Just once, I’d love to hear someone on a national television news show declare that all property is theft, advocate for the complete dissolution of the military and trial of all current and former members for war crimes, and demand a national ban on animal products.
Just for people to get a glimpse of what an actual radical leftist looks like. Then maybe we can stop pretending that wanting an increase to the marginal tax rate puts you firmly west of Chairman Mao.
No, on balance it does not have value. Because he also had Nazi Lobster Guy and Nazi Protein Powder Guy and Antivax Doctor Guy and all the rest on his show. Each of whom he also gave due attention to, and probably radicalized hundreds of people each time.
If that show with Bernie was compelling, it was because Bernie is compelling. He’s a bright guy with a great message who has been working at it for decades. The world doesn’t need clowns like Rogan to platform Bernie freakin’ Sanders.
What a strange argument to make- it’s not like there is a shortage of interesting people with interesting opinions in the world. We could ignore 10,000 Joe Rogans and still have more than enough people to fill all the podcasts. How about some black women or trans men? Nobody ever listens to them and I bet they have a lot to say that doesn’t require platforming Nazis to get to.
I hear you, but respectfully disagree. The value I see is that Rogan has millions of listeners - many who are Nazi Lobster Guy acolytes, right-wing fanatics and conspiracy nuts. Putting a Bernie or a Dawkins in front of them has the opportunity to connect these people to something their daily media does not supply. It has potential to move the needle - if not convince folks in the value of universal health care, scientific method etc.
And hell yes to the black women or trans men. Put them on the podcast too - and perhaps some listeners might even realize they aren’t the threat their daily media makes them out to be.
I’d much rather popularize their own podcasts, rather than put them on a podcast where they’re more than likely going to be forced to defend their existence as part of the interview.
The unstated major premise here is that Rogan is so darned gifted at reaching people that we should tolerate him platforming Nazis on the off chance that he might also convert a GOPer to Bernie Sanders here and there. That’s a huge net loss any way I try to sum those numbers. There are lots of charismatic broadcasters out there who have millions of followers and don’t platform Nazis. The world doesn’t need Rogan, especially not at such a high cost.
I mean, he was okay on Newsradio. Sort of been downhill from there.
Do you honestly believe that any of Rogan’s shtick is new or unfamiliar to anyone kicking around the internet at this point? We all have finite time and I’ll take my cool internet pearls straight without mixing in uncritical platforming of terrible people.
Here’s the problem with that, either people are swayed by an appearance on his podcast or they aren’t. If a compelling podcast appearance is the sort of thing that sways people, then platforming terrible people is an unforgivable act, particularly given the relative platform he provides to the terrible people. If it doesn’t, then he lacks value for promoting whatever good you see. I believe that people can be swayed by compelling messages and that the evidence doesn’t speak well of Rogan on that front. When you look at the media consumed as people move towards some pretty militantly right wing positions, Rogan comes up. [1908.08313] Auditing Radicalization Pathways on YouTube In contrast I can’t say I’m familiar with basically anyone on the left, either through personal experience or through empirical research that got there through Rogan.
Please don’t mistake me as a Rogan apologist. Have already stated I don’t care for most of his guests.
I see this as akin to Jen Psaki making appearances on Fox News - sometimes you need to venture in hostile territory to reach viewers/listeners who would never in a million years seek you out (or even spend 10 seconds listening to you otherwise).
I believe there are significant numbers of people out there that would tune out Bernie if Rogan was not in the equation. So - will take the good w the bad.
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