If I Ruled the World: Tressie McMillan Cottom Throws Down | What Now? with Trevor Noah Podcast

- I think he's gonna run for office in South. No, I can tell. Told you Trevor was gonna president Trevor. - Trevor's gonna be the president. This, but I said, so what? You're gonna go home and run for office? Years. Years. And you went, he's gonna be what? He's gonna be president of. - South Africa. Zelensky used to be a comedian. - I, - Yes. And look at his life. - Now. Not only. - Look at his life now. Maybe. - Not a good, maybe not a good example.

- This is what now with Trevor Noah. Well, all right. You ready to play something? If I ruled the world, I'm ready. Alright, let's do it. This is one of my favorite games to play with people. And there are a few people in the world. who are more my favorites than Resy. McMillan Resy. - Resy Ressy. - I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why. So, what I love about playing the game,

if I ruled the world, is oftentimes we think about the world. in a gradual way. And I think sometimes as people, we get bogged down in. what we perceive possibility to be. Oh, yeah. Right? And so I love playing the game for myself. and for other people, because I think it's good. to remind ourselves. that everything is possible if you don't. think that it's impossible. And you cannot even get. to it if you think it's not. Does that make sense? - Yeah. - So you, it's impossible to fly, but someone goes like, but maybe it isn't. And then one day you're flying, right? Yeah.

So we don't know. And not everything is possible, but everything's impossible if you don't try to get there. So if I rule, the world's a very simple game that we play, everyone gets a chance to say. what they would do if they ruled the world. And when I mean, ruled the world, don't get bogged down. Don't worry about bureaucracy, don't worry about like people coming. off you, not coming off. You don't worry about voting. Everyone develops amnesia. They're gonna love you. No, they develop amnesia. Okay. So they won't go. But it used to be like this. No, it is not like that. - Okay. - Right. Your goal is. to get the other two people on this podcast. - Who To vote for you - To vote for you.

- I didn't know it was a competition part. That it's not a competition. No, it's not a competition. Yes. It's, you just said. - There's voting involved. It's not a competition. Okay. It's not a competition. We, we you have to vote. It's not a competition. This to see the merits of the. - Idea. Yes. Oh, - Oh. Huh. Trevor's idea. - Rarely - Win. So don't feel, don't feel like in. - They've never won. - They not really. - Humble won. No. No, they've never won. I don't think they've ever won. - No. I, I don't mind that. I think Josh, Josh, I've had an idea. Win. Josh. Yeah. - You've won couple. Yeah. - You've won. Ben made us do have a day.

- Off. Yeah, Ben, we, we, we went with, but I think Josh hasn't won either. It's not, I'm surprised by that. It's not about winning. Josh has some idea. Josh has crazy one. - Stuff He's never tried once. He was like, you love Josh. Everyone do streams. We're like, Josh, have you done streams? No, he's cute. - Yeah. - Yeah. Josh. - Has some, he's, so, Josh has some crazy ones. where you're like, wait, Josh, what? Like, what was Josh? One of Josh's last ones was, he thinks. that in your, like sentencing. or in how you get punished in society, pettiness should be exempt. - Oh yeah. No pet is power. No, no power.

- Pet your So, no, it was like, pettiness should be exempt, essentially. So he said, like, for instance, if you committed a crime. or did something to someone, but it was. because of pettiness, you shouldn't be punished. - Yeah. Okay. A pettiness passed. It's. - Like - A Yeah, it was, Trevor told us not to be polite. He was like, let's get rid of customer. service. Was it politeness? - I don't think I would've said that. - It was something along those - Lines. Was it? No, I think my, oh, I think mine was, I said like, your, your, your aptitude should not be measured. by your affable nature. - Yeah. That was, - That's what I was saying. I was like, people should not go. You are a good president because you can speak well.

or because you're No. - Oh, no. I agree with - People should not say you're a. good waiter or waitress. because you are, you are nice to the people. Customer service. Just do the thing. Don't even ask me how my day is, is what I was saying. And. - I was like, I want, how is your day. - British people? - Because I don't that in - England. I don't get that. This is, this is, this is what she, she came here. with her traumatized. - And they're all, and they're like, Americans are so nice. - Yes. I'm like, - I know where you're from. - She was willing to trade incompetence for being nice. So that's how the game works.

- Okay. - We'll go in it, we discuss it, you know, as, as much, and people will challenge you. And you tell us why you think it's good. Remember, you state your case. You tell us why you think this will work. We ask a few questions and then we, and, and then we vote. - Okay. - You know, I, and as I say, it's not about winning, even though Christiana has won, it's just about, you know, us off. - Have ever mentioned my competitive. nature. I'm not proud of it. I mean, - You, you - MacArthur. - Genius girl, New York Times. Yeah. We've never played this game with a. genius sociologist. We kind. - Okay. - We gleaned it. - Okay. All.

So how, how do we wanna start? Who, who wants to start? - Well, ladies first, do you wanna go. second? Yes. I'm guess first. - Okay. - Okay. - Whoa, Trey first. - Oh no, I'll go first. - You go first. You go first. You go first. All right. - All right. So if I ruled the world in my crypto fascist. state, I would put a restriction on the amount a person is. allowed to contribute to the public discourse in text. Oh. So you have a limited amount of words, shots fired per month. You can contribute to the, and it doesn't matter the. - Platform.

Every time I think I know how crazy Christian. is this woman surprising. - Wow. I haven't thought this through. Guys. - Keep going. - Okay. We need to put, so there's freedom. of speech in the real world. Mm. But when it comes to freedom of text, there is restriction, freedom of text. There is not freedom of text. - This call - This curve out freedom. of text. That's, that's. - Restriction. This is interesting. So I, okay, - Remember the, the white man said the pen. is my tear, then the sword. - Reason. Okay. Yes. Okay, fine. And that guy was stabbed by the sword afterwards, but, okay, let's, okay. I have a question, but I mean, please. - Okay. How are you going to,

because arguably everything now is text, right? Yeah. This is one of the things. How are, is there any. ranking or sorting for like, what one contributes with the text? I don't care about the, I ask out. of obvious personal interest. - I don't. You could be a MacArthur wing. and sociologist could, I was wondering if. that's what you meant. You could be a sociologist. Mm. You could be a comedian. - So everybody has the same amount. - Of words every, see, because I am also a socialist, so I believe in equality.

