Volts All about "reactionary centrism"
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Jan 30, 2026 Michael Hobbes, journalist and podcaster known for cohosting shows like You're Wrong About and If Books Could Kill, joins to unpack the phenomenon of reactionary centrism. He and the host trace its media incentives, show how it blames Democrats while ignoring right‑wing threats, and explore examples like coverage norms, Merck’s Law, and the role of contrarianism in public discourse.
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Definition And Historical Frame
- "Reactionary centrism" is a cluster of tendencies that scold the left while downplaying the right's threats.
- David Roberts traces the term to Aaron Werdos and frames it historically against fascist patterns.
Left Threats Are Exaggerated
- Reactionary centrists inflate left-wing threats and minimize right-wing radicalism, treating tiny left examples as systemic.
- Michael Hobbes points to The Atlantic's sympathetic coverage of RFK Jr. as emblematic of this bias.
Merck's Law: Democrats As Default Actors
- Merck's Law says pundits treat Democrats as sole actors and the right as merely reactive weather.
- David Roberts argues this shifts blame onto Democrats for predictable right-wing actions.
