The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Ronny Chieng Reports On Trump's AI Attempt to Lure Black Voters | Yuval Noah Harari

Episode Date: March 6, 2024

Ronny Chieng explores the faux liberal policies of Kyrsten Sinema, who announced she's not seeking re-election, as well as the Trump team's push to court Black voters...with the help of A.I. Plus, Jos...h Johnson joins to discuss how Biden – and the Cookie Monster – are tackling shrinkflation on Sesame Street. Jordan Klepper heads to Raleigh for Super Tuesday to ask what Republicans will do if it once again comes down to Biden vs. Trump.And Historian and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari joins Ronny Chieng to discuss his new children’s book, what evolutionary history can teach us about human responses like fears and cravings, and his concerns about AI and religions eventually being created by alien, non-human, intelligence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure does suck. We made a podcast about that. We sure did. There is a supermajority of conservative maniacs on the Supreme Court right now, really doing some damage. I'm Michael. I'm Riannan.
Starting point is 00:00:16 And I'm Peter. Our podcast, 5 to 4 is about all of this. Every week we dissect and analyze a different ruling that has thiaeeeeeeaaeaeaeaeae, thiiiiii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. to thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. We thi. We thi. We thi. th country a little worse, a little more cruel. And you would not believe how many of them there are. Check out 5 to 4. That's the number 5-4, wherever you listen to podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Center, it's America's only source for news. This is the Daily Show with your host Ronnie King. We're welcome to a Danny Shaw. I'm one J. We've got a great show for you tonight.
Starting point is 00:01:07 Donald Trump finally made some black friends. Joe Biden has his hand up Cookie Monster's ass. And Jordan has his hand up, Cookie Monster's ass. And Jordan Klepper talks to the last Nicket Haley fan. So let's get right into our ongoing coverage of Indecision 2024. Let's kick things off with the race to control the Senate, one of the tightest races in Arizona.
Starting point is 00:01:42 And although we don't know who's going to win, we already know who's going to lose. Breaking news from the nation's capital. Independent Senator Kirsten Cinema of Arizona announcing she will not run for re-election. Polling in the last months has showed her with support of just 15 to 25 percent losing to Gallego and Cary Lake. She met the ire of great many Democrats around the country refusing to pass bill of buster reform
Starting point is 00:02:09 that would have allowed for the protection of abortion around the country and to codify Roe v. Wade. In 2022, Cinema blocked a critical spending bill to protect a tax break for the ultra-wealthy. That's right, Senator Kirstenema is stepping down to spend more time with her family, Goldman Goldman Goldman Goldman Goldman Goldman Goldman Goldman more time with a family, Goldman and Sacks. And I love how she says she's not running for re-election in Arizona like it's her choice. Totally not because you're going to get your ass kicked.
Starting point is 00:02:35 That's like me saying, hey guys, I'm not going to be a cute being for the Patriots this year. Guess what? Nobody offered. It's also funny how people usually like independence in this very tribal political climate. You have to be a real shitty politician if you're independent and everybody hates you. Me personally, I actually like that Kristen Cinema taught everyone a very important lesson that you can't assume someone's beliefs based on how they dress. She came on the scene like, hey, everyone, look at my pink tutu. You know I'm liberal. And then she walks walks th you th you the th you the th you th you th you th you th you the th you th you th you th you th you th you thu thu thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thri- thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. You have thi. thi. You have thi. thi. thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi tri. tri. tri. tri. tribee. tri. trieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee., hey, everyone, look at my pink tutu.
Starting point is 00:03:05 You know, I'm liberal. And then she walks into the Senate like, private equity gets everything. Drill those orphans for oil. But let's move on to the presidential race. And the voters, the politicians, never forget every time they need to win an election. African Americans, aka black people. In 2020, Trump only got 12% of the black vote, but this year, polls show that he could double that number.
