I'm a big fan of Robert Wright. His book, "Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny", is one of the most sophisticated perspectives on human conflict -- including radical religiosity -- I've ever come across.

His various web-sites are now consolidating [1], including bloggingheads.tv [2].

There are entirely understandable reasons why commercial television stations, (hell, PUBLIC TV), haven't dared try something like this -- a regular, good-natured conversation/debate between broadly-informed thinkers, (not just politicians and government officials protecting a narrow partisan turf). The best reason? Once they inhale this stuff, there's no way viewers will accept the latest drug killing, car wreck or house-fire as the most important thing going on in their world.

Bloggingheads.tv is another preview of the edifying potential of the internet-TV marriage. It may never counterbalance an unlimited-on-your-42" LCD-in-your-living-room connection to ArgentineSluts.com, but it'll help.