Joe Rogan downplays the need for a vaccination and gets covid

Disagreed with a lot the Dr had to say in the podcast myself so I am not out to defend him or anything but - not so sure it is entirely fair to say "he did not know what to say".

Two issues there.

The first is he is a representative of CNN so he would be under pressure not to say anything too bad about them. So his hands were a little tied there. So rather than not knowing what to say - he was being guarded.

The other issue is that Rogan in that clip talked over him, interrupted him, and shouted him down a lot more than he usually does with guests. In fact a few times Rogan specifically says in other podcasts that the reason he insists on headphones is it levels the voices and strongly inhibits people from talking over each other. So it is not normal to see him do that to a guest. So rather than not knowing what to say - he wasn't really let say anything in that clip.

But yea what !can! you say in that situation? I did not follow the story but if Rogan's description of it is true - CNN acted like ass hats and it's not all that defensible.

Generally though - Rogan pushed back on him a lot more than he usually does with his guests. He often says himself that he likes to have guests on he even totally disagrees with - even platforming people some people think he should not - because he just wants to hear how they think. So he can often seem to go "easy" on his guests. Even the nutjobs sometimes. In fact it was only a few posts back on this very thread someone complained that this is why they generally don't listen to his show. It is in fact why I do. So different reactions to his approach there.

But that podcast above he really did seem to push hard on the guy. Especially during the discussion about vaccines in 12 to 15 year old boys.

One thing that did come across in the podcast - which I have noticed more and more when I listen to Rogan - is how moved by single anecdotes he is. A guest might say - and it happened multiple times in the podcast above - X is more likely than Y to happen and here is the data. And Rogan will say "But I know this guy who - ".

One specific example about 1 hour 10 minutes into the podcast the doctor said something like "We know people who get significant breakthrough infections and get really sick are most likely vulnerable and elderly" and Rogan talked right over him and said "That's not true - that guy I said was 53 and he is dead!". Unfair. His single anecdote does not make what the guest said "not true". Even a little. So why shout over him that it is not true?

But on quite a lot of topics over recent episodes - from covid to health regimes to supplements to all sorts - I notice quite often that Rogan will be less moved by data than he would be by "This mate of mine tried this - and look how well he is doing on it!".

I like Rogan generally and listen to many of his shows (generally the ones without another stand up comedian or fighter on) - and he is not a bad thinker and he certainly not the idiot or dumb ass he himself tries to make himself out to be. He is clever and informed on many things. Quick witted - and cogent. But his achilles heel for me really is this ongoing tendency to be so powerfully swayed by isolated anecdote.

That is perfect. Really sums up the subtle lying that people who are not paying attention will be suckers for .