Dennis & Julie: RIP Otto

Your dog and a stranger are drowning. You can only save one. Who do you choose? Dennis Prager says your answer reveals everything about how you define right and wrong. In his new book, If There Is No God, Prager exposes the danger of emotion-based morality and why without objective truth, society descends into chaos. This isn't a religious book. It's a rational case for moral clarity in a confused age. If There Is No God from Dennis Prager. Order now at PragerStore.com. Hey everybody, the Dennis and Julie Podcast. There's nothing like this. In this particular universe. However, if there is a multiverse, there might be not just a Dennis and Julie, there might be a Julie and Dennis, because everything is possible in a multiverse.

Do you think there's life beyond this planet? We're just going right in immediately. You don't?

I really do think we're alone in the universe.

So when you say multiverse, though, this is the—

this is the way in which The way atheists get out of the problem of the exceedingly, uh, great odds against life and, and even the world existing. So for, for there to be life on a planet, intelligent life especially, so much had to go right that it defies all odds. So what they say is, oh well, if there is an infinite number of universes, then it makes sense that there would be life on one of them. But if there is no existing other universe, they're sort of screwed because they have to acknowledge design looks like the most logical answer.

And you know what's funny about that? They don't recognize that that is a form of faith. When atheists say, oh, science will explain how life emerged from non-life, isn't that having faith in something? Isn't what you just said having a religion of sorts?

You just heard Julie Hartman. I didn't say your last name earlier, or mine.

The audacity.

Dennis Prager.

We just dove right in. I'm sorry.

That was good. No, no, that is good. So I think we should open up with the news of the Prager family, our beloved— and he really, I have to say, he really was beloved— Otto died this week. So I gotta, I have to share with you some thoughts. I cannot get over the hurdle of not— I don't want to ever equate animals and humans. And a lot of times when I ask people, do you have children, they'll say, no, I have two dogs or two cats. And I'm a little troubled by it because it's not the same thing. But I think to a lot of people it might be, and I'm not knocking them, I'm just saying why I'm troubled. I'm very, I'm very much people-centered. Having given that preface, it is undeniable the attachment that people can have to a dog, or perhaps a horse or a cat, you know, higher mammals if you will. It is— it's truly extraordinary. When, when he died, and thank God he died a painless death, he developed very quickly a big cancer on his heart. And he died. And I saw my wife, who is, you know, she is the tower of strength, and she, she just cried her eyes out. And you know what really touched me as much as my wife crying her eyes out? The housekeeper whom we love, Betty. Been with me for like 25 years. I did not know she loved him as much as she did. But when I think about it, she spent, you know, the whole day with him when she came to the house. But they really enter your life. There's no way— I have to admit, and I never claimed to love the dogs as much as Sue does, but the house is definitely empty without him. I can't believe I'm saying this.

So I was going to ask you, and I haven't asked Dennis this at all. It's very, of course, Dennis and Julie for us to have spontaneous responses. How are you? As sad? I know. Well, actually, I know that you're not as sad as your wife because Sue really loves animals. But are you sad? Were you crying? Are you?

You seem okay. Uh, yeah, I'm okay. I But I acknowledge, I don't fake it in either direction. I acknowledge his absence is felt by me. And it is, it's a sad absence in my mind. I fully acknowledge it. You know, when a dog is with you 12 years every day, How could it not be part of your life? Of course, if it's— but if the whole, the whole thing is fascinating. My biggest uptake or upshot, and I'm— it's going to be on my fireside chat: the day you get yourself a pet, you set yourself up for sadness. The odds are overwhelming that you will outlive your pet unless you get your pet at 80. Let's say you may not go to 92. Okay, certainly if you get it later than that, you probably won't live out— outlive your dog. So people choose pain for the sake of living a fuller life, having a pet. That's a very— that's Otto, there he is.

Oh, I'll miss his teeth.

Well, yes, and his tongue. It's very hard to believe looking at that that he's— he's dead. Yeah, that he's been cremated. Pictures are a very strange thing. You know what's stranger than pictures though?

Video.

Fair. But I— disembodied voice is the most close you sort of get to the dead. When I have played the interviews I did with my dad on my radio show Yeah, that was so real that I couldn't believe— he's dead, he's talking, what are you talking about? The ear— that's my theory, you know, the ear is deeper than the eye.

It's a really good theory. You know, I was— I recently saw a video online of a funeral, and the person who died recorded something to be played at his own funeral. And he said, hi everyone, it's me, you know. And then he used to— the guy was making jokes. It's really, it's really cramped in this casket. I just want to get out of here and go, you know. And the guy sounded so alive and so funny. And I was watching this video, watching the people at the funeral react. And honestly, I wanted to get your response to it.

You can't.

I sort of— it rubbed me the wrong way.

I agree with you.

It was both. There was a part of me that thought it was Sweet, but also extremely creepy.

It's creepy.

It is creepy. But I know what you're saying about hearing a voice.

Oh, the voices. We don't realize it, how powerful it is as an emotional go-getter, or what, developer, increaser, whatever term you would use. It really hits the emotions, the voice. Yeah, that's the person. More than a picture.

You know, at the risk of sounding maudlin, um, I've been thinking a lot lately, even before Otto died, how much people my age don't think about death. And actually, I feel like we would be better off if we thought about it more. Of course, it's not something that you should obsess over because you don't want obsession over death to impede you from living. But at my age, you think you're going to live forever. When I go to a funeral, thankfully I haven't been to many, but when I go to a funeral, it doesn't occur to me that one day I'll have one. Whereas I would surmise at your age, it does occur to you.

It's fascinating to watch one's transformation in that regard and how irrational it is when you're young, but there's no way around it. You, I mean, it's a cliché. Kids think they're immortal. That's entirely accurate. However, you're— I want to react to your first point. I did think about the fact that I will die at a very early age. I know you do. I just assume it. And I— it's a big factor in my life because I said What do I want to look back on when I'm 75? Just an arbitrary age of old. And what do I want my life to be like? That was one of the reasons I knew I wanted a wife and children. I, I didn't want to look at that age at, that's it, it's me.

Mm-hmm.

And a lot of people have called my show, especially women, and said they, they bought the feminist line that career is everything, and now they're retired. See, you don't retire from life, but you do retire from your career. You don't retire from family, but you do retire from career.

I have a very close friend who you have met. You've met so many of my close friends, and you you've met this one, who recently wrote a birthday toast that she would want someone to give her at age 80, on her 80th birthday. It is sort of— it was sort of a similar reaction, I'll admit, to the guy.

No, there's no comparison.

Fair enough. But I was sort of— there was a little part of me, it was like, is this weird? Is it? But that— but Anyway, I think it's good to get in the exercise, to your point, of thinking when you're older, you know, how do you want to look back on your life? Honestly, my thinking about my death was one of the biggest things that impelled me to get off of Instagram. Now, of course, you guys know on this show and on my show Timeless, I always publicize my public Instagram, which is @JulieRHeartman.

And it's @JulieRHeartman.

Yes.

Oh, was Julie Hartman taken?

Yes. Interesting quiz. What is my middle name? I'll get— you'll get this. Convert in the Bible.

Ruth.

Yes. Someone thought the R— someone wrote into me and said, is the R for Republican?

I'm like, oh, that's adorable. That is really adorable.

But so it's— I'll be honest with, with you, of course, and with the viewers, that if I had it my way, I would not have any Instagram. But being in the line of work that we're in, we have to have a social media in order to reach people, right? Like, it's just the game that you have to play. And I, and I want to get my ideas out to as many people as possible. I want to get this show to as many people as possible. So I'll do it for that sake. But so that's my professional or sort of ideas Instagram, if you will. I had a personal social media account. And thinking about my death is what got me to delete it, because I think that it is an awful thing. I really do. As I've gotten older—

Wait, so why did thinking of your death prompt this? Because you're wasting time?