Yeah, I do too. And I'm a communist, so it's free. I'm not charging you to, for the. what number of words. This is. - Wild. - However, there is a restriction, there is a limit. There is a limit on the amount you can. contribute to the public discourse. - Maybe two. Two Tracy's question in a way. Like, is it like an actual limit of like an amount of words? - Yeah. Words. Words. - Okay. So actual words, we count words and counts the same. as like the word compulsion. - It doesn't move. So getting at my. - Yes. Trying to say a lot in a little. But you're saying, - Okay, - What, and the great thing is it'll make you pier.

- Okay? So it's word count. Word count, count. So you're, you are basically putting a word count. - Because you know, I, I believe men shouldn't say more. than 400 words a day. Again. Fair enough. And why is a man saying, my husband starts about three 50 to talk more. And he's like, no, I'm good. You don't wanna say married. Well, yeah, yeah. He don't wanna say more. And he's like, why am I, why. should I talk? There's nothing to say. - Okay. - But. - Yeah. So that, so that's the limits. - Yeah. - And then what happens if you go above that? - Yeah, fine. - You. - Just can't fine.

- A fine, a fine. - Well, okay. Now see, that can become a tax though. - No, no. It's a fine weighted to your income. Because let me tell you the story I had about Donna Taylor. Versace. She was smoking under a no smoking sign. And they said, Ms. Versace, that's right. You can't smoke there. And she said, just tell me what the fine is. That's right. Oh, the, the fine has to be weighted to your. - That's right. 'cause then economic, some people fine, is just attached. - I just paid. So it's punitive. I don't believe in a casserole state, so I'm not gonna throw you in prison. - Oh. - But what I'm gonna say, see, - Yours gets complicated because of that abolition thing, - Right?

- Mm. - Well, now I kind. of do believe in prison, but that's okay. - Okay. So, so you get fined. and it's, it's a proportion of your net worth. - It's, it's weighted - To, it's weighted to. how much you, okay. Okay. All right. Okay. Another question. I have it. Oh, man. - It doesn't compel you to contribute to the public. - Discourse, - Right? No, I understand. - Is it, and it's cumulative, it's like life course. Like, like I start out. - Of words. No, every month you say, say in the, in your month, you get like 800 words or whatever. So it. - Is waited till like your - Lifespan, but you,

but that so it doesn't accumulate over time. - So No, it resets. I can't say it off. Wait, it resets at the beginning of every month. - So there's no books, - Huh? No, I'm talking about the public disco. I'm talking about online in terms of what. - You Oh, okay. You're saying only online? - Online. I'm talking about, oh. 'cause I, and I'm gonna give you the thinking behind this. - Yes. - We are big political events. of the last 10 years have been heavily shaped. and manipulated by online behavior. - I agree. - For good or for bad. It's been online. - I agree. - And some people have be,

had an outsized influence on it, whereas some other people haven't. And it's been these fringes. So I just think. - Cat pep, the podcast bros. Are gonna come for you. - Well, they'll just be on the mic more. They'll speak more. - What's do you see the perverse incentives there? That's, this is tough one. Now the men will go from writing. a whole bunch of words and throwing them at me. to speaking them at me. I mean, they already have the mics. So we're already that. Well, that's what we should be going after the mics. - Yeah. I'm, I'm gonna, this is a a no for me, because I don't think you're solving. the issue you're trying to solve.

So understanding how a lot. of the social discourse has been shaped in America. and around the world, I think is very important for people. We really saw this around Black Lives matter, right. Most people still do not know that most of the memes. and the tweets and the posts that they saw came from Russia. Right? Now I'm not saying this as like a Hillary. and the Russia No, no, no, no, no. I'm just saying on like a very simple level. Yeah. They found a lever. that they could pull in the same way North Korea has.

focused on hacking crypto. - Yes. - Like North Korea. I don't, most people don't even like know this. North Korea has gone on like a very concerted mission. to hack crypto, crypto wallet. It's around the world. - Farms. That's right. Yeah. - And they've gone, oh, this money's untraceable. But it's usable everywhere and it's really powerful. And when you steal it, no one can come after you. That's. - Right. - So North Korea's gone out, they steal tons. of crypto everywhere in the world. Yeah. And no one can like, do anything about it. 'cause you can't like really prove it's them. And it's, and they can use it. You can't like stop them. Okay. The same thing happened in and around social media.

There were all these farms that were produced in. and around Russia and even like parts of Ukraine, if my memory serves me correctly. Right. And like, basically. what they did was they just came off the Americans. and they did it as simply as this every issue. They created a meme or. - Post binary. - A binary. - Yep. Both ways. Motions. - Yep. And they just shot them out. - Okay. - They just shot them out. Here's why the police are coming after you. Here's why they're trying to kill the police. Hmm. Here's why black people are the worst thing. Here's why black people are the best thing. Here's, that's all they did.

They diagnosed an issue correctly, by the way. Yes. But then they really inflamed the tension. So the issue I worry about on your side is. you may stop people who maybe post a lot. or write a lot online, but then they will create a world of people who gets. to like, sort of outspeak them. Because how are you shutting them down? Like they'll even, like, I. can even just think of a simple one. Elon could just buy people to say his thing, - Which is what he's effectively done.

Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. This is like a point. So the ization of everything. Oh, that's a, that's a good point. I. didn't think about that. So we saw this arc with Twitter, to your point, because that's what Elon knew or figured out. or saw happen with Twitter. He realized that there was a real moment. People kind of forget this moment. There was a real moment. of fear governments across this country. when the Arab spring happened. Yeah. That, yes. Somehow social media had shifted the. balance of power towards a democratization of voices. who could influence people's beliefs. And immediately there was a technological solution to that.

who said, no problem, we will just make 50 trillion bots. Right. Train on our behavior. 'cause Texas easily manipulate. to make it sound like a person. This is what you see out. - Well, I, I, these are good points, but I believe I could create, not myself, but hire someone to create the technology to eliminate bots. - No, no. But let's say no bots. I'm saying they would buy people. Yeah. So what I'm saying is you could easily then say, okay, as Trevor, I've finished my 800 word count, but I want to like wait the election.

