The speaker reflects on 6.6 million unemployment claims during the pandemic and questions the societal cost of lockdowns: addiction, family stress, economic collapse. He argues that asking these questions gets labeled irresponsible, and he refuses to compromise his integrity for sponsors or popularity.
The calming role that the familiar has, and I've told you about the power of the voice over sight. It somehow enters the soul more directly. Well, whatever it is, I am with you and you are with me. And the bad news today, aside from the death toll, which is bad enough, is these 6 6.6— is that it?— million people who are seeking unemployment benefits. It's exactly twice last week's number. And my heart breaks for all of you. It has broken so much that I have asked from the beginning, is the price too great. And it is so interesting, to ask the question is to be regarded as irresponsible by many. It's not even an issue to me, of course I'm asking the question. Who wouldn't ask the question? What thinking person will just say, of course, Of course we wreck untold numbers of people's lives, cause an immense increase in addiction and opioid use and overuse. Of course we create havoc in people's lives. Now maybe that's true. I have not said it is not true. I am asking the question. Two of the letters— I get so much mail now and I try to go through it. I really devote time. Your feedback and your condition. 85-year-old woman wrote me living alone and she's just grateful. And she— another woman is taking up ballroom dancing in her own either home or apartment. I don't recall if she mentioned. It would be fascinating, fascinating to do a study on what people will have done during this period of time. And I salute those of you who are alone. You should obviously make use of every technological innovation that we have to stay in touch with people you care about. I— certainly been true in my life, and I, and I have a house full All of whom are moodless. Thank God. I was talking to a longtime friend who has truly magnificent children, truly. But he was telling me that, you know, there's no day that goes by that someone isn't yelling at somebody. That, I admit, would somewhat drive me crazy. When I know— you have to know yourself. I find people yelling at somebody very disconcerting. It troubles me. I'm very, very calm and I'm very stable, and that is sort of a weakness in me, to be around people yelling at people. So anyway, it's a, it's a mixed bag, obviously, for what people are going through. And yes, I got all the— I got other mail. I got two, actually. I don't want to overstate it. Most of the mail was God bless you, thank you for being there, and, and, and similar. And I, and I'm very grateful for that. Two— I got two pieces of mail from people saying they will no longer listen to the show. And they sounded sincere that they have been big admirers of me for my wisdom. I think they both used that term. I should have brought the letters in. It was a mistake. But now they can't listen anymore. And I don't remember what I responded, but I didn't attack them. But it's, I have to be true to me. I have never ever been governed by what will lose me listeners or what will endear me to listeners. I think that's a major reason that I have some credibility in most people's eyes. Is there is an awareness that he is saying what he does believe. He is not asking what will make him loved or hated. And that's true. I was going to say that would be prostituting myself, and this is not meant as a joke. I don't like using prostitute as the the epitome of wrong. I have a certain sympathy for prostitutes. I don't think they embody evil. But anyway, selling yourself is a bad thing. That's the famous story of Dr. Faustus and Mephistopheles, the doctor selling his soul to the devil. You know, since you're going to be watching movies during this period, there's an unsung movie. What is the one, Alan, that I really love where the guy does sell his soul to Elizabeth Hurley in the remake and the other gorgeous woman many years ago? It's Bedazzled. Yeah. Bedazzled is a very good movie. Both, by the way, the original and the remake are both terrific. You should see it. They, uh, they really do. They stay. They have such a powerful message, the two of them, the same message. But people do sell their souls to the devil. You, you do when you ask questions like, what will I do in order to do X? Not in order to be right or truthful or good. But in order to make another dollar, you know, it's interesting, and I get copy for ads. Almost never is it from the actual sponsor, it's by an ad agency. And I adore my sponsors, and I— if you think that what we are doing on radio is important, please do purchase the goods that the sponsors, the services and goods that sponsors are offering you. They keep radio alive, and radio is very important. Really, really, you can't overstate how important talk radio is. But I get, I will get copy and a word is inserted and it just isn't true, so I drop it. But it is so common that people You know, they just don't pay attention. So answering these two and others, I'm sure, who feel like them, what am I supposed to say to you? Yep, this is, it is worth crushing the economies of the Western world with consequences that cannot even be predicted, but there are always social consequences. I'm totally on board. Is that what you would like me to say? Those of you who are annoyed with me? What? Is that it? Is that— well, that— oh yes, this is definitely— you don't know what's definitely the right thing. I'm ambivalent. I acknowledge that. But there, there are too few voices that are asking, what is the price?
Life, Legacy, and a Dangerous Mission in the Soviet Union | Sunday Fireside Chat
