Spectrum Street Epistemology (Reverse Q&A) in Hungary and Romania
Series premiering TODAY
“I would rather be ruled by the USA than Russia.”
“I would fight for my country.”
“Before having an abortion, a woman must hear the heartbeat of the baby.”
“I am more worried about the far left than the far right.”
“The USA is a force for good in the world.”
In September and October of 2022, I travelled throughout Hungary and Romania and recorded Spectrum Street Epistemology videos with strangers. The conversations are extraordinary, as is the contrast with American participants.
After watching dozens of hours of Street Epistemology footage, someone on my team described participants’ responses as “remarkably considered.” “Considered” is the perfect word. To a person, individuals in these videos are thoughtful. They listen. They don’t attack others for their opinions or feign indignance or look for a reason to become angry. This stands in stark contrast to many American university students, who are actively seeking to be offended—and believe themselves to be better people as a result. The contrast between Americans and Eastern Europeans and non-US tourists who participated could not be starker.
Of all the claims examined, I was most struck by responses to, “I would rather be ruled by the USA than Russia” and “The USA is a force for good in the world.” I was heartbroken by their misgivings about the promise of America: Freedom. Rights. Liberty. Equality before the law. Universal values which rest at the end of history were met with cynicism and distrust. Or, more accurately, they do not trust the stewards. They do not trust us. And given our failure to intervene in 1956, and our subsequent moral faltering, this is understandable. Freedom, human rights, and the dignity of all peoples are seen as excuses for invasion or expanding US economic and geopolitical interests.
I’m perpetually amazed and disgusted by the inaccurate portrayal of Hungary and Hungarians by legacy media. Viewers are led to believe that people are goosestepping in the streets of Hungary and that rank discrimination against all manner of minorities is a routine, daily occurrence. The opposite is the case. Hungarians, acutely aware of history in a way that virtually no Americans could be, have a soul-searing understanding of injustice, genocide, and war. One thing that I learned from asking hundreds of Hungarian strangers questions is the ineludible decency of the Hungarian people writ large.
Dozens of Spectrum Street Epistemology conversations in Hungary and Romania will be released over the next several weeks. We are kicking off the series with a young Hungarian’s message to the people of the United States. Please listen and take this to heart.
New videos will be released Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 1:00 pm PT. Subscribe to my YouTube channel to receive notifications! All videos are also on Rumble and Odysee.
Well spoken young man. Yes, more understanding and less convincing. This would lead to two opposites seeing similarities and agreements, rather than division and opposition.
I love this. I can't wait to see the others