Starting point is 00:03:31 And now, there might be a way for him to win over black voters without actually having to meet any. There are growing concerns about the way artificial intelligence could be used to mislead voters ahead of this year's US election. It's emerged that some supporters of the former the former former former former p p p p p p p p p p. tra tra tra tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. tr. true true true true. true true true tr-in-in-in-in' tr-in' tr-in' tr-in' tr-in' tr-in' tr-in' t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. to, t. t. to, t. to, t. t. to, t. to, to-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-llli-a-llllllll. to-a-e. to-I. to-I. t. t. t. t. t. t. t used to mislead voters ahead of this year's US election. It's emerged that some supporters of the former President Donald Trump are creating and sharing fake images of him with black people to encourage African Americans to back him in November's election. At first glance, this photo looks real, only it's not. It was generated using AI using AI technology. The image was generated by Trump supporters
Starting point is 00:04:04 using AI to target black voters. But this picture has been viewed more than one million times. Wow, it took the most cutting eggs technology to get Trump to hang out with six black guys. This is outrageous. You're telling me I've been wasting my time building real friendships with black people, A, aka African Americans. When the whole time I could have just used AI and gotten the same the same the same the same to to to to to to the same to to to to the same to the same to the same to the same black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black black to to to to to their their to their th. th. th. th. their black black black black black black black black black black. their black black. their black. their their their their their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their.. their. the. the. the. the. the. the. th. th. th. th. t. t. t. t. t. tttttttttttttte. tte. tttte. tte. the. ttttt, aka African Americans, when the whole time I could have just used AI and gotten the same number of likes? But seriously, I can't believe these photos would actually swing some votes. I mean, if we're going to be this easily manipulated by AI, let's just let AI vote for us instead. I mean, at this point, we need to be smarter.
Starting point is 00:04:41 I mean, I'm not going to vote for Trump just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just to just to vote for just just just just to vote for th just to vote for to be smarter. I mean, I'm not going to vote for Trump just because I saw a picture of him with a bunch of Asian guys. Although, I mean, they do look like they're having fun. I mean, I wonder what they're talking about. Damn, maybe it does help a little. But still, I know people are worried about misinformation, but it's pretty easy to tell if a picture of Donald Trump is AI generated. Okay, here's the trick. If Donald Trump is in a picture and looks completely insane, then it's a real picture. Like look at this picture.
Starting point is 00:05:16 Trump hanging out with black guys. This is AI because it's too normal to be real. But now this photo of him with black people. This is weird. That's how you know it's real. Is that confusing? All right, okay, how about this one? Trump with black people having a good time at a party? This is a pretty normal human activity. Therefore, this is AI. But Kanye in the over office, shoving his phone into Trump's face? I mean, what the fuck is even happening here? This is too insane to be real, and that's how you know it's real. There's also other tells, like, you know, check the skin tone.
Starting point is 00:05:56 Does his face look like a normal human? Then it's probably AI. Does his face look like a dish sponge after a chili night? Then it's real. So that's the rule. Is he smiling in front of 3,000 hamburgers? Is he staring directly into a solar eclipse? Is he touching a glowing orb with Middle East dictators? Then it's real.
Starting point is 00:06:15 I hope that clarifies things. But while Donald Trump is trying to get the vote of black people. Joe Biden is trying to get the vote vote of to I mean, have you been to a grocery store lately and notice your bag of chips has had two fewer chips than it used to? Well, Joe Biden has noticed. Shrinkflation is just one of the pocketbook issues that could find its way into the State of the Union address on Thursday. Today the White House is announcing a new strike force tasked with cracking down on price gouging and everything from groceries to prescription drugs is on the list.
Starting point is 00:06:51 Shrinkflation is when companies make the size of their product smaller without cutting prices. The size of some Oreo cookies has decreased by 6% since 2019. And a family size of wheat thins has dropped 12 percent in weight. Even some Charmin toilet paper rolls now have 20 fewer sheets. Guys, okay, boo. Hey, listen, listen, this is such an American crisis, okay? Oh no, my Costco's sack of Oreos only has 15 pounds instead of 16. And now when I shit my pants, there's enough to toylap paper to clean my fat ass.
