Conversations: With Seth Dillon, CEO and Owner of The Babylon Bee
Sep 8, 2023
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John Anderson interviews Seth Dillon, Owner and CEO of The Babylon Bee. They discuss the intersection between Christianity and humor, mocking bad ideas, controversies faced by the Bee, and the decline of tolerance in society. They also talk about preserving timeless truths, the impact of fact checking on comedy, challenges faced on Twitter, and the subversive power of humor in challenging authority.
Using humor and satire can effectively challenge bad ideas and hold those in power accountable, delivering important messages while entertaining.
The modern notion of tolerance has led to an intolerant culture where people demand not to be offended, censored, or challenged, imposing their own values on others.
Deep dives
The Power of Satire and Humor
Seth Dillon, the CEO of the Babylon Bee, a widely reached satirical site, discusses the power of satire and humor in challenging bad ideas and holding those in power accountable. He emphasizes the importance of using humor as a vehicle for truth delivery, communicating important messages while entertaining. Dillon also highlights the need for Christians to engage in the entertainment industry to provide an alternative voice and challenge the dominance of progressive perspectives. He quotes C.S. Lewis, who emphasized the importance of Christians creating great art and entertainment rooted in Christian values and principles.
The Limitations of Tolerance
Dillon criticizes the modern notion of tolerance, which has morphed into an intolerance of differing opinions. He argues that many who advocate for tolerance are, paradoxically, the most intolerant of opposing viewpoints. He believes the focus on tolerance has led to a culture where people demand not to be offended, censored, or challenged, while simultaneously imposing their own values on others. Dillon expresses concerns about a generation being raised to believe they have a right not to be offended, which he views as entitled, narcissistic, and selfish.
The Battle Against Censorship
Dillon shares how the Babylon Bee has faced challenges due to fact-checking and censorship on platforms like Twitter and Facebook. He highlights the absurdity of fact-checking a satire site and describes instances where harmless jokes were labeled as false information. Dillon underscores the danger of increasing authoritarianism and the suppression of humor, which historically has been a powerful tool to critique and challenge those in power. He advocates for laws that protect free speech on digital platforms, calling for accountability and the prevention of viewpoint discrimination.
Restoring Truth and Values
Dillon expresses hope in the face of a divided society, citing the growing number of individuals pushing back against extreme ideologies. He sees a perspective shift occurring as people witness the consequences of disregarding truth and undermining foundational values. He believes there is a yearning for a return to reason, reality, and truth. Dillon also highlights the importance of fostering Christian entrepreneurialism and creating good media that challenges prevailing narratives, promotes shared values, and encourages critical thinking.
In this conversation, John sits down with the owner and CEO of the immensely popular satirical news site, the Babylon Bee.
In a wide-ranging conversation, they discuss everything from the intersection between Christianity and humour to the moral imperative to mock bad ideas. Along the way they also discuss the controversies that the Bee has found itself in over the years. Seth's faith, wits and sucess in both media and business give him a truely unique insight in the probelms that we are facing today.
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