Modern Wisdom Podcast Episode #895: Piers Morgan - Trump, Elon Musk & The Future Of The West

Release Date: January 27, 2025

Host: Chris Williamson
Guest: Piers Morgan

1. Trump’s Pardon of Hunter Biden and Presidential Legacies

The episode kicks off with a discussion on the recent political maneuvers surrounding Trump and Biden. Piers Morgan initiates the conversation by addressing Trump's decision to pardon Hunter Biden, juxtaposed against Biden’s similar actions.

• Morgan: [00:00] "You wanted Trump to pardon Hunter Biden, but his dad has beaten him to the punch."

The dialogue delves into the implications of Biden’s pardon, labeling it as "a pretty shameless act of rank hypocrisy." The conversation highlights how Biden's actions undermine his longstanding stance against Trump, leading Morgan to critique Biden's presidency as potentially one of the "worst" due to factors like his prolonged tenure and perceived cognitive decline.

• Commentator: [00:46] "Smart move in unifying the country if he was to do it. But for Biden to do it... I think that's pretty disgraceful."

2. The Rise of Broligarchy and Bro Politics

A significant portion of the episode explores the emergence of the "broligarchy"—a social and political movement characterized by traditional masculine values and a backlash against modern societal norms.

Morgan expresses fascination with this shift, noting the prioritization of "doing good over looking good" and contrasting it with figures like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy who embody proactive, results-driven leadership.

• Morgan: [02:40] "You must be happy that the core four, all of them are very strongly connected. So he's doing good? ... in different space. Andrew Tate and his brother... they resonate because of their messages of self-improvement and success."

The commentator underscores how young men gravitate towards these movements due to feelings of lost identity and societal pressures, advocating for a return to pride in masculinity.

• Commentator: [04:19] "The message in principle isn't that different. It’s about being proud to be a man again."

3. Cancel Culture, Wokeism, and Identity Politics: A Decline

The conversation transitions to the decline of cancel culture and wokeism, asserting that these phenomena are losing their grip on societal discourse.

• Morgan: [06:37] "Elon said Cancel Culture had been cancelled... I think that's true?"

• Commentator: [09:26] "The concepts are dead. The execution may take some time, but the movement is waning."

Morgan draws parallels between past movements and their current receptions, emphasizing that the overreach of wokeism has backfired, leading to its own undoing.

• Commentator: [08:00] "Actually, personal pronouns are bullshit... Joe Rogan said about Sam Smith, there's only one of you, buddy."

4. Media Evolution: Traditional TV vs. YouTube and Modern Platforms

A crucial segment examines the transformation of media consumption from traditional television to digital platforms like YouTube. Morgan shares his journey transitioning from linear TV to creating a successful YouTube channel, highlighting the broader shift in audience engagement.

• Morgan: [27:17] "We found that we were getting a pretty small audience on talk tv... on YouTube without any restrictions, we could run the longer versions of interviews and see 10, 20, 30, 40 times the audience."

He emphasizes the effectiveness of uncensored, longer-form content in attracting a diverse and engaged viewership, contrasting it with the declining relevance of linear TV.

5. UK Political Turbulence and Immigration Challenges

The discussion shifts to the state of UK politics, focusing on immigration and public service strains. Morgan critiques Keir Starmer’s policies and the Conservative Party’s handling of immigration, suggesting that stringent measures are necessary to restore national stability.

• Morgan: [40:18] "In the UK, there's a sense of we're just existing and nothing's working... net migration of nearly a million people is unsustainable."

He also touches upon the influence of figures like Nigel Farage and Elon Musk on UK politics, contemplating potential future shifts in leadership and policy direction.

6. Social Media’s Impact on Youth and Mental Health

A pressing topic addressed is the detrimental effect of social media on young people's mental health. The commentator references Jonathan Haidt's research, linking increased smartphone usage to rising anxiety and depression rates among adolescents.

• Commentator: [62:13] "There’s a clear connection between phones and the incidence of anxiety and depression in young people."

Morgan supports measures like Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s, advocating for stricter regulations to protect impressionable minds.

• Commentator: [63:37] "I would support that in the UK. Social media is dangerous for under-16s."

7. Cultivating Mental Strength and Resilience

The dialogue emphasizes the importance of mental resilience in overcoming failures and challenges. Morgan shares personal strategies like counting to ten to manage stress and highlights the value of maintaining enthusiasm despite setbacks.

• Commentator: [57:38] "Count to ten. Deep breath... mental strength is the number one thing that you can have to succeed in life."

Quotes from influential figures like Winston Churchill and Michael Jordan are cited to reinforce the narrative of perseverance.

• Commentator: [59:10] "Life is about how hard you can get hit, get back up and keep moving forward."

8. Future Endeavors: Expanding Uncensored Media Networks

Towards the end, Morgan outlines his vision for expanding into a comprehensive uncensored media network, akin to the Daily Wire, encompassing YouTube, books, documentaries, and merchandise.

• Commentator: [65:03] "I want to make Piers Morgan Uncensored the biggest YouTube channel in the world."

He envisions creating a platform that facilitates open, honest debates without ideological bias, aiming to attract a global audience seeking genuine discourse.

Notable Quotes

• Morgan: [09:17] "When you pound those drums, you're behaving like a fascist... That's fascism, actually."

• Commentator: [26:43] "We have a very mediocre tier of politicians now... smart people don't want to get into politics because it's just going to ruin their lives."

• Morgan: [60:44] "The worst thing is... think about all the bad, no matter how old you are. If you're still alive, think about the worst things that have happened to you. It wasn’t as bad as you thought."

Conclusion

In this episode, Piers Morgan and Chris Williamson navigate through complex contemporary issues encompassing political hypocrisy, the resurgence of traditional masculinity, the decline of cancel culture, the evolution of media platforms, UK’s political challenges, the adverse effects of social media on youth, the necessity of mental resilience, and the future of uncensored media networks. Through insightful discussions and poignant quotes, the episode offers a comprehensive analysis of the current state and future prospects of Western society.

Note: Advertisements and non-content segments from the transcript have been omitted to maintain focus on the core discussions.