Starting point is 00:07:28 Yeah, you know, guys, you know what's not string flaying? It's celery, okay? Maybe you should try it sometime. By the way, if we're going to complain about toilet paper, let's talk about how every time I buy the toilet paper, it's it's it's it's it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's, it's, it's, and then, and then, and we're going to complain about to toilet paper, let's talk about how every time I buy the toilet paper, it's like, hey, there's eight rolls, but they're mega, so it's 10 rolls, but really it's actually eight rolls again. Just tell me, tell me how many fucking rolls there and stop making me do math at CABUS.
Starting point is 00:07:52 And look, look, the polls to protect democracy? Hell no. But if you promise to restore the number of sprinkles on their pop cards, record turnout. And luckily for Joe Biden, he's now getting help from an ally who speaks to young voters. And I mean, really young voters. This morning, the cookie monster has had enough. Chocolate chip cookie important to me, too. His beef with shrinkflation is getting attention on Capitol Hill, after he postededededededededededededededededededededededededededededededededededededededededed to to to to toed. toed. chip cookie important to me too. His beef with shrinkflation is getting attention on Capitol Hill after he posted, quote, me hate shrinkflation, me cookies are getting smaller. Okay, you know what? That's a real death of expertise in this country.
Starting point is 00:08:42 So I can appreciate when we can hear from someone who knows what he's talking about. For more on Cookie Monster speaking out, we go live to Sesame Street to our newest member of the Daily Show News team, Josh Johnson everybody. Josh, Josh, what do you think about Cookie Monster's battle and stringflation? What do I think? I think Cookie Monster is being a little blue bitch. Why does he care about the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the price the cookie the coo cookie the cookie the cookie monster tho cookie monster's tho cookie monster's tho cookie monster's tho ccocococke. tho c. tho c. tho c. tho. tho. tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi their their thi. thi. I thi. Hea. He's to to thi. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. He's to thi. Hea. Hea. He's thi. He What do I think? I think Cookie Monster is being a little blue bitch. All right? Why does he care about the price of cookies? Have you seen the way he eats them?
Starting point is 00:09:12 Half of them end up on the floor. If the cookies were smaller, maybe they managed to get into his mouth. Mea to their their mouth. Me no like inflation. Stop talking like that. You live on Sesame Street. How are you still doing remedial English? Okay. Josh, look, I love hating stuff too, but aren't you being a little too hard on Mr. Monster? He's trying to fight shrinkflation. Oh, you're telling me that Cookie Monster just brought up shrinkflation.
Starting point is 00:09:44 The same week as Biden on his own. The only words I've ever heard Cookie Monster say are me and Cookie. Who taught him shrinkflation? Like, I don't want to start any rumors, but I'm starting to think Cookie Monster is just a puppet. Okay, look, that's crazy talk, Joss. Start with the conspiracy theories. Whether he is or not, shrinkflation is real.
Starting point is 00:10:18 It's not just cookies, it's chips, soda, toilet paper. Explain to me why Cookie Monster cares about toilet paper. Explain to me why Cookie Monster cares about toilet paper. He doesn't have a digestive system. He's never taken a shit in his life. He doesn't know the pain of sitting on toil with a stomach full of lamb curry, running out of paper, and having a sidestep your way out of the pants doing the pants around the ankle waddle like you robbing your own house?
Starting point is 00:10:47 Only for your girlfriend to walk in, see you, then immediately walk out. Do you have to deal with that, Mr. Cookie Monster? Because me did. Me very much did. Yeah, but why didn't you just take off your pants completely? You know what? I think it's great that Cookie Monster is bringing attention to an actual problem here, okay? It's not even the biggest problem on Sesame Street. Oscar is still homeless.
Starting point is 00:11:12 Trump's about to deport Rosita and snuff a buck of, Snuff a Buck of, he in a gang. I'm not going to lie right, it's pretty messed up that you sent me here, all right? I saw Elmo selling tickles for $5 outside Big Bird Nest. No one here is doing well. All right, all right, Judge, let's get you out of it. Hey, hey, hold up, hold up. Do you have $5? No, no, no, Josh Johnson everybody. We'll come back.
