#717 - Jeremy Boreing - Going To War With Mainstream Media
Dec 9, 2023
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Jeremy Boreing, co-founder and CEO of The Daily Wire, dives into the revolutionary landscape of independent media. He discusses the urgent importance of children's programming and the challenges facing modern conservatism. The conversation explores the pitfalls of audience capture and how creative conservatism can reinvigorate cultural engagement. Boreing also shares insights about his collaboration with Ben Shapiro, the intricacies of media authenticity, and the ongoing controversies surrounding free speech and children's content, shedding light on the complexities of today's media landscape.
The right-wing media needs to become more creative in order to have a lasting impact on culture by being creators of art, business, and media that resonate with the audience and challenge their worst impulses.
Success brings the challenge of prioritizing convenience and protecting what has been achieved, but it is important to maintain humanity, be open to learning and growth, and avoid becoming disconnected from common humanity.
Conservative media faces the fear of audience capture and limits in humor, leading to a lack of creativity and satire. Embracing tension in art and discourse and not entering a purity contract with the audience is vital.
Deep dives
The Importance of Creativity and Building for the Right
One key insight from the podcast episode is the importance of creativity for the right-wing media. The discussion highlights that while the left is often seen as more creative, the right needs to become more creative in order to have a lasting impact on culture. This involves being creators of art, business, and media that resonate with the audience and challenge their worst impulses. The goal is to build a future that inspires and attracts people, rather than just being critics of the culture.
Navigating the Challenges of Success
The podcast delves into the challenges that come with success, such as convenience becoming more important and the risk of becoming risk-averse. As success brings fame, wealth, and power, there is a temptation to prioritize convenience and protect what has been achieved. However, the guest emphasizes the need to balance success with maintaining humanity, being open to learning and growth, and avoiding the trap of becoming disconnected from common humanity.
Addressing the Purity Death Spiral and Laughter
The podcast examines the issue of audience capture and the fear of humor, particularly on the right. There is a tendency for audiences to hold conservative media to higher standards of morality and purity, while consuming more lenient content from other sources. This fear limits creativity and satire, as people are afraid to laugh and fully embrace the inherently imperfect nature of humanity. The importance of not entering a purity contract with the audience and instead embracing tension in art and discourse is highlighted.
The Challenge of Conservatism
Conservatism is facing a difficult moment, as the right has become revolutionary and is focused on building something that runs the risk of being retrograde. The struggle lies in battling the worst instincts of the left without embracing the worst instincts of the right. To navigate this tension, lowercase our republicanism is proposed as a dedication to representing the values and interests of the constituency while also providing leadership and being a check against their worst impulses.
Diagnosis vs. Prescription on the Right
The right accurately diagnoses the problems, but often falls short in its prescriptions. One reason for this is the impact of being constantly targeted and crushed by the system, making the right less thoughtful and more reactionary. Another factor is the tendency to embrace ideas that seem axiomatic but are ultimately insufficient. In addition, the right can fall into the trap of cultism, where trust is placed solely in those who reveal hidden truths, leading to dangerous paths. Navigating these pitfalls requires thoughtful consideration and skepticism towards both old and new ideas.
Jeremy Boreing is the co-founder and CEO of the Daily Wire.
Independent media is having a moment. YouTube numbers dominate mainstream TV and podcasts wipe the floor with radio. But is it possible for movies, children's programming and more to tumble next?
Expect to learn what it's like to work with Ben Shapiro, where Disney keeps going wrong, the problems with modern day Conservatives, whether Jeremy will hire Douglas Murray, why children's TV shows are so important to get right, the dangers of audience capture and much more...