HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle

‘We Are Always on the Verge of Chaos:’ The PJ O’Rourke Interview

Views: 821
The libertarian humorist talks about his new book, how to drink in war zones, and why the Chinese are more American than most U.S. citizens.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/reasontv
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at iTunes: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.

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

For the last 45 years, no writer has taken a bigger blowtorch to the sacred cows of American life than libertarian humorist P.J. O'Rourke.

As a writer at National Lampoon in the 1970s, he co-authored best-selling parodies of high school yearbooks and Sunday newspapers. For Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, and other publications, O'Rourke traveled to war zones and other disaster areas, chronicling the folly of military and economic intervention. In 1991, he came out with Parliament of Whores, which explained why politicians should be the last people to have any power. Subtitled "A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government," this international bestseller probably minted more libertarians than any book since Free to Choose or Atlas Shrugged. More recently, O'Rourke published a critical history of his own Baby Boomer generation and How The Hell Did This Happen?, a richly reported account of Donald Trump's unexpected 2016 presidential victory.

O'Rourke's new book, None of My Business, explains "why he's not rich and neither are you." It's partly the result of hanging out with wealthy money managers and businessmen and what they've taught him over the years about creating meaning and value in an ever richer and crazier world. It covers everything from social media to learning how to drink in war zones to why the Chinese may be more American than U.S. citizens. He also explains why even though he doesn't understand or like a lot of things about modern technology, he doesn't fear Amazon or Google, especially compared to people who are calling for Socialism 2.0.

I sat down with O'Rourke to talk about all that, the good and bad of Donald Trump, and why being an "old white man" just isn't what it used to be (and why he's OK with that).

Edited by Ian Keyser. Cameras by Jim Epstein and Mark McDaniel. Intro by Todd Krainin.

“Please Listen Carefully” by Jahzzar used under a Creative Commons license.
@ReasonVidsfollow
Thumbnail for Texas Says 'Pickles' Only Come From Cucumbers. So This Couple's Farm Went Out of Business.4:22
Texas Says 'Pickles' Only Come From Cucumbers. So This Couple's Farm Went Out of Business.
ReasonVids
982 views
Thumbnail for Government Shutdown: Planet of the Apes Remix0:24
Government Shutdown: Planet of the Apes Remix
ReasonVids
804 views
Thumbnail for Remy: Dogecoin Rap2:23
Remy: Dogecoin Rap
ReasonVids
1023 views
Thumbnail for President Johnson lying his ass off about the jew sponsored 1965 Immigration Act 2:19
President Johnson lying his ass off about the jew sponsored 1965 Immigration Act
allAheadFull
692 views
Thumbnail for Stossel: Let Them Leave!3:32
Stossel: Let Them Leave!
ReasonVids
903 views
Thumbnail for Remy: Hallelujah (SNL Leonard Cohen Parody)2:08
Remy: Hallelujah (SNL Leonard Cohen Parody)
ReasonVids
821 views
Thumbnail for Microsoft Is Using Bitcoin to Help Build a Decentralized Internet22:28
Microsoft Is Using Bitcoin to Help Build a Decentralized Internet
ReasonVids
800 views
Thumbnail for FDA vs. Modern Medicine: Q&A w/ Peter Huber9:49
FDA vs. Modern Medicine: Q&A w/ Peter Huber
ReasonVids
854 views
Thumbnail for Court Argument: Compensate Bone Marrow Donors to Save Lives2:31
Court Argument: Compensate Bone Marrow Donors to Save Lives
IJvids
882 views
Thumbnail for Video of nanostructures self-assembling from a vaccine vial6:24
Video of nanostructures self-assembling from a vaccine vial
bestofvoatxyz
873 views
Thumbnail for John Gartner - In Search of Bill Clinton7:05
John Gartner - In Search of Bill Clinton
ReasonVids
814 views
Thumbnail for More Lessons from Camp Politics0:56
More Lessons from Camp Politics
IJvids
831 views
Thumbnail for White South African farmers plant crosses for every White farmer murdered, creating a one huge cross.0:30
White South African farmers plant crosses for every White farmer murdered, creating a one huge cross.
voatcatbox
509 views
Thumbnail for Insane Clown Posse: 'We're First Amendment Warriors' for Juggalo Nation12:39
Insane Clown Posse: 'We're First Amendment Warriors' for Juggalo Nation
ReasonVids
881 views
Thumbnail for his kung fu is strong!0:25
his kung fu is strong!
bestofupgoat
427 views
Thumbnail for Cutting Government Spending: An Interview with Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño29:01
Cutting Government Spending: An Interview with Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño
ReasonVids
808 views
Thumbnail for The Marijuana Policy Tipping Point: A conversation with author Christopher Fichtner, M.D.9:44
The Marijuana Policy Tipping Point: A conversation with author Christopher Fichtner, M.D.
ReasonVids
910 views
Thumbnail for Guy uses scrolling led sign on truck to spread info. Better than voat? 2:44
Guy uses scrolling led sign on truck to spread info. Better than voat?
bestofupgoat
382 views
Thumbnail for The CA Marijuana Movement after Prop 19: Q&A with Dale Gieringer5:07
The CA Marijuana Movement after Prop 19: Q&A with Dale Gieringer
ReasonVids
834 views
Thumbnail for Simpsons - They're probably watching us right now.0:14
Simpsons - They're probably watching us right now.
clips
755 views
Thumbnail for #LetGaryDebate! Johnson Supporters Push To Get LP Nominee in Debates4:48
#LetGaryDebate! Johnson Supporters Push To Get LP Nominee in Debates
ReasonVids
824 views
Thumbnail for Can Americans Still Take a Joke? Comedians Say 'No.'4:47
Can Americans Still Take a Joke? Comedians Say 'No.'
ReasonVids
913 views
Thumbnail for What's this Jew only area in Ukraine?0:20
What's this Jew only area in Ukraine?
bestofvoatxyz
898 views
Thumbnail for Is Socialism Better Than Capitalism? A Soho Forum Debate1:59:15
Is Socialism Better Than Capitalism? A Soho Forum Debate
ReasonVids
722 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian, reason magazine, reason.com, reason.tv, reasontv
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle