John McWhorter — A Walk Down Memory Lane

<p>Today, I’ve got a special treat for TGS fans: my <em>first ever</em> recorded conversation with John McWhorter, which occurred on (brace yourselves) November 7, 2007. People who started following John and me in recent years may not be aware of how long we’ve been at this, but it’s been almost 14 years. </p><p>As you might expect, while the topics we discuss are familiar, our positions relative to each other have changed. In 2007, I was clearly to John’s left! One thing that hasn’t changed is John’s superhuman productivity. He notes at the beginning that he is just finishing up writing <em>two</em> books.</p><p>We begin by talking about <strong>John’s gig as a columnist</strong> for the New York <em>Sun. </em>I put the screws to John and ask him in a purposefully un-nuanced way <strong>if he is a conservative</strong>, and he answers with a typically nuanced response. We discuss <strong>John’s then-recent resignation from UC-Berkeley</strong> (a very gutsy move) before moving on to broader concerns like <strong>globalization’s impact on the black working class</strong>, the prospects for <strong>cross-racial class solidarity</strong>, and how to address <strong>racial disparities in education</strong> in a more targeted fashion than simply crying “more funding.” </p><p>At the conversation’s end, we both remark on how much fun it was to talk with each other (even on ancient technology like John’s cordless phone). I’m happy to report that it’s still fun. And I am <em>extremely</em> curious to know what you all think about the differences and similarities between where we started and where we are today. Let me know in the comments!</p><p><em>This post is free and available to the public. To receive early access to TGS episodes, Q&amp;As, and other exclusive content and benefits, click below.</em></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=0s" target="_blank">0:00</a> A walk down memory lane</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=62s" target="_blank">1:02</a> John's gig as a columnist</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=278s" target="_blank">4:38</a> The black intellectual's challenge </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=1037s" target="_blank">17:17</a> John: There is life outside the academy </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=2040s" target="_blank">34:00</a> Disappearing factories and black poverty </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=2453s" target="_blank">40:53</a> Glenn calls for cross-racial working-class solidarity </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRrOKg9nPo&#38;t=3099s" target="_blank">51:39</a> Is unequal school funding a red herring? </p> <br /><br />This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://glennloury.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">glennloury.substack.com/subscribe</a>