Uncertain Things

Uncertain Things

Everything is broken. Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk, two jaded journos, interview people far wiser than themselves and ask: "now what?" uncertain.substack.com

  1. 2일 전

    Losing the Real War (w/ Dr. Einat Wilf)

    Dr. Einat Wilf — Israeli writer, podcaster, and now founder of the political party Oz — returns to the pod to tell us a tale of two wars: the physical war fought (and technically won) in Gaza and the global war for Jewish sovereignty (that’s far from over). If you’re a curious layman on this subject, like Vanessa, make sure to revisit our first conversation with Dr. Wilf before listening, to make sure you have the context you need. On the agenda: -The weaponization of Gaza [0:00-15:03] -The “terrible” truth of Palestinian identity and ideology [15:04-22:42] -The “disappearing” border/alliance with Egypt [22:43-29:17] -Starvation in Gaza [29:18-34:36] -Speaking loudly and carrying a small stick [34:37-39:41] -Defining Palestinianism [39:42-46:39] -A tangent on hippies [46:40-49:24] -Netanyahu’s interference in the “real” war [49:25-59:27] -Anti-Zionism and America’s role [59:28-1:14:22] -A ministry of trolling [1:14:23-1:1:16:32] Mentioned in this episode: * The War of Return * Zionism and the Refugee Machine (w/ Dr. Einat Wilf) * Unraveling UNRWA * Anti-Zionism, Explained (w/ Adam Louis Klein) * Hooked on Dead Jews (w/ Dara Horn) Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. To support us and gain access to exclusive content, consider becoming a paid member of Uncertain on Substack. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1시간 17분
  2. 1월 12일

    America, the Fundamentalist (w/ David French)

    New York Times columnist, co-host of Advisory Opinions and The Dispatch Podcast, and Nashville-based evangelical, David French, returns to the pod once again. This time, we had one big question on our minds: What’s with all the Christianity cosplaying taking over politics right now? But an Uncertain Things episode wouldn’t be an Uncertain Things episode if we stuck to just one topic! We ended up discussing, among other topics, Jesus Christ, the American Civil War, the likelihood of the dissolution of the union today, Venezuela, C.S. Lewis, and more. As always with Mr. French, it was a delightful, thought-provoking, and nerdy conversation. On the agenda: -A quick question about Jesus Christ [0:00-3:50] -Countdown to our country’s dissolution [3:51-22:57] -A tangent on Venezuela [22:58-27:15] -America, the Fundamentalist [27:16-1:09:50] -Advice to a burgeoning Christian [1:09:51-1:20:00] Further reading/listening: * Time to Talk about Secession? (David French on Uncertain Things) * America, The Lonely (David French on Uncertain Things) * ‘I’m a Liberal Who Lost His Faith’ (Tom Holland on Uncertain Things) * Divided We Fall (David French) * Attack Upon Christendom (Søren Kierkegaard) * The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis) Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1시간 18분
  3. 2025. 11. 12.

    Anti-Zionism, Explained (w/ Adam Louis-Klein)

    Anthropologist Adam Louis-Klein was in the Amazon on October 9th, when he went online and learned what had happened two days previously. Almost immediately, he also discovered something else: his left-wing colleagues in the academy were ready to ostracize him for his “filthy Zionist” views. Since then, Louis-Klein has turned his analytical eye toward anti-Zionism. In this conversation, he explains the ideology’s history and how it continues to perpetuate itself through cycles of libel. He also breaks down the other greatest hits of left-wing academic jargon — settler-colonialism, genocide, occupation, etc. — along the way. And we all try to break ourselves out of the language games that prevent us from having a real conversation about what’s happening, and not, in Gaza. On the agenda: -On Zohran Mamdani [00:00-12:40] -Libel cycles post-October 7th [12:41-29:12] -Defining terms: Zionism, Anti-Zionism, and more [29:13-57:00] -The left’s alliances [57:01-1:10:42] -On victimhood, violence, and self-reliance [1:10:43-1:27:36] -The reader’s/viewer’s responsibility [1:27:37-1:42:41] -Expanding the concept of genocide [1:42:42-2:01:31] -The future of Anti-Zionism [2:01:32-2:09:37] Mentioned in this episode: * When is it Genocide? — The Ezra Klein Show * Editors’ Note: July 30, 2025 — The New York Times * Editors’ Note: Gaza Hospital Coverage — The New York Times * How the World Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Butchery of Jews (w/ Eli Lake) — Uncertain Things * The Apocalypse We Deserve (w/ Niall Ferguson) — Uncertain Things * Don’t Blame Israel on the Jews (w/ Walter Russell Mead) — Uncertain Things * Hooked on Dead Jews (w/ Dara Horn) — Uncertain Things * Zionism and the Refugee Machine (w/ Dr. Einat Wilf) — Uncertain Things Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    2시간 10분
  4. 2025. 10. 15.

    ICE, Klein, Coates (w/ Nancy Rommelmann)

    Writer, reporter, Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em co-host, and pie baker extraordinaire Nancy Rommelmann returns to Uncertain Things to talk (again) about a topic she knows all too well: Portland. In 2021, she lambasted the way the media was distorting what was happening on the ground by underplaying the violence. Four years later, she’s lamenting the way the President and his cronies are distorting what’s happening on the ground by overplaying the violence. We get into ICE’s antics, Portland’s response (so far), and the “heroes” making headlines. Then we switch tacts to share our thoughts on the (much discussed) Klein-Coates interview, and Adaam is remarkably reserved in his epithets. On the agenda: -Rommy returns to talk Portland [00:00-04:09] -Portland, 2004-2020 [04:10-9:15] -Portland today: Who’s really there [9:16-18:37] -The Trump Show [18:38-42:53] -Ezra Klein v. Ta-Nehisi Coates [42:54-1:00:56] -The responsibility of the commentator [1:00:57-1:22:25] Mentioned in this episode: * We’re addicted to destruction (w/ Nancy Rommelmann) — Uncertain Things * Adaam on Annihilism * Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em — Substack * Ta-Nehisi Coates on Bridging Gaps vs. Drawing Lines — The Ezra Klein Show * Charlie Kirk, Redeemed: A Political Class Finds Its Lost Cause — Vanity Fair * Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way — The New York Times * Make More Pie — Substack Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe

    1시간 24분
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Everything is broken. Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk, two jaded journos, interview people far wiser than themselves and ask: "now what?" uncertain.substack.com

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