Parental Advisory, Men's Nicknames, and Conducting a Philharmonic - Dennis AMA

Life Audio.

On today's episode of Timeless Wisdom.

Uh, thank you for taking my call.

Thank you.

I have a 15-year-old son who has just started high school as a freshman, and up until this point, when he's wanted to download rap music, which is his, uh, genre of choice, we have required that he tell us the name of the song and I do a quick Google of the lyrics. He's wanting me to not be so very strict on these lyrics, and I don't know, do I lighten up in the name of letting him develop some independence and choices, or do I stick to what we're doing in the name of our family values and that sort of thing?

I must say that the older I get, the less I have, uh, felt that the great problem in American life has been parents who were too strict.

That's coming up on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager.

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Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Hear thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs. And to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles, go to DennisPrager.com.

Hi everybody, welcome to the Dennis Prager Show, and this is the hour in which you set the Call me up on my agenda, whatever's on your mind— 1-800-PRAEGER-776. Okay, it's this mesmerizing moment... I marvel at the fact that I am blown away every week. You'd think I'd get tired of it. Maybe it's just statement about Are you similar? You love it also every week? Well, you know, that is the definition. I've told you this, my friends. The definition of classical music is music that survives the generations. And so there's classical music, that's jazz, although obviously classical, as we call classical, has had a much longer time. My friends, welcome to the show, 1-800-PRAGER-776. Dennis Prager here, and I will take your calls immediately. Let's go to Jim in La Mirada, California. Hello, Jim of La Mirada.

What gives you the gall to pursue your dream for conducting a philharmonic orchestra?

To me, trying to find out the third violin isn't as good enough. This is tremendous. Talk to me about conducting a Philharmonic. Well, actually, your question, which sounded provocative, is in fact valid. It does take some gall for a non-professional to conduct an orchestra. For those of you who don't know, and I don't expect that all of you know by any means. I have conducted quite a few orchestras in Southern California, and after I finish my book, I hope to get back to conducting and bringing some good attention and love of music to a lot of people and to a lot of local orchestras. I'll be very brief here. I have loved classical music and studied it since I was in high school. I fell in love like a man or a woman would fall in love at first sight. I fell in love at first hearing. In my sophomore or junior year, I think sophomore year at, uh, in high school, I heard a Handel concert for $1 at Carnegie Hall. I grew up in New York City and I went nuts. I then spent my lunch money of the next month on Carnegie Hall concert tickets, then tell my father that it would be a great thing for him to give me monthly money to buy classical records because What father wouldn't be overjoyed at his high school kid spending money on classical records rather than drugs? That was my line. To his credit, he was quite generous, gave me some sum of money, bought another stack of records which he would also then listen to. But I chose what I wanted and I went out of my mind. I couldn't believe it, this joy. And I have it to this day. It is, it is my drug of choice, classical music. I love, as you hear my reactions to the bumper music, a lot of, a lot of music. Anyway, to make a long story short, I was an abnormal child. I'm absolutely abnormal. I did no schoolwork, but I did go to the New York Philharmonic Library almost every week. I would take out scores and I learned how to read scores. So I would conduct them in my house at my stereo system. In my room. And believe it or not, I learned how to, uh, how to read scores. Then a woman called the show many years ago, dear woman, and she asked me— I think it was on this exactly this type of hour, Ask Whatever You Want— are there any dreams or fantasies that I've had that I haven't realized in my life? I said, well, the truth is, is really only one, and that is to conduct an orchestra. So she said, how coincidental I am the, I don't know, president or whatever the term would be used. She was a professional clarinetist, I believe, and she was with the West Los Angeles Symphony. She said, can you conduct? I said, I think so. So they sent over their professional conductor to test me in my home, and I passed his test. And I conducted a Mozart overture. That was the first thing I ever conducted. I was so nervous, my sweat dripped onto the score. I'll never forget it because I knew I was with people who were, you know, professional and I'm not. But apparently it went well and then I started doing it with other orchestras and I now do something that I'm aching to do with a number of orchestras around the country. And that is, I believe, I mean, I am not in the league of professional conductors and I don't delude myself. But I can do something that I think a lot of professional conductors may not be able to do, and that is dissect a piece with the orchestra to have people come and fall in love with it. Okay, let's go to Kelly in Sarasota, Florida. Kelly, Dennis Prager, hi.

Hi, Dennis, thank you for taking my call.

Thank you.

I have a I have a 15-year-old son who has just started high school as a freshman. And up until this point, when he's wanted to download rap music, which is his genre of choice, we have required that he tell us the name of the song, and I do a quick Google of the lyrics to make sure that, you know, they're at least, you know, they're not horrible, you know, as degrading to women and some of the other negative references that rap music have, and I have allowed him to download some of them. However, my question for you is, now that he's in high school and he's wanting me to not be so strict on these lyrics, and I don't know, do I lighten up in the name of letting him develop some independence and choices, or do I stick to what we're doing in the name of our family values and That sort of thing.

I must say that the older I get, the less I have felt that the great problem in American life has been parents who were too strict. So I must say, you know, if you asked me on a different day, I might give you a different answer. But let us say, what is the worst that could happen? So he will then go to a friend's house and then he'll see these awful lyrics. So fine, he'll know that in your home— my mother did not allow me to have, uh, we didn't have such things obviously when I was a kid. There was no internet, there was no rap. Nevertheless, not nevertheless, the nevertheless is there was something she didn't allow. I grew up in a quite a strict home. Comic books. And there's nothing wrong with comic books. She just thought that, you know, I should be reading good things that elevate me and not Batman comics. Okay, be that as it may. So you know what happened? During summer camp, I spent the entire 2 months reading a year's worth of comic books. But I did know that the Prager home had an elevated understanding of literature. And so while it was annoying It was, I am a better person for the fact that I grew up in a home that said, this home has good literature and not comic books. And so, in other words, I wouldn't prevent my son, your son, as parent, from going to other homes even if I knew that those kids downloaded awful lyrics. But let him know that in your home there is a certain elevation of the spirit, of the soul, and the intellect that we would like to maintain.

And, and that has been, not as eloquently as you've just said, sort of our explanation. I guess my concern was I don't want to be so restrictive.

I agree with you. Now, I don't know, you, you may be more, more so than, than the next person. However, as I said I don't know what is he— you see, the gain of such— of downloading such stuff is so minimal compared to the gain of being in a home that has a higher system. So he'll think you're too strict. Okay, fine. When he's 25, it's going to be hard for me to believe, "I can't talk to my mother, she didn't let me download obscenities." Okay, right. All right, good luck. It is a question, it's a valid question, and maybe by his junior year you'll have a different thought. On the other hand, parents have the duty, not just the right, to say, you live under my roof, we have values that pertain here. One day you will have your own place, you will download anything you want. Now, I don't want you to— on the other hand, the other problem is, I don't, you know, I don't want you to monitor every— absolutely everything he does. Then the home becomes a jail. It's a very tough— it's a tough line. He does need to act out certain things. That's also true. So it's a call you'll have to make.

This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this.

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Now back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom.

By the way, You know, what music is this? I really like it. What is this? This is Bo Diddley? I should have used my SoundHound. Are we having the SoundHound guy? I'm telling you, that will be one of the highlights of my life. I now use SoundHound for music I can't stand. My wife and I were with the Estrands the other day, and we were having a meal out, and awful jazz. I mean, there's great jazz and awful jazz, and it's about 50-50, I would say. And I just decided to figure out who do I really not like. I won't say the name. I don't know why I won't, but it would take a longer— because I would have to develop the idea for a while, that's why. But it's a famous jazz legend, and I just didn't like it. And it was good for me to know this is what I like, this is what I don't like. It's one of the fun programs. And again, folks, you want to make— I'm telling you, I am throwing out a big monetary idea. Make an application for iPod or Droid. I prefer Droid because I use one, but I'm selfless in this regard. That you, you do the same thing visually. You put your phone up at a tree and it comes up with spruce Iowa spruce. Is there such a thing? How do you know there's no such a thing? He said no solely to hurt my feelings. Alright, he wants the mic. He wants the mic. He was just on 2 weeks ago and he wants it again.

Anybody could tell you just made that up.

The Iowa spruce.

