When I was chilling in Poland a while back, I was interviewed by two members of the Polish Rationalist Society (PSR). Kaja Bryx, who helped organized my “lecture tour” a year ago, did the interviewing, while the filming was done by her partner Jacek Tabisz, the president of the PSR. It’s an 18.5-minute interview, and in it I talk about some of the stuff that’s going to appear in the Albatross. Notice too the beautiful Hili shirt I’m wearing. Also, I made a funneh in response to the first question.
The interview took place on a lovely morning in Andrzej’s and Malgorzata’s front garden. Kaja introduces it in Polish (I’m called “Jerrego”), and the rest is in English. There will eventually be Polish subtitles.
A year is too long! Wonderful interview.
Does Cyrus get a cameo in the background early on?
But good interview. Kaja had great questions — and, unlike far too many interviewers, was happy to let you talk. Interviews should be about the person being interviewed, not the person doing the interviewing.
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Oh how true, so many interviewers refuse to shut the fuck up, it drives me crazy.
The best interviews are when the interviewer is neither seen nor heard, making it all about the person being interviewed (the questions can be easily inferred from the answers).
I should hasten to add that I didn’t mind seeing and hearing the interviewer in this case.
And, Jerry, you should have held the microphone – your interviewer was struggling with it towards the end.
Well, I’m not sure; I like to see who is asking the questions. I much prefer the way it went rather than just having me be a talking head with a cat shirt. Also, had I held the microphone, then you couldn’t have heard Kaja’s questions. Yes, I now realize that it was probably hard for her to hold it out for so long (she must have strong arms!), but I didn’t think of it at the time. We also could have had the interview indoors with a fixed microphone, but she and Jacek wanted an outdoor interview. And I think it was nicer being outdoors. So I apologize to Kaja if I inadvertently led to her struggling!
Yeah but think of the powerful workout Kaja got to have! Now she doesn’t have to exercise for the rest of the day! 🙂 This is also how I view drinking a lot. 😉
Excellent interview! Looking forward to your new book.
I’m glad you laughed at your joke, drowning out the crickets! I’ve heard that Henny Youngman is big in Poland.
(Kink sez, “Don’t quit your day job, Jer!”)
I heard doves around 6 minutes in.
Tell Kink to stuff it. It was funny and I cracked myself up!
“I crack me up!”
How Alf-like.
Excellent, excellent interview. I can’t wait to read the book. I’ll be tweeting this interview three times using some choice quotes instead of the default header.
Great interview & Kaja must have amazing endurance to hold the mic for the whole 18 mins like that!
You noticed that as well.
it’s already attracted a william lane craig troll on youtube who laments that jerry and other atheists really don’t understand what faith and religion are when they attack it.
Nice interview. It looked like a perfect day.
I very much look forward to reading the book. We need more of this kind of thing. I was out taking a leisurely stroll today and was accosted by one of the faithful in full sandwich board regalia handing out pamphlets – The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand! I truly wish they would just shut up. I live in Ohio so it is the same old same old. Neuroscientists and sociologists need to focus on cultural/religious imprinting. I suspect that may be humanity’s only hope of true salvation.
Personally, I think “The Albatross” would make a fine title. Perhaps with a subtitle like “Religion Hanging around the Neck of Humanity”.
Finally, a much needed shot of rationality to the “debate” on compatibly of science and religion.
It is one thing when people who lack the scientific education make the ridiculous claim of compatibility of science and religion (they simply don’t know better), and another thing entirely when scientists like Francis Collins do the same. While I was watching his talk “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence of Belief” on YouTube the other day, I couldn’t stop scratching my head that he somehow convinced himself of the validity of his unevidenced beliefs.
I can’t wait for Jerry’s new book to come out. It’s high time a scientist set the record straight!
And yes, it was a nice interview!
I immensely enjoyed the interview, PCC. Looking forward to your book!
I read the book The Language of God by Francis Collins. He saw a three stream waterfall and it made him think of the Trinity. And he saved a guys life, and the guy told him that God sent him to Africa to save him. Emotional, sure. Evidence, no. The rest of the book was negligible.
Kink is curled up on my lap cat-snoring and I watched the entire interview. Nicely done. Put me down for a copy of the Albatross, first edition, autographed.
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Excellent interview!
The Hili shirt looks great!