Starting point is 00:11:53 You about Noah Harare will be joining me, so don't go around. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure does suck. We made a podcast about that. We sure did. There is a supermajority of conservative maniacs on the Supreme Court right now, really doing some damage. I'm Michael. I'm Riannan. And I'm Peter. Our podcast, 5-4 is about all of this. Every week we dissect and analyze a different ruling that has made our country a little worse, a little more cruel. And you would not believe how many of them there are. Check out 5 to 4. That's the number 5-4, the number 4, wherever you listen to a daily show. Today's Super Tuesday.
Starting point is 00:12:48 Hooray! I guess. This super Tuesday, we all know what's going to happen. Welcome to a daily show. Today's a super Tuesday. Hooray. I guess. This super Tuesday,
Starting point is 00:13:00 We all know what's going to to win. I'm going to eat a tub of ice cream and hate myself afterwards. Just a normal Tuesday. The only question is, who will Nikki Haley's supporters vote for after she drops out? Jordan Clepper went to find out in another installment of Fingers the Pulse. The general election candidates seem all but settled. But Nikki Haley has run a strong campaign, so what will her supporters do if she drops out? I went to North Carolina to one of her Super Tuesday rallies held in a quaint train station to find out.
Starting point is 00:13:37 I was a Trump voter in 2016, not 2020. And so I'm just, I'm ready to stop him. I'd like to make him sweat. How do you make Donald Trump sweat? I think probably a walk down the stairs will do it. Yeah, I have no idea. If Nicky Haley drops out after Super Tuesday. It's not going to.
Starting point is 00:13:55 She's not going to. to you're defiant. She's not going to. to accept any election results. Oh and that's right. Of course they'd love to keep going. Oddly enough, they seemed as anti-maga as the tiny crowds at a Biden rally. Mr. Trump would sell his own grandmother if he could for a profit. First off I don't think he can win, period I honestly don't. And if he does, he does, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, guess, the country, the country, the country, the country, the country, the country, the country, the country, the country, thi thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. thi. thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. thiiiiiiii. thi's thi. thi's th He's chaos. He's going to be working on his court cases for the whole time. After January 6 and all that I'm like there's no way I could ever vote for him again. You still think insurrection?
Starting point is 00:14:32 Oh yeah. And just to be clear, insurrection bad? Yes. Okay. This is good to know. I'm trying to feel out the electorate here. That's good. Here was a group of of of don't like Trump, a not insignificant number of voters who could be decisive in the general election. It was finally time to ask the difficult question. If Haley doesn't go past Super Tuesday, who do you plan on voting if it's Trump versus Biden? First, I'm gonna have a cry, then I'm gonna have a beer and then I'm gonna have to pray. And if Mickey Haley the race thia thia thia thia thia thian thian thian thian thian thian thian thian thian thian thi is thi is thi is thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask to ask. to ask. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. the the the to the to to to to to to to to to to to to race? Oh, that's so sad. I voted for Trump twice.
Starting point is 00:15:06 I will not. I can't say I won't vote for it. Oh my God, don't put me in that position where I have to have to pick between him or Biden. If it's not Haley in the general election? It's really tough. The end of the day, if I'm forced to, you know, I just, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to to to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, you know, I just, it's gonna be really hard. I mean, it's just hold my nose, close my eyes, and time me up, you know. But you're still not sure if you had to vote Biden, Trump, you're still, like, you know, would you rather have rat poison or what was the other thing that the people did in Arizona, the fish, the fish tank cleaner?
Starting point is 00:15:41 Yeah, they're horrible. Let's the thiiiiiiii Let's say Nikki Haley doesn't get past Super Tuesday. Right. And it's Biden and it's Trump. Where's your head at? I just think both of them are too old. You know, we shouldn't be voting for octogenarians at this point. You know, um, gosh, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:15:56 Let me try some more. Give you some more about it. Pizza burgers. I'll go pizza. Great. Alien Predator. Alian. Barbie Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer. Trump, Biden. Mmm. I must say Biden. Wow, some are ready to turn to page on MAGA, while others are still working through some things.
