The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Season 2019 Episode 37 Rutger Bregman

In the thirty-seventh episode of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah's 2019 season, the guest of the hour is Rutger Bregman. A writer, historian, and author of Utopia for Realists, Bregman is known for his ideas on achieving a better society through progressive policies and radical changes. In this episode, Noah interviews Bregman about his most recent appearance at the World Economic Forum, where he called out the world's wealthiest individuals for avoiding taxation and avoiding meaningful change.

The conversation between Noah and Bregman begins with the latter discussing his belief that the real issue facing societies today is inequality, citing the rising levels of homelessness, stagnant wages, and the stubborn persistence of poverty despite advancements in technology and productivity. As Bregman points out inequality has been the main issue for centuries, and every time it has ultimately led to societal breakdowns, the conversation shifts to the World Economic Forum, specifically his panel with billionaire philanthropist Michael Dell.

Bregman, who at the summit called out the billionaires for avoiding taxes and contributing to the worsening problems in the world, discusses the reaction from the crowd, which ended up becoming the conference's elephant in the room. Noah questions Bregman over his wording, specifically using the term "tax avoidance" instead of "tax evasion," and Bregman clarifies his point that most tax evasion is legal in practice, rendering it the same as tax avoidance.

The conversation then moves on to the recent comments by former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who announced his candidacy for President as an independent. Schultz's suggested policies that reduce taxes even further from the wealthy and the loopholes that corporations can exploit to avoid taxes going further, frustrates Bregman, who sees such policies as directly opposite to the progressive changes that large countries and corporations should look to implement to improve society in the twenty-first century.

Moving on to the content of his ideological beliefs in detail, Bregman highlights the ideas presented in his book, Utopia for Realists. Focusing on policies like universal basic income and reduced work-hours, Bregman makes a compelling case for these ideas, using Norway as the specific example of a country where quality of life indicators are significantly better than other countries with similar levels of gross domestic produce (GDP).

The conversation ends with a discussion of Bregman's social media success and his growing reputation as an intellectual and influencer. Noah highlights that Bregman's Twitter feed is "wildly entertaining," and they laugh about his recent friendly fights with Tucker Carlson on Fox News. They also touch upon how Bregman used his platform to donate some of his book profits to a charity, Making a Difference, which assists in providing essential services to the impoverished populace of South Sudan.

Overall, the thirty-seventh episode of The Daily Show approaches the topic of societal inequality through a conversation with the author and historian Rutger Bregman, who provides ample evidence of the worsening situation and brilliant ideas to address these problems. Through a balanced and informative discussion, Bregman succeeds in highlighting the radical changes that could lead to a better society, making this episode a must-watch for those seeking answers to the most pressing issues facing humanity.