Yes, because we spend so much time scrolling. And honestly, I view, I view getting off of Instagram at my age as making equivalent of investing really early in Apple stock or pulling out of a bad investment. Because I think that people that are, are thinking in the short term now, and they're young and they're spending all their time on social media, they're going to wake up one day. I don't know if it's when they're 40 or when they're 60. I don't know, but I am certain of this. There is going to come a day when people my age are going to wake up and realize that they wasted so much of their lives online. And even though it's tempting for me to stay on it because it's addicting and all of my peers are on it, I'm thinking, I'm trying to exercise discipline and think about my older self and realize that I will be so glad that I made that investment. Or I guess in another way, pulled out of that bad investment.

Any young person who thinks, how do I want my life to develop when I am old, is ahead of the game. Yeah, that's— that is exactly right. Anyway, those were the reflections on, on death. And well, we haven't reflected on death. Maybe we'll do that another time.

We sort of have.

Yeah, right. Well, prompted by Otto's, obviously.

Do you know how PragerU is going to talk about— or I'm sure they're going to make an announcement— because when Otto died, I just thought about all of the kids who watch Otto's Tales.

I know, I know, I know.

Otto's a huge part of PragerU's branding.

I'm mentioning it, of course, on my fireside chat because the empty bed next to me.

Oh yeah.

And, uh, they are preparing a statement. I wish— I hope they put it out sooner than later. I agree with you. But I announced it on my radio show. It's an amazing thing. The guy who came, you know, by the way, this is a strange point to make on this subject, but nevertheless I'll make it. So a guy comes to pick up Otto for cremation. So first of all, not first of all, so the thing that I marveled at is that there is such a service.

I was just about to say, and I bit my tongue because I didn't want it to come off as judgmental— can, can you believe there is such a job? Can you imagine having—

oh well, I'll talk to you about that man in a moment. But the fact that it exists— why was it something like, something like Pathway to Heaven, some, some sweet name? And, and they come with a gurney and they put the the animal on it, and they slide the animal into the trunk of the van, and then they drive away. You get an urn, and we did some paw prints. But I was— it was an ode to capitalism that there exists a business on a Sunday. Yeah, that for a certain fee, obviously deserved, They will pick up your animal and give him a dignified cremation and then bring you the urn. It— that's, that's what capitalism is. What do people want to spend their money on? That is another way of saying capitalism. And, and let's say there weren't such a service. What would we do?

You're right, it's a great point.

Burn him ourselves? It's a farce.

It'd be awful.

Awful, exactly. Now the guy who did it was an older guy, and he saw Sue and, you know, most of us weeping. And I was thinking, this guy's got a very sad job.

Yeah.

But I said to Sue, he's like an undertaker for dogs or cats, I assume. It doesn't, doesn't matter. And all he sees is sad people because the animal just died when he comes to pick them up for cremation. And he spoke about how when we started talking to him, because he's quiet until you talk, it turns out his German Shepherd, when he was a child, when he was 11 months old, saved his life.

Wow.

He ran into the street, cars were coming and the dog grabbed him back.

Oh my gosh.

Yeah, well, German Shepherds are bright. By the way, there is a list of intelligence in dogs, a list, one, I think it's 1 through 80. Guess what English Bulldogs are?

79?

77. So here's an interesting theory.

Otto was probably 76, higher than average.

Yeah. This— I don't look to dogs for, for intelligence. That's good.

Probably good thing.

Yeah. No, well, I don't understand it. Why, what is the advantage of a bright dog? The odds are they'll be more neurotic because they are bright, they perceive more. I, I just want a happy-go-lucky animal. I don't need his views on Russia and Ukraine, right?

Sean, does Fergus give you his views on Russia?

Yes, he does. Yes, he does. His dog is a cat, gives him everything. But, uh, that's an exceptional world. In the rest of the pet world, all I look for is do they bring me joy, not intelligence.

Well, you said it about Otto. I heard you on your radio show today that you said his very existence brought you joy.

Yes.

And it's just so true. Otto had the weirdest teeth. And it was just cute.

Yes, exactly.

And I mean, you can objectify it.

I mean, tongue sticking out all the time?

Yes.

You can objectify that.

Yes, I'll objectify the, but even, I mean, I, you know, I love owls. I think that they're so intelligent and beautiful, but just their existence, just looking at them, it's—

I share your love of owls. They're an amazing creature.

If that doesn't prove the existence of God, I don't know what does. So people just think that owls are just material bundles of—

Well, they think we are.

I mean, I know. It's ridiculous. But rest in peace, Otto.

Agreed.

We love him.

What's on your mind?

So, I, you know, it's just, I love this show because whenever I think about literally anything in life that I think about, I want to bring to this show and I want to get your opinion on. So you talk a lot about people's natures. I know it's a subject that has really fascinated you and in turn it has come to fascinate me. So I've been thinking a lot about what is it that shapes people? Is it their nature or is it nurture? It's probably a combination of both. And I was recently rereading a book that I talk about a lot on the show, G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy. And he was talking about stories in his book. And it got me thinking about the power of stories and mythology. In one's life, specifically in little kids' lives. I actually, in my show Timeless in a few weeks, I'm preparing the show where I'm going to do national mythology stories and talk about how maybe national myths shape a people's perception of themselves. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Mike Lindell with MyPillow is launching the MyPillow 2.0. When Mike invented MyPillow, it had everything you could ever want in a pillow. Now, nearly 20 years later, he discovered a new technology that makes it even better. The MyPillow 2.0 has the patented adjustable fill of the original MyPillow, and now with a brand new fabric that is made with a temperature-regulating thread, the MyPillow 2.0 is the softest, smoothest, and coolest pillow you'll ever own. For our listeners, the MyPillow 2.0 is buy one, get one free with the promo code Hartman. MyPillow 2.0 temperature-regulating technology is 100% made in the USA and comes with a 10-year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Just go to mypillow.com, click on the radio listener square to get the buy one, get one free offer, enter the promo code Hartmann, or call 1-800-566-6745 to get your MyPillow 2.0s now. Think about every single country has a national story. You know, obviously for us, it's that we rebelled against the British and no taxation without representation. That's like the American democratic character. In Denmark, They have the story of the flag being dropped by God during a battle that they have with the Estonians. The Chinese have, you know, a national myth about the supremacy of their civilization. Every single country has a myth, and I think it shapes the people. And I think that's true of individuals as well. And I'll tell you, because you talk a lot about nature, I think the kind of stories that you tell a child can really shape their character as much as overt moral instruction. I'll give you an example that I think was the case with me. When I was in preschool, I literally just had this revelation the other day, and I think this story shaped so much of my character. When I was in preschool, there was this girl in the class who was sort of mean. Her name was Carly. And there was one day that we were all outside and our parents were watching, and we were all playing in a group. And apparently, this girl Carly was mean to another kid and I stood up and said something and her mother came over. Carly's mother came over and scolded her. And basically it was this whole spectacle sort of, of me standing up to this bully and then her mother scolding her. And all throughout— this happened when I was maybe 4. And literally until the time I was 10, I would ask my mom to retell me that story. And I realized that sort of just that story became integrated into the fabric of who I am. The more that my mom told me that story, even though I had heard it a million times, the more it affirmed to me I'm someone who stands up against bullies. I'm someone who's willing to do it publicly. You know, I'm willing to do the right thing in a crowd, maybe when it's unpopular. It taught me that bad behavior should be punished. That I, I didn't make the connection, but I think the retelling of that story constantly really shaped me. And so you talk about nature. Yes, I think nature is sort of your hard wiring, but you can really guide someone's nature and character through stories. And I'll, I'll—

through their own stories, not just fairy tales.

Yes. Well, I was going to say fairy tales are another component of that too.

Well, look, all of Genesis is stories.

Yes, it's true.

The rest are law books, but the Genesis is all stories. And I write in my Bible commentary that stories give you the Bible's values as much as the laws do.

That was one of the biggest revelations when I read your Bible commentary, because I— it's so interesting to think of people's conceptions of the Bible. First of all, they think that it's this terribly oppressive book that somehow elevates white males above all others. They have no idea how much values of equality and fairness are espoused in the Bible. But also, I had this perception that it was just laws. I had no idea that so much of it were stories. It shows you that people have no sense. But I think story, I think really, especially when you're young, the stories that you tell your kids or you It shapes the mytholo— I hesitate to say mythology, but perception. Yes, but of yourself, just as a nation needs a mythology, a person sort of needs a story.

That is so intelligent. I never thought of it.