That wasn't hard. You know Japanese like I know, uh, clouds.

Okay, that may be— well, be true. Cumulus rumbus, rumbus meteoculus, and, uh, Douglas MacArthur. There you go. All right, there you go. All right, let's continue here.

Now I want you to keep this one short. I'm gonna let you do it, but I want you to keep it short.

He's gonna let me do it.

Go on.

Okay, let's go to Brad in Prescott, Arizona. Turn Alan's mic off, and that's it for the month.

Thank you for taking my call, Dennis Prager.

Yep, thank you for calling, Brad. This is a very, very important call.

Well, I'll keep it short for Alan's sake, but I did want to, uh, thank you first and foremost for helping me verbalize the values that I teach my children.

Well, you're very welcome. That's exactly what I do. That's why Good. That's why I started Prager University. Verbalize the values, provide the intellectual ammunition. So what's on your mind, Brad? This is important. One minute drum roll, please. Drum roll. Go ahead.

Thank you. I've been addicted to, uh, quality pens for a long time. I bought my first Montblanc when I was about 24. And I've got a little collection of them now, and I'm thinking about branching out into fountain pens. I currently use rollerball and ballpoint.

Ooh, ooh, ooh!

And I wanted your opinion.

Ballpoint, I can tolerate roller, but ballpoint, that is, that is low class. Low class.

I don't mean—

I don't want to offend you. No, no, I'm not offended. I'm not offended. I didn't— I'm the one who offended you. I mean, let's get the offending correct here. You didn't offend me at all. I offended you, to be perfectly honest. All right, what would you like to know about fountain pens? You are speaking to a fountain pen connoisseur, a man who, who, to whom a nib is a form of beauty. What would you like to know?

Well, I'm thinking about a medium nib.

Yeah, medium is the way to go until you, you— I, I still to this day prefer medium. But a smooth writing fine is like finding the right person to marry.

Okay, is it true that as I write with the pen more over time, it gets smoother?

Yes, and it adapts to your handwriting. Hence, you should never loan your fountain pen to another person after you've broken it in. What you do is you carry a cheap, lousy, nothing, 19-cent BIC And whenever someone wants to borrow a pen, that's the one you give.

Okay, uh, next question.

Yes, keep it moving, keep it moving.

Do you use a cartridge or do you draw from a, uh, well?

Uh, 50/50. You get more variety of ink colors, uh, in— actually, now it's, it's now even. There are, there is a company, I forgot their name, Private Reserve, and you know where the ink comes from? Slovenia. It's the best. It's one of the great hobbies. Fountain pen. Let me know what you get, Brad. Alrighty, let's go to— where— what is that? Anon City? I know. What is this, dump on Dennis Prager? He's explaining to me what anonymous means. No, no, I had to look because I'm nearsighted and I had a bend. I never saw Anon City, Texas. What's on your mind, Lee?

Well, that's pretty funny. Um, I need your help because you want an honest talk about race and over the 18 months since Obama was elected, I'm wondering if I'm becoming a racist and I don't like it. But here is my reasoning, and maybe you can tell me where I'm off the map. Supposedly something like 94.6% of Black people voted for Obama. Now that means that some conservative, pro-life Black people decided to vote for this man who is absolutely infanticide, just ready to abort every baby out there. And I'm so— angry about, about that. I'm not angry at black liberals. I'm not angry at white liberals because that's how they vote.

First of all, let me ask you a question. What do you feel about a black conservative?

Well, I love black conservatives if they're, you know, pro-life. I love— it's not so much the colorist of—

okay, see, I'm trying to, I'm trying to point out to you, you're, you're not racist. A racist would dislike all blacks. The moment you say a black with values X, I like as much— who would you rather have as your next-door neighbor, a black conservative who was pro-life, or a white liberal who was pro-choice?

I'd rather have the whole neighborhood lined with black conservatives who are pro-life.

