Offline with Jon Favreau How Trump, Memes, and Algorithms Transformed The Way We Speak
28 snips
Sep 25, 2025 
Adam Aleksic, also known as Etymology Nerd, dives into the fascinating ways algorithms and memes shape our language and politics. He explores how viral incentives drive emotional, attention-grabbing political language and why Trump's syntax is tailored for the algorithmic age. Discussing trends and the engagement economy, Adam highlights the challenges of misinformation and incivility in today's discourse. He also advocates for TikTok literacy in schools to enhance understanding of algorithmic influence. Memes, he argues, serve as both cultural commentary and political statements.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Learn TikTok Literacy
- Engage with algorithmic platforms deliberately and learn how they shape content distribution.
- Teach and practice 'TikTok literacy' so users recognize how algorithms bias attention and commodify engagement.
Algorithms Redefine Attention
- Algorithms optimize measurable engagement, not social respect or prestige, changing what attention means.
- This shifts public discourse toward content that maximizes metrics like watch time and comments.
Emotion Fuels Virality
- Viral content skews toward extreme and emotional language because those features drive engagement.
- That dynamic rewards emphatic, outraged, or polarized political speech online.
