In my view, on balance, the collapse of media credibility in the US was a very bad development. However, there is a positive that came out of that collapse. That positive is the rise of independent media. History will judge whether that is a sea change or merely a wave. I’m guessing it will be the former.
So corrupt has the media become and so sloppy the attempted subterfuge to hide their complicity, that even the terminally gullible are starting to scratch their heads. I judge that those gullible folks are less gullible than before. Also I think there are now fewer of them. I hope I’m right about that.
When you get caught outright lying about everything from covid’s origin to the efficacy of an unapproved drug (called a vaccine, but not really a vaccine) to the existence of the “laptop from hell” belonging to the President’s son, to well…you get the idea. Absolutely no one who thinks about these things in the privacy of their own minds believes almost anything the government or their media toadies say anymore.
Many will not admit it, even to the person in the mirror. Certainly not on social media. And particularly if they bought in and told all their friends what they thought.
Fear makes all of us gullible to some degree. The government used the media to instill the highest possible level of fear they could get away with. Whatever happened to “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.”?
Usually when they tell you to remain calm it’s time to at least be a little afraid. When it’s panic time they are selling, it’s probably purposeful BS and you might want to take a deep breath before becoming hysterical. But when they tell you that you can’t talk about things or question anything, even the gullible get a tad skeptical.
They know boys are not girls. They know the border is out of control. They know riots are not mostly peaceful. They know it’s wrong to steal, no matter what. They know they are being gaslighted.
So, now enter the independent journalists and “opinionators.” Since there is no expectation of reliable information, most people have their antenna up. They have to do some actual research, however superficial, to get both sides. They may not reach the correct conclusion, and likely still look for sources that affirm their preexisting bias, but at least they are asking the questions. They have to earn their tinfoil hats themselves. And that is a very good thing.
So what does this have to do with Glenn Greenwald and Ben Shapiro having a polite conversation about big issues? It’s kind of a novel occurrence as of late. Nowadays people of vastly different perspectives just snipe at each other, even call each other names and accuse each other of being evil.
Greenwald is a man of the left. Shapiro is a man of the right. No doubt about those designations despite the insane left pretending Greenwald has sold out to the right because he appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show. (where he didn’t vilify Carlson)
These two usually disagree. But as you will see if you watch the (almost hour long) conversation on Shapiro’s Youtube channel, they agree on a heck of a lot more than most people might imagine.
If you watch it, you will get some great information and perspective from both people about topics you may have already formed your opinion about. Perhaps it’s possible to change your mind? It’s what we all should be doing. It’s what we did most of the time before we allowed the politicians to set us against each other. They need us to hate each other and they need us to be frightened.
I promise you this is worth the time. It’s on Youtube so you can watch it as time allows and return to it to finish later. That’s what I did. And I’m not sorry I did.
As George HW Bush once said, “Watch and learn.” These are very smart people no matter whether you agree with them or not.
For the past several years, I find myself listening to several 'traditional' liberals who, like Greenwald, refuse to go along with the narrative. Perhaps sanity will prevail in the end.
"They have to earn their tinfoil hats themselves." I am in love with this turn of phrase. I will try not to just totally steal it. But good phrases are like birds, apt to fly away to all kinds of unexpected destinations.