Isn't it true?

But I'm applying it to my life. So my parents repeatedly told the story of me at 7 when I flew alone from Florida to New York, where we lived in New York. And they were late to the airport and they found me getting my luggage and tipping a porter. And that made such an impact on me about me.

Yes.

Oh wow, I am Mr. Independent, Mr. Take Care of Himself, because of that story being told.

Yep, that's— that was my revelation of the past few days. I, I, I knew that my mother had told me this Carly story repeatedly.

Really good.

I know that I asked her to tell it. It was— it's also so interesting because I would ask her like once a week to tell the story, and I would know— I, I knew that I knew the story. She knew that I knew the story, but the retelling of it many times was so riveting to me. Every time she retold it to me, it was— it was, as you say about the story with you flying alone, it affirmed something to me about myself. And, you know, I sort of remember, like, I remember being outside. I remember the mother yelling at her. Like, I vaguely remember the story, but honestly, it doesn't even matter if I remember it. The fact that it was told to me several times, that's exactly right, integrated into my character. And I just, I feel like I had a revelation in parenting.

Honestly, you did. It goes to show about the this is not revelatory, but it goes to show that what parents say to a child has an impact.

So yes, and there are, and also there are just some things, and this is what I think is really important about fairy tales, and I have to give G.K. Chesterton credit for the fairy tale component of my argument. There are just some things that you have to impart through stories or through magic with kids. You can't, like hearing the story about me standing up to the bully is so much better and more, sticks with me more than a parent saying to me, stand up to the bully.

That's what I'm saying. Yes.

Yes.

Yep.

And even with fairy tales, like, did you believe in Santa Claus when you were little? Did your parents do?

No, it's a Jewish home.

Right, I know, I know that. But some Jews do still do that.

Yeah, that's true. Well, no, we were not among them 'cause we were religious Jews. But I loved, and still do, I loved Santa. And every year in memory, I have broadcast an hour in December. Don't deprive your child of Santa.

Yes. It's— so did you— well, I guess you also didn't believe in the Easter Bunny.

Right, exactly.

Did you believe in the Tooth Fairy?

Uh, no, I knew my parents were leaving the money, but I, I, I, I appreciated the money. Yeah.

You're like, I don't care if the Tooth Fairy's real or not.

I just want the cash. Oh yeah, that's exactly right.

I, I think part of why fairy tales are so important to kids is because they teach you something that is so important throughout your life, and that is hope. You can't— if a parent sits you down and goes and says, have hope, have hope that things will get better, that doesn't register with a child. You can't teach hope in overt terms. It's something that has to be learned. And I think, I think fairy tales are an amazing way to do that. I remember it was so magical, Dennis, when I was little. I actually mourn the loss of that feeling when I was young and it was Christmas time. I remember the thrill of thinking that Santa was coming. I mean, I can't even, I can't describe it to you in words.

You're, you're gonna come on my show next year or later this year. And talk about that because I get so much pushback. I can't lie to my— oh yeah, even from conservative— oh, totally Christian conservatives. I can't lie to my children. That's the gist of it. How do you answer that? Are you lying to your child if you, if you play along with Santa Claus? No, I don't think that you're lying to them any more than if you read to them Pinocchio you're lying to them. But you have to say Listen, child, everything you're reading didn't happen.

And it's also that, like, specifically with Santa Claus, you're rewarded for being nice.

Yes.

You know, it's, it's— I view it not as lying. I view it as making the truth digestible to someone who is not yet intellectually equipped to.

What age did you learn? Santa Claus might not exist.

I think 7 or 8, and I was devastated.

I was— that was my next question.

Devastated.

How did you learn it? From a kid at school?

No, this is going to make my dad look so bad. He is— my dad is the best. He did the most to try to make me believe in Santa Claus. I heard him say it to my older sister. I heard him say something like, when are we going to tell Julie that the Easter Bunny and Santa aren't real? And I was so sad. And then he went, no, no, no, I was just kidding, I was just kidding.

And no, no, I knew why you can't put the whatever back in the barn. I, I, that's interesting. I would think that parents would just allow it to evolve. Why did they have to? Why do you have to sit down your child and say, listen, I just want you to know there's really no Santa? Really? I, I, what is the answer to that?

I don't know. I think I agree. I mean, I guess if you're 13 and still believe in Santa, it's a little odd. But yeah, just let it, just let it evolve. I agree. But, but I, I am as fascinated with this mythology idea as you, as you are with one's nature.

Well, the stories issue is huge. Your own stories and other stories. That's what you're saying, that the, the biblical stories And in Jewish life, which is my religious background, it is not just stories, it is lived. In the Haggadah for Passover, the Passover ceremony or liturgy, thousands of years old, it says— and I've done a commentary on that through the Rational Passover Haggadah— and I note there is something you recite. Avadim hayinu lepharo b'mitzrayim. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. We, not they. So when I was a kid, I, I was identifying with them. I wish American kids all said, we crossed the Potomac with Washington, we signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Not they.

We really, we do forget the power of stories. You know, I was reminded of it when I went to the Seder at the, uh, our dear— I don't know if I should say their name, but with our dear friends from the, from Shabbat dinner. They were so nice to include me in their Seder, and Dennis was there, and there was someone there who talked about the Holocaust and how her father, or I guess it was her grandfather, died in the Holocaust. And she was saying, I so regret that, you know, he wasn't able to know my kids. And, and I was just sitting there and I was so moved by it. And then you piped up and said, I want the— because I was at the kids' table, if you will, the kids meaning like the 20-something-year-old table. And you said, I want you all to remember that the Holocaust really happened. You know, it's not just something that you read about in history books. And the way that you keep that going is through stories. I mean, of course, I, I've never thought the Holocaust didn't exist. I've never forgotten it, but it really hit me unlike anything when that woman was telling that. Also, another story, you know I've been sort of fascinated with this one that I never knew about is the Haggadah story about the four sons. I never heard this. For those who don't know, the Haggadah, this is like a good quiz for me. The Haggadah is the text for Passover/Seder, and in it there's this story of four sons. The— oh God, here we go.

That'll be interesting.

This is gonna be interesting. I love it. I'm like, I'm so fascinated by this story. Can't name the four sons. The simple, the wicked— there's not the right— the wise. I got it. Wise, simple, wicked, and the one who does not ask.

Very good.

Thank you.

Does not know how to ask.

Does not know how to ask. I thought that fourth son was so— that the, the, uh, the one who doesn't know how to— the one who doesn't know how to ask. That was so interesting to me because that was one of the four sons. And I think that it— I don't know, I've just witnessed— I've witnessed so many people in life who don't know how to ask questions, who don't know how to challenge everything. And I, and I think that's arguably worse than being wicked or being simple. What is the, what is the background of that story? The four sons?

It's, it's actually in the Torah where you, uh, where you teach different children the Exodus story in a different way. There's an acknowledgement that every child is unique. And so there's a— I think it's in— I think it is in Proverbs. Chanoch noar al pi darakoh. I think that's the Hebrew. Teach a child according to his own way. And there's so much wisdom in that because your children are so different from each other, so you approach it differently. Of course, the point that I make in that story is there's no good son. There's an evil son or a bad son, but there's no good son.

So what do the four sons do? I'm just confused.

The four sons are there to teach you how to teach the Exodus story. That's what they're there for, in, in different ways depending on who your child is. You might have a bad—

if you have a wicked son, you teach the Exodus story differently?

That's correct.

So, so can— so how would you teach it for the wicked son differently than for the simple?

Right, well, I'd have to read the text Actually, I don't have that by heart in my brain. I should, but I don't. Wow.

So it's, it's the Torah's characterization of the 4 different types of kids that you could have. And that's why it's so interesting that there isn't a righteous one, you're saying, or a good one, right?

And, and the reason is, and it only— I only realized it in the last maybe 10, 15 years, that good son who's not wise is not good. There is no goodness without wisdom.

You know, there are so many people who I know in college who are very knowledgeable, who are actually astoundingly smart and very nice, but they're on the left and they have no wisdom. And it's like their knowledge and their niceness evaporate. It doesn't matter if it's not supplemented with wisdom. You're so right about that. But the reason why that fourth son really fascinates me is because I've also been contemplating this idea. Is it— I think I've brought it up on this show, but of course it's worth bringing up again. Is it easier to convert, if you will? I mean, convert to goodness or bring someone to the light. Is it easier to convert someone who has a poorly calibrated moral compass or someone who has no moral compass at all?