Starting point is 00:16:21 Do you feel Donald Trump poses an existential threat to American democracy? I really do. You do? I do. So you're like Donald Trump, I'm done with him? No, done. Yeah. Completely done, Donald Trump? Completely done. Hypothetically, if it is Biden versus Trump, who do you support? It's really going to be a toss-up for me because I am,'ll be Trump but I you know I'd rather just almost not vote but I will I mean and it'll be Trump I think so that guy you just said you were done with I well struggling just trying to be nice why can't you be done with Donald Trump he's it's just mmm and the sex cases and all the I mean come on just the fact that you have all the criminal stuff stof thi it's thi it's the thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to be to be thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to to thi to to to ty to to to to to to the to to to the to the the the the thi the thi thi thi the sex cases and all the, I mean, come on, just the fact that you have all the criminal stuff.
Starting point is 00:17:09 It's insane. It is insane. No one should support him for president. No, but yeah. But if it's him versus Biden, you will support him for president. I think so, yeah. The process of soul searching can be agonizing for these never, well maybe just for a third time, Trumpers. But maybe the pain is a sign of growth. Do you think Trump poses an existential threat
Starting point is 00:17:34 to the American way of life? I think Trump will sell Ukraine to Putin. It's a threat to global security and it's, to me, it's a big issue. If we get to the place where it's just Trump versus Biden, who do you support? Well I don't want to vote for either one of those characters. Right. I mean one person you just described as a existential threat to global security. Yeah, but even with that voting for an old man is too much? That's for voting for nothing. Yeah I mean like global security risk or nothing. I'm not ththose are great options, but I'm also saying that's not a
Starting point is 00:18:09 hard decision. That's a hard decision to me. It is? You could feel nothing. Okay. It'd be nice to feel something inside. Or you could feel getting punched in the nuts. If you had to choose feeling nothing or punched in the nuts, it feels like a no-brainer. Hey, so... At least if you get punched in the nuts, you can fight back. You're still there. Trump, 2024, it's like a punch in the nuts. At least you'll feel something. Yeah. Thank you, Jordan. When we come back, you about Noah Harari, we'll be joining me on
Starting point is 00:18:47 the show, so don't go away. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure does suck? We made a podcast about that. We sure did. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself? the Supreme Court sure does suck. We made a podcast about that. We sure did. There is a supermajority of conservative maniacs on
Starting point is 00:19:10 the Supreme Court right now, really doing some damage. I'm Michael. I'm Riannan. And I'm Peter. Our podcast, 5-4 is about all of this. Every week we dissect and analyze a different ruling that has made our country a little worse, a little more cruel. And you would not believe how many the to 4 to 4 to 4 to 4 to 4 to 4 to to to to to to the to to to the to the to to the to the the to the to the to the the the the to the the to to the to to to to th. th. to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. Wea. Wea. Wea. Wea. Wea. Wea. We, th. We, th. We, th. We, th. We, th. We, th. th. th. the, the, the. the. thoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooes, th. We cruel. And you would not believe how many of them there are. Check out 5 to 4. That's the number 5-4, wherever you listen to podcast. Welcome back to a daily show. My guest tonight is a historian, philosopher, and best-selling author of Sapiens. His latest children's book is called Unstoppable Us, Volume 2, Why The World Isn't Fair.
Starting point is 00:19:53 Please welcome Yuval Noah Harari. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right, Yuba. Thanks for joining me. I've been watching your stuff for the last like over 10 years, since before I came to America.
Starting point is 00:20:15 I love it. You kind of specialized in dealing with the history of humanity and the rise and falls of civilization. What made you think that was an appropriate topic for children? This is some pretty heavy stuff, man. Yes, but you know you need to understand history to know even the most basic things about yourself. Like when I was a kid I often woke up in the middle of the night, afraid as a monster, under the bed, which happens to a lot of children.
