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Jordan Peterson
So what's this civilizational moment? The civilizational moment is the opportunity that we have in front of us to wake up and to realize consciously and explicitly the nature of the dream that has enveloped us for the thousands of years of Judeo Christian civilization. That dream is the celebration, the worship, the deification of the principle of reciprocal voluntary self sacrifice, the sacrifice of self to the future, the sacrifice of self to the community as the necessary, inevitable and revolutionary foundation of the civilization that makes us free and abundant.
Dave Rubin
All right, just landed in London about two hours ago. Took the red eye from Miami. Not sure I have any sleep in me, but nonetheless, we are here doing the heretics podcast with Andrew Gold. Now, interestingly, Andrew Gold, also the name of the guy who created the Golden Girls theme song. Same guy. We'll find out. Stay tuned. Well, that would be kind of funny, actually, if in the transition away from that, there was like three bars of the Golden Girls theme song. Same guy. We'll find out. Stay tuned.
Douglas Murray
Hey, you wanna play foosball against Phoenix? Are you playing against yourself?
Dave Rubin
No, no, Phoenix. Let's go. All right, so I'm black. All right. All right. So I'm going that way.
Douglas Murray
Yeah. Do you guys know how to play football?
Dave Rubin
Hell yeah.
Douglas Murray
You got that on one.
Dave Rubin
Nothing. Yeah.
Douglas Murray
Nice.
Dave Rubin
All right, all right. 11 games to three.
Douglas Murray
Oh, no. Come on.
Dave Rubin
Yeah, there it is.
Douglas Murray
Nice. Okay, two off.
Dave Rubin
Oh.
Douglas Murray
Good. How are you guys? You must be shouted. Hello. How are you, man?
Dave Rubin
How's everything?
Douglas Murray
Thank you so much for coming.
Dave Rubin
My pleasure. Thank you for doing this a little early.
Douglas Murray
Oh, no, we didn't.
Dave Rubin
Meet my producer.
Douglas Murray
Hug as well.
Dave Rubin
Joey, nice to meet you.
Douglas Murray
Want a hug? Everyone's getting the hugs. Got all the cameras. Got it all going on.
Dave Rubin
Very professional.
Douglas Murray
Look at that. Did you play any of the.
Dave Rubin
We played a little.
Douglas Murray
Not tell you who won. We did.
Dave Rubin
It wasn't me.
Douglas Murray
Look at all these bags. I help with bags. We're downstairs. So are we okay to come in with you guys? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I want to show you. I want to show you the whole citizenship. She cannot sit in our bed. She's a dual.
Dave Rubin
Oh, yeah. Okay. You want to get me tying my shoes? I do the two loops.
Douglas Murray
Oh, you're a two loop guy.
Dave Rubin
Two loops. This is some kind of trick with.
Douglas Murray
The water.
Dave Rubin
Poison in one.
Douglas Murray
Well, these can't be yours because they might have, like a disease, which is.
Dave Rubin
Great, but there isn't much to debate.
Douglas Murray
It's finished. You need to sign a deal with the. But then we win.
Dave Rubin
All right, guys, so it is day One of the ARC conference. You can probably hear it in my voice. It's already starting to disappear. I'm drinking tea like a good member of the British Parliament. I'll be sitting down with a great Brit and a great human being and a great fighter for Western civilization. Douglas Murray in just a moment. The conference itself. Wow, look at that. Very fancy. The conference kicked off this morning. I think Jordan Peterson is actually speaking right now. Congressman Mike Johnson, leader of the House, he's down there. I think he's going to speak shortly. And there's over. It's standing room only over 4,000 people. And this is really the counter to the WDF. So for all of the evil of Klaus Schwab and everybody else where it's a top down way of looking at the world, this is a bottom up way. An individual first way of rebuilding Western civilization. So that's what we're going to be doing for the next couple of days. Hopefully the voice stays intact. And the tea, although I'm more of a coffee guy, the tea ain't bad. Yeah, today they're only gonna smack me with some mild powder. But if you'd like to do something.
Douglas Murray
More expensive, it's always.
Dave Rubin
Normally it's like a seven, you know.
Douglas Murray
A certain type of some, some interviewers. No, we don't have makeup. But then you notice that they.
Dave Rubin
Yeah, not for the guests. No.
Douglas Murray
The gas. Fine. Three, two.
Dave Rubin
All right, Douglas Murray, do we get right into democracies and death cults or do you want to talk about other things first?
Douglas Murray
I'm in your hands.
