Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Blue Yeti ·
February 8, 2012 at 4:55pm
Hard to believe, but this is Jonah's first ever appearance on Uncommon Knowledge. This week, the columnist, scholar, and social media maven Jonah Goldberg discusses the unconstrained vision of the left, the problem with Romney, the reality of diversity, why vanilla is everyone’s second favorite flavor, and offers some wise, but perhaps unpalatable advice to conservative voters. And yes, he gets in a Star Trek reference too. (Hint: click on the title of the post to watch the show in all its HD glory).
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Aug '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Is there any discussion of the Groundhog Day movie?
I believe this interview was recorded on Groundhog Day.
I demand it. Surely by now we all know my word is law.
Mar '11
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Best line from Jonah: "I'm not anti-Romney, I'm anti-pro-Romney."
Apr '11
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg is my favorite political writer. This is a spectacular interview, Peter.
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Poor Jonah. The interview hadn't even started and already Peter led him into a Star Trek reference.
Jonah's early point about a constrained vision could be misunderstood by someone unfamiliar with conservative philosophies. Conservatives don't believe that the world is ever "good enough" in the sense that we should stop trying to make it better. Like liberals, we believe we should always be striving to improve ourselves and society (with emphasis on ourselves). It is our desire to improve the world through government which must be constrained.
It's not that we are complacent, but instead that we believe government is generally the least effective and/or least desirable way to affect social change. Also, individuals should be free to make poor decisions, because free will is the heart of human existence.
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Great interview! Jonah's point about "establishment" Bill Kristol was probably something I needed to hear. On a side note...I Love Love not having to load 5 segments! Is this a new feature for UnK or did Ricochet just streamline it? Maybe it was always a feature and I'm just slow on the uptake....anyway thanks! I can't wait for Jonah's new book.
Oct '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Just got done watching my first UK - on my Plasma Television through my Google TV. It was a great conversation and sad that Barbra Streisand is probably going to miss out.
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
I love Jonah's point that ideologies are defined by their priorities.
Religion and politics are inseparable. Religion (a comprehensive definition of the world's fundamental nature) is about morality (principles based on that perception of reality). Politics is the practice of group ethics. Ethics are nothing more than the application of morals to specific circumstances. Only the bureaucracies and hieararchies of churches and government can and should be separate.
To say that Santorum believes something because he is Catholic is to say nothing more than that his understanding of reality's nature has shaped his views concerning how to respond to that reality. Well, duh.
Atheists and secularists have firmly held beliefs, too. Political philosophies like communism are, in truth, religions. They, too, are definitions of fundamental reality and sets of morals based on those perceptions. Religions have historically focused on supernatural beliefs, but such beliefs are not necessary for a belief system to shape individuals and society in similar ways.
Jonah's point about the acceptability of conflict (preference of struggle for justice over a false and unjust peace) doesn't get embraced enough by Republican politicians. They should be unashamed of "partisan" efforts to correct government.
Nov '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
@Peter Robinson - Have you still not seen Anchorman??
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Still not. Sorry. I'm a couple of decades behind in my movie viewing, but I'll nudge "Anchorman" up a few places.
Jun '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
One of the best Uncommon Knowledge segments. Jonah does have a way of articulating the plain truth: We need to suck it up and get rid of Obama.
Edited on February 8, 2012 at 8:00pmNov '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
I'm old enough to remember in the 1970s when progressives (I just can't bring myself to call them "liberals" -- conservatives today follow the tradition of classical liberalism, not "liberals") were arguing that we simply must remove all "values" education from schools -- children would be put through exercises in which they "discover their own values" -- so-called "values clarification". Traditional values were aggressively discouraged and the values of the home were often debated in order to "free up" the poor mind from oppressive, bigoted ideas with which their parents had brainwashed them.
Today we're in a new phase, "values education". The same folks now are all for teaching values in the school. In reality, there was no break in the continuum of what was being pushed for. It is all in service with replacing one set of values with another, the school used as a purgative institution to deprogram children from traditional values in the home.
I cannot believe the confidence with which teachers, in their own milieu, openly discuss what values they must instill upon children and how to root out bigotry in the home, especially "Christian" homes. It's a brave new world ...
Jul '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
While I agree with Jonah about the need to get Obama out, I have one quibble with Jonah's closing point. What have conservatives gained by staying in the GOP? The entitlement state continues to grow, our rights and liberties are being trampled on, and social indicators like illegitimacy rates continue to paint a bleak picture of our future. Is this really success?
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Exceptional. Very well done, Peter. Thank you.
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Anyone else a little creeped out watching this and feeling like you actually know these guys? Did you see those little looks on Peter's face...like he was going to laugh, but was keeping it professional. You and I know it would have totally gotten hilarious if we were having coffee...um...I mean listening to a podcast ;)
Aug '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Try to imagine if Peter interviewed Lileks! You'd spend the whole time trying not to imagine the yellow tank-top!
Nov '11
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Re: Jonah's implication that the "Republican Establishment" doesn't really exist
There's something I'd like to see him address: money and connections.
Since early on, Romney has had a substantial head start on most of the other candidates in both contributions and campaign infrastructure. I presume much, or most, of this money and these contacts came out of the inner crowd in the GOP -- people with influence within the party, or cash to acquire such influence -- i.e., the "establishment".
It's been the same story every four years since 1988 at least. Some squishy, well-connected pol gets the early and ongoing backing of many of these sorts of insiders, gaining an almost insurmountable advantage over more conservative, but less well-connected, candidates. These sorts of insiders backed Bush, Dole, Bush, and McCain -- two mediocre candidates and two lousy ones, but all well-funded and highly connected.
The "GOP Establishment" isn't on the payroll of National Review. But the recurrent cheerleading for Romney by many at NR (Jonah being a notable exception) presents them as a convenient punching bag into which to work out the frustrations felt toward the faceless Republican money- and power-brokers.
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
To say a Republican "establishment" exists isn't necessarily to say establishment Republicans all know each other and meet in candlelit catacombs to plot nefarious schemes together. Citing a Republican establishment can be as simple as noting a general culture which dominates the party's leadership.
Like-minded people do like-minded things... such as come out against persons representing opposing viewpoints in interviews and public statements, or push for greedy or nonsensical legislation.
Whether or not the Republican leadership and various media types are engaged in conspiracy against conservatives who seek a rollback of government spending and authority, they have become impediments to smaller government as individuals.
May '10
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
"Mitt Romney speaks conservatism as a second language."
That's ok, I love immigrants. My girlfriend is an immigrant.
Apr '11
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
I wish we could have a Peter Robinson/Jonah Goldberg Firing Line type show to watch. They could deconstruct anyone's nonsense pretty quickly, and would be a nice break from Bob Beckle making my head explode. These are the guys who need to be moderating Republican debates, not people who have such clear animosity for the party and its pri...well, Lord I just can't bring myself to say Republican principles. Oxymoron if there ever was one. Maybe have debates where you there are multiple moderators, each clearly aligned with one of the parties? I mean, if someone is going to be reiterating Democratic talking points, they should at least be forced to show their true colors.
Apr '11
Re: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson: Jonah Goldberg
Will the audio-only version be up soon in iTunes?