Starting point is 00:20:47 Yes. And you call your mom, but you also want to know why is it happening? Right. And history actually holds the answer. What is the answer? Because this is really a memory from hundreds of thousands of years. When humans lived in the savanna, and they're actually monsters, cheetahs, lions, that came to eat kids in the moment. Okay, you see, so is that something you want kids to know?
Starting point is 00:21:10 Yes. That these monsters were once real and they killed kids in that sleeve. It's important to know that, because you then understand your own emotions and feelings better. You know, you understand that I'm not crazy to be a tha things. Or for instance, you know, lots of kids like adults, they wonder, why do I like to eat so much stuff that isn't good for me? Is something wrong with my body? And again, history holds the answer. What is the answer?
Starting point is 00:21:39 Because all those hundreds of thousands of years ago, it actually made sense. If you walk along the savanna and you find something sweet, like sweet fruits, it makes sense to eat as much of it as quickly as possible, because if you eat just one or two fruits and go away, by the time you come back, the baboons ate everything. So it makes sense under those conditions. Now, today it doesn't make sense when you open the refrigerator and find a chocolate cake to eat all of it. But your body doesn't
Starting point is 00:22:09 know. Your body basically follows the program of evolution from all those years ago. Yeah it's programmed so if you can't do anything to stop it and you can stop it but understanding yourself better is an important step to having greater control of your life. Those are good examples, but I'm going to quote your book here. Yes. Please. Let's get to the chapter in this children's book, their today, their d'oeile days.
Starting point is 00:22:39 Where I quote, someone who got diarrhea couldn't keep down any food or water and sometimes they died from it. Is this something you really want kids to know? Yes, because it actually explains where most of the epidemics and infectious diseases came from. Hunter gatherers suffered from no epidemics. They lived in very small bands. If somebody had a area, then immediately all the band moved to another place.
Starting point is 00:23:10 And in any case, only like a few people could get it. But once people switched to agriculture, and we had the big agriculture revolution, then you have thousands of people stuck permanently in the town. The first humans, air lulled berries permanently in the town. The first humans a lot of berries and shed their pants and moved on and yeah. Yes. How do you tell that to kids though like what's your approach to telling you know how do you even everything you just told me yeah as an adult I'm fascinated by but when you tell a kid are they you know they're like okay give me the lesson you're try to to to to to to to to the the the the the they they they they they they they. they. their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm te. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. tell. tell. tell. tell. their. their. I'm how do they absorb the lesson you're trying to tell them? I hope that it's written in such a way that even somebody who is eight
Starting point is 00:23:50 or nine is fully capable of understanding it. It's actually more difficult to write for kids than for adults. I agree. Because with adults, if you don't know something, you just use these complicated words and long sentences and they think they don't understand you because they don't understand yeah With kids you have to speak very simply. Yeah like sometimes we died from diarrhea Yeah See so this is what I think this is what I think I think you wrote you've written sapiens before which is a great book for adults and I think that there's too many dumb people? Thu people who couldn't understand what you're saying so you wrote this Not for kids you wrote this for dumb adults. That's really what this is this is a book
Starting point is 00:24:33 You took it that you put some pictures in it See there's an illustration of someone dying from diarrhea? This isn't from here, this is for dumb adults, right? That's one explanation. Right. And you want, and like, you know, I feel like a lot of what you're telling us is the message of what history is trying to tell us now. I feel like that's what you're trying to decode right now, a lot of it. And I guess what is the message is the message, that history, that history, that's that's message, that's message, the message, that's message, that's message, that's message, the message, that's that's that's the message, that's, the message, that's, the message, that's, the message, that's, that's, that's, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message, the message is the message is that's the message, that's message message message message message, that history message message message message message message message, that history, that history, that history, that history, that history, that history, that history, that history, that history, that history, that's that history, what is that's that's that history, what is that's that's the message, what is the message, what is trying to tell us now? Many messages. I mean one thing is to beware
Starting point is 00:25:05 of unintended consequences of what we do. Like again the agricultural revolution people thought it was a good idea it brought about epidemics. So same lesson for the big revolutions of right now like AI. The more important message is that the world in which we live have been created by humans, and therefore humans can change it. If something is unfair, it's not the laws of nature that created our economy, our nations, our religions. They're all created by human beings. Right.
