He also lacks any real friends willing to keep him accountable. He has surrounded himself with intellectual midgets who adore him so he can feel like a giant. I doubt he keeps a single friend or peer in his vicinity who can or would offer him a genuine critique or push back in any way. Holly's use of the word 'sycophants' is apt, to say the least.
There is something almost mythological about the fall of Sam Harris. I was never a big fan of his and yet there is something so fascinating about his fall. Is it Hubris? Is it obsession? Gad Saad talks about Sam in his latest podcast. Worth a listen
I'd never even heard of the guy until the Hunter Biden Laptop Moment, so I'll admit that from way over here in the epilogue, looking back it sure looks like ol' Homer might have been trying to make a point regarding hubris with this particular myth.
It is hubris, and irony. He made his brand much less on the strength of his rationality than on the strength of his moral outlook and character. He failed exactly on those points, and utterly, like a great religious leader (ehich, let's face it, he basically was) come to ruin.
An interim pastor, when I was a kid, was defrocked over using porn. I've thought about this a lot. There are startling similarities -- the betrayal of stated values, the willingness of some to overlook. Yes.
Just think how humiliated the smart Sam Harris would be if he were resurrected, and he'd realized the braindead and souldead one been mindkilled by Donald Trump. I mean, talk about losing to the worst possible competitor. I imagine it's why Hillary is so bitter.
In Gad's podcast, he says Sam treats relationships as instrumental. He says Sam would have conversations about whether a particular guest would be good for "his brand".
I'm sorry you had to experience the loss of admiration and respect and love you had for Sam Harris, but I admire your clear and honest recognition of his fall from grace, so to speak. I listened to Sam Harris for a year or so prior to the revelation of his bizarre hatred of Trump, but when that set in I couldn't listen to him anymore. He was refuting every principle and ethical morality that here-to-fore seemed so honestly held. My assessment, for what it's worth, is Trump is the mirror in which in his deepest heart he sees himself.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: same is the reason why I no longer place any faith in public figures. The sense of betrayal has felt so immense on so many occasions that I've done away with that habit of mine (in so far as I can manage consciously.) Great read! You nailed it!
Followed Sam for around ten years, had similar admiration for him; he is a thought leader, but totally lost my faith in his rational judgement. At the time I stopped my financial contribution to him I posited two scenarios (emailed him); one he slipped up cognitively (unlikely) or two he been got at (also unlikely). I now wonder if he has been compromised. Although I even the smartest people can be brainwashed it seems…. Thank you for writing this article- it has helped square things a bit better!
Thank you for reading it! I've gotten a ton of email from people saying "You described exactly how I feel, thank you," which makes it worth how difficult this was to write. I was never alone, though it felt that way sometimes.
I see the Triggernometry lads are a bit annoyed their interview is being used against Harris as a gotcha, but it's precisely their open-textured style of interviewing that gave him enough rope with which to hang himself.
I've said some spicy things in interviews & once gave a prominent critic the finger on national television, but that "children in the basement" comment was something else.
I don't know much about Francis, but I think Konstantin is just unusually generous and good-hearted, and so feels bad that--despite his best efforts to prevent it and how hard he tried to let Harris backtrack, caveat, etc.--the show became a "gotcha," which he doesn't like and doesn't want. But as you say, Harris *absolutely* did it to himself.
I've slowly been learning that some WEIRD cultures really are weird.
Growing up in a leafy Brisbane suburb I saw that even upper-middle-class whiteys were normal human animals who believe it's good to love your country, that sissies were not cool kids and a host of other things that humans don't usually have to argue about.
But in parts of California, they really are confused about that stuff. Smart upper-middle class whiteys can grow up clueless about the darnedest things.
The only figure in my life that fits a comparable role for me to the one Sam Harris seems to have fit for you is C. S. Lewis. I can’t imagine having to write something like this about him. I can’t say I haven’t taken some pleasure in Harris’ downfall but I think that has more to do with my arrogance than his actual flaws. But whatever my feelings on Harris, I am sorry for the pain this fall from grace has caused you.
The term “critical thought” implies to me applying rigorous critique to our own heretofore positions on the topic we are focusing on, and it is a chosen path of integrity that fewer and fewer seem inclined to take. While a case of shunning integrity in favor of self-justification is central to to your subject matter here in “requiem”, the candor with which you express changes in your own personal perception validate your writing. Thank you for your “truth-telling”.
It's strange the amount of grief I am feeling; why did some of us revere Sam so much? ... And why has his fall been so devastating?
I think Sam inspired hope ... hope that any one person, and even all of humanity, could elevate above our ape-like nature into some Vulcanized utopia untainted by ego and reptilian impulses, where rationality reliably and consistently led to truth and harmony.
Nope.
We are nothing but apes, all the way down.