Dave Rubin
Well, why don't we start with this? We're at the art conference right now, it just kicked off this morning. And obviously they're talking about democracies and there's a subtext of death cults that are doing some damage to democracies at the moment.
Douglas Murray
From American college campuses to the streets of the city. We're sitting in London. All of the energy immediately from the 7th was against Israel.
Dave Rubin
As always, it is my honor and privilege, my friend.
Douglas Murray
Thank you. Fantastic.
Dave Rubin
He still got it.
Douglas Murray
He still got it.
Dave Rubin
Despite the fact that I was holding a coffee and he made Dave look.
Douglas Murray
Like he was healthy the whole time. Okay, all right. How was it, Dave?
Dave Rubin
I mean, Douglas makes it really, really easy. He's just so freaking brilliant. And every one of his books and everything that he's been talking about for years, in some sense it's all come to fruition in a. I would say a negative way in that the western world in this country is struggling. But he Offers a lot of the prescriptions too. So I suspect we will keep doing this over time. Are you not feeling well?
Douglas Murray
Are you kidding? There's no how are you?
Dave Rubin
Jordan Peterson has said many times that he doesn't know if God exists, but he behaves as if he does. Or he'll also say something to the effect of that when he was in his early 20s, he started saying the truth for the truth's sake, meaning that if you said the truth, that it does not mean that good things are going to happen all the time. Of course they don't. But that if you tell the truth for the truth's sake, that that will be the best of all outcomes one way or another, because otherwise you're just adding more lies to the equation. And we're all. We've all been participating in insane lies constantly, as Douglas Murray talks about. You know, we've decided to unearth things that we had settled a long time ago. The barbarians are going to be at the gate. They're at the gate right here, Right. And we're debating what gender pronouns they have. Right? So I think that if you don't believe in something, well, in essence, you will fall for anything. And that is enough of that is a leap of faith. I would say that if you. If you say the truth for the purpose of it is true, whether good or bad is going to happen, it is a leap of faith to believe that that will lead to a better outcome. But I believe that is true and that is a leap of faith. So I would say that makes me a believer. All right, so day two of the ARC conference. We're in studio now. Just all day long, people coming and going. I'm on the interviewer side, I'm on the interviewee side. I will be giving my talk on the main stage with at least one name that you guys will recognize. Eric Weinstein at 4pm today. And so far, the conference really has been unbelievable. You know, it's very much out of Jordan's ethos, which of course is aim at something, go somewhere, look at that star and follow it and go and go and go. And you may not get exactly where you were planning, but you will get somewhere better than you are right now. And it's been interesting. There's, I think they said something like over 100 countries are represented here. And you see how the problems that we face in America are so similar to so many of the problems that are happening throughout the world. But everybody that I've talked to from the conservative British lord that I just Sat down with to some of the other guys that you know from the show, like James Lindsay. Everyone is saying the same thing, which is that people are happy that America seems to be riding the ship and if America starts fixing things, maybe people will follow. So it's. It's been pretty inspirational so far and my voice is coming back a little bit, so I think we're in good shape.
Douglas Murray
When was there ever a national debate where we agreed to limit speech because we've elevated above all, above every other goal of policy, the imagined sensitivities of social.
Dave Rubin
People posted memes and things like that. And from an American perspective, sometimes I see these videos and I don't share them immediately. We shall see. Enjoy the rest of the conference.
Douglas Murray
Thank you. Very nice to be here. Okay, perfect. That was fantastic.
Dave Rubin
Nice and easy.
Douglas Murray
Okay, let's take a photo real quick. And three, two, one.
Dave Rubin
Enjoy the rest.
Douglas Murray
I'm going to go get James here's.
Dave Rubin
You okay?
Douglas Murray
Yes, I need that. Sorry.
Dave Rubin
Phoenix, can you bring another te up here, please?
Douglas Murray
Thank you. How was that speaking to the Lord?
Dave Rubin
Was he a Lord of the Sith or a regular lord? He's Lord Lord Hammond. Lord. Yeah, that would be a lord. Why don't we have lords?
Douglas Murray
We should.
Dave Rubin
Do you have to be knighted for that or.
Douglas Murray
No, that's sir.
Dave Rubin
That's sir.
Douglas Murray
So it's all good. This is int.
Dave Rubin
To sit on my lap. They're going to watch you over here.
Douglas Murray
Oh, perfect. There's no interview. James.
Dave Rubin
Yeah, we're not going to be the interview. Please tell me you brought tea. Oh, God bless you. 5, 4, 3, 2.
Douglas Murray
What are the.
Dave Rubin
Perkins. You don't think he cares about that that much?
