Modern WisdomDAVE RUBIN | Going From Woke To Awake | Modern Wisdom Podcast 164
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Dave Rubin Explains Leaving the Left, Liberalism, and Fake News
- Dave Rubin joins Chris Williamson to discuss his political evolution from progressive to classical liberal, using moments like Ben Affleck’s clash with Sam Harris and Larry Elder’s on-air fact-check as key inflection points.
- He outlines the differences between classical liberalism, libertarianism, conservatism, and progressivism, arguing for individual rights, limited government, and the virtue of nationalism and borders.
- Rubin describes how media, cultural 'factory settings,' and ideological echo chambers shape perceptions (e.g., ‘Democrat good, Republican bad’) and explains why many moderates feel trapped on the left.
- They also explore fake news (including stories media refuse to cover), the convergence of traditional and online media, and how crises like COVID-19 temporarily suppress identity politics and force value realignments.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasSeparate criticism of ideas from bigotry toward people.
Rubin argues that a healthy society must allow robust criticism of ideologies (religious, political, cultural) without equating that criticism with hatred of individuals who hold those ideas; collapsing the two, as in the Affleck–Harris exchange, shuts down debate.
Recognize and override your ‘factory settings.’
Messages like ‘Democrat good, Republican bad’ are presented as defaults through media, education, and culture; Rubin says it’s each person’s responsibility to consciously adjust their ‘settings’—their beliefs and assumptions—based on reason, not conditioning.
Understand the core of classical liberalism: individual rights and limited government.
Rubin defines classical liberalism as equal rights under the law plus largely free markets and a light-touch state, contrasting it with progressivism’s preference for expansive government control and top-down solutions.
Expect social penalties when breaking with ideological tribes—and speak anyway.
He stresses that leaving the left (or any tight-knit ideological group) can invite slurs, professional risk, and media hit pieces, but argues that in a free society refusing to voice your real views ultimately surrenders your agency.
Spot fake news not only by what’s said, but by what’s ignored.
Beyond misleading headlines or distorted quotes, Rubin highlights ‘fake news by omission’—major outlets simply refusing to cover stories (e.g., Bret Weinstein at Evergreen) that contradict their preferred narrative.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesActing as if you’re morally outraged has replaced thinking.
— Dave Rubin
This is just factory setting thinking… Democrat good, Republican bad.
— Dave Rubin
If you are a free person living in a free society and you refuse to stand up for what you believe in, you deserve whatever’s coming to you.
— Dave Rubin
One type of fake news is the stories that they won’t cover because it doesn’t fit their narrative.
— Dave Rubin
In an absence of a real crisis, we create our own, and in the presence of one, we reset our values.
— Chris Williamson
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