Poorly calibrated, I agree.

I agree. And this is a, this is an imperfect example because I don't think these people were necessarily wicked, but I think there's a look at how many people who were radical leftists are now leaders of the conservative movement. Dave Rubin, Clarence Thomas, David Sowell, excuse me, Amala. There are so many people who went from way on one side to the other. I think it's actually easier to bring someone who has a badly calibrated moral compass to bringing them to have a good one. Someone who doesn't have anyone at all, that's the problem that we're seeing in our country. I feel like most of the people, they don't believe in anything.

The left doesn't have a broken compass. It doesn't have a compass.

They have no compass. Yes, they believe in nothing.

It doesn't calibrate anything. It just stays on north.

Honestly, our president is an example. I look at President Biden and I would say that I mean no disrespect, but maybe I do. I don't, I don't mean to be—

No, you're not saying it to attack, right? Saying yes because you believe it to be true.

Thank you. I don't feel like he has anything on the inside, really. I know this sounds really harsh. I honest to God don't think he has a soul. Because if you look, there is no way that someone can just so easily lie. I mean, he lies about Everything. The economy is roaring. China isn't a threat. I almost died in a fire. I was raised by the Puerto Rican.

My son's notebook. Yeah. The '50s, '51.

Oh, the laptop. You mean laptop?

Yeah, laptop.

I mean, every— and then, and then he was anti-gay marriage. There's this, there's this famous video from him in like 2008 going, marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that. Now he's not only pro-gay marriage, but he says that it's close to sinful to deny transgender youth the right to transition, and he says there should be a constitutional amendment codifying such a right. I mean, he switches on everything, and it's just— I really, honest to God, think the guy has no principles. It's not that he has bad principles that I disagree with. He has none. There's like— it's like a blank slate. It's just, I will say and do whatever is expedient at the moment. That's why I think that fourth son, the one who doesn't know how to ask, that's such a brilliant addition, because that, again, I feel like that's almost worse than the simple or the wicked son.

We're getting there. 45% of your generation says they believe in free speech, but not for hate speech, not understanding that what they just said is an oxymoron.

Yes.

How could you be for free speech and not be for hate speech? Isn't that— forget that the sentiment is not moral. Doesn't it— doesn't it even strike them as irrational? That's self-contradictory.

Well, exactly. They're using it. It's so funny to me. It's not funny, but it's ironic to me. They use free speech to advocate for the suspension of free speech. They are literally using the tool that enables them to do something to tear down that very tool. The only reason why you can advocate for suspending free speech is because you have free speech. Does that make any sense? Yes, of course. The only reason why you can say hate speech should be eliminated is because you have the right to contemplate and discuss such an idea. It's like, do you not get that? It's like literally cutting the foundation from under you on which you stand.

Yep, you're right. Look, there are reasons for worry. Did you hear Kamala Harris's comment? Oh, I just learned— she just made it this past weekend. I just learned that this phrase from young people, climate anxiety.

We can play it.

You want to play it? Well, it takes a whole minute. I did a good job summarizing it. I just didn't— you think at this point I should play it? Okay.

Last time I was here, I was at the Aspen Institute, and I know there's some people here who were part of organizing that, where with Gloria Estefan we talked about what is happening in this region and what's happening in our country and in the world on this issue. And there were young young leaders there who I met with before I went on stage, and I said, "Tell me how you're talking with your peers. How are you experiencing this issue?" And they hipped me to something and a phrase that I had not heard before. They said— they talked about climate anxiety. Climate anxiety. The emotional, the psychological the mental toll that the knowledge about this crisis is taking on our young people. Instability, vulnerability, uncertainty, volatility, precarious, unpredictable. All of these words describe our banking system, as evidenced by the recent collapse of two banks. Julie Hartman here for AmFed Coin and Bullion. This was the second largest bank failure in history, and the Federal Reserve has been scrambling to keep this bank run from spreading. If you feel uneasy about having too much money sitting around in the bank, you're not alone. Gold, silver, and platinum have had recent gains as investors look for safe places to park their money. Now more than ever, you need to call Nick Grovich, owner of AmFed Coin and Bullion. Dennis Prager has been doing business with Nick for many years, and he doesn't go anywhere else. Nick and his very experienced team of specialists will provide you with personalized attention, honest information and sound advice. Be smart and be prepared. If you're interested in buying or selling, call AMFED Coin and Bullion, 1-800-221-7694, or go to americanfederal.com. That's americanfederal.com.

We will scare the living daylights out of you and then comment on your being scared the living daylights of. That's something.

You know what's amazing?

By the way, I'm just curious, do you think that's true? A lot of your peers have climate anxiety?

Yes and no. Yes, I think some do, but no, because I have said it on this show, I think they kid themselves into thinking that they do, but they really don't because if they truly had climate anxiety, they would not live the way that they're living. They would be so anxious and afraid of bringing about this end of the world that they proclaim they believe that they wouldn't drive the cars they drive, they wouldn't live in the houses that they live in, they wouldn't fly on the planes they fly, etc. So I think it's a fake, I think it's a fake fear that they've kidded themselves into having, but they actually really deeply don't have. What I was going to say is, you know what is so fascinating I actually, I need to write an article about this. With all of the problems in the world, and there are so many, our biggest problems in the United States are totally contrived. They are made up problems. Isn't that like every single one that they talk about? Racism, transphobia, climate change. I mean, I'm not, of course, and you and I both know this, but I'm saying it for the record in case whatever the people at The Young Turks are watching this and want to cut a clip and make us look bad. Not saying racism doesn't exist. I'm not saying that some bad things don't exist. It has always existed. It will always exist. That's human nature. But my God, we live in a pretty damn good equal society. Every single issue is made up.

The entire inflation has been made up.

All of it.

It exists, but it's been created by Americans.

Well, that's—

we have made all of our problems.

Yep.

This society could be as close to idyllic, and it was in many ways, and yet it's just— it's like heterosexual AIDS. By the way, Wikipedia— I read my Wikipedia page for the first time in years.

When?

Just this weekend.

That's so funny.

Yes, it is funny. Well, it's not funny. So they actually say Dennis Prager said says or said that heterosexual AIDS was made by the left. It's a pure lie. It is 100% lie. I said the heterosexual AIDS was a hysteria developed by the left. AIDS, of course, existed. I never denied it for a second, and it was horrible.

Ridiculous.

No, it's beyond belief. But every— you're right. I mean, people need to understand that they're all manufactured. Why, why do we— back to inflation. If we had our own natural gas and, and, uh, fossil fuel energy, things would be so much cheaper. If we had not done the lockdowns, kids would be in such better shape. If we told a 6-year-old girl who said, I'm a boy, no, you're a girl, we would have so much healthier children. If we didn't bring drag queens into, into first grade classes. I mean, it's just, it's all self-inflicted.

It's all made up. I remember walking through Harvard Yard and looking around at this beautiful school, and Harvard is a gorgeous school with a lot of resources. I mean, to think about all the books in Widener Library, all of the, the amount of money for research grants, and it just, it hit me. I will never forget this day when I went All like, there are so many people at the school who are, who, who are spending money, getting paid, getting grants, getting degrees and stuff that is totally made up. There are people who are fighting racism that they have never seen before. They are fighting climate change that they have never personally experienced. The gender studies program, hundreds of millions of dollars is just going towards stuff that is made up. Can you imagine if we took all of those resources and dedicated it to things that weren't made up, to actually legitimate issues? Or, I mean, it's just, it's, that clip is such a good example. I mean, again, to think about all of the, I mean, we have enough problems in the world. The world is already a tragic, difficult, terrible place. And in the United States, we are making up problems. The final thing I'll say is there are some people on the right who are government conspiracy theorists. Like they think that there's a sort of apparatus to create chaos and tear down the United States. I don't know if I would say that I am that, but I don't think those people are totally nuts because all of this seems too coordinated to be coincidence.