Any assertion to the contrary is just another pernicious delusion of the ego ... the stronger the assertion, the stronger the delusion.
I've gotten quite a few emails from people saying this -- that what I wrote tracked their own journey and expressed many of their same feelings. We were never alone. ❤️
Never followed him except to notice this recent stuff. That said, wow. So much here and your writing gets better and better. Guess my last thought/feeling is sadness in what can happen to people and a wanting to increase my integrity. Stay gold Ponygirl.
I've only really gotten into music in the last couple of years -- since I got my newest hearing aids, which are programmed for *my* audiogram and with which music is really enjoyable -- and I've noticed that when the singer really believes the lyrics the performance is always better. I draw, and my portraits of people I love are my best. My journey with Sam meant so much to me, for so long, that I think this came out better than I usually manage.
My girlfriend and I have been listening to her albums. She has pretty good taste and a lot more music knowledge than I do. One album/band Rainy Day kind of blew me away (mushrooms helped). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainy_Day_(band) If you can find it definitely give it a try. It’s a bunch of musicians and all covers.
She hates Faith No More. I wouldn’t say I love them but have always been intrigued.
Albums I always come back to are Beach Boys Pet Sounds, Bettie Serveert Palomine, The Replacements Let it Be, The Kinks Muswell Hillbillies. There’s a British TV show Ashes to Ashes, good show and tons of great 80’s music.
We’ve also been listening to some Paul McCartney greatest hits… so many good songs.
Also a Sly and the Family Stone greatest hits album is so joy filled it’s crazy.
I’ll end with Big Star Third/Sister Lovers. It’s really dark in places but good.
Thank you. This was difficult but worth it, I think. I got a lot of email from people who said it spoke directly to their own journey and that means a lot to me.
He also lacks any real friends willing to keep him accountable. He has surrounded himself with intellectual midgets who adore him so he can feel like a giant. I doubt he keeps a single friend or peer in his vicinity who can or would offer him a genuine critique or push back in any way. Holly's use of the word 'sycophants' is apt, to say the least.
Very good. All of this needed to be said, and you said it well.
❤️
There is something almost mythological about the fall of Sam Harris. I was never a big fan of his and yet there is something so fascinating about his fall. Is it Hubris? Is it obsession? Gad Saad talks about Sam in his latest podcast. Worth a listen
It really is a grand story arc, epic in its way.
I'd never even heard of the guy until the Hunter Biden Laptop Moment, so I'll admit that from way over here in the epilogue, looking back it sure looks like ol' Homer might have been trying to make a point regarding hubris with this particular myth.
It is hubris, and irony. He made his brand much less on the strength of his rationality than on the strength of his moral outlook and character. He failed exactly on those points, and utterly, like a great religious leader (ehich, let's face it, he basically was) come to ruin.
An interim pastor, when I was a kid, was defrocked over using porn. I've thought about this a lot. There are startling similarities -- the betrayal of stated values, the willingness of some to overlook. Yes.
Yeah. Saw this unfold in one form or another at four different church and parachurch institutions while geowing up.
Just think how humiliated the smart Sam Harris would be if he were resurrected, and he'd realized the braindead and souldead one been mindkilled by Donald Trump. I mean, talk about losing to the worst possible competitor. I imagine it's why Hillary is so bitter.
In Gad's podcast, he says Sam treats relationships as instrumental. He says Sam would have conversations about whether a particular guest would be good for "his brand".
Not surprising TBH.
Explains a lot, even back in my 4 Horsemen days, I always found him to be cold, and his support of neo-con wars to be horrifying.
I'm sorry you had to experience the loss of admiration and respect and love you had for Sam Harris, but I admire your clear and honest recognition of his fall from grace, so to speak. I listened to Sam Harris for a year or so prior to the revelation of his bizarre hatred of Trump, but when that set in I couldn't listen to him anymore. He was refuting every principle and ethical morality that here-to-fore seemed so honestly held. My assessment, for what it's worth, is Trump is the mirror in which in his deepest heart he sees himself.
A perfect eulogy for the man you admired. I honestly believe even Hitchens would have approved...
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: same is the reason why I no longer place any faith in public figures. The sense of betrayal has felt so immense on so many occasions that I've done away with that habit of mine (in so far as I can manage consciously.) Great read! You nailed it!
Followed Sam for around ten years, had similar admiration for him; he is a thought leader, but totally lost my faith in his rational judgement. At the time I stopped my financial contribution to him I posited two scenarios (emailed him); one he slipped up cognitively (unlikely) or two he been got at (also unlikely). I now wonder if he has been compromised. Although I even the smartest people can be brainwashed it seems…. Thank you for writing this article- it has helped square things a bit better!
The inner need to see oneself as “right” is perhaps the most potent ‘brainwasher’.
