The contrarian physics podcast subculture

I always thought Weinstein was a creep but he’s a physics crackpot too? Sad that Hossenfelder got involved but it’s so strange to see the spectrum of outsiders and insider-outsiders and outsider-insiders that showed up for that. Never saw a real physicist threaten a lawsuit over criticism but the paranoid and delusional do it all the time.

Re: The contrarian physics podcast subculture

#5

Post by FrustratedMonky » Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 5:43 PM UTC

Sabine's early video's seemed pretty sincere, and had a lot of valid points.

But later, I think the pressure of creating constant content, and moving into non-expert areas, has gotten just as pop-sci as anybody else.

Still think she is on another level from Eric who will throw out any crazy idea he can if someone will listen.

Re: The contrarian physics podcast subculture

#6

Post by jordanpg » Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 5:47 PM UTC

"Professor Dave" interviews 6 physicists regarding Hossenfelder including one guy whose name you particle physicists in particular might recognize.

Re: The contrarian physics podcast subculture

#7

Post by depr » Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 5:48 PM UTC

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #5

Sabine's early video's seemed pretty sincere, and had a lot of valid points. But later, I think the pressure of creating constant content, and moving into non-expert areas, has gotten just as pop-sci as anybody else. Still think she is on another level from Eric who will throw out any crazy idea he can if someone will listen.

I think "just as pop-sci" is a bit generous. https://x.com/C_Kavanagh/status/1956336194352230570 explains it better than I can.

Re: The contrarian physics podcast subculture

#8

Post by tombert » Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 5:48 PM UTC

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #5

Sabine's early video's seemed pretty sincere, and had a lot of valid points. But later, I think the pressure of creating constant content, and moving into non-expert areas, has gotten just as pop-sci as anybody else. Still think she is on another level from Eric who will throw out any crazy idea he can if someone will listen.

Something I've noticed is people who are extremely talented in one field will sometimes think they're extremely talented in every field. I know a lot of engineers like that (and I'm certainly guilty of that kind of thinking sometimes though the jury is still out on if I'm extremely talented).

I have no doubt at all that she understands her niche of physics better than most other humans on the planet, but that doesn't really translate to most other fields. I stopped watching her after I saw her video on transgender stuff and then another video basically acting like we can't trust any kind of academic science.

I also have no idea why the hell she thinks it's a good idea to try and simp for Eric Weinstein who, as far as I can tell, hasn't made any significant contribution to physics and primarily exists to add an air of credibility to right-wing talking point. I will admit that I don't know enough about physics to talk shit about his weird unified field theory attempt, but I do know actual physicists who said it was pretty silly.

Again, I am sure that Eric Weinstein is good at a specific niche of physics, he does have a real PhD from a good school, but he's using that status to try and branch out into stuff he has no fucking clue about.

Re: The contrarian physics podcast subculture

#9

Post by arduanika » Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 5:50 PM UTC

Tim Nguyen has put an extraordinary effort into finding the truth in this entire long exchange, and it's been mostly thankless.

His appearance on Decoding the Gurus was a highlight of the show's early seasons.

https://decoding-the-gurus.captivate.fm/episode/special-epis...

Perhaps you would agree with Weinstein and Hossenfelder that physics today is broken. But that does not in itself prove that the people peddling alternatives aren't even worse.

Re: The contrarian physics podcast subculture

#10

Post by boxed » Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 5:51 PM UTC

tombert wrote: post #8

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #5

Sabine's early video's seemed pretty sincere, and had a lot of valid points. But later, I think the pressure of creating constant content, and moving into non-expert areas, has gotten just as pop-sci as anybody else. Still think she is on another level from Eric who will throw out any crazy idea he can if someone will listen.

Something I've noticed is people who are extremely talented in one field will sometimes think they're extremely talented in every field. I know a lot of engineers like that (and I'm certainly guilty of that kind of thinking sometimes though the jury is still out on if I'm extremely talented). I have no doubt at all that she understands her niche of physics better than most other humans on the planet, but that doesn't…

> Something I've noticed is people who are extremely talented in one field will sometimes think they're extremely talented in every field.

I'm pretty sure Sabine has made this exact statement too.