There’s a special satisfaction in having finally Got Round to something. I’ve been meaning to add a podcast to the Ruffian for ages and NOW I HAVE. Well done me.
The Ruffian’s podcast will not arrive every week; it will be irregular but not infrequent. Like the newsletter itself it won’t be restricted to one topic or a particular format. It will basically consist of conversations with interesting people. Not the most original concept, I grant you, but a pretty good one. Sometimes it will be an interview with an expert, other times it will be a conversation about a book (or a movie or something else). It may end up going in one direction or another but we’ll see how it develops.
My first episode is a conversation is with the brilliant Times columnist James Marriott. James writes penetratingly and wittily about the strange times we’re in. He is also, as you’d expect, stimulating company, so I’m happy to say he’ll be a returning guest. In this episode we talk about Jordan Peterson.
Whatever you feel about Peterson, he is a cultural phenomenon whose prodigious success deserves analysis that goes beyond either “he’s a misogynist dick” or “he’s a truth-telling visionary”. James and I focus on the book that made Peterson famous: Twelve Rules For Life: An Antidote To Chaos. Our discussion is prompted by Peterson’s new book, which apparently isn’t great - James has written a funny and devastating review of it - but we both agree that Twelve Rules is a work of substance and depth. Whether you’re a Peterson aficionado or novice, I think you’ll find our conversation interesting.
The Ruffian’s podcasts will be partly or wholly behind the paywall, which gives you yet another reason to sign up for a paid subscription.
But since this is the first one, it’s free. I had a lot of fun talking to James and I hope you enjoy the result. If you do, please share widely.
