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16 August 2026

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Michael Brendan Dougherty (The Slurve, National Review, ISIMy Father Left Me Ireland) and Freddie deBoer (The ANOVA, Brooklyn College)

On The Score, Freddie wonders why geeks are so aggrieved when geek culture, as embodied by Game of Thrones, is ascendant. Michael notes that an obsession with being the victim is a key aspect of the culture war, and they discuss why “you’re doing it wrong” has become a prime trope of online conversation. They consider the forced resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich, and the left’s effort to thoroughly stigmatize opposition to same-sex marriage. Freddie makes the case for legalizing polygamy, and explains why he’s an apathetic atheist. Has atheism become pathological? Plus: What would happen if everyone’s Gmail archive suddenly became public?

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Recorded:Apr 15    Posted:Apr 15, 2014
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The Score | Apr 15, 2014 | Michael Brendan Dougherty & Freddie deBoer

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Is (Human) Writing Doomed?

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Robert Wright and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss whether AI is killing the art of writing—and the thinking that goes with it. Overtime: Paul on Jonathan Haidt, Bob’s brush with Hollywood, and the word(s) you can’t say.

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Trump’s Unending War

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Curt Mills and Andrew Day of The American Conservative join Robert Wright to discuss the state of the Iran war—how negotiations have been unfolding (and unraveling), what the war is doing to the MAGA coalition, and how the war could reshape the Middle East.

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Ukraine, Iran, and America’s Arms Overreach

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Robert Wright and Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, discuss links between the two wars—including how the Iran conflict has left Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian strikes—and what all this means for the future of American power.

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Fasten Your Bot-belts

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Samuel Hammond of the Foundation for American Innovation joins Robert Wright to discuss the “Pacing the Frontier” letter in the context of the OpenAI “rogue” model escape and other signs of AI acceleration. Overtime: Sam and Bob debate the functionalist case for AI consciousness.

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The intensifying slow-AI-down vibe

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Robert Wright and Holly Elmore, executive director of PauseAI US, discuss the recent letter signed by AI elites urging the US government to prepare the ground for a possible international slowdown of AI. What the letter actually calls for, what it doesn’t, and whether it marks a real shift.

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Are the Ukraine and the Iran Wars Merging?

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Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss whether Ukraine’s strike on an Iranian ship may lead to WW3 and whether Ukraine’s drone incursions into Russia have really turned the tide.

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The Ideology Behind AI

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Robert Wright and Connor Leahy, US executive director of ControlAI, discuss the history of AI culture and the influences that shaped it—from the hippies, to the rationalists, to Marx, to sci-fi stories, and more. Plus: Mythos as “digital nuke,” Dario’s real motivations, and Connor’s case against any and all attempts at building superintelligence.

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Trump’s Self-Inflicted Iran Quagmire

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Robert Wright and journalist Zaid Jilani discuss the latest on the Iran war and how the US, Israel, and Iran have played—and misplayed—their hands in the conflict. Plus: In Overtime, Zaid gives the inside view of the scandal that pushed him out of the Center for American Progress.

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Iran, Israel, and the Future of US Power

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Robert Wright and American Prestige hosts Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner discuss the state of the Iran war and its fallout for America and the world. Plus: the push to intertwine the US and Israeli militaries, the problem with blaming Bibi, Israel’s endgame for the Palestinians, and more.

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Are Russia and NATO Headed for War?

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As the NATO summit kicks off, Robert Wright and journalist Leonid Ragozin discuss signs that the Ukraine war could spill into a direct conflict between Russia and members of NATO. Plus: The logic behind Putin’s brinkmanship, why some European leaders may not want the Ukraine war to end, how the 90s set the stage for today’s conflicts, and more.