Okay, that does not exactly qualify you as a racist. Okay. So, um, it's to your credit that you're worried that you're becoming one. If you are angry at a large segment of black culture that goes the opposite way, hey, I'm a Jew and I'm angry at a large segment of Jewish culture that goes that way. And I'm hardly anti-Jewish. I'm one of the biggest Jewish spokesmen in the country. But you can be disappointed in a group. It doesn't make you anti-the group. You're disappointed that blacks overwhelmingly are on the left even though their values aren't on the left? I am too. And I'm disappointed that Jews are like that, and I'm disappointed that, uh, that college graduates are like that, and a whole host of groups. No, you're not. You're not exactly— not anybody who wants to live in a neighborhood where everybody's black so long as they're pro-life. Back in a moment.

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This is the music that, that elicits the most endorphins from you. Talking about that, what is the show again? Uh, Jersey Boys. I, I don't know if I had a theatrical experience with— wherein I— all I did was smile for, for the 2 to 3 hours like at Jersey Boys. I, I would— if anybody knows where it's playing, I'm gonna go there again. I, I— we saw it in London. Alan, is there any theater like London theater? They say Broadway. I wonder. I think London— I've seen similar things in both, and Broadway's phenomenal. But I think London, I have to say, I think it's the best in the world, except for Kabuki. Kabuki in Osaka. Don't you love when people do that, when they bring in some obscure thing? Well, that's fine, but of course doesn't compare to the Iowa Spruce.

Oh!

Alrighty, here we go. It is time to take a call in Anchorage, Alaska, and Stephen is the caller. Hello Stephen, Dennis Prager.

Dennis, yes, an honor and a pleasure to talk to you.

Thank you on both counts.

Um, I had a question for you. I'm doing a paper on the founding of Israel and, um, I want to know Well, I can look up the biblical account in the Bible, but I was wondering if the Torah would be better for getting that information.

For getting the information on the founding of Israel?

Yes.

You mean original Israel?

Yes, not the 19th—

Well, wait, so you were wondering if the Torah is a better source than what?

Uh, the Old Testament in the Bible.

Okay, the Torah is the first 5 books of the Old Testament. It's part— it's part of the Old Testament. I'm sorry, go on.

I knew that. I, I've never really understood if there was a big difference between the two, the Old Testament, the first five books of the Bible.

Yes, for— yes, for Jews there's a bigger difference than there is for Christians. Uh, the, uh, the first five books traditionally are regarded as divine directly or from God, uh, as divine text. Uh, Joshua is not regarded as divine text. Where God spoke, God spoke, but otherwise they are regarded as having human authors. But the tradition holds that the Torah is on the highest level of of divinity and of holiness. So while they're all in the Old Testament, the Torah has its unique status. And the truth is, it's had a unique status for Christians, though not in the same way, uh, that, you know, nobody would argue that Joshua has affected Christians as much as Genesis, uh, you know, uh, so if, whereas, you know, one might argue, well one, or state the, the whole thing is divine. Uh, nevertheless, it's like primus inter pares. The first 5 books are first among equals. Okay, okay.

Uh, one other small question: what's your favorite cigar?

People ask me that often, and, uh, the— I never avoid it because I don't have one. Uh, and the reason I don't have one is that there are many one— it's like I don't have a favorite food. It's the best answer I could give. I don't have a favorite food. I love— I could give you 10 different ones that I love. My favorite cigars are generally, uh, Maduros, uh, and generally Nicaragua, uh, because they're the strongest cigar. I love strong cigars. That's, uh, stuff that often gives guys headaches. I love because they're the richest in body. I like thicker ring because you get more taste out of a thicker cigar. And so that's, that's generally what I would choose. The lighter the wrapper, the less likely I am to buy it.

I agree 100% on all accounts.

Okay, terrific. Thank you so much for calling. It's great to hear. When I hear from a 25— this guy is my dream. 25 years old, loves, loves the Bible and loves cigars. I mean, what, what more can I ask for? Ah, there is one more. Does he love Haydn? Ah, that's another endorphin giver. By the way, do you know I ripped a CD on Windows Media Player the other day and I realized what's happening. It doesn't get the information off the disc correctly. If anybody knows the answer and sends me an email, I would appreciate it.

This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this.

Who helps America go farther, fly higher, dream even bigger?

People do.

Since 1879, our people have been more than a source of energy. They've been a source of progress. Today, that same progress is helping deliver record U.S. energy production, fueling the workers, the makers, the boundary pushers, and the risk-takers who spark the breakthroughs that move America forward. Learn more about what our people do at chevron.com/USA250.

