Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy

E327. The Rise of the Woke Right - James Lindsay

Feb 27, 2025
James Lindsay, an author and commentator on critical theory and culture wars, delves into the intriguing concept of the 'woke right,' a modern twist on the alt-right. He discusses the fallout of grievance culture from academia, increased self-censorship, and how societal change felt liberating for many during Trump's election. Lindsay also critiques the impact of Russian and Chinese bot networks on radicalization and highlights the alarming rise of anti-Semitism. A thought-provoking conversation that uncovers serious implications for today's political landscape.
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ANECDOTE

Three-Day Log Out

  • James Lindsay advised Bridget Phetasy to log out for three days when facing online backlash.
  • This helped the situation de-escalate as people moved on, demonstrating a tactic for handling online pile-ons.
INSIGHT

Fake Social Media

  • Social media is profoundly fake due to algorithm manipulation, coordinated promotion, and bot activity.
  • Trending content is often artificially inflated, so what you see is driven by fake activity.
ANECDOTE

Bot Detection

  • Chinese bots are easily detectable: reply to them in Simplified Chinese, and they respond similarly.
  • Russian bots are more sophisticated and aim to radicalize the right through online activity.
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