Coffee With Scott Adams — Knowledge Archive May 24, 2026
Scott Adams Philosophy Archive
Search ideas
Episodes Episode #2938 Segments
MainContent Persuasion

Back to episode — Episode 2938 CWSA 08/25/25

Context —

You know I was thinking about Trump solving the crime in DC. Apparently they've gone 10 days without a murder. Can you imagine bragging about going 10 days without a murder? I think we've lowered our standards. Hey, good news. 10 days without a murder. But it makes me wonder the minute the National Guard pulls out because at some point they'll pull out because things will be under control. Will th…

← Previous segment →

n expansion. Is it because he solved everything else?

Now you might say, Scott, he hasn't solved Ukraine. And I would argue he kind of has because the only thing I was asking him to solve for Ukraine is to solve the United States's involvement. And he kind of solved it because we get now paid for selling Europe these weapons. So the US GDP benefits from their war. We have no boots on the ground. We don't really have a risk of getting nuked because Russia, it just wouldn't be in their interest and Putin's not crazy. So he did kind of solve Ukraine. Would we prefer that there had been a ceasefire? Well sort of, but we wouldn't make nearly as much money as we will now. So he didn't solve it for other people, other countries, that's for sure. They've got a big problem. But he did sort of solve it for the United States. So we're not putting out money and we're not really at gigantic risk. Not really. So yeah, maybe he's just looking at cities and Chicago and stuff. We'll talk about that because he's running out of stuff to do. Well, I solved that. Yeah, I solved the border. Now what?

Well, along those same lines, Trump has signed today, I guess he's going to sign an executive order enacting legal consequences for people who burn the American flag. Well, I will give you my opinion. By the way, this is only popular with, according to Grok, 49% of Americans. So if this were an 80-20 issue, then I would say all right, maybe it's not what I want to do, but if 80% of Americans want that, okay. I live in a country where an 80% majority should get their way most of the time, even if it's not what I want to happen. But it's 49%. Less than half.

Do you think that we should put a limit on free speech, which is what this would do? Because burning a flag is a form of speech. There's no question about that in my mind. I wouldn't even debate that. It's obviously speech and it's free speech. And if he puts a legal consequence on it, in my opinion, that is too far. That is unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable and that would be quite a stain on Trump's legacy in my opinion. Now I know a lot of you have an emotional stake in the flag and you say but I kind of agree with that. I don't think people should burn the flag. We should respect the institution. But my take on it is that Trump is the one burning the flag because to me the flag is not a piece of material. It is a symbol and as long as that symbol is indestructible, meaning that you can burn it all day long and it's still the flag, then it's valuable. The moment he says I have to punish you if you don't show respect to this piece of cloth, then that piece of cloth has no meaning to me. I still love the country. It's not about the country, but he's burning the flag to me. He's disrespecting the p

Context —

ower of the flag, which is you can't destroy it. It's a concept so strong that fire doesn't touch it. That's what makes it great. And it's a symbol of free speech when somebody burns it right in front of the White House. Free speech. And it's not really hurting any people except maybe your feelings. So let me go on record as saying no, that I would consider that authoritarian unambiguously. That t…

Next segment → →