I think the end of this post misses the point of Ezra Klein's interviews. You can listen to him podcast about podcasting, and he explains very clearly what his goals are when he talks to someone. He's an interviewer, not a debater. His goal is to guide the person he's talking to critical places that explain their own world view, not to win an argument with them or get them to admit that they're making up a silly anecdote like they don't know their address, because thats counter productive the the goal of helping his audience understand their viewpoint. I listened to this, I marked what a ridiculous metaphor that was, and how inapplicable it is the to topic of learning math, and didn't need Ezra to call it out.
That's not an interview, that's at best stenography and at worse sycophancy.
If, for example, an interviewee said in all seriousness "I want to shoot all dogs and make the poor eat their babies" would you expect the interviewer to go go "Hmmm very interesting. Why do you think that?"
No.
It is vital that interviewers challenge the subject. Especially when they say something profoundly ludicrous or disturbing. Otherwise they might has well just be in PR.
No it’s not. There’s a trade off to make between letting someone explain themselves and challenging them. The audience has their own braincells and can make their own decisions on what they are hearing.
Actually yes if a interviewee said something like that I’d like to know why they’re saying that because it doesn’t make sense to me!
If a leading politician says something deranged like "all crime is caused by gay people" - should the newspaper simply report that verbatim? Or should they say "the President lied today, and here are the facts that shows he is wrong"?
Sometimes it helps for institutions to point out the the emperor has no clothes. The social reinforcement of norms is hugely influential.
OK. If you interview the President and he repeatedly lies - is it OK to just publish that interview? Or should you push back on those lies? Do you owe it to your audience to let them know the king is mad?
The risk, of course, is that you don't get invited back. That's "The Test" in the post.
wtobey1 · · focus · HN ↗
edent · · focus · HN ↗
If, for example, an interviewee said in all seriousness "I want to shoot all dogs and make the poor eat their babies" would you expect the interviewer to go go "Hmmm very interesting. Why do you think that?"
No.
It is vital that interviewers challenge the subject. Especially when they say something profoundly ludicrous or disturbing. Otherwise they might has well just be in PR.
wtobey1 · · focus · HN ↗
Actually yes if a interviewee said something like that I’d like to know why they’re saying that because it doesn’t make sense to me!
edent · · focus · HN ↗
Sometimes it helps for institutions to point out the the emperor has no clothes. The social reinforcement of norms is hugely influential.
wtobey1 · · focus · HN ↗
edent · · focus · HN ↗
The risk, of course, is that you don't get invited back. That's "The Test" in the post.