The Constitution, Unplugged: Matt Taibbi on DarkHorse
Sep 25, 2024
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Journalist Matt Taibbi, known for his insights on censorship and the Twitter Files, joins Bret to dive deep into the censorship industrial complex. They discuss the alarming apathy among liberals regarding First Amendment violations and scrutinize the intertwining of government and tech platforms in manipulating speech. Taibbi warns against the normalization of egregious rights violations and highlights the psychological implications of media manipulation. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for public vigilance to safeguard democracy and free speech.
The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act poses a threat to civil liberties by allowing detention without due process, raising concerns about government overreach.
Matt Taibbi highlights the degradation of journalism as honest voices diminish, resulting in increased censorship and a stifled dialogue in media.
The collaboration between social media platforms and government officials within the censorship industrial complex threatens free speech and suppresses dissenting opinions.
Deep dives
Concerns Over Government Power
The discussion highlights a significant concern about the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) enabling the government to detain individuals without due process, potentially disregarding habeas corpus rights. This capability raises alarm regarding the possibility of totalitarian control, especially as the ability to notice and discuss these issues diminishes during current elections. The rarity of such detentions and the public's general ignorance about them have led to a concerning complacency. This situation emphasizes the need for active awareness and engagement to protect personal freedoms and civil rights within the political landscape.
The Decline of Journalism
The degradation of journalism has emerged as a critical theme, with Matt Taibbi expressing concern about the dwindling number of honest journalists in today's media landscape. He observes a shift towards censorship and control over information dissemination, resulting in a fearful atmosphere preventing open dialogue. Taibbi recounts his experience with the Twitter Files, revealing a coordinated effort by government agencies to influence media narratives and suppress dissenting voices. This evolution marks a troubling shift from a robust journalism culture to one that favors corporate and governmental interests, ultimately undermining free expression.
The Censorship Industrial Complex
The podcast delves into the so-called censorship industrial complex, wherein platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have increasingly collaborated with government entities to regulate content. Taibbi recounts how the uncovering of extensive email communications indicated a well-organized approach to content suppression based on government requests. These requests often came in massive spreadsheets, highlighting the extensive and formalized nature of this collaboration. The implications of this partnership pose serious questions about free speech rights and the consequences of suppressing voices deemed controversial or dangerous.
Evolving Threat to Free Speech
A parallel discussion arises concerning the normalization of censorship, particularly under the guise of combating misinformation and disinformation. The podcast articulates the dangers of categorizing truthful speech as 'malinformation,' which could lead to legal and social repercussions for individuals expressing dissenting views. This manipulation reflects a significant shift in societal attitudes toward freedom of speech, echoing Orwellian themes from literature. As a result, there is an urgent need to recognize and combat the erosion of these vital rights, emphasizing the necessity of protecting freedom of expression against state-sanctioned suppression.
Rallying for Unity and Action
The episode culminates in a call to action for those disillusioned by the current political climate to unite and participate actively in the democratic process. The speakers emphasize the importance of coming together, regardless of differing ideologies, to address shared concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms. Taibbi argues that individuals must reclaim their voices through organized efforts, stressing that failure to engage could result in dire consequences for civil liberties. By attending events such as 'Rescue the Republic,' participants can not only express unity but also affirm the values underpinning their rights and freedoms in the face of growing government overreach.
Bret speaks with Matt Taibbi on the subject of the censorship industrial complex. They discuss their views on the recent lack of reaction by traditional liberals to violations of America’s First Amendment. Join Matt Taibbi and Bret in Washington DC for Rescue the Republic on September 29th https://jointheresistance.org.
Find Matt Taibbi on Substack at http://racket.news and on X at http://x.com/mtaibbi.
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Theme Music: Thank you to Martin Molin of Wintergatan for providing us the rights to use their excellent music.
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Mentioned in this episode:
(00:21:03) Facebook study https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2014/06/facebook-can-manipulate-your-mood-it-can-affect-whether-you-vote-when-do-we-start (00:22:47) Murthy v. Missouri https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-411_3dq3.pdf (00:23:25) Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” (01:04:41) National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1540/text (01:15:10) General Michael Hayden’s post: https://x.com/GenMhayden/status/1834958138644029764
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Time Stamps:
(00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:44) Matt Taibbi's history of covering deplatformed and deamplified individuals and organizations (00:07:47) Evaporation of the will to fight (00:09:15) Sponsors (00:13:18) Three things causing the "evaporation of the will to fight" (00:21:21) How the information environment is shaped (00:28:43) Traps and "Bomb Holding" (00:34:01) Is it against the law? (00:41:56) Biden's Incompetence: Missing front-page news (00:54:01) Why Matt Taibbi is coming back off the bench (01:00:31) Eliminating Words and Unhooking the Constitution (01:08:01) Why we must gather and vote now (01:20:01) Closing
