logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2020
1h 18m

#190 — How Should We Respond to Coronavi...

SAM HARRIS
About this episode

Sam Harris speaks with Nicholas Christakis about the coronavirus pandemic. They discuss the likely effects on society, proactive vs reactive school closures, community transmission, false comparisons between coronavirus and flu, the imperative of social distancing, the timeline of the pandemic, Trump's political messaging, the widespread distrust of expertise, the importance of "flattening the curve" of the epidemic, the possible failure of our healthcare system, gradations of personal response to this threat, and other topics.

If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

Up next
Jan 7
#452 — Is Wokeness Finally Dead?
Sam Harris speaks with John McWhorter about language, ideology, and moral certainty. They discuss the rise and persistence of "wokeness" and DEI, the legacy of George Floyd's death, the role of social media in amplifying moral panic, how identity shapes perceptions of Israel-Pale ... Show More
21m 23s
Dec 31
#451 — The One Resolution That Matters Most
As digital distraction increasingly fragments our attention, Sam explains why mindfulness is a practical skill for reclaiming clarity and presence. Begin a mindfulness practice using the Waking Up app, and make training your mind the foundation for everything else in the year ahe ... Show More
9m 29s
Dec 30
#450 — More From Sam: Resolutions, Conspiracies, Demonology, and the Fate of the World
In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events. They discuss Sam's 2025 New Year's resolutions, the benefits of meditation, Sam's conversation with Ross Douthat, AI risks, Tucker Carlson's midnight encounter with a demon, the fracturin ... Show More
27m 55s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
What We Know (And Don't Know) About The Omicron Variant
The World Health Organization is warning that the omicron variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in South Africa, has a "very high" global risk because of the possibility that it spreads more easily and might resist vaccines and immunity in people who were infected ... Show More
11m 55s
Mar 2020
#6: Coronavirus special - the spread of covid-19, fatality rates, and the importance of hand washing
Governments globally are taking serious measures to halt the spread of the covid-19 coronavirus, from shutting schools to cancelling major events. On the panel for this special episode dedicated to the disease are New Scientist journalists Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet and Donna Lu ... Show More
33m 12s
Nov 2021
Omicron's Arrival Is 'Wake-Up Call' That The Pandemic Is Ongoing
The coronavirus is still circulating and mutating — case in point, the World Health Organization has designated a new variant of concern, called omicron. The variant appears to have some characteristics that may make it more transmissible than others, but much about it is still u ... Show More
11m 35s
Feb 2020
How To Protect Yourself Against the Coronavirus
The coronavirus outbreak in China is causing panic worldwide. The World Health Organization has declared it a global health emergency and all we hear about are doubling infection rates, massive quarantines, and drugstores running out of masks. In this episode of How To!, we ask D ... Show More
23m 33s
Apr 2020
The world after the coronavirus pandemic with Fareed Zakaria
The coronavirus pandemic is more global, dramatic and unusual than any crisis we've seen in a long time, says journalist Fareed Zakaria. Listen as he shares his perspective on how we can recover from the economic fallout, why certain countries were able to avoid major outbreaks a ... Show More
35m 4s
Mar 2020
Coronavirus: What is it, how does it spread and how to stay safe?
It’s the word on everyone’s lips, and has been for months now -coronavirus. We haven’t seen an international response to a crisis on this scale before. One in which every single one of the world’s 195 countries are at risk. Nations are closing their borders, halting flights, limi ... Show More
19m 47s
Mar 2020
Pandemic
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why CNN is now calling the coronavirus outbreak a "pandemic" and answers key questions about how the spread of the virus may impact our daily lives going forward. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more abo ... Show More
13m 45s
Sep 2020
How to think about coronavirus risk in your life
Coronavirus has turned life into an endless series of risk calculations. Can I take my child to see his grandparents, even if it means getting on a plane? Is it okay to begin seeing friends or dating? Should I attend religious services even if they are held inside? Do I have to w ... Show More
1h 7m