Douglas Murray
Not too much.
Dave Rubin
I'm just guessing.
Douglas Murray
He might. He might secretly be reading, you know, in the morning. You never know or not. That progressive vision is not going to work. The ideal that they're shooting for is a catastrophe.
Dave Rubin
So, Winston Marshall, you just said something interesting off camera. Hopefully you can. So let me on camera that you think of yourself or you identify as British, not English from an American perspective, I don't think anyone would know what that means.
Douglas Murray
English not British.
Dave Rubin
English not British.
Douglas Murray
English over British. So I do identify as British, but English primarily our very identities. And so when, when I, when I think of it in that way, people.
Dave Rubin
That have been tracking us for a decade now. All right, so we're doing a little walk and talk here. We're just leaving our studio. I've done about six or seven interviews this morning with all the usual cast of characters. There's Rob Henderson right there. It's incredible. You never know who you're going to meet. Here, here. Why don't we go down the escalator? Can you hold the camera and do an escalator? Okay, that would. Now that's a video right there. It's these British. They've got everything backwards. It's very confusing. It's really just been an incredible conference so far. You know, the theme as I keep talking about is this, is this idea that can the west reignite itself? Can it realize there's an incredible story that has been told that has to be told again before we flitter it all away? And, you know, there's great hope here for America for sure. And then the larger question is, will that work for. For the Europeans? Can they do it? I think that remains to be seen. But right now we're heading down to the, to the media room. So we're. We have. The podcasters are upstairs. The media room is right down here. And you'll see there's all sorts of vendors and artists and media groups, obviously, and authors. And I gave a little talk in there yesterday and the main, the main room is in there. So about 4,000 people. And Joey, maybe you could do a little quick. As I said, about 4,000 people. I think they said over a hundred countries are represented here. So it's really just been absolutely fantastic. And, and what's really nice about this versus most political events, and I would say this is more cultural than political in nature, is that you go to most political events and it's about, you know, you go to a libertarian event, it's purely libertarian. You go to a conservative event, it's conservative. Oh, what's been nice about this is that there are people really all over the political map. I don't know that there's many, let's say, far lefty progressives here. But beyond that, there are. There are the liberals, there are the conservatives, there are the more traditionally religious people there. There's a really wide tent of people here, and I suspect I'll be discussing that with the GB news people in just a moment. So stay tuned.
Douglas Murray
I started watching you a lot more during COVID and my wife came home from work. She was a nurse and was kind of helping out with, you know, the catastrophe that's unfolding. And she walked in just. And there one where you opened with what up, Nazis? And she walked in. We need to talk. Can I get a quick picture? Is that. Is that all right?
Dave Rubin
Three, two, one.
Douglas Murray
That's perfect. I can tell My wife that met like minded Nazi. Thanks very much. Thanks for the.
Dave Rubin
All right, take care. Remember I. Were you not working for us at that point? When I started the show one day I was like, what up, Nazis? Oh, yeah, that, that guy said that I got him in a little trouble because his wife was a nurse during company and she came home one day and he was watching the show that I started with. What I'm saying, she's like, what do you do?
Douglas Murray
That's the best episode.
Dave Rubin
But he said, she's coming world. That's good, that's good.
Douglas Murray
Do you want to get a shot.
Jordan Peterson
Of it.
Dave Rubin
In this area over here? But look, I mean, this is such, I just bought a print and it's just such an absolutely brilliant piece of work. Taking every bit of the fight from obviously the culture wars, but the political wars, the entire thing. I mean, look how brilliant this. So you've got the incel land here and Jordan is blocking them on the bridge from coming towards Christianity. You have the comedy people. So that's obviously, there's Russell Brand and the podcasters, there's Rogan. Then you have the more traditional conservatives over here. There's Douglas Murray. We got Ben Shapiro over here building his little castle with the Daily Wire.
Douglas Murray
Intellectual dark web.
Dave Rubin
Intellectual dark web crew. I guess I could have made it into in this area too. So there's Eric and Brett, of course, JG Fox. And what was the, what was the real inspiration for this? Were you just watching these shows and.
Douglas Murray
Well, when, when you're drawing all day, you can listen to podcasts and audiobooks because it's a different part of the brain, isn't it? You know, I spend, so I can spend like eight hours a day listening to a load of nonsense and yeah, no offense. And so I, I, I'd listen to everyone's show and they've mentioned someone and I'd say, oh, that'll be a good person to put in. I remember I was listening to someone and they mentioned Curtis. Yeah. And you know how he has that thing about the cathedral? Oh, I could do y. And then I could draw an actual cathedral. And so then I had to keep making it bigger and bigger, you know, to fit everyone in.