Well, you know, I mean, how is it— just came out now, the 51 heads of— well, of course, spy agencies.

No, I know there's corruption, but, but all— but literally, if you look at everywhere in society, our education system's unraveling.

The desire is to bring down this country.

Yes.

I don't know where it emanates from though. Why would you want to do that since it will fall on top of you? Although I think they don't believe that. They think they will be the leaders in the new America that will replace the great America that existed before.

Yeah, they think they'll be like the Communist Party officials who don't have to live under communism. Well, it's amazing how America really is developing into a caste system where certain individuals are protected if they are on the left in the Democratic Party. It really, it's not even, of course, you know, there are socioeconomic disparities and differences, but it's really dividing into a political caste system. If you look at those 51 signees of the phony letter that said that the Hunter Biden laptop was disinformation, they knew that that was false. They knew that they were lying. In fact, one of them, Douglas Wise, who is a former CIA or other intelligence official, literally admitted to The Australian, the newspaper The Australian. He said, quote, many of us knew that most of the Hunter Biden laptop contents had to be real. He basically admitted that he was lying, but these individuals are so concerned with their, with their position in the American elite.

Well, the CIA director under Obama testified and—

Yeah, Mike Morell.

Yeah, they knew they were lying, but they were told to lie by the Biden campaign.

They're so concerned with their standing, keeping up their standing in the American elite. That's what, that's what I was arguing in my COVID sheep Wall Street Journal op-ed. We people my age will bow down to the irrational COVID restrictions if it means staying in the good favor of administrators, staying in the good favor of prospective employers. People just want to maintain their standing in the American elite. They don't care about truth or anything like that. It's, it's developing into a caste system. Keep my spot in the caste.

That's why I said on my show just today. This is a very difficult thing for me to acknowledge, my disappointment in half of my fellow Americans. I've always sort of elevated Americans, not just America, but Americans.

Mm-hmm.

And the past few years have been sobering in that regard.

So I have a question for you. I think I brought this up to you privately a few days ago, but it's, it's worth discussing here. I don't know sometimes how far I should go with people in my life in telling them that I think that the way that they're voting or the political beliefs that they have are wrong and corrupt. It's obviously different for people like us because our whole job is to try to convince people of certain values and ideas. But I'm fascinated by this idea of boundaries. For instance, I know people who live in my neighbor or my parents' neighborhood, it's no longer my neighbor, I don't live in my parents' anymore, but in my parents' neighborhood, or I know people who I went to school with and I know that they vote Democrat. And I see the kinds of signs they have on their lawns. And part of me, on the one hand, I don't think it's right go and bang on people's doors and, you know, yell, not that I would ever yell at them, but force something upon others. But then I think, am I shirking my responsibility during this time in our country if I don't go up to them and go, you know, can I send you some articles or can I talk to you for 5 minutes? Do you understand what I'm asking? It's a really, really difficult thing.

I have no answer.

I don't know how to deal with it.

I'll tell you my wife's answer, confront.

Well, right. She would say that. God bless her.

Yeah, absolutely. I, when it comes to the micro, I tend not to argue with people. I argue in front of audiences because I'm not trying to change the mind of the person I'm arguing with. I'm trying to change the minds of the audience. I don't believe I could change one person's mind in a one-on-one. I may be wrong.

You don't think it's worth your energy, you're saying?

Yes, that's what I feel, because it, it takes as much energy to convince one as a thousand or a million, and I rather conserve it for the million. But most people don't have that choice. It's either they will confront one or they won't confront anybody. So I wish people did confront in a very kind way so that it's— but that even almost doesn't matter for leftists as opposed to liberals. If you simply say a biological man cannot compete with biological women in women's sports, they hate you. You are dismissed. You are dismissed, not your ideas.

You Well, I remember at the PragerU gala back in November, which was so fun for many reasons. It's so nice to be in a room with people and you feel like they get you. Big room. That's right. Big room with people. But just to feel like you're in a crowd where people get you is a really nice, comforting feeling. Anyway, Marissa, who's the wonderful, gorgeous CEO of PragerU, she put up a map that was kind of depressing of the past 2022 midterm elections, how people in my age cohort Haha, voted, and the whole map was blue, literally the entire United States. It was how people my age voted. And she asked this question of the audience. She said, I want you all in this room to ask yourselves, did you do enough to make sure that that didn't happen? Did you do all that you could? And if you see this again in 2 years, will you be able to answer in 2 years if you did all that you could? I was sitting there and it really hit me. I mean, I know that I devote my whole life, as you do, to, you know, it's my whole job. But I thought about that. I was like, should I have knocked on doors? Should I have gone up to my parents' friends? You know, like, it's very difficult to know the line. But also, I feel like sometimes confronting people, obviously, you don't want to do it in a for lack of a better term, confrontational way. But sometimes I feel like it actually backfires where the person may feel accosted and may be less likely to say that to you.

You have to do a good read on a person. But I will say, I think you have a better chance, a 23-year-old female, than me, an old male.

True.

So on a one-on-one.

That's true.

On, on one on a million, I sort of have an advantage.

Of course, definitely.

But one-on-one, you have an advantage. So you know, try to use it. But, uh, you know, I'm not saying when on the issue, people, people who put out a, a— what is not a poster? What is the word?

Lawn sign?

Yeah, lawn sign.

Oh my gosh.

I suspect if they put out a Biden lawn sign, you're knocking on their door.

Have you seen the ones that are like, uh, science is everything? The Earth is— have you seen those where they like list 10 things in a row?

Yes, I did. I don't remember it at all, but yes, I did. And science is everything is fascinating because we who argued against lockdowns was totally on science. Yeah, it wasn't on ideology as it is now being proven left and right.

Yes. Yes. Oh my gosh. I mean, even, even the— yes, one of the executives of Pfizer testified before the European Union saying that at the time of the rollout of the vaccines, they had no evidence that it prevented transmissibility.

So they had no evidence of the bad stuff it'll do either, which is coming out. Yeah, that's true. So how's your dating life?

Oh my gosh.

All right, we'll move on.

You know, you— there— I hesitate how much to talk about some things. You know, I'm so open. Part of me's been wondering, should I be more private? With some parts of my life, like my dating life. Should I not discuss that publicly? I feel like a guy watching who would want to date me is going to be very turned off by the fact that I talk about my dating life. I mean, I never say names or anything, but—

Okay, I don't agree with you. A guy who wanted to date you and is watching this would be fascinated by the answer to your question.

Oh, you don't know guys, Miles.

All right, well, no, but that's not the guy you want. Why do you care?

Yes, that is true.

I don't understand. What are you— why, why is it a turn-off? What, what you would say, why would it turn off a guy from prospectively asking you out on a date?

Well, of course I don't say names.

That's right.

Of course I don't reveal—

there's no way for us to know who you're referring to.

I know, but I feel like a guy may fear that I would talk about him.

Yes. Okay, well then he, then he doesn't have the courage to be your guy in your life.

Yes, but that— I mean, all right, but welcome, welcome to the world of young men right now.

So I have deep sympathy for women looking for a man. Uh, I think that a man, a good man, has a better chance right now of being a good woman. Yes, than vice versa.

Oh, 100%.

And that's very painful to me because we have not developed men Well, you asked me the other day on the phone—

I thought it was very wise— you said, where are we developing deep people? Nowhere.

Well, if we are— well, I'll tell you, PragerU might be.

Well, of course.

No, no, no, not of course. I, I really do believe that. And hopefully some religious schools, but I don't— I don't know where else people of depth— do you know, this is tangential, but but important. Somebody gave me a gift of a beautifully leather-bound book of all the president's inaugural addresses. It's really lovely.

That is so cool.

It is totally—

that is so cool.

Wow. It was depressing. Oh, to read the, the facility of the English language of 19th century presidents compared to today. Today it's almost comic book English compared to the way they use phrases and, and words and the length of the sentence and, and the, the powerful descriptions and the allusions to literature. I mean, it's— you could see the decline of the U.S. By going from an inaugural address of 1850 to an inaugural address of the 21st century.

You have no idea how much I think about what you just said. If you look back at the Civil War era letters, people who barely like know how to speak English and learn—

graduate elementary school from— didn't graduate from elementary school. You're right, whatever cohort they're in.

