RealClearInvestigations Podcast

Progressivism’s Russian Playbook with Gary Saul Morson | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #117

Episode Summary

On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Gary Saul Morson, a professor of Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University and a scholar of Russian literature about what Dostoevsky can teach us about modern progressives. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss a Wall Street Journal article about China’s stranglehold on drone production, Roger Pielke Jr.’s Substack piece on a dramatic change in climate change forecasts, and a Daily Wire story on the Los Angeles arsonists who drew inspiration from the assassin Luigi Mangione. 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Current Events 03:13 The Impact of Chinese Supply Chains on U.S. Defense 05:58 Climate Change Narratives and Scientific Realities 09:10 The Ideological Underpinnings of Violence in Society 12:07 Interview with Professor Gary Saul Morrison on Communism and Ideology 14:45 Dostoevsky's Insights on Modern Progressivism 17:53 The Role of the Intelligentsia in Revolutionary Movements 20:59 The Normalization of Violence in Political Discourse 24:09 Comparisons Between Historical and Modern Revolutionary Movements 32:44 The Role of Liberals in Political Change 34:00 The Dangers of Labeling Political Opponents 38:21 Lessons from History: The Power of the Majority 41:13 The Importance of Literature and Universal Values 47:16 The Psychology of Political Identity 51:32 The Challenge of Compromise in Democracy 55:22 The Role of Science in Political Ideology 01:01:04 The Transformative Power of Literature

Episode Notes

On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Gary Saul Morson, a professor of Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University and a scholar of Russian literature about what Dostoevsky can teach us about modern progressives.

In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss a Wall Street Journal article about China’s stranglehold on drone production, Roger Pielke Jr.’s Substack piece on a dramatic change in climate change forecasts, and a Daily Wire story on the Los Angeles arsonists who drew inspiration from the assassin Luigi Mangione.

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Current Events
03:13 The Impact of Chinese Supply Chains on U.S. Defense
05:58 Climate Change Narratives and Scientific Realities
09:10 The Ideological Underpinnings of Violence in Society
12:07 Interview with Professor Gary Saul Morrison on Communism and Ideology
14:45 Dostoevsky's Insights on Modern Progressivism
17:53 The Role of the Intelligentsia in Revolutionary Movements
20:59 The Normalization of Violence in Political Discourse
24:09 Comparisons Between Historical and Modern Revolutionary Movements
32:44 The Role of Liberals in Political Change
34:00 The Dangers of Labeling Political Opponents
38:21 Lessons from History: The Power of the Majority
41:13 The Importance of Literature and Universal Values
47:16 The Psychology of Political Identity
51:32 The Challenge of Compromise in Democracy
55:22 The Role of Science in Political Ideology
01:01:04 The Transformative Power of Literature

Articles Discussed in This Podcast: