Conspirituality

232: Gaslighting The Election

Nov 14, 2024

Explore the evolution of political narratives and media manipulation, particularly focusing on the rise of alternative news outlets. Discover how disinformation thrives in a polarized environment, particularly around heated topics like transgender rights and election integrity. The discussion highlights the stark differences in political communication styles between figures like Trump and Sanders, while advocating for clearer dialogue about political ideologies. Finally, it critiques the influence of wealthy investors on media portrayals of democracy.

01:11:16

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The episode critiques how claims of independent journalism often mask underlying partisan influences that distort ideological values.

It highlights the right-wing media's manipulation of narratives, framing Trump's authenticity positively while dismissing Democratic perspectives as elitist.

Cultural issues are emphasized over substantive policy discussions, revealing a disconnect between political rhetoric and the real concerns of the working class.

Deep dives

The Illusion of Independent Journalism

The episode critiques the concept of independent journalism as presented by certain media startups, highlighting how they claim to offer a balanced approach while actually pushing specific narratives. It emphasizes that this so-called independence often serves to promote both sides of a political spectrum, leading to a distortion of actual ideological values. The narrative of non-partisanship is described as a ruse, masking underlying partisan influences that drive the content published. The Free Press is particularly examined for its connections to wealthy donors who align with certain political ideologies, undermining its claims of being a neutral platform.

Intro

2min

Media Manipulation and the Politics of Truth

4min

Navigating Media Bias and Disinformation

14min

Media Bias and the 2024 Election Landscape

9min

Media, Truth, and the Political Landscape

18min

Populism and Political Discourse

9min

Navigating Political Ideologies: Liberalism vs. Leftism

10min

Media Commentary and Financial Backing in Political Discourse

4min

Once upon a time, there was a golden age. A time when the news media was fair and balanced, unbiased and honest. But we've lost all that to the corrupting influence of big money, political correctness, and woke censorship. Blame the radical left.

Not to worry: the online charisma of heterodox new media figures like Bari Weiss and her plucky, centrist, truth-telling little start-up, The Free Press, has come to Make Journalism Great Again.

Yet their supposed heterodoxy is neither neutral nor journalistically rigorous. It's pure culture war contrarian sensationalism that wastes little ink critiquing the rise of right-wing authoritarianism.

We trace these tangled threads by listening in to the supposedly non-partisan The Free Press election night livestream, which giddily praised Trump for being the consummate bullshitter that will take an ax to Democratic institutions.