Joe Rogan Experience #738 - Molly Crabapple

Episode Summary

Main Topics Discussed

• Molly Crabapple's Book Writing Process: The challenges of writing her memoir, including the two-year, seven-draft process, cutting over 100 pages, and the difficulty of structuring a personal life into a narrative.
• The Nature of Memoir vs. Essays: Comparing the complexities of sustained plot, character development, and factual recall in a memoir to shorter essay formats.
• Ethical Considerations in Memoir Writing: Molly's approach to fact-checking personal memories and relationships, and seeking approval from friends and family before publishing their shared experiences.
• The Creative Struggle and Discipline: Parallels between writing and stand-up comedy in the difficulty of "killing your darlings" or cutting beloved but unessential material.
• Combating Digital Distraction: The challenge of finding focus in an internet-saturated world, highlighting the effectiveness of isolated environments (e.g., cabins without Wi-Fi, pre-internet airplanes).
• The Human Need for Connection: Discussion on the dangers of prolonged solitude, referencing a Norwegian adventurer's six-month wilderness experience and the severe mental trauma caused by solitary confinement.
• Investigative Journalism and Whistleblowing: Molly's work on the "Dallas 6" solitary confinement case, Chelsea Manning's treatment, and the broader ethical debate around figures like Edward Snowden and Julian Assange – are they patriots or traitors?
• Government Power and Accountability: The necessity of challenging governmental overreach and crime, emphasizing that true patriotism involves holding one's country accountable.
• Analysis of Vladimir Putin: Discussion of his "Gunslinger gate" (a military-trained walk) and the opulent settings seen in videos, touching on his authoritarian rule and the dangers for journalists who criticize him.
• The Michael Hastings Controversy: Joe Rogan recounts the mysterious death of journalist Michael Hastings, leading to a discussion on conspiracy theories surrounding his car crash and the risks faced by investigative journalists.
• Future of Privacy and Surveillance: Speculation on a future where technological advancements lead to universal surveillance, dissolving current privacy barriers.
• Influence of Matt Taibbi: Discussion of Taibbi's unique writing style, blending Hunter S. Thompson-esque flair with serious investigative journalism, particularly in making complex financial topics accessible.

Key Insights & Memorable Moments

• Molly's candid admission: "nothing is more personally painful than factchecking the ends of various friendships and relationships and realizing what a jerk you were at the time."
• The universal creative struggle to "kill your babies" – sacrificing cherished elements for the overall improvement of the work.
• The romantic ideal of solitude is often far from the reality, with Joe quoting a wilderness adventurer: "We are not meant to be alone."
• Molly's strong stance on whistleblowers: "there's no way that you can love your country and not call it on its [expletive] at all. I think that the opposite thing is treason."
• The unsettling anecdote about Chelsea Manning's fear of "being known to the world as a boy" from her chat logs, and the barbaric conditions of her solitary confinement.
• The detailed, almost conspiratorial, breakdown of Vladimir Putin's distinctive walk and the extreme opulence of his surroundings.
• The chilling account of Michael Hastings' death and the various theories surrounding it, highlighting the real-world dangers for journalists.
• Molly's principled decision to seek approval from individuals before including their personal moments in her memoir, even if legally "her memories."
• Joe's observation that Matt Taibbi embodies "the best of Hunter S. Thompson and less narcissistic," effectively making dry financial journalism compelling.

Notable Quotes or Revelations

• Molly Crabapple on memoir writing: "nothing is more personally painful than factchecking the ends of various friendships and relationships and realizing what a jerk you were at the time."
• Molly, quoting a friend's writing advice: "The worst articles I've ever written are the ones where I try to say everything about a subject."
• Joe Rogan, quoting a Norwegian adventurer: "We are not meant to be alone."
• Molly Crabapple on the absurdity of "rioting" in solitary confinement: "I consider rioting a group activity like if someone's rioting in solitary you could just leave them there and they'd get tired eventually and then the riot would be over."
• Molly Crabapple on patriotism and whistleblowing: "there's no way that you can love your country and not call it on its [expletive] at all. I think that the opposite thing is treason."
• Joe Rogan predicting the future of privacy: "everyone's going to have the same sort of power to spy on everybody that the NSA has we're just going to have to accept it."
• Molly Crabapple on ethical memoir writing: "it would have been really really unfair if I had taken kind of you know personal moments I had with someone like 15 years ago and just like put them in a book and thus on that person's Google results without asking them."

Overall Themes

• The Labor and Ethics of Storytelling: The episode deeply explores the immense personal and intellectual demands of creating a comprehensive work like a memoir, particularly the ethical tightrope walk of recounting shared personal histories.
• The Human Condition in Isolation vs. Connection: A recurring theme is the inherent human need for connection, contrasting the romantic ideal of solitude with the harsh psychological realities of enforced isolation and the struggle to maintain focus in an overconnected world.
• Accountability and the Power Structure: The discussion highlights the crucial role of journalism, whistleblowing, and individual courage in challenging governmental and institutional power, questioning where patriotism ends and blind loyalty begins, and examining the dangers faced by those who expose truths.
• Memory, Truth, and Subjectivity: The conversation delves into the fallibility of personal memory, the pain of historical self-assessment, and the complexities of establishing a "truth" when individuals recall events differently.
• The Evolving Digital Landscape: The podcast touches on the omnipresence of digital distractions and the inevitable future of pervasive surveillance, pondering its implications for individual privacy and societal interaction.