By the way, I've been getting emails from people on both sides of the cohort issue.

Good, both sides.

Both sides. And you know what's fascinating? A lot more men, overwhelmingly, are on your side, and women are on my side. Isn't it? Yes. Well, the Shabbat dinner table was on, on my side, just saying, of men and women. No, but I think about this a lot, even with my own language, I think I sound like a toddler compared— Totally compared to people way back when. And yeah, no, the allusions to literature, it's really, it's very sad. And also now people don't know how to read old literature. I even remember in high school reading Shakespeare and it was very, very difficult. And I sort of regret that teachers don't teach you how to They— it takes practice to learn Old English and, and to learn sort of those references to literature. We don't spend time like learning how to sort of translate, if that makes sense.

Yeah.

And it's— it is, it is a real loss. I've been trying to do like a vocab word a day. Do you ever do that?

Well, I have a good vocabulary, and I—

you do have a good vocabulary.

What I would do and still do, if I come across a word I don't know, I look it up.

Yes.

I don't skim over it.

I write it down too.

And I learn how to spell it. You know that I won a spelling bee at the age of about 12 in my summer camp? I won the spelling bee, and I remember the word I won it on.

What?

Isosceles. Oh, as in isosceles triangle.

Yes. I-S-O— wait. I need her. I saw— I-S-O-C-E-C. I saw— wait, can I write it down? I-S-O-C-C-I-L-I-E-S. No, I-S-O-S-C-L-E-S.

I saw Celes. C-E-L-E-S. Didn't I say that? I-S-O-C-E-L-E-S. If you said that, I—

This is like a few episodes, like way longer.

Now, so why did I know it though? It's because I, I had— and this is what people don't have, tragically— I had a commitment to mastering my language of English. So in geometry class, I realized nobody's going to bother memorizing how to spell isosceles, but I will. I won a spelling bee on it. It was very funny.

No, that's— I do that too. I write it down and then I—

so whenever I meet— I met somebody just this last week. I met somebody from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Mexico.

And I said, I can spell Albuquerque. And she said, really? Are you from Albuquerque? Nobody who's not from Albuquerque could spell it. Yeah.

Al—

you mean—

sorry, I have to write down Alberquerque.

You're totally wrong.

What?

Alberquerque.

This is like— this is like a few episodes ago you asked me to spell Nietzsche. Yeah, but you knew that, and I did know that.

I knew you would know that. No, by the way, it's actually an important issue. People should— this is— if I just occurred to me now, everyone should ask him or herself, in what areas of life would I like to be excellent?

So, Dennis Prager truth bomb.

That's a truth.

What's your answer?

Everyone. I wanted to know grammar. I wanted to know spelling, just to use English as an example. I, I just wanted to be— obviously I wanted to be as morally good— I wanted to— as I could be. You know what is interesting? When you say that, something to the effect, I want to be a good person, To most people, it sounds foolish, trite, trite.

That's corny. Yes, useless.

It's so interesting. I want to be rich, nobody would say anything. Want to be famous, nobody would say anything. Want to be influential, nobody would say anything. I want to be good. What the hell is that about? People think you're a suck-up or like a suck-up or even a loser, a hack, a loser. It's— we have a scene like that in For Goodness Sake, by the way.

You do?

Yeah, where— oh, it's a terrific scene.

Good. For Goodness Sake is the movie that Dennis did with Alan.

Yes, actually, Sean, you should find it and put up the scene where I am talking to a woman in a bookstore and asking her about her son or her daughter. Yes, I would put it up now. Even people should see that. That movie is ageless, even though it's—

I was saying the sun for me to set. Oh no, no, this was before I was born.

That's right. What year were you born?

'99.

Right. I'm old. By the way, I'm just curious. It's just purely if there's nothing to be read into it. Would you rather have been born? Are you happy you were born in the 20th century?

Thrilled. Are you kidding? It is so cool. I could live in, in 3 centuries and 2 millennia. What other?

Oh yeah, 2 millennia. That's right.

Isn't that cool?

Well, you've already lived in two millennia.

That's true, but I could live in three centuries.

Yeah, three centuries. So you would have to be 101.

Yes, or 102. I didn't major in math. I majored—

well, 101 plus 1999 is 2200. Okay, it's 2100.

2100. Clearly you didn't major in math either.

Well, I could not have majored in math. I admit that.

You know, you're turning 75 soon.

Sorry, let's not talk about it.

Really? Really? That's not a response I would expect from you.

I know, and I'll tell you why. Because in the public's view, I don't have an age, so I don't talk about it much because I don't— it's not relevant to any part of my life. I mean, it's relevant in my brain. I know how old I am. But I feel the same as I did when I was your age, and I act the same as I did in terms of energy in your age. But I don't like to emphasize it because I prefer that people just think of me as Dennis. Does that make any sense?

Well, no, I tell you that all the time. I think— I mean, you appeared to me— your soul is sort of ageless. And I think that of other, you know, you truly unique people, honestly. Um, on, you know, the other person who I thought of weirdly, Donald Trump.

That's correct.

He seems ageless.

Nobody talks about his age.

Yeah. He, he really do. You seem ageless. I'm trying to think of others. I mean, there are people that, that, that we know who I, who I could mention.

Right.

But it's very rare. I hope that I can impart that to people too. For lack of a better term, you seem timeless. You really do seem ageless.

That's why you named your thing.

Well, right. Yes, because I want—

in honor of us.

Well, in honor of the values I hope to espouse. Do you think you'll do anything for your 75th? Like a big party?

Oh no, I don't want to do a thing.

Really?

Yeah. I— look, birthdays are a kick when you're 30. Although when I turned 30, somebody baked me a tombstone because you're 30, you're over the hill already. No, 30, by the way, 30 is—

don't tell me that, I'm scared now.

Well, okay, well, I have a theory on birthdays that the odd numbers with zeros are the toughest. Uh, let's see. Yeah, 30, 50, 70, 90. Well, once you get past 80, I don't know if it counts, but 30, 50, 70 are all, whoa, where am I in life? Much more, I think, than 20, 40, and 60. I thought of 60 as a co-extension of 50. It had no effect on me.

Was 70 hard?

Yes, very.

Yeah, no offense.

No, it's—

I know it's leveling. I feel like 70 is really leveling up.

There's no question about it. You, in your 60s, you know you're not young, but you don't think you could get away with not being old. But when you hit your 70s, you're old. That's just the way it is in life. I mean, I totally accept it. I mean, since I'm fine and doing great and my life is better than ever. Oh, you have the scene at the bookstore? Oh, take a look. Everybody should watch this.

Poor Marie. Her son is such a loser. Yikes!

You know, people will work on being happy, healthy, sexy, wealthy, thin, but almost never on being good. And one reason is because they think they don't have to. They're already good.

I consider myself to be a pretty good person. Yeah, I'm a good person.

Yeah, I'm a good person.

Of course I'm a good person. I think that I am a good person because Well, I'm not like mean or anything.

I don't kill people or anything like that. Uh, I tried. I don't know.

I'm not a bank robber. I don't loot. I don't steal.

You see, that's the problem. A lot of people think that because they don't rob or they don't kill, they're a good person. It's not true. If you don't rob and you don't kill, you're not a good person. You're just not a criminal. In order to be a good person, you have to do something positive. The more good people there are, the better the world will be. We're good, we're good. So, uh, but we didn't see the scene. We only saw the end of the scene I wanted. Then we had my soliloquy. By the way, you see me 30 years ago. Is that eerie?

I was going to say, you, you sound different.

Yeah, I had a higher pitched voice.

Yes, your voice is different. Yeah, I like your voice better now.

Me too.

Well, it's— I think it's because I know—

well, no, I know why I like it more. There was more nasal then.

And you know, you know what else I was just looking at that and thinking? That seems like another world to me. Looking at the people, you know, the, the however many there were, 5 or 6 people who were saying, I'm a good person. Yeah, they look a little like— I know this sounds dramatic— they look sort of like aliens from another planet. They're so well dressed.

Oh, they're so—

they look so put together. I mean, that— their hair is—

these are people off the street.

They look very— they look, um, dignified, and they look classy, and they look—

and this is the '90s, this is not the '50s.