So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna pay, Hey, have you used your 800 count? Thank you. I'll take that. And actually. here, just post this. - That's - Right. Right. In fact, have you seen some. of the more interesting music. campaigns that are being run now? So music used to be a very different game in. that like the way you would get an artist. to blow up was really defined. by the labels for the most part. They told the radio station play this person. - Right? Yeah. - We'll give you the. resources, play this person. And that's how you became a star. Things started changing with streaming, with social media, with all of that.

Because now you couldn't, labels couldn't dictate it the same way. But they have found something. that's been really effective now. And that is, and I think Drake did. this for his latest album. Yes. Pretty brilliant. - Yeah. - They've gone out to everyone online, not just like quote unquote influencers. They got you, you, you join this platform, I forget the name of the platform. And essentially it sells the. services of just the people. - Online. - And what happens is, I can come on there.

and say, as Trevor, I have a campaign that I wanna launch. I have $10,000 and I pay it to the service. The service then goes out to everyone who signed up to it, who's just a regular person online and says to them, - Hey, pay the song. - Find a way to play the song. Find a way to make this campaign go viral. And we pay you per view. So you, you don't pay people who failed. It's not like putting up a billboard on the highway. and hoping people respond. No. You now go, oh wow, that was an amazing dance. Christiana did. She got 2 million views on that.

We now pay her for the 2 million views. And then Tracy did think something it didn't catch on. So we don't really pay her for that. - And so - You are paying for performance. But what it does though is it creates a false idea. of what trends are. It's popular. - That's right. - Because now you've paid people. to make a trend and. because everyone's trying to chase the money, they then it makes it seem like there's a trend. when there is no trend. And so I'm saying people could pay, can. - Put an, can I put an addendum? Of course. Can love about the music example. Yeah. I just wanna say this. They borrowed that from. - Politics. I did not know that.

- The political influencer model. starting under Barack Obama, it started to mature later, was exactly that. Make this go viral. Make this candidate seem inevitable. Oh wow. Trump just did it better. And at scale he seems inevitable with a minority. of the voters because he uses audience. influencers, huh. To this, this wonderful piece. I think in the New York Times like a week ago about this. sort of like hidden influencer economy of politics.

and how Trump is like just bypassing the media. altogether and going straight to this. And it is embedded in the White House. The White House press machine. This has gone mainstream music was actually late. We did this in politics already. - Okay. So I have an addendum then. - Yeah. Okay. - If you are found. to be buying somebody's text. - Okay. - Or if you accept payment for it. Prison. - Okay. So you did put prison back on the table. Prison's back on the table. See, see how fast that happens, by. - The way.

Yeah. I know. It's so sad. - It nature. Like. - What I was gonna do, can I make a bigger fight? I got this excellent plan. But humans, yeah, humans. - Okay. So if people buy other people's, - No, I just about basically creating disincentives. - Yeah. - For purchasing somebody's vote. Just in the same way, like in a lot. of countries there is a cap on. how much you can donate. You can spend So a campaign. - Yeah. - Or you can actually. spend on a political campaign. Yes. Right, right. So then it just means. that like their big money in politics doesn't happen. - Okay. And just remind me one more time, the reason you're doing this is because.

- I think people talk too much online, myself included. - Okay. - I think that some people contribute. to the discourse more than they should. And I think it's like gets you out there to go. and talk to people in real life. - Okay. I'm ready to vote. Trey, are you ready to vote? - I am - Ready to. - Vote. - Okay. Yes, your vote is. - Oh, that's fine. I was gonna go with the consensus. No, - No, no, no. - Okay. This is back to my accurate diagnosis, - But Right. - Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with trying to, 'cause what you're essentially saying,

you wanna take the attention economy out of the discourse. Yeah. 'cause it's ruined it. Yeah. I am there 150%. Yeah. I think you gotta go straight to jail. Okay. 'cause I think if you got any middle ground, people are gonna game it. So based on that, okay, I'm gonna vote No. Okay. - Okay. Trevor's voting. No, I already know that. Yeah. I'm. - Definitely - Voting now. - But I mean, also self-interest. I'm one of those people with a lot of the words. Yeah. - You lost Rey as soon as you said words. I gotta tell you, when you said words. tough, I was like, wow. - Trust. Like, you're coming for. - My check. - Yes. You said words. So the.

- Okay. Rey, you're not even on Twitter anymore. That's true. Okay. Does lives more? - Yes. But, okay. She does lives more. Let lemme explain. why I'm voting no though. Just so, so the reason I'm voting no is because really. because I'm set across from somebody who I consider one. of the greatest luminaries in this space. I don't think that it's fair that. us idiots can say more than people like that. - Oh. See, that's why I disagree. - No, no, no. I mean this honestly, I mean this honestly. So I think sometimes the numbers shouldn't always be right.

because numbers are dangerous. Like mobs are, but mobs are not necessarily right. - But Trevor, my issue is that the experts like Trey Yes. Are actually receding from the public discourse. I have lots of friends who are authors like alls of things. - No, I, I, please don't get me wrong, - I the idiots are the ones who are Yes, yes. The loudest voices. - Right now I'm with you. completely. And that's why I say it's to, - And it may bring the tresses back to the internet, to the public square, - The digital square. I'm completely with you. I always say this to you. with love and understanding.

I vote no, not. because I disagree with what you've identified, but. because I don't believe that this is the right way. for us to solve it. And so my vote is also gonna be a no. - Accepted. There were, these were actually good notes. Were. - Good notes. Your next plan is coming hard. - Is what you're saying. Yeah. I'm gonna refine it. But these were good notes. Yeah. I didn't, I didn't spot, you know, the blank. So. - Taxing the microphones again, I'm gonna put. that back on the table for you to consider. You know what. - I, so I'm different. I kind of like the podcast post. Ah. I don't like their content, but they just give us insight into the male psyche.

that I would otherwise never have. Yeah. - Oh, I like that. - Yeah. It's a nice way to look at it. I like, yeah, you're just like, oh, this is. how men really think. Because men don't really talk in that way. But don't they though? I avoid them. So I dunno. Because I avoid them. - Because, alright, let me be the man who then talks. Okay. I'll give you a little insight into my world. We're gonna continue this conversation. right after this short break.