Starting point is 00:25:37 And Yeah, you see, that's, that sounds hopeful, but you think about you're like, oh no, humans did all this, what hope do we have? No, I know, but what hope do we have of changing things? I mean, how much of, I guess what I'm saying is how much of this is inevitable, you know? Like when you study history, you go... History is never deterministic. I mean, like, you think about technology. Every technology can be used to create very different societies. You think about, I don't know, North Korea and South Korea.
Starting point is 00:26:12 Exactly the same technology. But they used electricity in a slightly different way. One place, they produce Kpop. And just up north, big hats and missiles. OK. Am I supposed to just take that? big hats and missiles. So... Okay, uh, am I supposed to just take that or am I supposed to... Okay, fine, well...
Starting point is 00:26:32 On the most serious level, again, people have a lot of fears about technology, what it will do to our politics. But again, you think about South Korea and North Korea, so same people, same history, same technology, and you have a liberal democracy on one side and a totalitarian regime on the other. So it's not a technology that is shaping our politics or our regimes. It is what we decide to do with the technology. Sure. Well, you say that, you say that we are in charge of a technology in a way. But, you know, the kind of one of the thesis statements of your book is that we're all going to get replaced by technological beings.
Starting point is 00:27:08 If we make the wrong decisions, I mean, again, it's not inevitable. AI, like electricity, like, you know, the earliest, I don't know, writing, when people invented writing. So you can do many things with the technology of writing. You can write poetry, you can write taxes. You can write like a... You can. But again, it's a choice of people. Actually, interestingly enough, the first person that we know his name, he was
Starting point is 00:27:42 not a conqueror, he was not a big prophet or king, he was a geek, he was an accountant. Like we have these clay tablets from ancient Mesopotamia with accounts of payments and receipts and salaries and stuff like that signed by these ancient geeks and they are the first people. Okay, so I... You keep calling these people geeks and I'm like, do you like them or you don't like them?
Starting point is 00:28:10 I don't know, are they good or are they bad? They're good. I mean, Jesus said, the geek would inherit the earth, no? All right? So, back on that topic, so you keep saying, you know, stories are the superpower of humans in a way, right? Everything we kind of do, if you think about it, from culture to politics, even money. Yeah, money is the greatest story ever told.
Starting point is 00:28:36 It's the only story everybody believes. Sure. And, you know, it's, when you look at it, it has no value in itself. The value comes only from the stories we tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tel tel to to to to toe, toe, value comes only from the stories we tell about it. As every cryptocurrency guru or Bitcoin enthusiast, no, it's all about the stories. There is nothing else. It's just a story.
Starting point is 00:28:54 OK, so is it real? Is it telling me to invest in Bitcoin right now? So is there a good thing or bad thing? It's kind of a cyclical thing. If enough people believe in it, then you can go to the supermarket and buy whatever you want. If people lose faith in the story, then it's worth nothing. And that's true of the Bitcoin, it's true of the dollar,
Starting point is 00:29:18 and of every other currency that people ever invented. OK, you see, when you talk about these things, you're always very objective. You always be like, hey man, I'm just telling you how it is. I'm not, what do you think? Do you think, you know, what makes you go, f'k, this, you know, because when you talk about history, you always like, you know, humans came out and then some of the a berries and, you know, you maintain this kind of, you're, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I, I, I, I, I'm, I, I, I, I, I, I, do, do, I, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, what, what, what, what, I'm just, what, what, what, I'm just, what, what, do, what, do do you go fuck this shit? This is awful. What makes you go Because you seem to be okay of everything. You're like, yeah, she's come up. It's a tool. We don't know You go like, f-c. AI. This is bad. Like what what makes you go now? The question about every story whether about money AI whatever is whether it increases or decreases the suffering in the world. Yeah, you see this is a non-answer. Just tell me what you hate. Tell me what you hate. What I hate? Yeah. Oh. Okay, so, okay, can we tell this right now? So you think that, um, you're openly atheists? Yes. Yes. So, can you clarify right now that God is just made up? Yes. Please sit in their camera, please? Okay, God. Can you say into the camera, please? th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. tho. tho. tho. th. th. th. thate. thateateateateat all this. this. this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this th all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all tho. tho? So tho? So thooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo? tell. So. So. So tell. So thooo. So this. So this. So this. So this. So this. Okay, great. That we settled it. That's great. This guy, we solved it.