They looked very different from the average person you would see. They look— I'm struggling to find the word, but, um, professional is the wrong word, but just pulled together. Yes, there's, there's something— there's, there's an element of respect and dignity and highbrowness, for like, lack of a better term.

Evolution of clothing is part of the process of the devolution of the society.

And not just clothing, but one's, you know, your hair— like, their haircut is, is very nice. They have makeup on.

They've been groomed. People in the street—

this looks very different, very different.

All right, here, here is the actual conversation.

Mary Peters! Becky, you look wonderful! Nice to see you. How are you, and how's your family? Just great. You know, my son And Daniel, he's in New York. He's just been made partner in one of the biggest law firms. Wonderful. How's Jonathan? Well, he's decided that the Wharton School of Business wasn't for him, and he went into occupational therapy. Sort of like a headhunter for a big corporation? No, kind of like a nurse. He's working in the geriatric rehab program at St. John's. Oh, he loves it so much.

The patients—

Gee, that's just great, Marie. Well, listen, I have to go. It's been wonderful seeing you. You keep in touch.

Yeah, well, the, the point there, which was, you know, I, I made afterwards, but the point was the one who's really successful should be the parent who's proud of their kid. The other one who's, you know, helping people in a geriatric ward, it's, it's not such a winner. And It's been— that movie reflects the values that I have today as much as they did then. I have not changed at all. You raise your kids with good character, infinitely more important than their good grades. But people don't brag about good children. They brag about good athletes, good students, but not good children.

Yeah, they don't. They, they, again, they view it as sort of like you're a chump if you think you want to be a good person.

You're somewhat of a loser.

Yeah, well, that's sort of my whole mentality of what I was talking about a few episodes ago with people my age think that life is a game that you either win or you lose, and it doesn't matter what kind of conduct that you— it's— you, you're viewed as a try-hard if you want to be good, and like a bit of a weirdo. Honestly, if someone on a college campus said, I want to be good, they would be viewed as like, okay, you're kind of an outcast. That's weird. Isn't that sad?

I know that that was the reason we made the movie.

Sometimes I think though, when I make arguments to people about why they should be good, I sort of package it in selfish, if you will, terms, if that makes sense. Like I say, well, when you're good, you feel better about yourself. When you're good, you're doing a service to your society, which in turn comes back to you because the society that you live in, you live in. So you want it to be a good society. You know, in other words, like the arguments that I make for goodness always do sort of come back to this, to you, to you. And sometimes I think that's a little bit of cheating because it's like, shouldn't you just want to be good because it's good? And it's sort of the same thing with religion. You know, I talk to a lot of people my age about how I've sort of come to religion. And when they ask me why, I say, well, it's made me a better person. And I think it made makes the society around me better. And then I think, isn't that a— I don't know, is that sort of a bad way to argue for the goodness of religion? Shouldn't you just say it's eternally good? Does that make sense? Isn't it sort of—

no, if it made you a better person, that's the single best argument for religion, right?

But no, I agree with that. But sort of with goodness, shouldn't you just say you should be good because it's eternally the right thing to do? Not, well, you should be good because Yeah, well, that's not gonna be better. You're good.

We'll say, yeah, of course it's a good— it's the right thing to do, but it doesn't mean anything. First, it's like, it's really worthy of its own session, and I'm gonna do a preview video on this, on being a good person. Everybody knows to be a good anything, fill in whatever it is— doctor, pilot, student, athlete. You have to work at it and work at it and work at it. Does anybody think that you have to work at it and work at it and work at it to be a good person? No. And even if they did, how would they do it? Where's— there's a manual for how to pitch a baseball. There's a manual for how to do surgery. There's a manual for every single thing except goodness. The manual that I have is the, is the Bible, specifically the Torah, the first 5 books. So I am writing my, my, my whole, uh, commentary on those 5 books. It's a manual for goodness, which begins with wisdom.

Well, people do— again, they don't see, they don't see the need. They view it as a waste of time. I asked someone— so interesting— I asked someone recently May or may not have been on a date. If you want to know the answer to the dating question, I said, because I like you, when I'm on a date, talk about good and evil and ethical monotheism and all of the things that probably most boys don't want to talk about. And I said, do you believe in God? And this individual said, maybe, you know, I don't know. And then I said, well, do you ever read the Bible? And his response was so interesting. He says, I don't have the time. And I thought, well, if you don't have the time to read the Bible, what do you have the time to do?

Did you say this?

Yes. And he said, well, I have to study for this, or I have to, you know, work. Like, I want to watch my, my TV shows to wind down.

What about the one—

I don't have— what about—

all right, if we could drop this if you don't want it told, but you told me you asked a date recently.

Oh, here we go.

So what book are you reading?

Well, that was on Hinge. I messaged someone on Hinge and I just said, you know, because I like, I like going right to it. I say, what interests you? Or what book are you reading? The guy literally responds, haven't read any books lately. Period.

Well, the—

make it up. Just make it up.

Right. There is no embarrassment.

No shame. That's exactly what it is. There's no shame. I'm like, He didn't even say, oh, this is, this is embarrassing, or I've been worried.

And he, and he advertised himself as conservative.

Yes. And he said, hmm, I haven't read any books lately, period. And you know what? You wouldn't believe how often on Hinge you ask someone a question.

Hinge is a dating site.

Yes.

Yes. Very, very, very— I might think it's— I think it's the biggest now.

Go on. You ask someone a question and they will answer it and they won't ask something back. That happens so often, and not just with me, with my friends. We talk about it. There's no exchange in conversation. You know another thing that pisses me off? And this is gonna really— people are gonna disagree with me on this, but whatever. The way people type. I use shorthand sometimes when I type. I don't, you know, not every word is meticulously written. But when I see a guy that uses too much slang on a dating app, I couldn't agree with you more. I think it's delinquent.

Well, the fact is he doesn't want to impress Yes, that's exactly—

that's exactly what it is.

I review every text message, every email for typos. Every single one.

Yeah, you were— you're a meticulous texter, right?

Well, there's a reason. I want people who get something from me to think it reflects me. It does reflect you.

Yes.

If you don't check your, your spelling— I mean, everybody's going to have an error now and then, fine— but if you don't check your spelling, grammar, etc., when you send a text, uh, people say that's just a text, as long as people understand you. But you make an impression. You are sending you. You're not just sending a text.

You know what I just realized is the distinction? I don't mind some shorthand if you know someone well. Like when I text—

that's right— when I text my my best friends, I'm like, right, thank you with a U.

Yes, thank you. Or, you know, LOL or like, you know, well, LOL is everybody. LOL is a dumb example, but I use shorthand when I text my friends because we're best friends.

Right. That's exactly right.

But when you're, but it's so true. Like, and not just with dating, you know, I was texting some, a girl recently who, you know, some, someone actually who I know at PragerU thought I should meet and possibly be friends with. And I wouldn't just, I wouldn't write shorthand to her. Because even though I'm not going to date her, you know, like a hinge, you know, it's just— I think it's just respect. And I think it's, I want to show you respect. I want to present myself as a dignified person.

You know what strikes me? This is really— if you want to write this down for a future discussion, good thing it's recorded. A major, major part of my singles life which ended at 32 when I married, I was preoccupied with achievement to impress a woman. I had in my mind the belief that I had to earn a terrific woman.

Where, where—

I know, I know, you're shaking your head like I'm speaking Japanese.

Yeah. You have no— I have never heard a man say that.

Wow.

Besides you, I have never in my life heard someone say that. You have no idea how little men my age think that.

I do. That's why I mentioned it.

I didn't even think— they don't even think that.

If they heard me say this, they would just think, how weird.

God, I'm depressed.

But I, I was not, I was not alone. I was not alone. I, I might have been a little more than others, but I was not alone. I remember one, one woman—

no man thinks that. Damn it.

I remember one woman, I, I seduced her by playing Mozart on the piano. And my— I, I've always loved classical music, but the major reason I wanted to play the piano was to win women over.

I wish— you know what you and I should do? We should write down a list of things that men should do to woo a woman. If a guy started playing Mozart for me on the piano, we would be in Las Vegas at the altar. We would.

That's right.