Alright. Okay. If I ruled the world, I would abolish quarterly earnings. that companies report on. And I would probably extend it even further than like, companies wouldn't be able to report on their earnings. for like maybe like a few years actually. Like no, no reporting at all from any company. Mm. They wouldn't be, they'd just be like, we just run, run, run, run, run, run, run. Like. - The SP 500. We wouldn't know what's going on with those. - Companies.

Yeah. No, no. You wouldn't know their earnings. Like, so, you know, like right now it's quarterly. - Yeah. - Quarterly earnings report. - Yeah. Like yeah. Gone Chrysler made 300 million, no more. - Quarterly earnings. And I would even extend it to maybe like two to three years. Maybe like every three years they. could report their earnings. Right. - Okay. - And I'll tell you why. - I'll - Tell you why. In my mind, I think we can draw a direct line. between quarterly earnings. and the destruction of most things society has. held near and dear.

- Oh yeah, yeah. I'm with you on that. - I think the ification of everything, as I call it, I greatly attribute to quarterly earnings. because the quarterly earnings has made it so that every CEO. of every major company has to make sure that the reporting. that they do four times a year shows. that the company's making more money. and is more profitable four times a year. You have to do this and because you have to do this and.

because it affects the share price. and your as a CEO, your incentive is now to make sure. that every quarter your company makes more money than it. made in the previous quarter. or the money is going up versus looking at the long-term. prospects of the company, the employees, and the thing that you're actually. trying to do in the world. - And - So, when I look at every service, I, I am yet. to find a company that became a better version. of itself once it went public.

- Oh, strong agree. - Right? I genuinely have yet to see an example that, - But why don't you ban IPOs? - So I thought about this, I thought about this, I thought about like why, why not ban publicly. listing and all this thing. Yeah. So I do think from the little, 'cause I, I went. and asked some of the people who work in Wall Street. and all of this and they said there is a major advancement. that we should never take for granted. that came from allowing people to collectively come in. to build something even though they weren't there. Right. So I, I can see the value in that. and I can understand it.

And I was like, you know what I mean? Because I don't wanna. just be like, ah, ban all, you know, IPOs. and ban, you know, some people would say that. Ban it all. I can see why. - Yeah. - I wouldn't be against banning it, but I think there would be a second system effect. that I can't predict right now. - So - What I would say is I would just ban the reporting. of how much money people have made. - Trevor. People are gonna steal so much money. I would steal money. - I have to do everything in my power to not say anything. Gonna say something about Nigerian. I didn't.

He's gonna say something Nigerian. I didn't say anything. Each of you right now. I didn't say anything. I didn't, I didn't want to say anything was. to say about Nigerian first thoughts was I could. see why I could get some. - Money out of that. - Your first thought, Christiana, was. that I'm not gonna say anything. - I think on an accounting level, if we look at like Enron. - Yes. And. - All of that stuff. - Okay. - The lack of public accountability. that's transparent may take us to a place.

that is quite dangerous. Right. And now I I, as much as I am a socialist, I'm a socialist that has quite a bit of money in the market. There comes the champagne with the socialism. I was just about to say, listen, I've got three kids. They've got these 5, 2, 9 account. I hear you. You're playing with the money. I wanna know whether I should be holding, whether I should be letting things go. - Okay. - And I think unfortunately. because of the way this country is set up the west now, before your house used to be the thing,

you could just have a house. - Yeah, - Yeah. And you know, you are okay. They have forced us to put our money in the market. Everything's the asset economy. And most of us would like to know what's happening to it. every quarter. And I don't think that's a ridiculous thing. - I think the downside of you knowing is, is worse. for the general public. So, so here's what I, I understand what you're saying. and I still say, remember there, there's still ramifications in my world. So if people are corrupt. and all that, we will still catch them.

They'll just be caught later. They'd still have to report. - Yeah. So you - Be, everything's en your money's gonna be gone regardless. That's I'm saying Trevor's point saying. So I'm saying I understand, I understand the, the, the, the guardrails you're trying to put in place. - Yeah. - But I'm saying if we look at, I believe most companies are not run corruptly. Most CEOs are not stealing the money. Most, most, most. I always go with that. I, you know me, I believe in general. Good. - Yeah. - So I think the risk that we are willing to take. for a few because we will punish them. severely. Okay. When they're found. - Okay. - Do you get what I'm saying? So the.

company will no longer exist. The people will never be allowed to work in another company. - Oh no. See now that's a good, - Like there's a major, there's major. - Like barring from the economy. - No, it's finished. Nice. You are gone. - Yeah. - If you are busted in any Enron type thing, you are never doing anything businessy. Any, any again Facebook marketplace. Don't even join it. It's gone forever. You are out of everythingness. That's like my remedy for it. Mm. Like you can go work. for a very simple, like you can be a cobbler. - Yeah. - But good luck being, I'm always looking for a. - Good cobbler too. Have we running outta it by the way away.

- The trade it some people into. - Where trade we gonna push people into the trades. - Okay. I think my real concern is similar. to myself that you have identified a problem like, which is this need for relentless profit. and CEOs juicing up the company to serve Yes. Shareholders rather than making good stuff. 'cause I don't think some companies need to grow forever. Yeah. I think it's okay just to be your size. It's. - That it's an ending growth - Rate. However, I don't think whether you do quarterly earnings.

or annual earnings, that will really change. But I'm. - Saying you can see it on the graph though, if you see, if you go back and look at this like once it. really became a thing. - Yeah. - Because it wasn't always a thing. And once quarterly earnings you see the jump. - So I think the, the issue here is the way that. quarterly earnings have changed our. understanding of the world. Even if you aren't in the market. - Yes. - Right. That's I agree is. that's, I'm saying is a huge problem. I think this just like something you said to me once, by the way Christiana, which I love now using, which is it gives you this like casino.