I never rated Sam Harris, as you know, because he seemed to misunderstand so many basic things (which I've discussed on your substack previously).
This piece helps explain how he spoke to so many people.
Thank you for reading it! I've gotten a ton of email from people saying "You described exactly how I feel, thank you," which makes it worth how difficult this was to write. I was never alone, though it felt that way sometimes.
I see the Triggernometry lads are a bit annoyed their interview is being used against Harris as a gotcha, but it's precisely their open-textured style of interviewing that gave him enough rope with which to hang himself.
I've said some spicy things in interviews & once gave a prominent critic the finger on national television, but that "children in the basement" comment was something else.
I don't know much about Francis, but I think Konstantin is just unusually generous and good-hearted, and so feels bad that--despite his best efforts to prevent it and how hard he tried to let Harris backtrack, caveat, etc.--the show became a "gotcha," which he doesn't like and doesn't want. But as you say, Harris *absolutely* did it to himself.
I've slowly been learning that some WEIRD cultures really are weird.
Growing up in a leafy Brisbane suburb I saw that even upper-middle-class whiteys were normal human animals who believe it's good to love your country, that sissies were not cool kids and a host of other things that humans don't usually have to argue about.
But in parts of California, they really are confused about that stuff. Smart upper-middle class whiteys can grow up clueless about the darnedest things.
The only figure in my life that fits a comparable role for me to the one Sam Harris seems to have fit for you is C. S. Lewis. I can’t imagine having to write something like this about him. I can’t say I haven’t taken some pleasure in Harris’ downfall but I think that has more to do with my arrogance than his actual flaws. But whatever my feelings on Harris, I am sorry for the pain this fall from grace has caused you.
Thank you. I've learned a lot from it, so it hasn't been without some benefit.
Integrity
The term “critical thought” implies to me applying rigorous critique to our own heretofore positions on the topic we are focusing on, and it is a chosen path of integrity that fewer and fewer seem inclined to take. While a case of shunning integrity in favor of self-justification is central to to your subject matter here in “requiem”, the candor with which you express changes in your own personal perception validate your writing. Thank you for your “truth-telling”.
This tracked my progression exactly.
It's strange the amount of grief I am feeling; why did some of us revere Sam so much? ... And why has his fall been so devastating?
I think Sam inspired hope ... hope that any one person, and even all of humanity, could elevate above our ape-like nature into some Vulcanized utopia untainted by ego and reptilian impulses, where rationality reliably and consistently led to truth and harmony.
Nope.
We are nothing but apes, all the way down.
Any assertion to the contrary is just another pernicious delusion of the ego ... the stronger the assertion, the stronger the delusion.
I've gotten quite a few emails from people saying this -- that what I wrote tracked their own journey and expressed many of their same feelings. We were never alone. ❤️
Never followed him except to notice this recent stuff. That said, wow. So much here and your writing gets better and better. Guess my last thought/feeling is sadness in what can happen to people and a wanting to increase my integrity. Stay gold Ponygirl.
I've only really gotten into music in the last couple of years -- since I got my newest hearing aids, which are programmed for *my* audiogram and with which music is really enjoyable -- and I've noticed that when the singer really believes the lyrics the performance is always better. I draw, and my portraits of people I love are my best. My journey with Sam meant so much to me, for so long, that I think this came out better than I usually manage.
All that to say, thank you. ❤️
My girlfriend and I have been listening to her albums. She has pretty good taste and a lot more music knowledge than I do. One album/band Rainy Day kind of blew me away (mushrooms helped). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainy_Day_(band) If you can find it definitely give it a try. It’s a bunch of musicians and all covers.
She hates Faith No More. I wouldn’t say I love them but have always been intrigued.
I love something about the spirit of this song, feels like youth and hope to me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7dD-JJJytM
I’ve never known what to make of The Bee Gees song I Started a Joke but love the Faith No More cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5ESFZ7msM
Albums I always come back to are Beach Boys Pet Sounds, Bettie Serveert Palomine, The Replacements Let it Be, The Kinks Muswell Hillbillies. There’s a British TV show Ashes to Ashes, good show and tons of great 80’s music.
We’ve also been listening to some Paul McCartney greatest hits… so many good songs.
Also a Sly and the Family Stone greatest hits album is so joy filled it’s crazy.
I’ll end with Big Star Third/Sister Lovers. It’s really dark in places but good.
Anyway, I got off on music suggestions. Your investment in your subject shows, your lyrics are true. One more song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-587PLwLXc
So well put, as always.
Thank you for reading!
Very well said. It wasn’t emotional but I strongly feel your angst and struggle. I’m glad I read it. x
Thank you. This was difficult but worth it, I think. I got a lot of email from people who said it spoke directly to their own journey and that means a lot to me.