Great stuff David. I always love reading about you giving Shermer the business. I used to listen that guy's podcast until I found about the fued that existed between you. Now I can't stomach a word the guys says.
So happy to see you on Substack. I have to give Shermer credit for one thing, though. I first saw your name in middle school in the 90’s when I read his Why People Believe Weird Things. I got interested in the subject of revisionism and I’ve really grown to appreciate your work. Seriously, David, work your ass off; the world is made poorer, more drab, and more humorless when you take a break.
Holy Shit Dave! It's good to see you here on Substack. Self-indulgent or not, I'm glad you mentioned it in the Taki article, I hadn't heard. Love reading your stuff, always, but still waiting on that next video! Cheers mi amigo!
Regarding the recent surge in book censorship (and even book burning, as in the case of @jk_rowling fans burning their Harry Potter books), recall the words of Franz Kafka...
"I think we ought to only read the kind of books that wound and stab us. If the book we are reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? Good Lord, we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like suicide. A book must be an axe for the frozen sea inside us."
As humans, we're all prone to a little hypocrisy here and there, especially when under pressure. But this Shermer guy is duplicitous to such ludicrous extremes that it would be hilarious if it wasn't so damnably insidious.
Glad to be on board. Love you on Taki. I must confess that I have also liked some of Shermer's stuff - Secrets of Mental Math among them. This piece explains some of the "that's odd" sensations I have had about a few of his pronouncements.
I didn't need to know your history with Shermer to see that the guy was a joke, but boy it confirms a great deal I'd long suspected from the way others I knew seemed to worship the guy uncritically. People who build personality cults around themselves, as Shermer absolutely does, so often are using that thick veneer of self confidence as a way to con people into not questioning their wilder assertions. In Shermer's case it's often to promote a sort of "evangelical atheism", which his fans are all too happy to insufferably oblige.
“... Bigfoot riding the Loch Ness Monster while Martians controlled by the preserved head of Elvis in a Mayan space capsule drop unicorn kill-bots on planet earth...” is a movie that must be made.
This is hilarious David. I never liked Shermer much but I was reading another thread on skeptics/atheists, and was amazed to see so many names that I used to follow on podcasts and such. Seems like Trump and Covid drove many over the edge. I just gradually stopped listening. I don't read Taki much these days but like your column. Great to see you on substack!
Hi Dave. Hope you get notified about new comments on old posts. So it was Debra Messing, who played an actual Nazi on Seinfeld (Beth Lookner, Seinfeld S08E13 "The Yada Yada") that got you banned from Amazon. Was she feeling guilty? What gives?
It's a long back-story, but essentially a friend of hers, a washed-up 1980s actress, HATED me, and asked Messing to launch the Twitter crusade to get my book banned (at the time Messing had about 700,000 followers).
If you're guessing Shermer, sadly you're mistaken. This essay is my final word on the guy, barring any new moves on his end. I've beaten that horse enough! Plus, Taki's is my paying gig, so I never recycle info there from other things I've written. Just a matter of respect for my employer.
Next week's Taki is way more personal than ol' Mikey Shermer.
I always thought Shermy was an absolute twerp but this text truly sheds light on what a dishonest and ignominious bastard he really is. Was a great read
Great stuff David. I always love reading about you giving Shermer the business. I used to listen that guy's podcast until I found about the fued that existed between you. Now I can't stomach a word the guys says.
Thanks for speaking truth into the world.
So glad you have this substack.
Can't wait to read more.
Thank YOU for reading, Robby! Very much appreciated.
So happy to see you on Substack. I have to give Shermer credit for one thing, though. I first saw your name in middle school in the 90’s when I read his Why People Believe Weird Things. I got interested in the subject of revisionism and I’ve really grown to appreciate your work. Seriously, David, work your ass off; the world is made poorer, more drab, and more humorless when you take a break.
Those are extremely kind words, Evans. Thank you! Very much appreciated.
Holy Shit Dave! It's good to see you here on Substack. Self-indulgent or not, I'm glad you mentioned it in the Taki article, I hadn't heard. Love reading your stuff, always, but still waiting on that next video! Cheers mi amigo!
Great to have you here, Mike! I'm hoping to have a new video up in the next three days or so. Thank you as always for your support and friendship!
Just yesterday, 2/23/2023, Shermer tweeted this:
Regarding the recent surge in book censorship (and even book burning, as in the case of @jk_rowling fans burning their Harry Potter books), recall the words of Franz Kafka...
"I think we ought to only read the kind of books that wound and stab us. If the book we are reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? Good Lord, we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like suicide. A book must be an axe for the frozen sea inside us."
Ironic, though apparently not surprising.
Fascinating read!
As humans, we're all prone to a little hypocrisy here and there, especially when under pressure. But this Shermer guy is duplicitous to such ludicrous extremes that it would be hilarious if it wasn't so damnably insidious.
David you stuck to your guns! You are a sigma male !!!!!!!
hi Dave you stuck to your Guns !!! Shermer is a Bata man.
Hi Dave you stuck to your guns on the Phil Donahue show. Shermer did not!!! Shermer is a Bata man : sad to say.
Glad to be on board. Love you on Taki. I must confess that I have also liked some of Shermer's stuff - Secrets of Mental Math among them. This piece explains some of the "that's odd" sensations I have had about a few of his pronouncements.
I didn't need to know your history with Shermer to see that the guy was a joke, but boy it confirms a great deal I'd long suspected from the way others I knew seemed to worship the guy uncritically. People who build personality cults around themselves, as Shermer absolutely does, so often are using that thick veneer of self confidence as a way to con people into not questioning their wilder assertions. In Shermer's case it's often to promote a sort of "evangelical atheism", which his fans are all too happy to insufferably oblige.
“... Bigfoot riding the Loch Ness Monster while Martians controlled by the preserved head of Elvis in a Mayan space capsule drop unicorn kill-bots on planet earth...” is a movie that must be made.
This is hilarious David. I never liked Shermer much but I was reading another thread on skeptics/atheists, and was amazed to see so many names that I used to follow on podcasts and such. Seems like Trump and Covid drove many over the edge. I just gradually stopped listening. I don't read Taki much these days but like your column. Great to see you on substack!
Hi Dave. Hope you get notified about new comments on old posts. So it was Debra Messing, who played an actual Nazi on Seinfeld (Beth Lookner, Seinfeld S08E13 "The Yada Yada") that got you banned from Amazon. Was she feeling guilty? What gives?
It's a long back-story, but essentially a friend of hers, a washed-up 1980s actress, HATED me, and asked Messing to launch the Twitter crusade to get my book banned (at the time Messing had about 700,000 followers).
your Feb 13, 2024 takimag.com column ends with:
"Next week in Part II, my very personal reason for being skeptical of “experts.”
Hmm. Wonder who you're going to talk about ...
If you're guessing Shermer, sadly you're mistaken. This essay is my final word on the guy, barring any new moves on his end. I've beaten that horse enough! Plus, Taki's is my paying gig, so I never recycle info there from other things I've written. Just a matter of respect for my employer.
Next week's Taki is way more personal than ol' Mikey Shermer.
Thank you for being a reader!
I always thought Shermy was an absolute twerp but this text truly sheds light on what a dishonest and ignominious bastard he really is. Was a great read
Thank you!
A fascinating read!
Shermer is one of those fellows who presents himself reasonably well yet gives off a very shifty vibe.
Now I know why.
As humans, we're all prone to a little hypocrisy, especially when under pressure . . . but what an absolute fraud and parody of himself this guy is!