(NewsInsights.org) – Bill Maher hosted comedian John Cleese on his podcast “Club Random” on Sunday, March 17. For more than two hours, the two men, both of whom have long histories of liberal activism, chatted with each other about the current state of American politics and society. Both men have previously spoken about their issues with “woke” culture and the breakdown of manners and rituals in society. As he had in previous podcasts, Maher proposed that the constant bickering and polarization could lead to another civil war in the US.
The preamble to the discussion began when Cleese and Maher discussed the rules of politeness that British people used. Cleese provided an example of a compatriot in Los Angeles who wanted a salt shaker while sitting at a table during a vibrant conversation. Cleese explained that the first word out of the man’s mouth was, “Sorry,” followed by his request for the salt and punctuated by “Thank you!”
Cleese and Maher agreed that the small rituals and deliberate politeness have become ingrained in society “to stop people hitting each other.” Yet, they also conceded that the strict use and expectation of the habits caused a level of anxiety that many people relieved by drinking to ease the tension.
Maher mentioned Joeseph Campbell and his studies regarding how cultures worldwide incorporated rituals to foster more harmonious relationships in societies. Yet, he claimed, “we now live in a culture where, politically, we do the exact opposite.” He pointed out that political opponents were constantly “picking and polarizing,” and he expressed his fear that it could lead to “a real Sarajevo moment,” referring to the Bosnian civil war that occurred from 1992 through 1995.
It wasn’t the first time Maher had suggested that recent political divisions could foment another US civil war. As recently as December 2022, Maher spoke with Richard Dawkins on his podcast about how and why he thinks a civil war might start.
Cleese told Maher that he visited Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina a few years after the war ended and toured some of the tunnels the citizens used to survive the conflict. They told him that humor and laughter, including Monty Python movies, helped them cope. Both Maher and Cleese agreed that humor might hold the key to avoiding a larger conflict.
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