Neuroscientist, author, and podcaster Sam Harris made the rounds on Twitter Thursday in the form of a video clip in which he admitted that suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story was a “left-wing conspiracy” but it didn’t matter because of the danger Donald Trump brought to the presidency. Here it is in case you missed it:
In which, Sam Harris says that it's ok to conspire against Trump getting elected, because he was the equivalent of an asteroid headed towards earth. Literally literally. Worth watching just for Francis' reaction at the end. Omg. pic.twitter.com/hVH7IPAx1t
— Alexandros Marinos (@alexandrosM) August 18, 2022
Harris is aware that the clip has gone viral, and he jumped on Twitter to clarify his comments. He didn’t say he was taken out of context, only that he wasn’t speaking very clearly.
There is a podcast clip circulating that seems to be confusing many people about my views on Trump (which is understandable because I wasn’t speaking very clearly). So, for what it’s worth, here is what I was trying to say: 1/6
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 18, 2022
I was essentially arguing for a principle of self-defense (where there’s a continuum of proportionate force that is appropriate and necessary to use). I’ve always viewed Trump as a very dangerous person to elect as president of a fake university, 2/6
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 18, 2022
let alone the US, and when he became a sitting president who would not commit to a peaceful transfer of power, I viewed him as more dangerous still. (However, I’ve never been under any illusion that he is Orange Hitler.) 3/6
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 18, 2022
On the podcast, I was speaking narrowly about the wisdom and propriety of ignoring the Hunter Biden laptop story until after the election. I’ve always thought that this was a very hard call, ethically and journalistically. 4/6
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 18, 2022
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“Ignoring” the laptop story? Twitter locked the New York Post out of its account for six weeks and wouldn’t allow people to link to the story. That’s a lot more than just ignoring it.
But given what happened with the Anthony Weiner laptop in the previous election, I think it was probably the right call. 5/6
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 18, 2022
Huh?
Nothing I said on that podcast was meant to suggest that the Democrats would have been right to commit election fraud or take other illegal measures to deny Trump the presidency (nor do I think they did that). 6/6
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 18, 2022
Sam, you could also just say "what I said was wrong" or maybe "subverting the will of the electorate via censorship & conspiring to peddle propaganda is actually a bad thing"
So sad to see people like you, Matt Dillahunty, etc go down this road.
— Fractional Reserve Disrespector (@GenesisBloq) August 18, 2022
What you said was quite clear. If the ruling class deems a politician unacceptable, it's within their right to censor news outlets, spread fake stories, and bury real ones in order to swing the election to their preferred candidate.
Which is about as undemocratic as it gets.
— AdamInHTownTX (Not a Biologist) (@AdamInHTownTX) August 18, 2022
Democracy cannot be trusted to the voters, so it is necessary to lie to them in order to get a result Sam wants. #SavedYouAClick https://t.co/4k99Vcri3F
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) August 18, 2022
No one is confused Sam. What you are stating in this thread is almost exactly the same as what you said in the podcast. We heard you loud and clear: get rid of the orange man by any means necessary. Perhaps invest some time to get that TDS checked out.
— Sugilite (@SugiliteG) August 18, 2022
You said you didn't care if Hunter had the bodies of children in his basement, bro. You didn't quite make it sound like you've struggled mightily over the ethics of the situation.
— Zatonietzsche (@zatonietzsche) August 18, 2022
Zero people were confused about that interview
Zero
— Jenniferjoy175 (@David_Rubio1982) August 18, 2022
I've already unsubscribed after two years of loyalty. There isn't a misunderstanding here. You believe suppression of truth is a valid means to control your intellectual inferiors.
— Mufasastopheles (@Punk_in_head) August 18, 2022
Whoever you are, your words in that podcast were very clear to me. No need to clarify. The ends justify the means. By any way possible. Immoral – fine. Unlawful – great. Against journalistic ethics – if it gets the job done, you're ok with it.
— Michelle DH (@michelle0714h) August 18, 2022
Sam. I saw the whole thing. That clip was one of many that deserve to go viral from that interview.
The whole interview was one display of bias and lack of discernment piled upon another.
It was astonishing.
— Ava Petrucci (@mmeJen) August 18, 2022
“The thing I explicitly said is actually not the thing I explicitly said”
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) August 18, 2022
Believe people when they tell you who they are.
The TDS is too strong in you, which obviously undermines your objectivity and rationality, let alone being a path to the compromising of your ethics.
I just don't think you can be taken seriously going forward.
Good luck to you.
— Aris Lavranos, MD. (@ArisLavranos) August 18, 2022
You got to speak pretty much uninterrupted on the topic for 10 mins. I don’t think anyone is confused about what you said nor is there further need to clarify your position.
— jacquoranda (@jacquoranda) August 18, 2022
You were speaking very, very clearly. And we all understood.
But nice try.
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) August 18, 2022
You clearly said it’s okay to lie and censor information it get rid of trump.
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) August 18, 2022
I don’t think his explanation helped much. What other information would he like to suppress?
— Footjab (@Bepahmema) August 18, 2022
Ignoring and trying to bury a legit news story was clearly unethical and unjustifiable. But even if it wasn't, you're not considering the second-order effects of eroding the remaining public trust in the mainstream and social media and providing proof of bias on a silver plate.
— Lech Mazur (@LechMazur) August 18, 2022
"It's not what you think!" he explained, standing over the body, the knife in his hand dripping blood.
— Steve Skojec (@SteveSkojec) August 18, 2022
Between this and people crying about Liz Cheney’s loss, a lot of people don’t think “democracy” works if their candidate doesn’t win.
Related:
WATCH: Sam Harris says the quiet part deafeningly loud about the MSM and Left’s suppression of Hunter Biden laptop story https://t.co/lHQtHkBZNe
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 18, 2022
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