Now back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom.

Sean came in, and it's very rare that Sean comes in. He sits on his throne with, with his pompous, very pompous demeanor. But he came in and said, why was it honoring your father's mother, for your father to put the phone on the table and go, yeah, ma? And my answer is, because this is exactly how I felt when I was 10 and I saw it, look at that, my father calls his mother every night. And even though he, and he does it even though he knows he's going to be yelled at by her.

His—

she didn't know he put the phone on the table for a minute or so. He just did it to you know, keep his sanity. And then when it would subside, he would continue talking. He talked. He didn't just say, 'Yeah, ma.' But while she was yelling, he'd go, 'Yeah, ma.' What's he supposed to say? More, please? Let's go to— if I think this is the man I know— is this my dear friend Father Gregory?

It certainly is, Dennis. How are you?

All right, what's on your mind, my dear friend?

Dennis, why can't everybody have your clarity, your good sense?

Well, I'll tell you, this is— I'm going to answer you. I'm not going to just say thank you. I will answer you because it's a very painful fact. The good side— there is a good side— that is, it keeps me employed, because if everybody was clear thinking, I'd have to have another job. There would be no need for me. But, but the deeper answer is it's very painful. It is. For those who have clarity, you don't— it's hard to imagine what is so difficult, but I have made peace with that fact, and that's my mission. And you're very gracious to ask the question. Oro Valley, Arizona. Eric, Dennis Prager, hi.

Hey Dennis, you know why I started listening to your show?

No.

Because mom said so. But I digress.

No, no, I love that. How old are you?

I'm in my 50s.

I love it. His mother told him in his 50s he had to listen to the show, as you told me about 5 years ago. I think that's great.

Anyway, I digress. It's about nicknames. Have you noticed, like I have, that boys, men, all ages, we love to create them and apply them and vocalize them publicly for each other, but women never do?

Yeah.

And, and have you also noticed that they're never complimentary?

Well, yeah, they're not very clean either.

You know, like, sweathead.

Yeah, for example, when I was a kid, my mother was from a Scandinavian home, and so we'd come in from playing ball in grade school, and she'd see us stomping through the house with dusty, and she'd say, "Oh, ishta." So I became "ish" for many years.

Exactly.

In high school, I was 6'5" and 170 pounds, so I was "stick." That's right. Can you imagine women calling each other that?

No, no, it would lead to homicide. That's exactly right. Look, you know my theory. Women— Men show they love each other by insulting each other. You know, you are one jackass means I love you. You know who really got affected by listening to that? Congressman Dreier, because you know whom I have on periodically and just turned out we became good friends. He happens to also be my own congressman and he will generally get on the air when I interview him and start insulting me. And immediately explain, look, I heard you say this is how we show we love a guy, and that's true. You know, for a guy to say to another guy, you are, you know what, you are the ugliest person perhaps who ever lived, and the other guy loves it. Now, could you imagine a woman saying that to her best friend? You may be the ugliest woman who has ever lived. It's inconceivable. And the same with the nicknames and so on. That's exactly right. Oh my God, here it is. You really— you are on top of things. Here is a note from the congressman to me. Dennis, you are a big ugly creep. Wait, is this from— is this from—

is it—

it's from— it's on his congressional stationery. It's perfect. I gotta frame that. That's just precious. All right, Eric, say hi to your mom. Let's go to Atlanta, Georgia, and Michael. Hello, Michael. Dennis Prager. Did your mother tell you to listen to me too?

Excuse me, Dennis?

Did your mother tell you to listen to me too?

No, she didn't. I actually discovered you on my own.

Did you tell your mother to listen to me?

I wish I could. She's deceased, been gone for 10 years.

All right, all right then, Michael. Thank you. Go ahead.

Well, I was just wondering, you often talked about automobiles. —as opposed to the collectivist sort of transportation that people on the left like to promote. Yeah. You talk about automobiles being the greatest personal device for transportation.

Not only that, it's a liberty machine.

Right, and it allows us to go where we want to go and do what we want to do. Yes, when we want to do it. Exactly. But I was wondering just a couple things. Do you think that people's choice in an automobile says anything about that?

