One of my de--ing moments was when I realized how many white supremacists like American History X. Before Facebook really locked down privacy to everyone but themselves, you could view lists of people who Liked things, and the venn diagram of folks who Liked American History X and the literal Stormfront website was damn near a circle. Really forced me to rethink satire and The Daily Show and shit that gave platforms to the ideas of the right.
Wouldn't be the first time that only the fascists seem capable of articulating an economic message that resonates with the vox populi.
The Daily Show and shit that gave platforms to the ideas of the right.
There's a certain value in a show that actually lets you know these people exist, and that its not just the NicePoliteRepublican crowd in the empty suits issuing the "Why can't you just be reasonable? Socialism doesn't work!" coin-operated responses. I don't really object to Stewart playing pool with Lindsey Graham or platforming Perez Musharraf, because these are people you ultimately need to know fucking exist, even if it takes some D-list comedy dork to introduce them.
Stewart gets slack because he was the last man on television who was allowed to talk about a national anti-war movement, even as folks like Donahue and the Dixie Chicks were getting axed left and right. He was a squishy liberal with a South Park-esque juvenile homophobia, but he managed to be the most left-leaning voice in a media awash in reactionary psychosis.
But once you started to get a more active leftist media in the post-Occupy Wall Street era, what were you supposed to do with Stewart? He rapidly became a relic of his own era. Dude should have retired back in 2012, rather than getting resurrected in 2023.
On radio war nerd recently they did a series on notable war movies, and one of the points John made was that its extremely hard to make an effective antiwar movie. Movies are big budget entertainment that is supposed to look striking, draw the audience in and make them feel something. Even "antiwar" movies like apocalypse now or full metal jacket look awesome. The visceral reaction that movies and the movie experience is designed to engender undermines their ability to critique a subject rather than glorify it. That discussion was in the context of war but I feel it applies here as well. See also every criminal antihero that people love (scarface, breaking bad, etc)
I cut my teeth on the Daily Show, but it didn't take long for me to find real leftist literature because of my interest in politics and the 60's. I remember being into NPR and realizing how much cover they ran for right wing ideas in order to appear "fair and balanced" only to still be called commies by anyone to the right of Bernie Sanders. These people sell their soul for absolutely nothing in return.
If people like Jon Stewart and Ira Glass had skin in the game, they would be ashamed of themselves.
One of my de-
-ing moments was when I realized how many white supremacists like American History X. Before Facebook really locked down privacy to everyone but themselves, you could view lists of people who Liked things, and the venn diagram of folks who Liked American History X and the literal Stormfront website was damn near a circle. Really forced me to rethink satire and The Daily Show and shit that gave platforms to the ideas of the right.
Wouldn't be the first time that only the fascists seem capable of articulating an economic message that resonates with the vox populi.
There's a certain value in a show that actually lets you know these people exist, and that its not just the NicePoliteRepublican crowd in the empty suits issuing the "Why can't you just be reasonable? Socialism doesn't work!" coin-operated responses. I don't really object to Stewart playing pool with Lindsey Graham or platforming Perez Musharraf, because these are people you ultimately need to know fucking exist, even if it takes some D-list comedy dork to introduce them.
Stewart gets slack because he was the last man on television who was allowed to talk about a national anti-war movement, even as folks like Donahue and the Dixie Chicks were getting axed left and right. He was a squishy liberal with a South Park-esque juvenile homophobia, but he managed to be the most left-leaning voice in a media awash in reactionary psychosis.
But once you started to get a more active leftist media in the post-Occupy Wall Street era, what were you supposed to do with Stewart? He rapidly became a relic of his own era. Dude should have retired back in 2012, rather than getting resurrected in 2023.
On radio war nerd recently they did a series on notable war movies, and one of the points John made was that its extremely hard to make an effective antiwar movie. Movies are big budget entertainment that is supposed to look striking, draw the audience in and make them feel something. Even "antiwar" movies like apocalypse now or full metal jacket look awesome. The visceral reaction that movies and the movie experience is designed to engender undermines their ability to critique a subject rather than glorify it. That discussion was in the context of war but I feel it applies here as well. See also every criminal antihero that people love (scarface, breaking bad, etc)
Oh yeah, totally. If you wanna rile me up just show me a movie where the biggest asshole in the movie is drop dead gorgeous.
I cut my teeth on the Daily Show, but it didn't take long for me to find real leftist literature because of my interest in politics and the 60's. I remember being into NPR and realizing how much cover they ran for right wing ideas in order to appear "fair and balanced" only to still be called commies by anyone to the right of Bernie Sanders. These people sell their soul for absolutely nothing in return. If people like Jon Stewart and Ira Glass had skin in the game, they would be ashamed of themselves.