- Economy. That's exactly what I mean. - Right. That you're constantly in a cycle of risk and loss. - That's what I mean. - You're chasing both the. dopamine and the possibility. And it's making people think. things worse. Most of it manufacture. - Better or when it's, but it's not, it's. - Too, - It's not. - A sign of quality. - It's like judging a rollercoaster on. every different slope. - Yeah. - You know what I mean? Listen, - Listen. I'm on schwab.com all the time. - Yeah. See. Exactly. So that's, that's what I'm saying. I think part of your tension is that. that also happened at the same time. The quarterly earnings. Yes. Change in our understanding. of the world happened at the same time that all. of a sudden we were all forced into the market.

'cause the problem is our houses shouldn't be assets. - Yeah. We - Shouldn't have to do our retirement accounts. We shouldn't even have these five 20 nines. Yeah. Your babies should just go to school. - Yeah. - So it's really hard to like now get ourselves out. of the mindset of, well without that quarterly information. Yeah. How will I provide. protect companies don't have passion assets. - Companies don't have - Passions anymore. Like people. So kind of what would need to happen in Trevor's scenario is. basically a form of government that we used to have. You gotta have a social safety net. - What you're talking about. Oh, no, no, no. Yeah. This.

- Is, yeah, because how are you gonna push people out. of the, the first thing you say to most Americans now is, no, I need to know what's happening with my 401k. - Yes. - People do love that. And that's the problem. Yeah. Y'all, they love the 401k. The 401k is actually. where I might say your problem originated more. so than the quarterly earnings. because that made all of us care. - Yeah. - Once we had to do a 401k, everybody cared. and we're not supposed to care. - Yeah. - It shouldn't be that big of a deal. Yeah. But, okay. - Is it time to vote? - Yeah, I do have some, I mean I could obviously talk about this so long.

There are lots of second order issues. that I would need to work out. It is a half voter thing. No, no. Oh, - You can't half vote for Hillary or Trump? - I tried. just like I tried just now. Okay. Ooh. I just don't think they're, the downsides are the, are significant enough. I actually think because this is one of those things. where it has existed before. So that means it's not like it's some weird.

alternate universe. Yeah. We know we can live quite fine with yearly earnings. So because of that, I'm gonna vote Yes. Believe it or. - Not. Oh, we have a yes, - We have a yes. - I'm going to vote no and not. because I don't think it's a good idea. My personal level of anxiety. Yeah. There isn't enough Zoloft in the world. that can make me be like, - We gotta take your apps away. - I Oh yeah. Trevor says that all the time. Yeah. Something's happening there. Yeah, yeah, - Yeah. - I just think, and I think for a lot of regular people.

who unfortunately 'cause of 401k. - So, so this, oh, okay. I have, I have some of the information here. So, okay, so quarterly earnings reports became a. standardized requirement in the United States in 1970. - Yeah. - When the SEC introduced Form 10 Q as part. of its filing system, the mandate formalized the practice. And I think it was because. of a crash at some point. 'cause before, if. - It was the 70, - Prior to 1970, some companies. provided some quarterly updates voluntarily, but they were inconsistent. - Okay. - And then it really became like a big deal.

- So really it was for like standardization. Yes. Like it's something that, and regulation SEC. - Was on power because of a crash. And people were like, ah, okay, we don't want this to happen again. - Yeah. Yeah. - I But then, but then to my point, there was another crash. Yeah. I'm just gonna point that out. - Went quarterly, kept the crash. There's something to the idea. But I just think it would give just regular people. a lot of anxiety. - No, no, but what their - Money is. - But why would that anxiety would be, would be based on the fact that. they knew there was another way before. Don't forget amnesia. That's our rules. Yeah. That, - Yeah. - There was - No Christiana. I forgot about that.

- Part. Don't forget that part. It's important. Forget. that people don't know that there was quarterly, don't know that there was any other way. I'm saying I'm taking it away completely. It has never been. - Tracy, you've got me on the half vote. Maybe we see, I told. - Y'all this is saying here we need half votes. Actually I may change mine today, - By the way. No, because people like me will steal. So yeah. - Okay. - Wow. - We come back to human nature. You, - Wow, wow, - Wow. This has actually been at the heart of a lot of our com. Like do you just think this is a human. nature, nature problem. Okay. - Wow. Okay. Well another no for me, which I'm used to.

- And you got a Yes - I did actually. Yeah. I, - I got a very valuable Yes. And also my no didn't come from a place of hate. where, where it usually comes from. That's, it came from a place of just like, - Yeah, this one was different. 'cause normally you go like, I hate. that idea, but here you went. I you, you put, you blamed yourself for I hate myself. - Which is - Very different. Okay. That's progress. Okay, I'll take it. Don't go anywhere. 'cause we got more What now after this?

- Okay, - This is it. Drum roll please. - Because you guys don't know this, but you foreshadowed mine. - Oh that's beautiful. So then it's, it's a perfect. - Journey. It's a lot for me not to say anything. 'cause I was like, ah. But I think my argument will be. stronger than the statement. So here we go. - Okay. - If I rule the world, there would be a national job corps. for customer service jobs. Everybody would be conscripted into working in customer.

service for some period of time in their life for them. to go on to the rest of the labor market. And let me tell you why. We have talked about job corps before about like going. and doing the jobs that matter to the economy, but it's not the jobs our economy actually does. Right. This is a customer service is a service. based economy. And what's happened in that I think has helped fuel, by the way, political polarization is depending on. how much money or status you have, you can buy your way out.

of having to engage with customer service. to get the stuff you need. - Hmm. - You know it, how many of us go. to the airport now and bypass? I do. I bypass all of the lines. And if they come up with a new tier, I'm getting that one too. - You're damn right. - I want out TSA. - Pre-check - Clear plus, right? I'm Clear. Plus plus. - Advanced - Global. Global and global. Absolute Global, global imagery. Absolutely. Give you both numbers at the same time. and ask you which one gets me through faster.

Like I'm shaking a bit the TSA thing, right. Get me through. But I do think that what that has done is means it's kind. of like the loss of public transportation. It's the loss of any public square. There are people experiencing this country now, from a very myopic view, because we all do this, we extrapolate our everyday experiences. and go, oh, that's how the world works. Yes. That's how the country works. Well now some people's world actually works like an airport. lounge where everything is smooth. and they're like, what do you mean America's great?

