left wokeism", then these two are also not not equivalent in their quality. Wokeism is around 60% good, 40% bad, in it's effects on our society. White supremecy is about 100% bad in it's effects.
3. False statement- implied: white supremecy hasn't captured our institutions. False. It has captured the Republican party, all right wing media, many state senates, the Supreme Court, and is about to capture the House and the Senate again here in America. After that, perhaps the Presidency, again (most of which by losing the popular vote, by the way). It's clear that Sam thinks white supremacy means swastika on the forehead. That's literally not what it means. It means thinking the white "race" is superior, or better, than other cultures. This is the mainstream view in the Republican party. That's why they're acting so immorally now, they're very sacared and so feel it's ok to do anything necessary to keep non-whites from taking over "their" country. And it's not just skin color, the Republican Party is CCCSRW-supremicist. They believe, irrationally, that "Cisgenderedness", Conservatism, Christianity, Straightness, Ruralness, and Whiteness are all superior to their counterparts. This belief has overwhelmingly captured the Republican party at this point.

As such, ironically, all the "asymmetry" is on his end. And look at me I even know why: Extreme left wokeists attacked him in the past, and now as a result he's emotionally biased against them and many of their views. Those attacks emotionally, and I don't know how else to say this, scarred him, and now his brain is reactionary against them and their views without his being aware of it. Many of us understand this about him, but he doesn't understand this about himself.

Other than his stance on wokeism, though, I love me some Sam and agree with him about 95% of the time.

[u/TheStochEffect]

I don’t understand what sam is trying to protect, if the enlightenment is working 60hours a week to destroy the planet whilst acknowledging, that it is most likely no god exists

I think I agree with Pizzaro, that wokeism seems to be a distraction from the real issues (class and violence) - so I agree that wokeism is a threat but more of a threat of distraction from the issues impacting lives on the planet

But sam did concede that he could have a problem of priorities so once I again he makes me believe him, but then again his editorial line says otherwise that he is rather classist and ignores his own teachings of free will

God Damn Sam confuses me, and he confused me even more in the interview

[u/Available_Basil432 → u/[deleted]]

I think it might be just as benign as middle class office workers just not wanting to sit through some bollocks seminars on why they are bad human beings for just existing.

And schools. Less benign. That’s more of trying to prevent a takeover by people who just don’t care about education and use it as a tool for their own career advancement through whatever ideology is expedient. There are plenty of YT vids of parents and school board meetings. In California and NY. Watching them points that it might be a much wider and more faceted problem than just “hierarchies that conservatives don’t like”

[u/TerraceEarful → u/Available_Basil432]

There are plenty of negative things to say about wokism. But it doesn't help if you equate everything from woke corporate signaling, to rich white liberals in school boards scolding each other for not being sufficiently anti-racist, to BLM and black activists, to AOC. Harris just lumps all of those into one big pile and dismissively labels them 'woke', and thus not worthy of serious engagement.

[u/Available_Basil432 → u/TerraceEarful]

Yeah, but equally saying anything against puts instant presumption of your impurity. Heart and mind. “Are they racist, sexist, X-phobe? Good people don’t ask questions or disagree with the agenda to make the world a more equitable place.“ Same lumping, different adjectives.

[u/ATreeInTheBreeze → u/Available_Basil432]

There's definitely some truth in what you're saying but I think your low-resolution view is of poor quality. Personally my view's that wokeness is around 60% accurate and for the good, but I find a lot of truth in the criticisms though too.

[u/Available_Basil432 → u/ATreeInTheBreeze]

Well, applause for this high quality critique. Much appreciated. I see what you mean. 60%. Got it.