When did everyone become an expert on everything?
This is the Rubesletter from Matt Ruby. I’m a comedian, writer, and the creator of Vooza. This is a paywalled newsletter. If you’re on the free plan, you’ll still get to read plenty of good stuff, but if you’re a paid subscriber you’ll get exclusive content sent only to those who support financially. Sign up here. Thanks! When did everyone become an expert on everything?Never before have so many fools uttered compete nonsense with such conviction.The inflation of unearned confidence over the past decade is incredible. Never before have so many fools uttered compete nonsense with such conviction. Podcasters, pundits, and even presidential candidates with famous last names are all out here acting like they're experts on, well, what do ya got? “I am an expert in everything.” It takes some kinda ego to ooze “trust me” vibes about every topic in the news. Oh, I get it: You’re one of those economics-science-NATO-gender-crypto-politics-epidemiology-climate authorities. Silly me, I thought you had to, y’know, study those things in-depth to have an informed opinion. Not anymore! Now, books are merely a tool the elites use to red pill the sheeple or whatever. Note: I tune out whenever anyone uses the phrase “red pill.” If your philosophical views originate in The Matrix, I’m okay passing on the rest of your “wisdom.” That’s like learning about religion by watching The Blues Brothers. A strong opinion on everything reveals a mindset that's all width, no depth. Lately, I’m most impressed by folks who say things like “I don’t know” and “that’s outside my area of expertise.” True wisdom includes admitting one’s ignorance. As Josh Spector writes, “Revealing you don’t have the answer to a question doesn’t reflect poorly on yourself or your idea — it shows people you’re honest and trustworthy.” If you think you’ve got no blind spots, you’re probably blind. Piled upon Pandemic broke us in so many ways. For one thing, it ennobled those who heckle scientists on podcasts sponsored by brain pills and energy enhancement supplements (i.e. 🐍🛢). These guys may not believe in clinical trials, yet they have no qualms hawking crap that “stimulates,” “boosts,” and “optimizes.” Viva anecdotal evidence! "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” These red pill types love a good pile-on too. Last week, Sam Harris was the guy (back) in their social media crossfire because, far as I can tell, he doesn’t believe Fauci is the new Mengele, thinks undermining an election is a somethingburger, and won’t play their tribalist reindeer games. I tend to find Harris reasonable because he gives it to both sides, has a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience, and has written voluminously in ways that show how his brain works. Those that I saw criticizing him? I’ve never read anything by any of them because, well, they don’t write. They just “influence.” In addition to writing, Harris also meditates and has abandoned social media. So of course a bunch of people who talk but don't write, live inside a dome of monetized fury, and live extremely online lives (a form of mental illness if you ask me) are gonna hate on him. He stands for everything they oppose. Well, actually, he sits silently for it. Harris did make one big error though: Never go on a podcast where the host sits in one of these dorky gamer chairs: Any dude who owns a chair like that clearly does not have a woman in his life to say, “Oh, honey. Don’t.” Conspiracy thinking It’s so weird that conspiracy thinking has become the lingua franca of the internet. We used to mock “tin foil hat” thinking as a sign of kookdom. But at some point, the flat earthers took over the cockpit. Now, being a loon is the ideal way to monetize naiveté. As a result, everything becomes the fault of some mysterious cabal. That’s how you get guys who supposedly hate pronouns blaming everything on “them.” Who are they though? We’ll tell you right after this message from H.V.M.N. Ketone-IQ™ Shots. Follow the red string long enough and it always seems to end up at George Soros, the Mossad, the Rothschilds, or something else Jewish. L’chaim! Joe Biden is the devil to these guys too. And look, I’m fine with hating Biden, but I also crave logical consistency. Is he an incompetent, doddering, old fool or a criminal mastermind able to funnel billions from the Chinese without leaving a trace? Is he a senile cadaver unable to ascend a staircase or is he a Machiavellian svengali secretly manipulating the Justice Department to do his bidding? Pick a lane, please. I prefer my hate sans hypocrisy. Meanwhile, a former military intelligence officer just told a House Oversight subcommittee the government has debris collected from crashed alien spacecraft and has biological remains from alien bodies. So, of course, the conspiracy theorists took to the streets! Joking, they didn’t seem to care much actually. Why? Ask any dog: The fun part is chasing the car, not catching it. If you can’t believe the deep state when they tell you aliens don’t exist, you can’t believe them when they say they do exist. Don’t you get it, man? I’ll give anyone a conspiracy theory or two. But if you believe in all of them, that’s just revealing an outsized hunger to believe in nefarious forces controlling the universe. It’s like religious faith inverted – or astrology for dudes. Seems to me the only two theories you really need to believe are chaos theory (i.e. randomness and unpredictability rule the roost) and Occam's Razor (i.e. the simplest explanation is probably the right one). Pair those two and they explain almost everything. But that’s not gonna make ya go viral. A bit of advice from Kevin Kelly I keep thinking about: “Trust me: There is no ‘them.'” Here’s how that notion turned around one conspiracy-minded guy from external to internal locus of control thinking:
Are you not amused? The Age of Experts is the logical end game of influencer media (i.e. YouTube videos, podcasts, and TikTok/IG Reels) combined with the algorithm. Mindful, nuanced analysis? Good luck with that. Instead, we get the scrim of learning, entertainment disguised as education. The prophetic book Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman called it all. In it, he explains how writing leads to ideas – and a culture that can process them – in a way that show biz doesn’t.