Dave Rubin
And I mentioned this to you earlier, but I mean, you really nailed every portion of this. I mean, here's the World Economic Forum over here.
Douglas Murray
James Lindsay's storming it with a little on horseback there. Fire. Close. Got the social justice warriors are actual warriors.
Dave Rubin
So did you, did you map this all out at once or did the map sort of keep growing as it.
Douglas Murray
Started out about this big. And then I had to keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger.
Dave Rubin
Well, it's really.
Douglas Murray
Thank you very much.
Dave Rubin
I'm honored to be part of it.
Douglas Murray
No problem. How in the world was this happening? How were. And it wasn't just that victim. It was numerous victims. Victims that we were hearing about. And it was a question of how did this happen?
Dave Rubin
James Orr is the Associate professor of Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge, Chair of the Edmund Burke Foundation UK and director of UK programs for Trinity Foreign Europe. That's what.
Douglas Murray
Come out. Head out. Good afternoon, everyone. As many of you know, my name is Dave Rubin and I'm the host of the Rubin Report. I forgot to include the locals portion. So you should probably say this because it's all about tech. Today I have the pleasure of hosting ark's Identity in a Digital Age session. This trailer will be followed by a keynote speech from Michael Shellenberger, who. He's got a tough title to remember. Right?
Dave Rubin
That's what I'm saying. If this is all in the prompter, this will be very. If it's not, then I'm gonna have to be looking down a lot. So let's see if we can get it all on prompter.
Douglas Murray
Okay.
Dave Rubin
Did I give one of you. Could one of you take my walking through the tower?
Douglas Murray
Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The next session will be.
Jordan Peterson
This is lovely, Tom.
Douglas Murray
We'll put on Mike on. Harry or Kate will discuss with you what seat you need to sit in.
Dave Rubin
Michael, I had a banger of an intro for you, but you're going up right after the film, so all I do is get. Say your name. Really a. I'll try to. I'll try to save it for later. I'll try to give you something to see if I can work something in there. Michael Shellenberger, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Free Speech. You are the Free Speech.
Douglas Murray
You were Mr. Free Speech before I.
Dave Rubin
Was Mr. Free Speech. I was Mr. Free Speech before it was cool. Now it's a thing. Yeah. Look at the shoes on this guy, huh? That's the big sub stack money.
Douglas Murray
That's. That's right. That's how. That's how I spend my money. That and that and old man glasses. Cat is glasses.
Dave Rubin
Yeah. Welcome to the party.
Douglas Murray
Yeah. What do you got? Nice. Nice. Damn, we're old.
Dave Rubin
We look smart. Like free speech warriors. That must read a lot of books and stuff stuff. That. That machine right over there that the British police are checking all of the memes on to Figure out who they have to arrest today. So we're going to fiddle with that a little bit later. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. First off, I should say, is a person of the Internet. Pleasure to see real people. Real live people. You are live.
Douglas Murray
Right. Thank you.
Dave Rubin
Speech. Someone recreate that.
Jordan Peterson
And how is it that we should conduct ourselves as responsible citizens? We learn that from the story of Abraham. God comes to Abraham as the spirit of adventure that calls him forward to what he could be and establishes an eternal covenant between the divine and man. And God tells Abraham, if you attend with all diligence to the voice of adventure that calls you from your comfort to leave everything that grants you familiarity and security and venture forth courageously into the terrible world, your life will become a blessing to you. Furthermore, you will earn the respect and admiration and justified attention of your peers so that your name is properly renowned.
Dave Rubin
Top of the morning to you, old chaps. We are here at day three of the ARC Conference. We're in the convention center right now. The main venue is right over there. And I can tell you after 48 plus hours of being here, just thinker, philosopher, politician, one after the other, really from all over the map, politically and culturally and philosophically. It's really just been absolutely wonderful. We're doing a sit down with Jordan Peterson later and Eric Weinstein. It's a IDW reboot for those of you that were playing along with me back in 2017 18. I'm doing Piers Morgan's show live in studio tonight and then we'll be bouncing around London doing some other things. And more importantly than any of that, I am rocking my new LG FG suit. This was gifted to me by Jordan. So you get to put whatever lining you want in there. And look, they even put. You can get one with your own name in there. They put my name in this one. Pretty sweet. So looking forward to a great day.
Douglas Murray
Most is not even the same as majority. That means like under 51%. And Britain is country that at the moment is sort of about 75% white. Was previously 85% white, but census before that was 95% white. Census before that seems to be one.