What are you talking about? Right. But you know, who always knows that things aren't great. The people who have to actually provide the customer. service, the people in retail. That's. - Exactly the people on the other end of the. phone when you have a complaint. - Right. So I want people before they go off to Wall Street. and before they go off to be a financial consultant. or to this, that, or the other. Right. I want them to understand that for the vast majority. of people in this country, nothing works anymore. And this is why. - And so you mean everyone would have to do vast.

- From the richest to the poorest. Sorry. Yes. But poor people don't have time. Tracy, you know why? Because I want them to work together. Well, they won't be doing other stuff. It's Job corps. - Okay. - So you go, - So this is, so this is, so this is like military service? Yes. But customer service. - That's right. For how long? Okay. That's a good question. How long before you understand just how lucky you are? Probably six months. You probably get it within two weeks. But I say this as somebody who worked a lot. of customer service jobs. So I might be more sensitive. - Okay. - So maybe up to a year.

- Are you, are you paid for it? - Yes. Because I don't want. to create like a permanent underclass with this. In fact, part of the point is people make money for this. and I need you to understand that shapes the whole thing. - Right. So you're trying close kind. of the empathy gap girl in a way. - Yes. - And you want people to understand. how frustrating it is to be in America. - And what they have been able to opt out. of is not the majority of this country. - Okay. Okay. I I will say there's one part of it.

that I really do like is I, I often say to people, so I'm in airports a lot. and I notice people who travel infrequently. - Right. - Will have a very different attitude towards airport. workers because for them, they don't understand how any. of this isn't going according to plan. - Yeah. - And I'll often say to people. who are even there having a meltdown. Like I've, I've been at a gate when a flight's canceled. and I see people immediately go into meltdown or, and sometimes I'll say to anyone who's around me, I go like, Hey, don't waste your time. Let's just go rebook. Trust me. Right. Just go rebook.

You are wasting your time because you're going. after the, the face of the problem. - Yes. - Who has nothing to do with the problem. - Yep. - They don't know when the plane's coming. They can't clean the plane, they can't fix the plane, they can't do anything they've just been told to tell you. and then they bear the brunt of it. Right. - Yeah. - And they're not the one who's making your. ticket not work. So I, I do like that side of it. The question I have though is. because you say everyone does it. and is it like every front facing job? So we talking, I'll list a few.

jobs and you let me know if this includes them. Waiter. - Yes. In fact, very much - So. Yeah. TSA agent. - Yes. - Okay. Airport booking. Like at the. - Yes. At the, - Okay. Front desk at a hotel. - Yes. That was actually my. - Oh, okay. One I thought of first. Oh, that was one of yours first. - Yeah. It's one I thought of first, - By the way. Yeah. I'm trying to think of what else. Would. - Anybody who answers the phone when you dial hundred? - So call center agents are involved. Okay. - Lemme tell you who's not. included because I did think about this. - By the way. Cool. - Because we call a lot of stuff service now.

that's not customer service. Okay, cool. So there's like, you know, personal finance service, there's bank service, anything. that, that where the customer service job is conditioned on. the people have already cleared a high level. of status to even be there. I'm not gonna include, I don't want you providing customer. service just to rich people. or even just to only poor people. - Okay. - Because one of the benefits to me of this is. that there are very few places anymore. where you get a cross section of Americans. - So they'll work at the DMV. - Yes. What about, what about. - Hairdressers? 'cause I have a good friend Vernon, who's an.

- Incredible hairdresser. Oh know, because we can't have people. out here just messing up folks. I'm not trying to run No. Kind like, like. - I was gonna say. Oh no, that is, oh wow. That is skill based. Well what, what I was gonna say, I have a friend called Vernon Fran, who's amazing celebrity hairstylist, but he has like lots of clients who aren't celebrities. And he said something to me interesting. He was like, you know, I'm, I'm in service work. That's right. And he's like, I use my body. - Yes. And - He is like, people don't think of it. as the physical lebert laborious job.

Yeah. I use my body. and I am very attuned to the client's emotions. - Yes. Right. - And whatever the client is, I have to be responsive to them. And when I leave work, I'm drained. Even if it's somebody that I really enjoy. and I never thought about his work. So I think that's like in the, especially since a lot. of women are in the beauty industry. and a strong agree, you know, like nails. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, but Ill say this though, to Tracy's point, there's a level of reverence we have. for hair people because they can destroy our lives. - That is correct. No, the hairdressers will not say that.

They would say that we treat them badly. That that's, that's why they would demand a. deposit. Listen, that's why I. - Would agree. I would agree that they would say that. And I actually also would agree that there's a coing. of the people and how they interact with service providers. I would also say. that if you gave most people a shot at working at a super. cut, which coincidentally one. of my former jobs was training the people who worked. I've so many jobs y'all. It was at the super cuts. So I've seen it as op. and as opposed to saying, Hey, go work the front desk at the rental car agency,

they would take the abuse at the hair, at the Haircuttery every day. You know why? Because to Trevor's point, at the end. of the day, however you need your hair cut. - Yes. - There is an, an intimacy to the interaction. Interesting. Okay. There's no intimacy. So I'm just trying to in these. others, but yeah, understanded. Okay, so hairdresser is not involved service. Yeah. Because you need a skill to deliver it. Well if, if, if delivering the customer service requires a certain amount. of skilled training to do it, like you do need to know like.

that, you need to know the technique. We can, we can get most Americans based on just their. everyday skills to answer a phone. - Okay. - And to push a button on the plan. Okay. So you were talking about like administrative, front facing, I would say front facing frontline customer. - Service. Yes. - Where you have to get something you need. and it would be really hard for you to get it any other kind. - Of way. Tracy, can I tell you my concern? - Yes. You're gonna have to work one of them. - No, I, lemme tell you something. One of my first jobs, I worked in Alders in Croydon. Yeah. And I was retail. It was my Saturday's job.

I was paid like maybe three, four pounds an hour. Yeah. Taught me every, it's taught me so much about. But what is alders? Der was like a, sadly RIP It was a department store. - Yeah. Okay. London Mac type thing. - Yeah. Not that fancy, but it was at the department. - Store. You clearly haven't been to Macy's recently. - Oh, Trevor, you were not wrong, but Oh, that hurt. Yeah. It was a Saturday job. I had my uniform. and my friends worked the street at House of Fraser, which was fancier department store. So I've worked retail and you know, - But you see what you said, what it taught you. - Yeah. It taught me a lot. I mean,

and well this is the thing I remember one, a distinct experience of a customer who was really cruel. to me in the way she spoke to me. - Oh wow. - Because like, there's always an people make an. assumption about retail girls. Yeah. Especially when they look a bit young. - Yep. - Some people think this is gonna be your. job for the next 30 years. Even that to me shouldn't define how you treat them or, and I remember feeling like very dehumanized in that moment. and I was just like, I will never speak. to somebody working in retail like this. So whenever there's a sales associate, I'm try and make friends with them. Of course they give you the good bags as well. Yeah.

But what I would knew about that interaction though, there's a version of me that means I would want revenge. And when I'm on the other side of it, you're. - Back to human nature. - I'm gonna treat people badly. And my fear is for a lot of people, when they have the power, when they've come out of jock core. and they no longer are on the Yeah. You know, the person servicing, they're gonna go around. and they're gonna treat people badly. because they were treated badly. Yes. So how do we, I think you're. assuming people are gonna learn the. - Right, you going with the hurt. People hurt to say.

- How people, which I see a lot. I actually don't. I I actually believe. that human nature is a thing too. Yeah. And I don't think we can solve for every like, you know, psychologically harmed person. What I do think, and again thought this went through is yes, people will come out of there saying, see the people do. as are just stupid as I thought, oh my God, I'm so glad. to be back to my inheritance and my good life. I'm out of it. Right. But those people also were never gonna. behave well anyway. - Okay. - Right. I do think you're gonna have a, a part. of the population where that's not gonna work.

But I do think that when we talk about this pulling apart. from each other, which I don't romanticize. that we were never a cohesive culture or society, but the intimacy of our daily interactions increase the risk. of us acting badly in certain ways. Hmm. And I think that when we have lost that we don't have. to take the train together. We don't have to sit in the park together. We don't have to sit when people can consistently buy. themselves out of the public square. to just get the stuff they need.

I can live on Amazon. I never have to interact with the public. I think it makes it really easy to dehumanize each other. and to say my fates are not linked. to yours in any way at all. And I think that for, maybe not everybody, but I think for a soft majority of people, any kind. of exposure to having to share space with people in a way. where you can't use your pre-check, your clear. your app that gives you this fast line at the McDonald's.

I mean, do you see how it's trickled down by the, I mean there's now a special line. for everybody everywhere at every level of interaction. And I don't think that has been good for us. - But wait, wait, wait. Help me understand this. How would that solve that part? Because if everyone's in the job corps. - Yeah. - I I still have my precheck, don't I? - Yeah, well it solves it this way. Yeah. You now have to experience the exchange from the other. - Side. Okay. So I You. - Still have the power - I was working. That's right. So at some point I would know what it's like. to be in the non precheck line.

Exactly. Right. Okay. All right. I I do like many elements of this. I will say, I think one of the things I like most is. to your point Wait, wait, actually lemme ask this before I, okay. Before I assume, because remember this is, you said something. that made me feel like you are allowing people. to choose when it happens. - No, may not. When. - So when, so when is this happening in their lives? - I think it's pretty much like military service. I think you get drafted up, it's somewhere between, you know, your name goes in the big bucket somewhere. between 18 and 21. Or don't you worry that that.

- Is, you know, rich people will buy their way out. Oh, - You get, you can't, can't limit system's. Right. So you. - Got the power, - You get exemptions because. - To system. - That's right. - So no exemption. - No. Well 'cause the thing us customer service, we got so many variety. There shouldn't be exemptions for bone spurs. There's not gonna be Yeah, no, no, I'm with you. because I can find you something. Yeah, of course. You know what I'm saying? You can answer the phone from anywhere. Yeah. I'm gonna find you something. - Okay. Okay. - And I might even be the one assigning it. I haven't gone that far. But the more I think about.

it, the more I like that idea. But yes. - Go into a draft, would you? This is me pitching for you to win my vote. Okay. Would you consider making it something that people have. to like go back and re-up after a certain amount of time? I only say this because, ah, you may. - Lose me there or - I'll tell you why. Having to come back. I'll tell you why. Having to come back. Oh, no, no, no, no. Trevor back. Wait, I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why. I think when young people go into these lines of work,

they process it differently. It's almost like a hobby joby thing. - I hear - You. So like I've seen college kids slash high. school kids working at like a place. where something doesn't work you. Like even if someone's berating them, these kids are just like, whatever. They're like because they, they get shouted at. by teachers and parents and whatnot. Okay. This is a good point. They, they go like, good point. They don't even think of this as being part. of their lives is what I think a lot of the time. Now I'm not saying it's good to treat them that way, but I I I've noticed a lot of them have a very like,

water off my backish vibe versus an adult. who is being berated as if they are a child. Because, because I think there's an overlap between. how people treat young people. - Oh, okay. So this and how people, I think status distinction, you got me on this, but I like this. - I have a pitch. Make it like Teach for America. You know, teach for America. No is the thing where like they get these kids. that are probably gonna work at McKinsey at some point. - Yeah. - And you go and work in a public school, but you have to have a degree first. to get the job to be a teacher. Yeah. If it's like Teach for America when you finish college.

or you finish, make it a bit older. So you do it around, - I'm you can pitch yours. I'm telling you my one. I would, I'm just asking if you would be willing to consider a re-up. - Okay, so here's what I'm doing. I'll tell you why a re-up. It could be a conditioned re-up. - If you do the re-up you may lose me tri. Okay. I'm just asking. This is democracy. Now see, y'all are putting me Christiana. Okay. - I'm just letting, lemme tell you why Christiana. 'cause I think, I do think it's, it's invaluable. for a young person to go into a space where they, they work in a front facing service job. Whether it's waiting tables, whether it's picking up calls,

where whatever it is, I do think that's good for them. to interact with people. and to understand this from that side. However, when you are young, I mean you are so predisposed. to sort of doing that because that's. where society puts you anyway. Hey, can you grab me something from the thing? Hey, pick up that thing for me. Hey, so you are almost already in a service. job for the most part ly, but cover. - Our counter Gen Z are like, are the generation. that haven't had to do that thing that we did. - O okay. Okay. - Like a lot. of Gen Zs have never did Saturday jobs and stuff like that. - That's that. But that's what I'm saying. I'm not. saying remove it.