He also discusses how sophisticated thinking pairs with with writing/reading:
According to Postman, when a culture relies on show business over writing, it becomes less sophisticated and more immature. Increasingly, it has a bias toward obfuscation. And that results in discourse that’s unreasonable, disordered, attached, tribal, and intolerant. Phew, that sure does sound on point. But what do I know? I’m no expert. Dig this newsletter? Go ahead and sign up for the paid plan (you’ll get bonus content too). Can’t afford it? LMK and I’ll hook you up. Also, fwd’ing this to a friend or posting about it on social media helps too. Appreciate ya. Comedy🃏 I post clips of my standup (and more) at Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and YouTube. Here’s a bit on tats in strange places: 🃏 NYC: Misguided Meditation with Matt Ruby returns on 9/14 to the Psychedelic Assembly (a trés cool space/society in midtown). It’s a comedy show (re: psychedelics, death, mindfulness, and therapy), visuals (mixed live by Sophia Sobers), and sounds (ambient soundscape performed by Steve Pestana). There’s a one hour open bar from Misguided Spirits before the show too. Early bird coupon code – MISGUIDED5 – gets Rubesletter readers $5 off. Tickets/info here. (Want MM to come to a venue near you? Let me know.) 🃏 Check out my other newsletter: Funny How: Letters to a Young Comedian Quickies🦕 Me in therapy: 🦕 People need to stop jumping to conclusions. Maybe Hunter Biden is really knowledgeable about Ukrainian energy and playing beer pong with Clarence Thomas is a blast. 🦕 The evolution of ick… 🦕 Texas toddlers: All brat, no rattle. 🗯 How to use social media without it using you.
🦕 AI comedians gonna rule the future. Can’t wait for the heckler comebacks: “Listen, ChatGPT. I don't log in to your UNIX server and slap the bugs out of your codebase." 🦕 I’ve got a podcast too: Kind of a Lot with Matt Ruby. 🗯 How Ric Flair influenced hip hop.
🦕 Me: “I can't believe how much the internet is filled with lies.” Up ahead for Rubesletter subscribers: actors dancing, how art is like therapy, the base, the greatest bass player of all time, MAGA as mental health crisis, AI vs. your job, and more…... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to The Rubesletter • by Matt Ruby (Vooza) to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.A subscription gets you:
|
Older messages
I see you're taking a Zoom meeting in this coffeeshop
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Unfortunately, I must confront you with an unpleasant reality: Other people exist.
The 15 best paragraphs of the year (so far): Fake war, fake sex, and naughty hands
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
1) How fake war and fake sex are satiating male desire. 2) Why beauty is so important. 3) Phoebe Waller-Bridge's "naughty hand." 4) How speaking truth to power is love. And more...
What George Michael's greatest song teaches us about art
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
He took the most unrelatable topic you can imagine (ie being a massive – and closeted – pop star) and turned it into a universal anthem that speaks to all of us.
Decades feel like centuries now
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
"Well, THAT did not age well." Of course it didn't. “Aging well” is an oxymoron and the future will frown upon all of us.
There are no heroes here 🦸♂️
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Threads, Jonah Hill's texts, a great Steve Martin line, Dr. Bronner, and much more.
You Might Also Like
Disney+ Behind Feature Documentary About Caroline Flack
Friday, January 10, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe January 10, 2025 Disney+ Behind Feature Documentary About Caroline Flack By Max Goldbart This email was sent to newsletterest1@gmail.com by Deadline. Please add email@
Shy One
Friday, January 10, 2025
It's Friday so we're listening to something more upbeat. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
First Look At Hilda Koronel’s Return To Acting In Jun Robles Lana's 'Sisa' Set Against Philippine-American War
Friday, January 10, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe January 09, 2025 First Look At Hilda Koronel's Return To Acting In Jun Robles Lana's 'Sisa' Set Against Philippine-American War By Liz Shackleton This
Podcast app setup
Friday, January 10, 2025
Open this on your phone and click the button below: Add to podcast app
My new standup special just went live on YouTube
Friday, January 10, 2025
Give it a watch. Topics covered: Fit checks, sober people, incels, cancel culture, pills, red flags, tattoos, egg freezing, crowdwork, Jews, Hollywood, dating, marriage, trans, Kanye, and more. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
President Jimmy Carter, My Father, and Me
Thursday, January 9, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe January 09, 2025 President Jimmy Carter, My Father, and Me The late president sent my father's naval task force toward the Persian Gulf just days before the end of
'Wicked' Weaves Record $70M For Universal In PVOD First Week After Near $700M WW Box Office
Thursday, January 9, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe January 09, 2025 'Wicked' Weaves Record $70M For Universal In PVOD First Week After Near $700M WW Box Office By Anthony D'Alessandro This email was sent to
Why INSIDE OUT 2 is a Best Picture Contender | The Cultural Phenomenon that Changed the Way We Talk About Our Emotions
Thursday, January 9, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe This email was sent to newsletterest1@gmail.com by Deadline. Please add email@email.deadline.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. Visit the
Watching the L.A. Fires Close In
Thursday, January 9, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe January 09, 2025 Watching the LA Fires Close In As the eastern and western fringes of the sprawling metropolis are ravaged by wildfires, it's hard not to feel like
'Monday Night Raw' Inaugural Netflix Event Draws 2.6M Same-Day Households
Thursday, January 9, 2025
View on web New reader? Subscribe January 09, 2025 'Monday Night Raw' Inaugural Netflix Event Draws 2.6M Same-Day Households By Katie Campione This email was sent to newsletterest1@gmail.com by