I am a voracious reader, and have read and/or listened to probably 35 books this year so far. I say this not to (humble)brag, but to put this next statement into context:
Out of the many books I’ve read this year, only ONE had my literally LOLing to the point of tears. In fact, at one point, my son asked me if I was drunk.
I wasn’t drunk.I was simply devouring Joel Stein’s latest book In Defense of Elitism: Why I’m Better Than You and You Are Better Than Someone Who Didn’t Buy This Book.
Don’t let the title fool you—In Defense of Elitism is not parody or satire, it’s a whole-hearted, intellectually curious, clear-eyed exploration of why populism vs. elitism (or gut-instinct vs. expertise) has become the biggest philosophical cage fight of our time.
Joel Stein offers not only a well-vetted explanation of how we got ourselves here, but also puts forth ideas for righting the ship (a little less smugness with our intellectual elitism might go a long way). Amazingly, Joel seems to do all of this while also being incredibly funny.
Listen to Does Elitism Need Defending? My Interview with Joel Stein.
In case you’re new to his work, In Defense of Elitism is Joel’s second book (his first, Man Made: My Stupid Quest for Masculinityis also fantastic, as is the accompanying TEDxStanford talk). He spent 19 years as a columnist for Time Magazine, and writes for the Los Angeles Times.
I was beyond grateful that in between interviews with Vanity Fair, NPR, and Goop, Joel Skyped in to 20 Minutes with Bronwyntalk about his new book.
I don’t often get to talk to my favorite writers, but when I do, I try and record them for you.
Links and Resources based on our conversation:
- In Defense of Elitism: Why I’m Better Than You and You Are Better Than Someone Who Didn’t Buy This Book.
- Tales From the Teenage Cancel CultureDuring our conversation, Joel and I talked about the dangers of “cancel culture.” In case you’re new to the term, this is a good read. While this focuses on teenagers, it’s abundantly in effect with the adult set too.
- Man Made: My Stupid Quest for MasculinityJoel’s first book, also hilarious.
- Man Made: TEDxStanford
Current Obsessions
What Teenagers are Learning From Online Porn, Maggie Jones, New York Times 2018
I had to force myself to read this article, because honestly … This is the LAST thing I want to think about or acknowledge. But the reality is, most teenagers are watching porn, and what they are learning about sex is very much informed by what they see.
This has massive implications for their sexual health. While this article puts forward some pretty daring ideas (porn literacy classes for teens, for one), it’s high time we get real about pornography and the role it plays in the lives of teenagers.
Dolly Parton’s America Podcast
My therapist and I often close our session together by talking about what we’re reading or listening to these days. This time, he suggested the Dolly Parton’s America podcast.
While I do love Dolly, 9 episodes on all things Dolly Parton sounded like a tough hang. But lord have mercy, this podcast has far more to it than meets the ear. Give it a
The Biggest Little Farm
Sal and I forced our three kids to watch this Sundance Film Festival darling, and within a few minutes, we were all completely mesmerized—even the jaded teenager.
In a nutshell, The Biggest Little Farm is a documentary about a young couple pursuing answers to a very Michael Pollan-esque question: Is it possible to build a functioning, thriving farm that is completely in sync with nature … Free of pesticides and modern (read: unsustainable) farming practices? The answer to the question is both complicated and beautiful. The cinematography is breathtaking, and this film is guaranteed to put a smile in your soul.