Dave Rubin
Of the big questions that's happening on the main stage here. Hey, good to see you, Galway, my friend. Good. What's happening?
Douglas Murray
Well, this, this the whole conference thing. Yeah.
Dave Rubin
Why don't we just do it on camera then?
Douglas Murray
Yes. Otherwise it's the most expensive power on the planet. Because it's infinitely cost. You can't get it. So absolute. Absolutely. Solar fix in California. Is amazing for Wynn. Nice to meet you.
Dave Rubin
Thanks for coming in. Great. You are in the Internet now.
Douglas Murray
Honestly, I think what happened during COVID went beyond any reasonable way a democracy should function. Dave, this is Matt Goodwin, Prosperity. Big fan, big fan, big fan.
Dave Rubin
How are you?
Douglas Murray
I would argue that Kemi Badenok, who was speaking here at Ark, it was interesting to me listening to her. She talked about, well, liberalism has got hacked.
Dave Rubin
I don't have any team.
Douglas Murray
All right.
Dave Rubin
Yeah, I think he's class. That's the way we saw it. And, you know, he was a builder. But on the other hand, you could say that he was, you know, a very glib salesman and he was selling things that weren't entirely what they. What they claimed to be. I think that what happened. Nothing like a warm cup of tea on a cold London day, wouldn't you say? All right, so middle of day three here at the R conference. We're down in the media center right now and I have to say, if I can pat myself on the back for one second, that one of the nicest things that. That keeps happening here is so many people are saying to me that they were. That their journey, their wake up was directly correlated to what we were doing on the show for all these years. And talking about why I left the left and getting over identity politics and what's just. It never ceases to amaze me. I'm talking to people from Germany and Sweden and Thailand and Canada and literally all over the world. I think, I think the Official number is 96 countries are represented here. And the fact that so many people all over the age range too. I'm talking to 19 year olds and I'm talking to people in their 70s and that everyone has gone through their own wakeup and that the wakeup that we're now all feeling all over the world, that clearly is directly related to everything happening in America and the MAGA movement and Trump and all of the stuff that we had a little part to do with it is pretty cool. I'll just give you. So they're doing some. This. We're not in the main room. This is sort of the media room and the overflow room where they're doing other, other events over there. So it really has just been absolutely spectacular. Is Ayan over there? She'll be here in a minute. So it's really. It's been very validating and then there's a lot of hope. I think that's what we're feeling more than anything else. You know, when we did the first arc Conference back in October of 23. That was right after October 7th. There was a feeling in the conference of despair. And is the west really about to just completely collapse? And what we're feeling here now, just a few weeks after this Trump win is there's hope. There's hope. So that means a lot can change in a year and a half. And that, that's what humanity's about right there. Oh, is that you looking for a couple tea? Hey, Phoenix, you want to get another cup of tea? Let's go get a cup of tea. There's nothing like a fresh cup of English tea to warm the heart and the cockles. Oh, you're the artist. Oh, really wonderful stuff. I was gonna say.
Douglas Murray
This is one image is itself and then this area here and everything in between. I made up this. I made up.
Dave Rubin
Okay.
Douglas Murray
Okay, Ready? As you'd expect. Just on the way. We'll grab you. How you doing?
Dave Rubin
Oh, right, right, right. Good, good. I hope everything's running smoothly. And.
Douglas Murray
How are you?
Dave Rubin
Good. You know, we were, we were in the elevator. What were we, Ayan? What were we once hopeful? They're running out of tea. How will I commence the day?
Jordan Peterson
Who drank all the tea?
Dave Rubin
Maybe there's more tea on the other side. That's good tea.
Douglas Murray
The first one. Great. Yeah.
Dave Rubin
Is it beating the first one?
Douglas Murray
It is. How are you doing, man? Hi, Reuben. Good to see you.
Dave Rubin
How are you? How you doing?
Douglas Murray
Good, good.
Dave Rubin
Look at this, look at this.
Douglas Murray
Oh, that's nice.
Dave Rubin
Yeah. This is courtesy of Jordan Peterson.
Douglas Murray
How cool, cool, cool.
Jordan Peterson
You've got the great seal in there.
Dave Rubin
Yeah. Pretty good distance. Yeah. You've really outdone yourself.
Douglas Murray
Sad and terrible.
Dave Rubin
How are you, man?
Jordan Peterson
Good.
Douglas Murray
I'm nervous about this closing.
Dave Rubin
Are you all right? I won't beat you over the head too much?
Douglas Murray
No, no, that's okay. That's okay. Yeah.
