Delving into medicine (and keeping an eye on the legacy media) are my comparative advantages, and it's what you like most too... I'm going to try to remember that for a while.
The problem was not opinion v. facts or Gaza v. health care. Any opinion based on solid facts on any topic is welcome. The problem with your Gaza piece is that it was based on "facts" that seemed to be sourced entirely from mainstream media outlets that you have taught us to mistrust when it comes to other issues. If you had other sources, you never disclosed them or even suggested that you had reliable confidential information. And much of the mainstream narrative has been debunked, as you recognized in a later post. But you never retracted the views you expressed in your post, nor disclosed any reliable sources for the facts underlying your opinion. From the comments, that was the objection of many of your readers. You promised to give an explanation but I haven't seen one, and I follow you pretty closely.
I just renewed my subscription and I'm not about to quit over this, but I do think you are missing the point when you say you got into trouble because you strayed out of your lane. As far as I'm concerned, your lane is whatever you choose it to be, so long as you show the same rigor in reporting facts as you do on Covid, marijuana and other issues you've written on. Even if I ultimately disagree, I'll be interested to hear what you say because you (usually) have a solid foundation for your opinions.
Agree 100%. It’s the rigor of the research, facts and eventual solid reporting I’m after. And for heaven sakes, please don’t use The NY Times as a source. Lesson learned on that one?
Just how does that RAG exist still? I cannot get my head around that considering what they have been complicit in doing with HUMAN life thru the decades and INTENTIONALLY
People who live within a blue bubble within a larger blue bubble (if they weren't my friends I might call them super elites) think the NYT has always been trustworthy and still is.
"The problem with your Gaza piece is that it was based on "facts" that seemed to be sourced entirely from mainstream media outlets that you have taught us to mistrust when it comes to other issues."
I don't see that as a "problem" per se. We have this Discussions section to battle it out over anything and everything. It would only be a "problem" if Alex shut off comments on his post.
IMO, it's never a problem when someone expresses an opinion and we get to engage with that person over that opinion, which is exactly what happened.
"Discussions section to battle it out over anything and everything. It would only be a "problem" if Alex shut off comments on his post."
I greatly appreciate the discussion too. Usually by the time I get to Alex's Substack there are discussions (like this set) that I appreciate and are better written than I could have done.
Now I don’t have to write my comment, you said exactly what I was going to write…we like Alex because he researched before he wrote and gave us the facts he found so we could decide what we think along with everything else we are reading! Trying to excuse his very strong opinion of the situation in Gaza being Israel’s fault saying that NYT overseas writers are usually better than their US writers was a very low bar for someone we respect because he does research before he writes!!!
I joined this substack for your opinions, not your medical expertise. Write about whatever topic appeals to you. I may or may not agree… and that’s fine. Some topics may interest me more than others… and that’s fine. You can’t please everyone all the time. Just keep doing what you.
Agree. I would never cancel a Substack because somebody doesn't echo my opinions. I came because of COVID but stay because it is interesting. I subscribe to Taibbi and Shellenberger and they both lost subscribers because they wrote (or in the case of Taibbi) didn't write something on a particular topic. I 100% disagreed with Alex on Gaza because I had already seen the reporting on the sick kids but I heard Trump say the same thing so I figured it would take some time for the truth to be widely reported. I also subscribe to Eugyppius and he started out on Covid and almost all we get now is crazy/scary German politics but it is still really interesting. I'm a Libertarian so most people don't share my politics but interesting writing is interesting writing and more information is preferable to less.
I agree; I don't have to agree with everything you write. I disagreed with what you wrote about Gaza because I believe it was not correct, but I never said stop writing about it. I actually appreciate your willingness to be adventurous in the stories you cover. You're too much the old reporter to just stick to one topic!
Back in the bad old days of the Covid scam, you were one of the few sane voices out there. A recovering NYT journo and honest liberal speaking truth to power is a rare thing these days and something to be appreciated, so I subscribed. As a traditional conservative, I may not agree with you on some things but I enjoy your writing, so please continue to opine about what you wish....maybe just avoid rolling around in the mud with clowns like Dave Smith...