You know what? That is a great ques— I can't believe I never covered that on the show. I thought I did every topic under the sun and I didn't. I— of course everybody thinks that. Everybody thinks that's one of the reasons that we make such effort— efforts in the choice that we make. Color, style, look. Why do looks matter? After all, theoretically, the only thing that should matter is how it drives. But we want— we want to make a statement and it does. It's like the clothing we wear, even— and even more so. Look, to be honest, if I see a 50-year-old guy in— I don't know, I don't want to say the name of a car, but what is the famous— the Porsche. If I see a 50-year-old guy in a Porsche, I often— there are some wonderful 50-year-old men in a 2-door Porsche. I have to say that. However, I admit that I generalize that the guy is probably going through a midlife crisis or never got married or what have you.

This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this.

Who helps America go farther, fly higher, dream even bigger? People do. Since 1879, our people have been more than a source of energy. They've been a source of progress. Today, that same progress is helping deliver record U.S. energy production, fueling the workers, the makers, the boundary pushers and risk takers who spark the breakthroughs that move America forward. Learn more about what our people do at chevron.com/USA250.

Now back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom.

Dennis Prager here. Great highlights of this week, and then I have some time to talk to you. I will read to you something from one of the greatest historians. I'm happy to know he's still living and writing because I was reading him in college, Walter Laqueur, and he is still vibrant and writing. I'm sure he's in his 90s. But what is it that 90 is the new 70? I'm not joking. Yeah, it is. It's a push. Well, 90 is the new 80, you'd say? No, 90 is the new 85. Look, you have a slight bias against the elderly anyway.

Well, no, if he— no, to bathe the kids at night, he could do it. Well, I see what you're saying.

Yeah, yeah.

Have you asked him to do this?

I actually asked him to do it for Mother's Day. And did he? Uh, well, he got sidetracked because he was working on building a place for the kids, so I, I don't really hold it against him. But I mean, wait, he's building—

he was building a what for the kids?

A playset. A playset? Yeah, in the backyard.

Well, that sounds like a pretty good husband who works full-time and is building a playset for the kids.

I know, I know. And I, as a female, I stro— I talk about this with my friends. Because we— I tend to be highly critical, and I have to really talk myself out of it. I'll help you. Huh? I'll help you. Okay.

On the basis of what you said, it sounds like you got a good guy. Are you worried that there isn't an equally immense effort to turn out the pro-Scott Walker people, and that a certain confidence that he will prevail will keep some from the polls?

Well, let me answer your question this way. Yeah, I always worry. I always worry about these campaigns. I'm going to worry until I hear the concession speech coming out of Tom Barrett's mouth next week from the Democrats, you know, complaining about this. But I do think that the Republican turnout machine and effort in Wisconsin is very widespread. It's very sophisticated. And one of the things that really encouraged me in this poll from yesterday was that they did find an enthusiasm gap. They found 92% of the Walker supporters saying they were absolutely certain to vote, and only 77% of the Democrats saying they were absolutely prepared to vote. We have had to sit here now for 16 months and take everything that the left has thrown at us. I mean, we've had to watch the teacher strikes and the, you know, fake doctor's notes. We've had to watch the fleeing senators. We've had to listen to the death threats and the yelling and the disruption. And I think that the that the conservative voters just cannot wait to be able to have their say and answer this, and that's going to be next Tuesday.

You talk about the same things, but you talk about them on a different level.

Tomorrow on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager: Why do people do bad?

My personal belief is that the ultimate downfall of man, individual or as a group, is pride. And I think it goes back to what you were talking about before with the people that were in charge of the gangs, how they were so full of themselves, they had the best self-esteem. I think it goes back to pride. Caesar, look at what he did, and most prideful man I think we ever had on this planet.

Well, there's competition for that title, Megan. Yeah, well. But, but, uh, so by pride meaning what, full, filled with oneself?

Yes, I think a total egotism. But then I think pride can be this big swirling depth, you know, as somebody that has road rage, maybe, you know, uh, pride. How dare that person cut me off or not, uh, signal or something. I think that's why, uh, people rape and murder and everything. It all comes back to pride.

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