I'm saying I just would love to know, know if you want a 42-year-old. who has had a management job, guys. That's what I mean. I'll you why I've got three kids. But remember you okay. But I'm assuming Trasy in your world, there's already childcare, there's already all these. 'cause she's worried about time with her kids and her kids. You said you got three kids, I'm assuming in Trey's. magical world, there's. - Oh yeah, yeah. Childcare, - Healthcare, all of - That. So underst I have built a feminist economy. - Oh, well there you go. Okay. - Okay. Yeah. Like we, - So this is a, - We are in providing.

for social reproduction in any world where I'm in charge. - Do you know why I like your addition to it? - Yes. - Because the thing that's drawing me to, to Trey's idea is that you're saying. that nobody is above service. That's right. - Right? Yes. - And you are saying, I'm I don't care if you've gone out and worked in. - That's what I - To this thing again. Yes. Which I agree. I'm like, - Yeah. Yes. Because in what, in what we've spoken about. before, I think sometimes people don't think of it. as a problem that needs to be solved. They think of it as a problem that they need to escape.

- Yeah. Yes. Oh wow. - That's the issue that I have. There you. - Go. Thank you. - You see, that's - Why I left England. - Yeah, that's what I mean. So people, we live in a world. where people don't say, man, I'm right. This neighborhood sucks. We've gotta fix it. They go, this neighborhood sucks. I gotta get. - Out. Get out. Yeah, that's, - It's true. That's what people say. And then I go like, I even feel like. that with Americans when, whenever an election doesn't go the way they want, they go, I'm leaving this country. Yeah. And then I'll often say to them, I'll go, yo, first. of all, what a crazy privilege you have. that you think you can just like go anywhere in the world.

whenever you want to because it's not. going the way you like. But also where's like, where's your gusto to say, ah, that's terrible. I'm gonna try to be part of fixing it. - Yeah, I understand. - Like, 'cause then. otherwise you just become like the, the, the, the, you know those people who drive. and throw trash out of their car everywhere? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because that's all you're doing. I don't like this. Throw it away. I don't like this. Throw it away. No, but where are you in, in fixing it? Yeah. So the reason I want people to re-up the way I'm asking. because I don't run this world. You do. I'm just asking this as a citizen of your. - World. Yeah, yeah.

- Is because I think it would be nice for people. to be reminded of the fact that they don't get out of it. They're just lucky enough to not be. experiencing that part of it. So now you're a CEO. - Yes. - You are a top banking, whatever. Oh I love you, love You're retired, you, whatever it might be. And at different stages of your life, you're re-upping the experience. Yeah. That you will process differently. because of your status in life. - Oh, I like this. 'cause then people in the job call will. be like, intergenerational. 'cause then you'd actually have. - Like, which I do think is hugely important. Yeah. Yes. Okay. So I'm gonna say something. I rarely say,

- Trevor, - You have improved upon my idea. I wealth. This is a man, I'm a man. God. That's what, you know, there's a man at home right now. who is very jealous of you. And he's like, what? - Okay. I, yes. Yeah, I agree. Okay. Yes. Can we vote? Yes. - So yes. Voting - Emphatically Yes. Okay. - 1000000%. Yes. Thank you.

- I won. This is like a miracle. - I don't think we've had this before. Wow. I didn't think it would end with that line won. Like it's not a competition. We were all in, we were in service. We were trusts was she wrote us in with like, and you know, as humans and don't forget. And as people. And as soon. as we gave her the vote, she was like, haha. - That's why she has a genius grant. Right? - Yep. - MacArthur. Well, - You know, if you winning means we get to live in. that world, I will take it. I. - Like it. Thanks y'all very well.

- Congratulations. Your first attempt and a win. - I feel amazing. That's great. Because if I convince the two, that's what I'm saying. If I can convince the two of you, - I think it's a getting us. to, can I, can I be honest with you? I think it is actually an amazing idea. that isn't hard to implement. - Is really actually, - And I think the upsides of it, I didn't even consider what you're saying. about intergenerational. - Yes. - Just old people having to work with young people. Yes. And then women with men in ways. that they wouldn't necessarily. 'cause now you also have, we have like gendered jobs. Yeah. Right. It's so great that it's not a gendered job.

- Yeah, that's right. - And then you just have people, - Just your number came on. - And it would be nice for, and we talk about this all the time, what universities I think have lost. because of how much money has defined university. We have fewer and fewer places. and spaces where people. of different class groups get to mix. - Yeah. And pol political. - Background and mix organically. Yeah. And how nice would it be. to have the air of a billionaire. - Yep. - Working at the southwest counter. Ah, with somebody who comes from the inner city.

- Yeah. Let, let get married. - Yeah. They could be, and. - This is true. This is the fear, by the way. This is the fear, right? So for people, when you say this thing. that sounds perfectly logical and it's amazing, and all of our values are embedded in it, why wouldn't you be in favor of this? Honestly? It's that like, I invested in a kid. who should be able to like, oh yes, go on. and inherit and Yes, yes, yes. And you are gonna put them beside the cute, poor kid. - Oh wow. - Anything could happen. But that's my point. Anything could happen,

- Happen. It's, it's the villain in every Disney movie. - Movie. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. But that's why I like it. Anything could happen. I love it. - Well, reci the genius and the winner. Yeah. Thank you for that call. Thank you. so much for joining us. Thanks. Yeah. And that really was great. That's, that gave me a lot to think about. Thank you. What now with Trevor Noah is produced. by Spotify Studios in partnership with Day Zero Productions. The show is executive produced by Trevor Noah, s Yame,

and Jody Agan. Our senior producer is Jess Hackle. Claire Slaughter is our producer. Music mixing and mastering by Hannah Brown. Thank you so much for listening. Join me next Thursday. for another episode of What Now?