Skip to content

The question

Whose work do you read even when you disagree with them?

Originally asked

Vox, to writers and thinkers, 9 Questions, 2017

Vox used this as one of nine fixed questions in its 2017 series on intellectual habits.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

SP
Sarah Perry
Recorded said elsewhere, not written here
I often hate-read the Daily Mail. It’s the worst of media and the worst of mankind distilled into one publication and in some ways it feels a moral duty to be familiar with it. Too often we all bolt ourselves into an echo chamber, which I think lacks courage, and can lead to a kind of intellectual conceitedness.

Sean Illing, Vox, “9 questions” series, 26 August 2017 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 26 →
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Novelist and essayist
The Wall Street Journal editorial page, because I imagine it to be what the thoughtful American right reads.
Recorded Sean Illing, Vox, “9 questions” series, 27 May 2017 source ↗
Ariel Rubinstein Professor of economics at Tel Aviv University and New York University
Firstly, Bob Aumann is a very special man. I disagree with him about his political views – he is a right-wing person. I disagree with him about his current position on “what game theory is about”. From time to time he expresses views – about politics for example – backed with the authority of the great game theoretician. I don’t like those statements. In spite of this fact, I admire him for his academic work and personality.
Recorded Sophie Roell, Five Books interview, published transcript, 6 December 2016 source ↗
Guy Raz Radio journalist and podcast host
I don’t think there is a better journalist than Hitchens writing in English. The power of his arguments – they’re so crisply written, they’re so forceful that, if you are on the other side, they almost strangle you. There’s nobody more compelling to read. Every time I read him, I learn something from him. His arguments are so tight, they’re hermetic. It’s very difficult to take them apart. I certainly don’t agree with him a lot of the time, but you can’t but be in awe of the way he can build an argument.
Recorded Five Books interview, published transcript source ↗
The Sun/Daily Mail/other various rags. It’s not that I go out of my way to read them, but back in England any fish and chip shop worth their salt delivers your food wrapped in newspaper. Tabloids are cheapest. You can’t help but catch the headlines.
Recorded Sean Illing, Vox, “9 questions” series, 6 May 2017 source ↗

More from Sarah Perry

View profile →

More on attention & the world

Also answered this

Martha Nussbaum, Ariel Rubinstein, Richard Wolfson, Jessica Henwick, Henry Rollins, Antulio J. Echevarria II

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer