← Home
Making Sense with Sam Harris · September 1, 2026 · 25:32

#491 — The Suicide of the Left

James Kirchick, Zohran Mamdani
Show Notes

Sam Harris speaks with journalist James Kirchick about the growing influence of the far left on Democratic Party politics. They discuss Kirchick's article 'The DSA Is a Parasite,' focusing on the Democratic Socialists of America's platform, foreign policy positions, and the strategy of entryism—running candidates as Democrats while holding fundamentally anti-Democratic views. The conversation covers the alliance between Islamists and the far left, the ideology of Third Worldism, and the candidacy of Zohran Mamdani, as well as broader issues of antisemitism on the left, polling on political violence, and Kirchick's departure from The New York Times.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

•
DSA Entryism and the Suicide of the Left
James Kirchick argues that the far left, particularly the Democratic Socialists of America, is infiltrating the Democratic Party through entryism—running candidates as Democrats while advancing platforms that are hostile to the party's core values.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
•
The Alliance Between Islamists and the Far Left
Kirchick highlights a troubling political alliance forming between Islamist groups and the far left in the United States, driven by shared anti-Western ideology.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
•
Third Worldism and Its Influence on the Left
Sam Harris and James Kirchick discuss Third Worldism, an ideology that romanticizes developing nations and revolutionary movements while treating the West as inherently corrupt and oppressive.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
•
The Zohran Mamdani Candidacy as a Case Study
The conversation uses Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral run as a concrete example of the far left's strategy to gain mainstream political power through Democratic Party channels.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

Editorial

•
Antisemitism on the Left and the Jonestown Comparison
Kirchick draws a provocative historical parallel between left-wing antisemitism and the ideological capture that led to the Jonestown massacre, with Harris referencing the dangerous consequences of political movements that suppress internal dissent.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
•
Polling on Political Violence and the Threat to Democracy
The episode addresses recent polling data showing rising acceptance of political violence among certain segments of the electorate, with Kirchick linking this trend to the erosion of democratic norms.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
•
What Happened Inside The New York Times
Kirchick describes his departure from The New York Times, offering insight into how ideological pressures within elite media institutions shape coverage and constrain journalists.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
Was this useful?