Sneak Peek: Death Penalty, More USA vs. Russia, & U.S. Healthcare

Three new Spectrum Street Epistemology conversations from Eastern Europe will be released this week, all recorded in Pécs, Hungary. You’re not seeing double—the issue of rule by the U.S. vs. Russia was revisited in a different location. After viewing last week’s conversation on the topic, a subscriber asked, “Why do young people in Hungary seem to find a moral equivalence between the US and Russia?” We hear more reasons in this week’s discussion.

Here is a preview for Substack subscribers:

Tuesday

Capital punishment was abolished in Hungary more than 30 years ago, but public polling suggests many Hungarians believe it should be reinstated in some or all homicide cases.

Peter Boghossian had a one-on-one spectrum conversation with a Hungarian woman about the claim, “Hungary should reinstate the death penalty.” The woman agreed with the claim, citing the death penalty as a possible deterrent to crime. She says murderers are frequently released from prison before serving their full sentences, and she believes families of murder victims would receive justice if the death penalty were reinstated.

While the woman seems confident in her beliefs, she considers adjusting her stance based on variables Peter presents. “I will be thinking about this for a long time now,” she states at the end, which is an objective of every Street Epistemology conversation.

Wednesday

Five gentlemen in Pécs considered the claim, “I would rather be ruled by America than Russia.” The ensuing lively discussion reveals differences in how these Hungarians view their own country.

One participant offers several arguments in support of Russian rule. He rejects the individualistic philosophy of the U.S., believing that Hungarian culture is more compatible with Russian collectivist thinking. He also believes that the U.S. would impose unwanted changes to Hungarian culture while Russia would have more respect for established traditions and values.

Two participants make a case for rule by the United States. They note previous Soviet rule was rejected by Hungarians and believe Hungary is more attuned to American freedom than Russian totalitarianism.

Meanwhile, two gentlemen were convinced to pick a side—and they moved…

Thursday

Four medical students in Pécs did not agree with the claim, “Healthcare in Hungary should model the USA.” Their main reason is high costs for treatment and medication. While they praise the quality of doctors, medical technology, and the number of healthcare facilities in the U.S., they all criticize the difficulty to access care. Rather than Hungarian healthcare modeling the U.S., one student suggests, “America could get a bit of the Hungarian healthcare system.”

At the end, we learn where they would want their loved ones to receive care—Hungary, the U.S., or Germany?