I would, I would marry him immediately.

That's right. That's a very good—

if a guy—

you know who would? Zach.

I was— I didn't want to say it. I was just thinking of Zach. Zach is one of our Shabbat dinner friends who's married and has two kids. I want a duplicate of Zach.

You would do well.

If like, play the piano. Oh my gosh. Can you imagine if a guy gave me that like leather-bound inaugural address thing?

Right, right.

Why don't men? It's, it's, it's so easy, honestly.

Yes.

It's so easy. Be polite. Do something kind of classy and a little like old school.

Show you're classy.

Show that you're classy. And show respect.

How did the guy—

and we'll be in Las Vegas—

the guy you asked, uh, have you— what's, what's the latest book you've read?

Yeah.

How did he dress for the date?

Oh, I didn't see him on a date. He was, he was just— I was messaging him on the app.

Oh, you never met?

Are you kidding? After he said that, I was like, oh, bye.

Oh, oh, oh, I am curious. I— is— am I right that typically— and I'm totally okay if I'm wrong— but typically a woman will dress up more than a man for a first date?

Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, definitely.

Why is that?

Because I think for women there's more gradations of dress. For men, it's either casual or you're wearing a suit. For women, you can have casual, you can have super dressy, you can have dressy casual.

If a guy came on a first date to you, and where is it usually, at a restaurant or Starbucks?

Restaurant.

So if he showed up in a sport jacket and a nice jacket and nice shirt, would that, would that impress you?

Of course. I mean, honestly, well, it wouldn't impress me. I think it'd be the bare minimum.

What if he did shirt and tie?

Honestly, I'd find that to be a little weird.

Oh, that's fascinating.

I know I'm breaking my own rule, but I would find that to be a bit odd.

That's so interesting.

Am I? What's your response to my response?

Well, look, that's why I didn't include tie in my original question.

Did you show up with a tie to dates?

I, I, uh, I don't think so now that you mention it. Yeah, I looked, I looked good, but in other words, probably it was a jacket and shirt.

That would be a little tight. It would be a little weird.

The tie would.

Now, is there any outfit a woman could wear on a date that would turn you off?

Baggy. There's a completely sexist answer. Sean is completely relating. Sean, sure, I made his day, maybe his week.

Baggy.

Okay, if you need an explanation, I am mum. Ask Sean.

What?

I mean, it's amazing you don't fully understand what I'm saying.

I do, I get it. You want to see skin, or you want something, you know, form. Form, that, that's a better way to put it. But yeah, really, you're going to discriminate on the basis of baggy?

Yeah. You're damn right. I will. I, if I were dating, so funny, I would want the woman to know she's a woman.

That I mean, that's true.

One of the ways, you know, baggy is not different. Why would, why would a woman wear a baggy outfit to a date?

Because maybe she's not feeling super confident about her appearance. Okay, so, so, okay, maybe she had a big burrito before the date and wants to cover this.

All right, well, then she shouldn't eat a big burrito before the date.

You're gonna, you're gonna get me for that.

Yeah, like I care. But the, uh, no, he says it takes more than one burrito.

You're gonna get memed.

It is really sad. I mean, I'm not even saying this for me because I'm not dating. I'm, you know how happily married I am. But to say that a guy on a first date would not want the woman to wear baggy clothing.

I mean, I got it. I get it.

No, I want the woman to want to impress me, knowing that looks matter to me.

What if she was wearing sort of a flowy dress but had nice— okay, it was a beautiful dress and nice makeup?

Almost any dress would be terrific.

Okay, but there are baggy dresses.

I don't know what a baggy dress looks like.

Seriously, see you tomorrow, I'll wear one.

Okay, I can put on a baggy dress. Dennis Prager. Well, not even ashamed of her figure, just you, you women want us men. Why does it matter to you if the guy wears a jacket or comes in a t-shirt? It's because of your perception of his perception of himself.

Fair.

And that's the same thing with women's clothing.

Fair enough, fair enough. Well, what I thought you were sort of getting at was if a woman dresses in a masculine way.

Well, that's certainly— that, that's, that's a given.

But like, doesn't wear a feminine-looking outfit, not even necessarily a masculine— yeah, it doesn't wear a feminine-looking—

feminine-looking matters. That's correct. Look, women's jeans are not baggy. Baggy. Men's jeans are more so. If a man wore jeans as tight as women's jeans are, it was gay. Okay, fine. All right, which is— which is not an issue. It's just—

no, it's just true.

You want to date a heterosexual man because you're a woman. Yeah, okay, that's right.

I've never seen a heterosexual male in skinny jeans.

Okay, fine. But women do wear that, so— right, that's what I meant by not baggy. You asked me why would be a turn-off. And I said baggy.

Okay.

And then Sean fell off his chair, and then we considered— we continued the conversation. Look, it's, it's so amazing how you can't talk truth today on sexual matters.

No, you can't.

It's really— it's, it's stunning. By the way, it's also true with many religious people. When I, when I say that men want variety I am as much as likely to be attacked by religious people as I am by feminists. But it is as true as 2 and 2 is 4. A woman loves a man and a man loves women. That's just true. That doesn't mean you— it's not an invitation to be unfaithful. It's not an invitation to be Hugh Hefner. It is just a fact about male nature. It's an unpleasant fact, but we live in the age of the unpleasant facts should not be acknowledged.

Yes, people are afraid of reality.

They're totally so afraid of reality. Includes as many religious people, shockingly to me, as it does irreligious people.

One of the greatest revelations— maybe isn't the right word, but I'll use it for now— revelations of my coming to conservatism is that understanding and accepting reality reality is so— gives you so much peace. Even the really, and especially the hard parts of reality. It just gives you— like, do I wish that I could share the burden of birth with men? Of course. I wish I could say to my husband, I'll carry the first kid, you carry the second kid, I'll do 3, you do 4. But that's not the way it works. And instead of spending my entire life thinking about that and lamenting it and feeling resentful, I just got to deal with it. That's the way it, you know, and Well, that's maybe not the best example, but just realizing that things are unfair or things are the way they are gives you a sort of peace.

Well, that's the Serenity Prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr used in 12-step meetings. You know the Serenity Prayer?

Yes, I love it.

You want to say it? Do you know it by heart? I could look it up.

It's basically, it's give me peace with things that I cannot change and give me the courage to change the things I can't change. The difference and the wisdom to know the difference.

It's my favorite. I try, I live by that.

Well, you've been in the news recently because of your comments on pertaining to sexual matters. And you know, I was thinking about this just yesterday, just your bravery with talking about it. And because, you know, I, I endeavor to be like you in, in many ways, and certainly with regard to, to my my talk show hosting career, and sometimes I've contemplated whether or not I should talk about sexual matters. Obviously we have on this show. I've talked about hookup culture recently on my show Timeless, and sometimes I think, should I just stay away from it? And then I thought, no, it's a part of life. I mean, certainly not something you need to obsess over or get into too inappropriate detail about, but it's a part of life. And also now more than ever, we need courageous people who are willing to go there and talk about sexual matters in a fair honest, moral way. And you— I really commend you because you are that brave person. And I'm sure it's uncomfortable for you to talk about sexual matters, to talk about, you know, you've been in the news talking about pornography, when it's acceptable, when it's not acceptable. And I wish all the critics of you understood it takes a lot of guts and bravery to talk about something so kind of taboo. But But look at how distorted and awful the sexual realm has become in our country where people think it's appropriate to twerk and have drag queens go in front of 4-year-olds, where polygamy is increasingly becoming more accepted and common. I mean, there's been such a horrible, you know, hookup culture is so prevalent. We need a figure who is talking about sex honestly in a good way. And anyway, that's sort of a long-winded way of my saying I know it's hard, I know it's uncomfortable, and I really commend you for sticking your neck out.

Only for the sake of others.

And you have to. People in our position, we have to. Yes, I realize even if I'm uncomfortable with it, tough. You can bleep me. Tough, Julie. Like, it doesn't matter if you're uncomfortable with it. This is life. You want to make life better. This is a really important realm of life. Talk about it. Don't be a coward.

By the way, I just wanted to make 29.com. That's Secret Account, the numbers, 29.com. SecretAccount29.com.