Jordan Peterson
And we have how long, Spencer?
Douglas Murray
10 minutes. Okay, we'll do it.
Dave Rubin
A Jordan PETERSON Interview in 10 minutes.
Jordan Peterson
Yeah.
Dave Rubin
How do I possibly do a Jordan PETERSON Interview in 10 minutes? @ the end of arc? My last interview, your last interview. You're about to give the keynote. We got 10 minutes. How do we do this?
Douglas Murray
How do we do badly and quick?
Dave Rubin
What are you going to talk about in 10 minutes from now?
Douglas Murray
I'm going to talk about hardly anything. I'm going to talk about Noah, Moses, Abraham and adventure. And hopefully I'm going to pull that.
Jordan Peterson
Off to some music.
Dave Rubin
And now you got to go give a big speech. So this was, this was the ten minute Jordan Peterson. I didn't really have to do much.
Douglas Murray
It's good to see you, Dave. Thanks for coming to London, man, and.
Dave Rubin
To ask for your help.
Douglas Murray
Yep. Good to see you.
Dave Rubin
Nice.
Douglas Murray
Awesome.
Dave Rubin
All right, quick picture.
Douglas Murray
Feel free to sit down and everything. So as I say. Well, we're going to be starting at 7 now because want a haircut, Dave. It makes walk in as long as you're not in front of the camera. As long as you don't be in front of the camera, as long as you don't make a lunge appears, you're fine. We're also.
Dave Rubin
No lunging in, Pierce.
Douglas Murray
No lunging. Not on camera. No. You can. What about her day? What about that?
Dave Rubin
Okay, thanks.
Douglas Murray
Hey, how are you? Good to see you. Oh, my God.
Dave Rubin
Is that. Is that Nelson Mandela himself?
Douglas Murray
Good to see you. How are you?
Dave Rubin
It's good to see you.
Douglas Murray
Really good to see you.
Dave Rubin
It's good to see you. Where do you want us?
Douglas Murray
Here they bring in two chairs. There you go. The guys are sort of.
Dave Rubin
That.
Douglas Murray
Anyone? Oh, sure. Yeah. Not to we. Yes. Thank you very much. Yeah.
Dave Rubin
And he gave his closing speech was.
Douglas Murray
Probably the best speech.
Dave Rubin
Occasionally I get out of the little box.
Douglas Murray
Not that often months my son's raped about it. I'm gonna. I'm gonna read it.
Dave Rubin
Number one, the question really is the method that is going to free the most people and free the markets and allow people to flourish. I believe in free market capitalism. I want there to be as much competition as possible. I don't have a problem with billionaires because generally speaking, billionaires have built things. I mean, the idea that Elon Musk is devoting this amount of time. All right, we're wrapping up our London portion of the trip. I just did Piers Morgan show debated a socialist. I think it went pretty well. Free market capitalism for the win. It's been a wonderful trip at ARK so far. Jordan's closing speech, I think, was probably the best speech I've ever heard him give. And that's in light of the fact that last year at arc, I think his closing speech was the best speech I had ever heard him give until up until that point. Really fantastic. Heading out to dinner, I have to say London. Although they did tell me that I shouldn't keep my phone out and I should keep it in my pocket because people are snatching them while my cameraman has his. His phone and camera. Look how beautiful this is. I mean, it's absolutely, absolutely, absolutely gorgeous. And hopefully this city and this country will come back. I think America just has to lead the way and off to Oxford tomorrow to debate another socialist. Let's do it. You guys are young. I'm not that old. I'm only 48. But I'm starting to feel old when I come to colleges. And I grew up before this thing and before this thing that you're all walking around in your pocket with. Before this thing, if you had something bad to say about somebody, you basically had to say it to their face and you might get punched. And you know what? It was probably good. It was probably good. That's how you dealt with bullies. But what has happened in an era and in a time when you can be anonymous and you can, which by the way, I'm for anonymity and anonymity is an important part of speech. But when you can be anonymous and you can have burner accounts and you can mob people and you can go after their work and their livelihoods and their families, we have weaponized the MO to a point that good, decent people, including you, including your parents, including your grandparents and your friends and your family are silencing themselves. And that is way more dangerous than someone else coming to silence you. We have done this to ourselves in the west, people that live in closed societies where they don't have free speech would kill, literally kill to be having a debate about whether cancel culture should exist or not. Because they live in a place that canceling basically means you get beheaded. All right, so it's official. We just won our proposition. Should this house cancel, cancel culture and yes, free speech ftw. That means for the win, you people who are older than 20. We are at Oxford Union. We just finished up here. Some of the kids having drinks after and enjoying themselves. It was a, it was a very rigorous debate. About 500 people in there. You know, there's just wonderful history and just a rich tradition of debating ideas. So as I said up there, it's like, man, that we're even debating whether free speech is good, in essence. At a school with a thousand year history that has churned over the generations, ideas of science and history and politics and culture and everything else felt sort of crazy to me. But I was glad to see the crowd come along and Naomi Wolf was wonderful and I personalized it as much as possible because I was fighting for everyone who disagrees with me's right to free speech as much as my own. And now we head back to London and then across the pond. I could use a cup of tea.
