JRE 1848 · June 27, 2024

Francis Foster & Konstanin Kisin

politicsphilosophycomedyfree speech

Who is Francis Foster & Konstanin Kisin?

Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin are the hosts of the free speech podcast and YouTube program "TRIGGERnometry." Kisin's new book, "An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West," is available now. www.triggerpod.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Topics and Timestamps

01Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin discuss their podcast TRIGGERnometry and approach to free speech
02Kisin talks about his new book 'An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West' and his perspective as an immigrant
03The hosts discuss cancel culture, censorship, and the current state of political discourse
04Conversation covers how social media has changed the landscape of public discourse and comedy
05They explore the tension between free speech principles and practical limitations in modern society
06Discussion touches on comedy, offensiveness, and where the line should be drawn in public speech
▶Introduction to TRIGGERnometry and their podcast philosophy0:00:00
▶Konstantin Kisin discusses his new book about his immigrant perspective on the West0:15:00
▶Conversation about cancel culture and its impact on free speech0:35:00
▶Discussion on comedy, offense, and where lines should be drawn in public discourse1:00:00
▶Deep dive into how social media has fundamentally changed how people communicate publicly1:30:00

The Show

Joe sits down with Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin, the hosts of TRIGGERnometry, a podcast and YouTube program dedicated to free speech and challenging the status quo. These guys have built a massive following by having the kind of conversations that make people uncomfortable and that's exactly the point. They're not trying to be edgy for edginess sake, they're genuinely interested in exploring ideas that mainstream media won't touch.

Konstantin Kisin brings a unique perspective as an immigrant who's written a book called 'An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West.' He's not coming at this from a place of bitterness or grievance, but rather gratitude mixed with honest criticism. The West has given him opportunities, but he's also not blind to the problems and contradictions. That tension is what makes the conversation interesting. He's not a typical political commentator and that's refreshing.

The guys are really invested in the idea that free speech and open dialogue are under threat in ways that should concern everyone across the political spectrum. They see cancel culture not as accountability but as a tool for shutting down conversation. What makes their perspective compelling is that they're not just complaining about it, they're actually doing something about it by creating a space where people can speak freely.

They talk about comedy and how it's become this weird minefield where jokes that would have landed fine five years ago now get you branded as a monster. But they're not saying everything goes, they're saying there's a difference between being offended and something actually being harmful. The nuance matters. These guys get that nuance in a way a lot of people don't.

What's clear throughout is that Foster and Kisin genuinely care about these issues. They're not grifting or playing a character. They've thought deeply about free speech, immigration, western values, and what it means to live in a free society. They're also funny guys which doesn't hurt. The chemistry between them is natural and you can tell they've done this hundreds of times.