Though it does look like John Stewart is preparing a presidential run
Firstly, Jon Stewart.
Secondly, if he's considering anything more vainglorious than a House run, I'd be shocked. Even then... you'd think Al Franken would have talked him out of it.
I always get the vibe that Stewart feels genuinely weirded out by calls for him to run for political office. He's at least self-aware enough to know that he would just be sticking his hands in the sausage meatgrinder and getting hated on by almost everyone. If only he was self-aware enough to realize that his entire career has been to deactivate people's political anger.
I mean, the thing that Al Franken did was to actually be a really good Senator. Deliver quality constituent services. Be a thorn in the side of social and economic interests hostile to his state residents. Talk good. But he wasn't immune to the scandal-of-the-month shit. So he got tossed on the rubbish bin to make room for a more pliable replacement.
I can see wanting to be an Al Franken style politician. But I can also see him incredibly wary of the kind of shit that brought Franken down. He openly joked about all the skeletons in his closet. And, ffs, the man roomed with Anthony Weiner, so we can only guess what's floating around out there.
If only he was self-aware enough to realize that his entire career has been to deactivate people’s political anger.
Meh. I've heard people say the same shit about The Chapos. Will doing a Movie Mindset episode is counter-revolutionary. Virgil dabbling with electoralism alongside Brianna Joy Gray has planted a knife in the back of proletariat organizing. Felix plays too many video games to offer a serious critique on Israel. Matt isn't just handing out kalashnikovs during his YouTube sermons, so he's not sufficiently belligerent. They're comedians and comedy relieves stress. Relieving stress defuses anger. And defusing anger leads to compliance with the state.
But I've also heard anyone more radical than the Sierra Club is an FBI honeypot. And anyone organizing locally is sectarian. And anyone who isn't in a union is a scab. And anyone who is in a union is bought off by the capitalist system. And anyone who does anything is counterproductive. Unless its me and I'm posting.
I know that Stewart was the only man on television allowed to openly critique the President without getting fired, for at least two years straight. And I know a lot of the modern left latched on to Stewart in the early '00s because his show seemed to be the only outlet for journalism that wasn't either stenography for the current administration or straight-up fascist propaganda calling for something even worse. So I'll give him credit for being the last free port open in the storm.
If that's "deactivating people's anger", idk, man. I'm not sure what the alternative was supposed to look like.
Firstly, Jon Stewart.
Secondly, if he's considering anything more vainglorious than a House run, I'd be shocked. Even then... you'd think Al Franken would have talked him out of it.
I always get the vibe that Stewart feels genuinely weirded out by calls for him to run for political office. He's at least self-aware enough to know that he would just be sticking his hands in the sausage meatgrinder and getting hated on by almost everyone. If only he was self-aware enough to realize that his entire career has been to deactivate people's political anger.
I mean, the thing that Al Franken did was to actually be a really good Senator. Deliver quality constituent services. Be a thorn in the side of social and economic interests hostile to his state residents. Talk good. But he wasn't immune to the scandal-of-the-month shit. So he got tossed on the rubbish bin to make room for a more pliable replacement.
I can see wanting to be an Al Franken style politician. But I can also see him incredibly wary of the kind of shit that brought Franken down. He openly joked about all the skeletons in his closet. And, ffs, the man roomed with Anthony Weiner, so we can only guess what's floating around out there.
Meh. I've heard people say the same shit about The Chapos. Will doing a Movie Mindset episode is counter-revolutionary. Virgil dabbling with electoralism alongside Brianna Joy Gray has planted a knife in the back of proletariat organizing. Felix plays too many video games to offer a serious critique on Israel. Matt isn't just handing out kalashnikovs during his YouTube sermons, so he's not sufficiently belligerent. They're comedians and comedy relieves stress. Relieving stress defuses anger. And defusing anger leads to compliance with the state.
But I've also heard anyone more radical than the Sierra Club is an FBI honeypot. And anyone organizing locally is sectarian. And anyone who isn't in a union is a scab. And anyone who is in a union is bought off by the capitalist system. And anyone who does anything is counterproductive. Unless its me and I'm posting.
I know that Stewart was the only man on television allowed to openly critique the President without getting fired, for at least two years straight. And I know a lot of the modern left latched on to Stewart in the early '00s because his show seemed to be the only outlet for journalism that wasn't either stenography for the current administration or straight-up fascist propaganda calling for something even worse. So I'll give him credit for being the last free port open in the storm.
If that's "deactivating people's anger", idk, man. I'm not sure what the alternative was supposed to look like.
GOOD post :fidel-salute: