My Interview with Scott Jacobsen, Part 1
To keep the record complete and at the risk of sounding self-promotional, here is an interview I conducted some time ago with writer and publisher Scott Jacobsen. The interview is released in two parts. You can read it for free by clicking the screenshot below linked to the Substack site A Further Inquiry. I haven't read it yet, as I dislike hearing or reading my own interviews, but I’ll try to highlight a few quotes now.
On Receiving Pushback for Tone
Jacobsen: Do you ever get pushback—not on the facts, evidence, or validity of your arguments—but on your tone? People who act as “tone police” say you come across as too aggressive? Mencken might have faced this if he wrote today, perhaps even more so. People say, “We appreciate the sophistication and flair of your language, but it’s too sharp, and you’re turning people off.” Do you encounter this kind of response?
It's difficult to criticize religion, even indirectly, without it being perceived as an attack. Around 60 to 70 percent of Americans believe God played a role in evolution, so any discussion of evolution inevitably touches on creationism.
Summary
The interview explores challenges in discussing sensitive topics like religion, highlighting how tone can overshadow facts, affecting how messages are received.
Would you like the second part of the interview formatted similarly?