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In Episode 144 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with philosophers Brandon Warmke and Justin Tosi about the phenomenon of grandstanding, which they define as \u201cthe use and abuse of moral talk for the purposes of self-promotion.\u201d\xa0

Although moral grandstanding is a spectacle most commonly associated with those on the political left, the practice of grandstanding is an entirely bipartisan phenomenon. Its increased prevalence in public discourse has dangerous implications for politics and society.

For grandstanders, it isn\u2019t the pursuit of virtue that motivates them. They aren\u2019t concerned with doing good; they\u2019re concerned with looking good; they want others to think that they are morally superior, and they\u2019re willing to go to great lengths in order to do it, including using moral talk as a tactic for punishment and intimidation.\xa0\xa0

The irony is that grandstanders accomplish all of this by free-riding on the moral behavior and good intentions of others. They turn civil discourse into a moral arms race, weaponizing language, and silencing their enemies with threats of doxing and humiliation.

Our society is currently going through a seismic transition. Norms are being radically upended and Americans are experiencing levels of political polarization arguably unseen since at least the 1970s. If we want to make it through this period in one piece, as one nation, undivided we need to reclaim the moral high ground in our discourse. Otherwise, I\u2019m afraid we\u2019re in danger of losing control of our country to the darker forces of our nature, and this would not bode well for the future of our republic.

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Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas

Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou

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Episode Recorded on 06/30/2020