Real Coffee with Scott Adams
Episode 2991 CWSA 10/17/25
Date: October 17, 2025
Host: Scott Adams
Overview
In this episode, Scott Adams takes listeners through a variety of current events and cultural debates, all viewed through his signature "persuasion filter." The topics range from aging and creativity to AI, political developments, government accountability, election integrity, and his own ongoing battle with terminal cancer. Throughout, Adams applies a skeptical lens and candid, often humorous commentary to each subject.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Creativity and a Younger Brain
- Science Confirms Old Advice:
Scott discusses a study, shared by Dr. Rhonda Patrick, that shows creative, skill-based activities can make your biological brain six years younger.- “If you keep your brain flexible, it'll last longer. That is why I took up trying to learn the drums a few years ago... which is why I have a ping pong table…” (04:21)
- Activities mentioned: music, visual arts, gaming, dancing, ping pong.
2. AI and Privacy: The Inevitable Loss
- Surveillance Tech Grows:
Amazon’s Ring cameras now partner with Flock, networking outdoor cameras with AI.- Scott’s take: “There's just no way you can maintain privacy in a world of high tech in the future. I've decided it's not going to be my fight because it's unwinnable in the long run.” (06:50)
- AI Image Rights:
Martin Luther King estate requested OpenAI not allow MLK images; Scott ponders if public figures can opt out too.
3. AI on Race, Poverty, and IQ
- Scott shares a conversation with Grok and OpenAI on black/white income gaps:
- AI traces cause to slavery, systemic racism, and then—unusual twist—lead exposure.
“Poverty is highly correlated with being exposed to lead… Lead is highly correlated with reducing IQ. …if you look at people [of] the same income level, the IQ differences go away. …So that's what AI says. It’s lead paint, anyway.” (11:14)
- AI traces cause to slavery, systemic racism, and then—unusual twist—lead exposure.
- User question: does this narrative discount personal agency, or is it "science"?
4. AI Chatbots: Politeness vs. Rudeness
- Dexerto reports being rude yields better AI research. Scott tests this:
- “I had to just get really mean to OpenAI, or it wouldn’t answer my questions. …And then it answered my question.” (15:14)
- Yet, Grok says politeness works better.
5. AI Video Tools Aren’t Ready Yet
- Scott’s critique of Sora 2 Pro for video generation:
- “Each tweak takes hours. That’s not a product… You get this misleading impression that somebody used SORA to make something that they wanted to make. Not really—what they did was they initiated it and it made something it wanted to make.” (19:17)
6. UFO Disclosure Hysteria
- A new film, “The Age of Disclosure,” features politicians alleging government UFO cover-ups.
- Scott’s stance: “I'm going to stick with no, there are no UFOs. ...I'd love to be wrong about that, but no.” (23:48)
7. Trump’s IVF Price Reduction Plan
- Trump proposes reducing the cost of IVF by 73%, with insurance opt-ins, lower medication prices, and FDA approvals.
- “If he does all three things, which all look doable, IVF will come down, way down. Will he get credit for that? Probably not.” (25:06)
8. On Public Commentary & Perceptions
- Scott reacts to being (mis)discussed in comments:
- “Why are you such an asshole when people talk about me in the comments? …You don't know. You couldn't possibly.” (27:08)
9. Military Technology & Super Soldiers
- Palmer Luckey (Anduril Industries) unveils advanced helmet (“eagle eye technology”) on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
- “It’s a helmet that turns a soldier into a super soldier... How much longer are we going to have soldiers? …it's going to end pretty soon. It'll be all drones against robots.” (29:15)
- Luckey suggests the U.S. thrive as global arms dealer, not direct war participant.
- “There’s something kind of brilliant about that, becoming the weapon seller instead of being the weapon user.” (32:05)
- China’s $4,000 new cars highlight American manufacturing disadvantage.
10. John Bolton’s AOL Scandal
- Indictment for storing classified notes in an AOL account.
- “Do you go to jail for that if you still have an AOL account and you’re using it?”
- Predicts little real impact despite headline.
11. Political Strategy: "Whole Opinions" vs. "Half Opinions"
- Scott praises Zohran Mamdani (nicknamed “Mom Dummy”) for offering both ambitious social programs and detailed funding plans in NY mayoral debate.
- “If you don’t have the other half [of an opinion], you don’t have anything. Mom Dummy is a whole opinion guy.” (41:22)
- Predicts Democrats could dominate if they emulate this approach, regardless of controversy.
12. Identity Politics and Electoral Limits
- John Fetterman asked how Democrats can win back white men:
- “The only honest answer to that: I don’t know.”
- Scott’s view:
- “As soon as you do identity politics…somebody is going to be marked as the evil one…Men…are the problem…once they figured it out…no, you can’t fix that.” (48:07)
13. Democrat Scandals and Accountability
- Comments on Jay Johnson’s violent private text and public apology—expects no real voter consequence.
- Kamala Harris, climate anxiety, and the declining birthrate:
- “The reason there’s climate anxiety is because there are Democrats and Kamala Harris. It’s not the climate.” (52:50)
- Billions spent, nothing solved:
- San Francisco’s Prop C and other Democratic programs for homelessness—funds allegedly just stolen, never audited, no transparency.
“Every time Democrats fund anything that's like a big program, they just steal the money and then a few years later we go, wait, where’s all the money?” (57:19)
- San Francisco’s Prop C and other Democratic programs for homelessness—funds allegedly just stolen, never audited, no transparency.
14. Election Odds, Redistricting, and Machine Transparency
- Disputes polling vs. actual redistricting effects on midterms.
- Dominion voting machines: new Republican owner, promise of domestic software and “third party auditing.”
- “When I hear third party auditing…makes me think that they're serious about getting it right and making sure there's transparency.” (01:14:25)
15. National & International Security
- ICE agents in Chicago now mandated to wear body cams; possible implications.
- Cartels use drones for bomb attacks in Tijuana—predicts drone bombings inevitable in the U.S.
- Venezuela: U.S. flyovers probably a show of force amid narco-state concerns.
16. Electric Vehicle Advances
- Skepticism at Toyota’s “solid state” battery claims: “Maybe they don’t [have it], maybe they don’t.” (01:17:30)
17. Cancer and Personal Updates
- Scott shares candid updates on his terminal cancer, scan schedule, and possible new drug (Pluvicto) treatment:
- “That’s the exciting thing about having terminal cancer. You never really know. Like, is today your last day? ...maybe the new thing works well enough to stall my demise until something that really works becomes available.” (01:19:50)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On AI and Privacy:
“There’s just no way you can maintain privacy in a world of high tech in the future. I’ve decided it’s not going to be my fight because it’s unwinnable in the long run.” (06:50) -
On AI and Income Gaps:
“If you look at people the same income level, the IQ differences go away...So that's what AI says. It's lead paint, anyway.” (12:35) -
On Political Plans:
“It’s not a plan unless you say how you’re going to pay for it. ...Mom Dummy is a whole opinion guy.” (41:22) -
On Identity Politics:
“As soon as you do identity politics...somebody is going to be marked as the evil one...It’s men...once they figured it out...you can’t fix that.” (48:07) -
On Government Accountability:
“Every time Democrats fund anything that's like a big program, they just steal the money and then a few years later we go, wait, where’s all the money?” (57:19) -
On Personal Health:
“That’s the exciting thing about having terminal cancer. You never really know. ...maybe the new thing works well enough to stall my demise until something that really works becomes available.” (01:19:50)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:00 – Opening, creativity and aging, Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s study
- 06:50 – AI surveillance, privacy inevitability
- 09:30 – AI image rights, MLK and OpenAI requests
- 11:14 – AI analysis of racial income disparities
- 15:14 – Being rude vs. polite to AI chatbots
- 19:17 – Sora 2 Pro and current limits of AI video tools
- 23:48 – UFO Disclosure movie, skepticism
- 25:06 – Trump’s IVF cost plan
- 27:08 – Scott’s comment section gripes & Gary Nolan
- 29:15 – Super soldier helmets & arms dealing as national strategy
- 35:00 – China’s manufacturing edge
- 36:30 – John Bolton’s AOL scandal
- 39:00 – Zohran Mamdani’s comprehensive political plans
- 41:22 – “Half opinions” vs. “whole opinions” in politics
- 48:07 – Fetterman, white male voters, and identity politics
- 52:50 – Kamala Harris, climate anxiety, and birthrates
- 57:19 – Homeless funding scandals, Prop C, recurring lack of accountability
- 01:05:30 – Election odds, redistricting, and polling confusion
- 01:10:20 – Trump’s $15B lawsuit against NYT and Penguin Books
- 01:14:25 – Dominion voting machines, auditing, and transparency
- 01:16:00 – ICE body cams, Chicago update
- 01:17:30 – Cartel drones, Venezuela flyovers, Toyota EV batteries
- 01:19:50 – Cancer treatment update and closing thoughts
Conclusion
This episode is a tour de force of Scott Adams’s approach to hot-button issues: skeptical, irreverent, sometimes bracingly harsh. The mix of topical commentary, personal anecdotes, and a “persuasion filter” lens offers listeners both entertainment and food for thought on some of the thorniest issues in tech, politics, and society today.