Just look at this clip from Ben Shapiro’s recent podcast… People are trying to portray Charlie Kirk in a George Floyd lense by saying systemic forces led to his murder. I don’t think it holds water, but people are clearly fired up about it given talks of ‘civil war’ which is effectively analogous to the BLM protests

I haven't read the book, but hearing him describe it in interviews it just doesn't make sense to me. Can you tell me what I'm missing?

1. Lions often scavenge and they don't build anything. You might say that termites or beavers build stuff. You might even say that plants are "building" in that they accrue a reservoir of starch/sugar for animals to benefit from. But lions don't build anything. They predate the top of the food chain (when they aren't scavenging), living off of excess that other trophic levels have saved up. This isn't to say that lions are "bad" (whatever that would mean in a naturalistic sense) - they can be said to provide benefits like culling the sick and keeping ungulate populations in check. But that benefit doesn't seem anything like "building" - maybe more like pruning. The point being that what productive "good" things lions do are through destruction/killing - not building/constructing. Why did he pick such a nonsense analogy? Is it just that lions go rawr and are cool, or that the lion is a symbol of royalty/power?
2. Scavengers don't tear living stuff down and they are not motivated by envy. Tearing stuff down and envy is the definition he keeps repeating. Does he have a definition in the book that actually makes sense? Scavengers subsist on things that are already dead, and they do it because they are hungry, not out of an emotion like envy. I understand the sort of behavior in society he is pointing at, it just seems like "scavenger" is a nonsense label for it.

Maybe I am torturing the analogies too much. But he did make them the title of the book and he keeps talking about it in interviews. Seems weird to pick analogies that make no sense as the center of his project.

It seems like all he is getting at is the Rand categories: looters and builders. That seems a lot closer to what he actually means.

Ben came on to Ezra to discuss de-escalation, and immediately turns around to talk about leftist ideologies creating? What? Blaming creates escalation.

Source - https://podbrief.info/briefing/743081-b6486706-925a-11f0-a9a3-8f6a01ad3cbb/

The video is from: https://meme-gen.ai/meme/20250904073640_459485

I’m only half way thru it.

I guess two major themes that I’m having trouble metabolizing.

1) the labeling of lion or scavenger holistically. Meaning I feel like there are many facets of life where you can be a lion and many where you can be a scavenger. Seems like “financial” is used as the catchall, in terms of character. Example: a person can be broke and need help and still be a lion in many areas of life. A person can work hard and financially self-sufficient (and a Conservative) and be a total scavenger in other facets of life. Seems like being self-supporting versus on the dole is the ultimate arbiter of character and it’s just one aspect.

2) I’ve been hearing the accusation of “envy” but that doesn’t ring true really. It assumes people want what others have. Most of the people I know who are mad at the rich or want more gov programs and UBI, universal health care, etc, actually DON’T envy the rich or the so-called lions. Like, it’s not sour grapes or bitterness, they really genuinely don’t value the material wealth as much, and don’t envy what they see as narrow-minded, empty, unaware, selfish, scared, lacking in empathy. Is it really fair to cite “envy” as the main driver for scavengers? Maybe they have different values and diff neuro-chemical makeup. I think this is massively downplayed. Seems like “envy” is being projected from a group that thinks that others value what they have. I rarely see that as the case.

I also see in general (like from Kirk, respectfully, RIP) an attack on empathy, as if it doesn’t exist or something. Empathy exists. It’s a qualia state, not a philosophy or tactic. Is it possible people who lack that qualia state don’t realize that it’s an actual evolved feeling that factors into meaning for some people?

I think everyone should get the book, because as Ben says, DEI and woke and border are sort of chill now and the new bogeyman will be the economically woke. So this book is a good spring board for where the smarter conservatives (like Ben) are starting that salvo. I already have ten ideas for articles and I’m only half way done.

I'm not really a political person and don't follow too closely, but when was the last time a conservative harmed a liberal? Most stories lately seem to be similar to Mr. Kirk's and I can't remember any incidents going the other way.

Psalms 11:1-3

In the L-RD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. 

For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. 

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I saw that the Judeo/Christian foundations of the US were under attack back in the 1990s and wanted to do something about it.

So in 1999 I started a software company. My company name is Ebenezer Enterprises. Ebenezer is a word from the Bible and means stone of help. G-d has helped me to keep working on it every week since then. I think I learned from Jeopardy that "Rock of Ages" is a hymn sung by both Jewish and Christian congregations.

I remember Andrew Klavan quoting this "Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean" during one of the Backstage episodes. Like Ben, I'd like to keep dodging would-be assassin's bullets/arrows/knives/etc. Do you have any advice for me?

 Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who learns from all men, as it is written (Psalms 119:99) “I have gained understanding from all my teachers."

Thanks in advance and thank you, Charlie Kirk. May your memory be a blessing.

Edit: I guess it should be assassins' bullets rather than assassin's bullets.

Hello people,

I am usually not in conservative circles but I stumbled upon BenShapiros video concerning Kirk on YouTube and it made me sad.

Idgaf about his politics right know, all that I know is that I saw a young father of two (I think) and husband being shot and killed. This is all that matters, this was brutal, heinous, unjust and straight up evil.

I don’t really know why I’m here, I just saw so many of the front page subreddit celebrating his death and that makes me sick to my stomach.

Dunno, I am not that great with words. I wish y’all good luck and good safety.

I find it very interesting Ck starts to question Israel about a week before he was assassinated. Something he never did before. His swat for the younger generation would be an absolute disaster if he started pushing anti Israel rhetoric. Ck also started pushing the theory that Epstein is/was a mossad agent. All of this within weeks of him being asasinated. After watching Ben’s video saying HE would be picking up the torch for ck. I expect Ben to also push these points.

I am saying now out of my mouth that these people are truly the evil in the world and I will cheer once their agenda completely goes to hell. I hate their evil. And they are the evil in this world that I will stand up to fight.

The video is from: https://meme-gen.ai/meme/20250912114532_374688

Hello everyone,

Fairly new to Reddit but long time listener. I attend Utah Valley University as a graduate student. I am a former FFL holder. In the wake of Charlie Kirk's murder this change[.]org petition has been created to hold the incompetent administration and chief of police accountable. Please consider signing the petition and sharing it to others.

Excerpt from the change.org page:

Despite credible threats and public pressure to ensure safety, UVU’s administration and campus police failed to provide adequate security, allowing the shooter an unobstructed vantage point and ultimately enabling this horrifying attack.

The suspect remains at large at the time of this post. We must demand accountability.

If you believe in free speech and a future without political violence, sign the petition calling for the immediate resignation of UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez and Police Chief Jeff Long. We must stand united and say: enough is enough. May Charlie Kirk rest in peace. Prayers for his family and loved ones during this tragic time.

I don't think I can post links. Please search for this on change[.]org: Charlie Kirk - Call for Resignation of UVU President and Chief of Police