Starting point is 00:30:27 We solved it. Again, it should be emphasized just because human created it doesn't mean it's bad. It can also do good things for us. Stop, stop paging this. Just let it ride. Just go with sucks. See, this is my problem. I think we need more people with kind of objectivity, calmly discussing things. I don't think that's, you know, is anything in what you've seen with humanity telling you that we can, you know,
Starting point is 00:30:55 pull ourselves out of, you know, all these downslides in history. Absolutely. I mean, humans have, I mean, all the problems we face, we also have the resources to deal with them. Whether it's climate change, whether it's the rise of AI, we have the resources. What we usually lack is the motivation and the ability to cooperate with another. But I mean, you know, some people think that to solve the big problems,
Starting point is 00:31:19 you always need to use violence, like you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. But when you look at history, it's absolutely not true. You think, for instance, about the feminist revolution, after thousands of years of a huge injustice, feminism made a huge change in the social structure of humanity, without starting any wars, without assassinating anybody, no guillotins in city square. So that's one of the hopeful examples of how people can, just by changing the story, also change the world.
Starting point is 00:31:57 I mean, the idea that stories... I think you're converting people to your religion. The idea is that the story is kind of fuel history. There is a positive promise there that, you know, if it's all about power, the only way to change power structures is with violence. But if it's really at least in part about the stories people believe, then potentially by talking with people and changing the stories in which they believe, you can change the world. Okay, that's very optimistic, right? I'm not hopeful. So, I mean, one last question.
Starting point is 00:32:39 One thing I really enjoy by your work is that you like to tie kind of current modern behavior to like our evolutionary beginnings. For example, you know, like you said, we ran, we wake up in the middle of the night when we were kids because we ran from actual monsters when we were children. So I just like to know why is it that whenever I pee I shiver? Like what was the evolutionary reason? Maybe you should ask a doctor? No, no, no, I'm asking you Mr. Expert. I, I, I, I, I, I'm not, I, I, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not. I, I, I doctor I'm not sure. No, no, no, I'm asking you Mr. Expert. I'm not an expert on everything. Okay. All right, the last thing I found very interesting is you said that like right now we have humans composing things and AI amplifying it. That's our current situation. You say in the future we're going to have AI composing things and amplify the images you saw before of AI generating fake images, this is basically a kind of art.
Starting point is 00:33:30 So it's still the first steps, but AI is still a baby. It's like, you know, 10 years since the start of the major AI revolution. So we haven't seen anything yet. And it is very likely that in a couple of years or decades, much of art, many of the stories we believe, even in religion, will be increasingly created by this alien intelligence and not by human intelligence. Okay, see that's that's bad. That's a bad thing. Well, you just said that's not good. Okay, so so are you gonna say f. Can you at least say that's bad are you gonna yeah that's bad okay good I finally got him to say something bad okay I don't know I guess I'm equal parts hopeful and pessimistic
Starting point is 00:34:17 about the future I'm sorry that's a good stance oh yeah yeah to be balanced stance yeah yeah to be to be balanced stance yeah thank you so much for speaking to me yeah It's a stance. Oh, yeah. To be balanced, it's the stance, yeah. All right. Thank you so much for speaking to me. Unstoppable as, volume 2 is available now. You vow Noah Harare, everybody. We're going to take a quick break. And we'll be back after this. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure
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