"I think people say this sort of thing because the internet has taught them that the only thing that matters in life is appearing clever and so they say stuff other people have already preapproved of as clever ideas."
Not just the Internet. See also the Daily Show in it's heyday.
"I think people say this sort of thing because the internet has taught them that the only thing that matters in life is appearing clever and so they say stuff other people have already preapproved of as clever ideas."
Not just the Internet. See also the Daily Show in it's heyday.
This was a good piece that describes the issue:
"Why Jon Stewart Was Bad for the Liberals Who Loved Him
He was hilarious, but I am glad to see him go.
By Jamelle Bouie
Feb 11, 20151:53 PM
...
The emblematic Stewart posture isn’t a joke or a witticism, it’s a sneer—or if we’re feeling kind, a gentle barb—coupled with a protest: I’m just a comedian."
Thank you! I've been trying to recall that Jamelle Bouie piece for the last few years, the only good thing he's ever written, and it lives up to my recollection.
Yes! I think you can make a non-ironic argument that Jon Stewart is one of the most destructive forces to the country in our lifetime, even though he personally is quite thoughtful and talented.
As a general comment about this essay, Freddie, I get the sense that you’re struggling a bit with how to define your project a couple years into the Substack period. I thought this was one of your best essays in a while – an effective use of the hook of commenting on a pop culture flashpoint that may or may not be especially compelling to the reader and an effective bridge to how that illustrates a broader societal issue. And I almost entirely agree with your comments about anxieties among the near-elite.
But I wish we could find a way beyond the negative of identifying societal problems to the positive of how to address them. I have my ideas that I think resonate with you and much of your readership – a focus on universalist policies, understanding how identity politics is used to divide people who oppose the establishment, and an awareness of the need for shared meaning in a post-religion society. But these ideas are far more complicated than “haha the other side is stupid/evil” and I don’t have a clue how to build it into a movement more powerful than the inclination to irony and snark.
I would love to see a skilled communicator like you try to use your platform to connect with other contrarians to try and build a positive platform for something better.
I’m not going to name names, because there can be valid objections to just about anyone, but the whole point of this is that building a better alternative is infinitely more valuable than criticisms of people’s flaws. We should have a open approach to anyone committed to rejecting the status quo. This isn’t a kumbaya, we should all come together, argument – nobody actually wants that. The movement would have specific goals in taking down an establishment that is running the country off a cliff – facilitating the path the towards an honorable middle-class life, defanging the military industrial complex, a comprehensive rethink of our healthcare and higher education systems, etc, but pursue these goals using a big-tent strategy.
"I think people say this sort of thing because the internet has taught them that the only thing that matters in life is appearing clever and so they say stuff other people have already preapproved of as clever ideas."
Not just the Internet. See also the Daily Show in it's heyday.
This was a good piece that describes the issue:
"Why Jon Stewart Was Bad for the Liberals Who Loved Him
He was hilarious, but I am glad to see him go.
By Jamelle Bouie
Feb 11, 20151:53 PM
...
The emblematic Stewart posture isn’t a joke or a witticism, it’s a sneer—or if we’re feeling kind, a gentle barb—coupled with a protest: I’m just a comedian."
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/02/jon-stewart-stepping-down-from-the-daily-show-he-was-bad-for-liberals.html
Thank you! I've been trying to recall that Jamelle Bouie piece for the last few years, the only good thing he's ever written, and it lives up to my recollection.
Yes! I think you can make a non-ironic argument that Jon Stewart is one of the most destructive forces to the country in our lifetime, even though he personally is quite thoughtful and talented.
As a general comment about this essay, Freddie, I get the sense that you’re struggling a bit with how to define your project a couple years into the Substack period. I thought this was one of your best essays in a while – an effective use of the hook of commenting on a pop culture flashpoint that may or may not be especially compelling to the reader and an effective bridge to how that illustrates a broader societal issue. And I almost entirely agree with your comments about anxieties among the near-elite.
But I wish we could find a way beyond the negative of identifying societal problems to the positive of how to address them. I have my ideas that I think resonate with you and much of your readership – a focus on universalist policies, understanding how identity politics is used to divide people who oppose the establishment, and an awareness of the need for shared meaning in a post-religion society. But these ideas are far more complicated than “haha the other side is stupid/evil” and I don’t have a clue how to build it into a movement more powerful than the inclination to irony and snark.
I would love to see a skilled communicator like you try to use your platform to connect with other contrarians to try and build a positive platform for something better.
I’m not going to name names, because there can be valid objections to just about anyone, but the whole point of this is that building a better alternative is infinitely more valuable than criticisms of people’s flaws. We should have a open approach to anyone committed to rejecting the status quo. This isn’t a kumbaya, we should all come together, argument – nobody actually wants that. The movement would have specific goals in taking down an establishment that is running the country off a cliff – facilitating the path the towards an honorable middle-class life, defanging the military industrial complex, a comprehensive rethink of our healthcare and higher education systems, etc, but pursue these goals using a big-tent strategy.