I think this is your blog and you can talk about anything. If you want to analyze belly button fuzz..do it. Here come the but...expect that you will rattle people.
A statement you made about being yet another opinion regarding zisrael is an area where your opinion is just more moist. As a Jew and a mother of a lone soldier in Israel I personally need a break from opinions. Your brilliance is so important on the issues your strengths are in stay the course. Dave Smith is a putz. He is a ahanda and a kapo. Let's not make him more famous.
I watched the debate and in general I agree with almost everything Dave Smith says. However, it was really uncomfortable to watch the two of you name calling and resorting to very personal attacks. I like you both and I think it would have been better if instead of having a debate you could have had a discussion. Instead of winning or losing a debate..how about doing your best to persuade or explain your positions. In fact I would love to see a discussion, a conversation, with you and Tucker and Dave and Darryl and Joe Rogan. A couple of hours of exchanging and explaining ideas and opinions...I'd watch..
Excellent point. I want to see a vigorous discussion of why people see things the way that they do. I really hate when discussions degrade into personal attacks or name calling because I don't learn anything except who is better at being insulting -- what a waste of time.
Kisin (& Alex) are in a wholly different league than those named above. Opinions are like aholes, everyone has one - but no one wants to hear it unless it is well reasoned. Dave Smith and his ilk are not well reasoned and thus resort to the worst of personal attacks. If they had to have a real debate where rules applied and not just a bullying discussion on a podcast wearing a hoodie, they would fail miserably. It was right to call Dave Smith out, but not worth Alex's time because the Dave Smith's of the world will learn nothing, change nothing and hopefully will burn out to the nothingness they are. The Alex's and Konstantin's of the world illuminate, educate and inform. Best for Alex to use his talents in that direction.
Dave Smith is nothing if not well-reasoned. You’ve either never watched him speak or you’re not being honest with yourself because you don’t like his opinions. Or, possibly, you don’t understand the word, “reason”, kind of like Alex yesterday with “contradiction”, which to date is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen.
No because he’s rude, obnoxious, resorts to strawman arguments and has done precious little actual research. What he does he does solely for attention and he gets it. He’s a liar on top of it all. I’m in no way defending anything about this absolute circus, but Dave Smith has never had an actual debate of any merit, just barrages of shout downs and ad hominem attacks. He’s not a journalist, he's not an academic, he’s not learned and he certainly isn’t a thought leader. He’s a failed comic with a podcast who panders to bigots and the mentally challenged.
Please cite the strawman argument he made. Also list the lies he told. I literally don’t think you’ve ever watched a Dave Smith debate. I think I’ve seen them all, and he rarely ever has a shoutdown, and never makes ad hominems (unless the other does it first). He has yet to lose a debate because he knows his facts and makes really well-reasoned arguments. Please show us, with specifics, where he’s don’t any of what you’ve said. I bet you won’t.
You are great… and getting better. Keep doing what you do. Focus mainly on your core subject matter expertise, but carefully (and… with careful research) tread into opinion as well. You’re an amazing and well trained journalist. Don’t muzzle yourself or let us subscribers stifle you!
Please count me among those who do not want to read only opinions that are agreeable to me. More and more however this is the case. I think it is exacerbated by the Trump binary. People either want him impeached or they want him on Rushmore. Thoughtful debate on crucial issues is impossible under such circumstances. And this is true of everything these days as everything has become political.
I appreciate your honesty and willingness to share your thoughts and research. I don’t always agree with everything you write but that’s ok. I like that you are independent and not owned by anyone. You have been a voice of reason during some crazy times and I will continue to support you!
Dave Smith came off as such a piece of shit in this debate. It reminded me so much of Kamela Harris years ago after the debate where she accused Biden of being a racist, where she was asked about it and just laughed crazily like no one could have possibly taken what she said seriously (since it was a debate, or something).
@Thunder, are you insane? You just literally compared Dave to Kamala in your analogy, except that Dave wasn’t the one making accusations, Alex was. Your analogy is exactly the opposite…Dave was more like Biden being smeared and Alex was Kamala doing the name-calling and then providing no proof and acting like he doesn’t even understand English (contradiction, anyone?). It was an odd debate, and your take on it comes from upside-down world.
Sorry to upset you, princess. Anyway, in your anger you missed the point entirely. That's ok though, because no one cares what you think, so all is well.
lol, “princess”, you can’t even make a coherent argument to back up your point, which was obvious, but supported by a horrible analogy. Maybe ask ChatGPT to write your comments going forward.
You can write about whatever you like. I joined your Substack for many reasons and am not so thin-skinned to leave over a difference of opinion. We all have a delete button and no one is forcing anything on us.
I hope you understand, Mr. Berenson, that the Israel stuff, has a very strong tie-in with the Jeffrey Epstein case and materials that are currently being suppressed and censored down the memory hole by the DC / DS elites, who know the Epstein materials are very embarrassing to Israeli Mossad and US intel and provide exposure to the gigantic blackmail operation the US gov has become since JFK was assassinated. People want that routed out and abolished since we will not have any honesty or integrity in government until all that is exposed, and charges brought, with all participants sentenced to prison.
Wow. I don't know what your sources are but in this world nearly anything seems possible. I would question how likely it is that intelligence sources ultimately can be trusted. So much lying and dishonesty and it seems particularly widespread in government and its agencies.
The problem was not opinion v. facts or Gaza v. health care. Any opinion based on solid facts on any topic is welcome. The problem with your Gaza piece is that it was based on "facts" that seemed to be sourced entirely from mainstream media outlets that you have taught us to mistrust when it comes to other issues. If you had other sources, you never disclosed them or even suggested that you had reliable confidential information. And much of the mainstream narrative has been debunked, as you recognized in a later post. But you never retracted the views you expressed in your post, nor disclosed any reliable sources for the facts underlying your opinion. From the comments, that was the objection of many of your readers. You promised to give an explanation but I haven't seen one, and I follow you pretty closely.
I just renewed my subscription and I'm not about to quit over this, but I do think you are missing the point when you say you got into trouble because you strayed out of your lane. As far as I'm concerned, your lane is whatever you choose it to be, so long as you show the same rigor in reporting facts as you do on Covid, marijuana and other issues you've written on. Even if I ultimately disagree, I'll be interested to hear what you say because you (usually) have a solid foundation for your opinions.
Agree 100%. It’s the rigor of the research, facts and eventual solid reporting I’m after. And for heaven sakes, please don’t use The NY Times as a source. Lesson learned on that one?
Just how does that RAG exist still? I cannot get my head around that considering what they have been complicit in doing with HUMAN life thru the decades and INTENTIONALLY
People who live within a blue bubble within a larger blue bubble (if they weren't my friends I might call them super elites) think the NYT has always been trustworthy and still is.
Lost in the psychotic abyss...
"The problem with your Gaza piece is that it was based on "facts" that seemed to be sourced entirely from mainstream media outlets that you have taught us to mistrust when it comes to other issues."
I don't see that as a "problem" per se. We have this Discussions section to battle it out over anything and everything. It would only be a "problem" if Alex shut off comments on his post.
IMO, it's never a problem when someone expresses an opinion and we get to engage with that person over that opinion, which is exactly what happened.
Not a problem. An opportunity.
"Discussions section to battle it out over anything and everything. It would only be a "problem" if Alex shut off comments on his post."
I greatly appreciate the discussion too. Usually by the time I get to Alex's Substack there are discussions (like this set) that I appreciate and are better written than I could have done.
Now I don’t have to write my comment, you said exactly what I was going to write…we like Alex because he researched before he wrote and gave us the facts he found so we could decide what we think along with everything else we are reading! Trying to excuse his very strong opinion of the situation in Gaza being Israel’s fault saying that NYT overseas writers are usually better than their US writers was a very low bar for someone we respect because he does research before he writes!!!
Ditto
Alex,
I joined this substack for your opinions, not your medical expertise. Write about whatever topic appeals to you. I may or may not agree… and that’s fine. Some topics may interest me more than others… and that’s fine. You can’t please everyone all the time. Just keep doing what you.
Agree. I would never cancel a Substack because somebody doesn't echo my opinions. I came because of COVID but stay because it is interesting. I subscribe to Taibbi and Shellenberger and they both lost subscribers because they wrote (or in the case of Taibbi) didn't write something on a particular topic. I 100% disagreed with Alex on Gaza because I had already seen the reporting on the sick kids but I heard Trump say the same thing so I figured it would take some time for the truth to be widely reported. I also subscribe to Eugyppius and he started out on Covid and almost all we get now is crazy/scary German politics but it is still really interesting. I'm a Libertarian so most people don't share my politics but interesting writing is interesting writing and more information is preferable to less.
I copied your subscription list, or you copied mine, including Eugyppius.
I agree; I don't have to agree with everything you write. I disagreed with what you wrote about Gaza because I believe it was not correct, but I never said stop writing about it. I actually appreciate your willingness to be adventurous in the stories you cover. You're too much the old reporter to just stick to one topic!
Alex,
Back in the bad old days of the Covid scam, you were one of the few sane voices out there. A recovering NYT journo and honest liberal speaking truth to power is a rare thing these days and something to be appreciated, so I subscribed. As a traditional conservative, I may not agree with you on some things but I enjoy your writing, so please continue to opine about what you wish....maybe just avoid rolling around in the mud with clowns like Dave Smith...
I think this is your blog and you can talk about anything. If you want to analyze belly button fuzz..do it. Here come the but...expect that you will rattle people.
A statement you made about being yet another opinion regarding zisrael is an area where your opinion is just more moist. As a Jew and a mother of a lone soldier in Israel I personally need a break from opinions. Your brilliance is so important on the issues your strengths are in stay the course. Dave Smith is a putz. He is a ahanda and a kapo. Let's not make him more famous.
Your freedom to write about what you want thrills me. I try to imagine from which wells you draw your energy. It amazes me.
I have no dog in the Israel/Gaza fight. It is a pleasure to read you, even should I disagree.
https://grahamseibert.substack.com/p/philo-or-anti-semitic?utm_source=publication-search
Wise move. I’m still here for the posts on medical issues.
i also kind of want more movie reviews
Wise words indeed. Use your strengths. Just don't shut everything else out, I like reading your take on other subjects sometimes.
I watched the debate and in general I agree with almost everything Dave Smith says. However, it was really uncomfortable to watch the two of you name calling and resorting to very personal attacks. I like you both and I think it would have been better if instead of having a debate you could have had a discussion. Instead of winning or losing a debate..how about doing your best to persuade or explain your positions. In fact I would love to see a discussion, a conversation, with you and Tucker and Dave and Darryl and Joe Rogan. A couple of hours of exchanging and explaining ideas and opinions...I'd watch..
Excellent point. I want to see a vigorous discussion of why people see things the way that they do. I really hate when discussions degrade into personal attacks or name calling because I don't learn anything except who is better at being insulting -- what a waste of time.
One of the reasons I listen to Konstantin Kisin.
Kisin (& Alex) are in a wholly different league than those named above. Opinions are like aholes, everyone has one - but no one wants to hear it unless it is well reasoned. Dave Smith and his ilk are not well reasoned and thus resort to the worst of personal attacks. If they had to have a real debate where rules applied and not just a bullying discussion on a podcast wearing a hoodie, they would fail miserably. It was right to call Dave Smith out, but not worth Alex's time because the Dave Smith's of the world will learn nothing, change nothing and hopefully will burn out to the nothingness they are. The Alex's and Konstantin's of the world illuminate, educate and inform. Best for Alex to use his talents in that direction.
Dave Smith is nothing if not well-reasoned. You’ve either never watched him speak or you’re not being honest with yourself because you don’t like his opinions. Or, possibly, you don’t understand the word, “reason”, kind of like Alex yesterday with “contradiction”, which to date is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen.
No because he’s rude, obnoxious, resorts to strawman arguments and has done precious little actual research. What he does he does solely for attention and he gets it. He’s a liar on top of it all. I’m in no way defending anything about this absolute circus, but Dave Smith has never had an actual debate of any merit, just barrages of shout downs and ad hominem attacks. He’s not a journalist, he's not an academic, he’s not learned and he certainly isn’t a thought leader. He’s a failed comic with a podcast who panders to bigots and the mentally challenged.
everything you said about Dave Smith is a bizarre string of sentences with absolutely no connection to a truthful evaluation....very weird.
Calling someone a Holocaust denier and then acting like it’s no big deal is dishonest in the most disgusting way.
Please cite the strawman argument he made. Also list the lies he told. I literally don’t think you’ve ever watched a Dave Smith debate. I think I’ve seen them all, and he rarely ever has a shoutdown, and never makes ad hominems (unless the other does it first). He has yet to lose a debate because he knows his facts and makes really well-reasoned arguments. Please show us, with specifics, where he’s don’t any of what you’ve said. I bet you won’t.
Well done. I don’t think you’ll get anyone here to disagree. Certainly not me.
You are great… and getting better. Keep doing what you do. Focus mainly on your core subject matter expertise, but carefully (and… with careful research) tread into opinion as well. You’re an amazing and well trained journalist. Don’t muzzle yourself or let us subscribers stifle you!
Please count me among those who do not want to read only opinions that are agreeable to me. More and more however this is the case. I think it is exacerbated by the Trump binary. People either want him impeached or they want him on Rushmore. Thoughtful debate on crucial issues is impossible under such circumstances. And this is true of everything these days as everything has become political.
I appreciate your honesty and willingness to share your thoughts and research. I don’t always agree with everything you write but that’s ok. I like that you are independent and not owned by anyone. You have been a voice of reason during some crazy times and I will continue to support you!
Dave Smith came off as such a piece of shit in this debate. It reminded me so much of Kamela Harris years ago after the debate where she accused Biden of being a racist, where she was asked about it and just laughed crazily like no one could have possibly taken what she said seriously (since it was a debate, or something).
@Thunder, are you insane? You just literally compared Dave to Kamala in your analogy, except that Dave wasn’t the one making accusations, Alex was. Your analogy is exactly the opposite…Dave was more like Biden being smeared and Alex was Kamala doing the name-calling and then providing no proof and acting like he doesn’t even understand English (contradiction, anyone?). It was an odd debate, and your take on it comes from upside-down world.
Sorry to upset you, princess. Anyway, in your anger you missed the point entirely. That's ok though, because no one cares what you think, so all is well.
lol, “princess”, you can’t even make a coherent argument to back up your point, which was obvious, but supported by a horrible analogy. Maybe ask ChatGPT to write your comments going forward.
That's awesome advice. I'll look into that for sure!
Good call.
You can write about whatever you like. I joined your Substack for many reasons and am not so thin-skinned to leave over a difference of opinion. We all have a delete button and no one is forcing anything on us.
I hope you understand, Mr. Berenson, that the Israel stuff, has a very strong tie-in with the Jeffrey Epstein case and materials that are currently being suppressed and censored down the memory hole by the DC / DS elites, who know the Epstein materials are very embarrassing to Israeli Mossad and US intel and provide exposure to the gigantic blackmail operation the US gov has become since JFK was assassinated. People want that routed out and abolished since we will not have any honesty or integrity in government until all that is exposed, and charges brought, with all participants sentenced to prison.
Wow. I don't know what your sources are but in this world nearly anything seems possible. I would question how likely it is that intelligence sources ultimately can be trusted. So much lying and dishonesty and it seems particularly widespread in government and its agencies.