Jordan Peterson
So what are we to derive from these stories about how we might build an ark? You conduct yourself in your life so that you can rely on your own judgment, and so that you see that when the state has become corrupted and the storms brew that you can detect the clouds gathering on the horizon and prepare, secure in your own intuition, because you've lived in a manner that enables you to trust yourself. And how do you formulate the state that navigates the line between tyrannical order and anarchic chaos? You. You endeavor to develop within yourself the faith and courage in your fellow man that enables you to realize that there's enough adventure and responsibility for everyone, and that the state, composed of people striving upward in their orientation and willing to shoulder the burden of sacrificial responsibility that constitutes the state, need no king and no tyrant, and is composed of people who have the redemptive adventure of their life. And then how do you conduct yourself in life so that you are the individual that can embark on that adventure? You pay attention to the problems that make themselves yours. You shoulder the burden of those problems and accept the responsibility. And in doing so, you call out what's best in you, and you become the person whose name is renowned among his peers because of your merit and competence. And you do that generously, having the wisdom and the faith and the courage to understand that if you sacrifice what's lesser and you bring your best to the table, and you do that in a manner that's hospitable and inviting, that everyone else could and would do the same. And then you dine forever with your corn prayers at the heavenly banquet, and you set the world right. Welcome aboard the ark. Pick up an oar and row.
The Rubin Report: ARC 2025 - Behind-the Scenes Hosted by Dave Rubin Release Date: April 19, 2025
In the April 19, 2025 episode of The Rubin Report, host Dave Rubin takes listeners behind the scenes of the ARC 2025 conference, featuring notable intellectuals and thought leaders such as Jordan Peterson, Douglas Murray, and Eric Weinstein. The episode delves into critical discussions surrounding free speech, political correctness, the state of Western civilization, and the ongoing culture wars. Through engaging dialogues, personal anecdotes, and interactive segments, Rubin and his guests explore the challenges and opportunities facing modern democracies.
Setup and Arrival
Dave Rubin begins the episode shortly after landing in London, expressing a mix of fatigue and excitement about attending the ARC 2025 conference. The conference is described as a counter-movement to entities like the World Economic Forum (WDF), emphasizing a bottom-up approach to rebuilding Western civilization by prioritizing individual freedoms and responsibilities.
Engagement with Douglas Murray
Upon arrival, Rubin interacts with Douglas Murray, a prominent British author and commentator. Their initial conversation is light-hearted, involving a foosball game where Rubin humorously comments on his performance:
"All right, all right, 11 games to three." [02:03]
This interaction sets a friendly and collegial tone for the episode, highlighting the camaraderie among the conference attendees.
Jordan Peterson on Civilizational Moments
Jordan Peterson opens the conference with a profound analysis of the current "civilizational moment." He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and preserving the Judeo-Christian principles that have historically underpinned Western civilization. Peterson advocates for the "deification of the principle of reciprocal voluntary self-sacrifice," arguing that such values are essential for a free and abundant society.
"The civilizational moment is the opportunity that we have in front of us to wake up and to realize consciously and explicitly the nature of the dream..." [00:02]
Rubin and Murray on Free Speech
As the conference progresses, Rubin and Murray engage in a robust discussion about the erosion of free speech in modern democracies. Murray challenges the elevation of social sensitivities above policy goals, questioning the legitimacy and impact of cancel culture.
"When was there ever a national debate where we agreed to limit speech because we've elevated above all, above every other goal of policy..." [09:45]
Rubin echoes these sentiments, highlighting the dangers of silencing dissenting voices and the importance of maintaining open dialogue. He reflects on Peterson's philosophy of telling the truth for truth's sake, noting the inherent leap of faith in believing that truth-telling will lead to better outcomes.
