"The Coddling of the American Mind" Movie

This is the film based on the bestselling book by FIRE's Greg Lukianoff and Prof. Jonathan Haidt (NYU).

I just watched the premiere here in Los Angeles, and I much enjoyed it; I found it thoughtful and touching. It's the first film that's being distributed on Substack, and you can find it here (the rental fee is $8). Highly recommended.

The film was produced by Courtney Moorehead Balaker (Little Pink House) and directed by Ted Balaker (Can We Take a Joke?), both of Korchula Productions. Note that I have at times consulted for FIRE, and with worked with them on various legal projects; I am of course not being paid for this post, nor was I asked to put it up.

Comments

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Ah, but were you asked to not take it down, and did you not comply?

Yeah, right, said the wise guy in the back.

[Jakil]

looking forward to watching the film. The conversation around resilience and open dialogue feels more relevant than ever. Funny how even small things, like managing stress at home or dealing with hard water, can impact mental clarity. I recently had to get a water softening service in Santa Cruz
— made a bigger difference than I expected

[Doug Heffernan]

Yikes, a substack distributed film. Not only is legacy linear video (such as cable tv and ota broadcast) more or less dead, but so is legacy film distribution. Except maybe for superhero nonsense.

I'm not sure the result of the death of linear video and the streaming wars leaves the consumer in a better place. Much like I think that "textbooks" are worse since the demise of the textbook industry.

I bet this one does well though. Lukianoff has repeatedly said that he didn't like the title for the book. If this film brings in a lot of sweet substack money, maybe he'll come to like the title, rather than just tolerate it.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

"Touching?"

Watching some people attempt to emulate normal human emotion can be painful.

[Theendoftheleft]

Americans?

[Dan Schiavetta]

I assume this film is about how roughly 40% of the American public is being coddled by being fed right wing talking points that shield them from a reality they don’t have the fortitude to face.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

So 60% are coddled by the left?

[Dr. Ed 2]

BULLSHYTE -- the folks on the right are battle-hardened veterans.

[Estragon]

“BULLSHYTE”

Out of all your… ahem… idiosyncrasies I find this one the strangest

[Life of Brian]

Not his finest blarney?

[Colin Fraizer 2]

Does anyone have photos from the red carpet? I'd love to see Eugene and Eugene and Ilya and Sasha and Gail and Randy all beaming and waving to the crowds while the photographers' flashes glitter like starlight!

(Meanwhile, Greg and Jonathan huddle inside, nervously awaiting signs of approval…)

[alexarafat]

I just watched the premiere in Los Angeles, and I absolutely loved it. The film was thoughtful and touching, and it’s the first one to be distributed on Substack for $8, which is a great deal. The production by Courtney Moorehead Balaker and direction by Ted Balaker made it really special. While I was at it, I also checked out https://freecineapp.live/ for more content. It’s an awesome way to access movies for free, and I found some great options to enjoy!

[riperihill]

I watched it too and felt the same—really moving and refreshingly honest. It's wild to think a film can now premiere on Substack like that. After watching, I actually went down a bit of a rabbit hole on personal spaces and ended up browsing https://www.britshomegarden.com/ for some ideas to refresh my apartment—guess storytelling in any form inspires change!

[riperihill]

Just watched The Coddling of the American Mind—such a thought-provoking film! If you're into deep discussions and want to save videos like this for later, check out Snaptube (https://baixarsnaptube.com.br/). It lets you download videos and music in HD from multiple platforms, so you can watch even offline. Perfect for documentaries, lectures, and more!

[novahayes14]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! The Coddling of the American Mind really sparked a lot of important conversations, so I’m glad to hear the film captures that same thoughtful tone. It's also fascinating to see it released on Substack—definitely a unique move. I’ve always believed that developing critical thinking early on is key, which is why I enjoy using fun tools like https://funriddlesforkids.com/ to keep young minds sharp in a playful way. Looking forward to checking out the film soon!

[Dr. Ed 2]

The Dixie Chicks had faculty status somewhere? Donahue did?

Are you on drugs???

We are talking about people who have faculty status at IHEs.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Coddling of Federalists – rejected in 1800

coddling of slaveholders, rejected in 1861-65

coddling of Jim Crow – rejected in 1954-65*

Coddling of Comstock laws – those laws were watered town to homeopathic levels from 1930 to the 1970s

Modern coddling – [watch this space]

*To avoid “accidental misunderstanding,” I’m referring strictly to Jim Crow, not to racism in general

[Theendoftheleft]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTRKCXC0JFg

[Estragon]

“Are you on drugs?”

You might consider it my guy… maybe some lithium or a nice anti-psychotic