"If you say the truth for the truth's sake, it is a leap of faith to believe that that will lead to a better outcome. But I believe that is true..." [06:58]
Concerns Over Western Decline
The discussion shifts to the perceived decline of Western civilization, with participants expressing concerns over cultural and political challenges. Rubin notes the shared struggles across different countries, suggesting that America's efforts to "ride the ship" and initiate positive change could influence global counterparts.
"Everyone is saying the same thing, which is that people are happy that America seems to be riding the ship and if America starts fixing things, maybe people will follow." [08:50]
Douglas Murray on Societal Changes
Murray provides a historical perspective, discussing demographic shifts and their implications for Western societies. He touches upon the changing racial composition in Britain, highlighting concerns about maintaining cultural and national identities amidst increasing diversity.
"Britain is a country that at the moment is sort of about 75% white. Was previously 85% white, but census before that was 95% white." [24:16]
Peterson’s Insights on Personal Responsibility
Jordan Peterson elaborates on the importance of individual responsibility in navigating societal challenges. He draws parallels to biblical narratives, emphasizing the need for courage and diligence in addressing personal and communal problems.
"You conduct yourself in your life so that you can rely on your own judgment... you pay attention to the problems that make themselves yours, you shoulder the burden of those problems..." [21:40]
Rubin’s Reflections on Anonymity and Accountability
Rubin discusses the impact of anonymity in the digital age, critiquing how it facilitates mob behavior and silencing of individuals. He underscores the necessity of personal accountability and the detrimental effects of cancel culture on free expression.
"We have weaponized the MO to a point that good, decent people... are silencing themselves. And that is way more dangerous than someone else coming to silence you." [32:49]
Interactions with Conference Attendees
Throughout the conference, Rubin engages with various attendees, including other intellectuals and authors. These interactions provide a glimpse into the diverse perspectives present at ARC 2025, fostering a rich environment for idea exchange.
Humorous Segments
The episode incorporates humorous segments, such as Rubin and Murray’s playful banter over tea and foosball, adding a relatable and personable element to the discussions.
"There’s nothing like a fresh cup of English tea to warm the heart and the cockles." [28:21]
Live Demonstrations and Artwork
Douglas Murray shares a visual representation of the conference’s themes through artwork, illustrating the interconnectedness of various culture war facets. Rubin praises the depiction, noting the inclusion of significant figures and groups like the "Intellectual Dark Web."
"You've really nailed every portion of this... World Economic Forum over here." [16:00]
Hope for the Future of the West
As the conference unfolds, a prevailing sense of hope emerges among attendees. Rubin reflects on the shift from previous sentiments of despair to a renewed optimism following political victories, such as Trump’s influence on the MAGA movement.
"There’s hope... America just has to lead the way." [37:02]
The Importance of Dialogue and Debate
The episode underscores the critical role of open dialogue and rigorous debate in sustaining democratic values and addressing societal challenges. Rubin emphasizes the need for platforms like ARC 2025 to facilitate meaningful conversations across the political spectrum, fostering a collective effort to rejuvenate Western civilization.
Jordan Peterson’s Closing Thoughts
Peterson concludes with an inspiring message about building an "ark" through personal integrity and collective courage. He calls for individuals to take responsibility, engage in honest discourse, and contribute to a resilient society.
"Welcome aboard the ark. Pick up an oar and row." [37:02]
Jordan Peterson on Civilizational Values
"The civilizational moment is the opportunity that we have in front of us to wake up and to realize consciously and explicitly the nature of the dream..." [00:02]
Dave Rubin on Truth-Telling
"If you say the truth for the truth's sake, it is a leap of faith to believe that that will lead to a better outcome. But I believe that is true..." [06:58]
Douglas Murray on Free Speech Limits
"When was there ever a national debate where we agreed to limit speech because we've elevated above all, above every other goal of policy..." [09:45]
Jordan Peterson on Personal Responsibility
"You conduct yourself in your life so that you can rely on your own judgment... you pay attention to the problems that make themselves yours, you shoulder the burden of those problems..." [21:40]
Dave Rubin on Cancel Culture
"We have weaponized the MO to a point that good, decent people... are silencing themselves. And that is way more dangerous than someone else coming to silence you." [32:49]
Jordan Peterson’s Final Reflection
"Welcome aboard the ark. Pick up an oar and row." [37:02]
The ARC 2025 episode of The Rubin Report offers a comprehensive exploration of the current state and future prospects of Western civilization. Through insightful discussions, dynamic interactions, and thought-provoking quotes, Dave Rubin and his esteemed guests provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the pivotal issues shaping today's political and cultural landscape. The episode serves as a compelling call to action for individuals to engage actively in preserving and advancing the values that underpin a free and prosperous society.