The truth in what you say is downright scary. I saw some of this when I was younger, and it scared me when I realized what it was. I know someone who became right wing,and he became downright scary!
Warning labels are so needed! Gaming culture is the latest situation where parents should never allow children online without a guardian present. (As with Sesame Street, parents will use video games in place of day care when they are poor and must leave their children alone to go to work. Unlike SS, internet games are not trustworthy!)
Happened to my once bright, funny, happy son. Now he's a disgruntled white male who believes 'they' are holding him back and T will be his savior. Breaks my heart.
David — this is good, but only as far as you have taken it. To ignore the malign interests in and investment by an array of overseas actors, led first and foremost by the Kremlin, is to continue to promote algorithms as happy AI bot-warriors. Trump Tyranny Tracker is a good place to start.
This is a really sharp analysis of how algorithmic optimization creates radicalizaton pathways without anyone consciously designing them. The bit about parents not realizing gamers are giving political sermons disguised as jokes really nails why this flies under the radar for so long. What's particulary chilling is the dopamine loop parallel, where the same mechanics that make Fortnite addictive also make grievance content addictive. The call for media literacy education is spot on, but it feels like we're asking schools to teachcritical algorithm awareness while these platforms are iterating faster than any curriculum can keep up.
David, thanks for allowing EVERYONE to comment. I no longer listen to Joy Reid, Glen Kirshner, Don Lemon and other "progressives" because they've decided to go the snob route and block comments from non-paid subscribers. If they hold me in contempt because I'm poor, I will reciprocate by unsubscribing, not watching, and not giving likes. I'm sure I'm not alone in my sentiment so being greedy will cost them in the long run!
I've heard obnoxious liars describe themselves with the exact terms you cite: "truth-teller" and "free-thinker". And it's not limited to young gamers. A self described 66 year old black man swearing that about himself insisted that blacks were in North America pre-Columbus and other falsehoods. He blocked me after I fact checked him too many times. My final response was "Who do you 'speak truth to power' to, when the powerful can just block you like you did me?". YES he used that cheap line too.
One area of confusion is that MAGA (or more specifically, Groypers) and the Resistance have each adopted frogs as their mascots. Groypers have "Pepe the frog" who looks a lot like the dancing, inflatable frog in the Portland protest. Before the Resistance gets too far along, I think it should consider a new mascot/logo/character for the New Year. I really think this could be a serious problem. And Pepe is not going to be abandoned by the MAGAturds.
Pepe is unmistakably a cartoon. Progressive activists are well aware of Pepe and thus their frog costumes were as realistic as possible. So, there will be no confusion. This is an example of the left taking back what is theirs: concern for the environment, for which disappearing frogs are the perfect symbol. [We saw great success, resulting in rightwing outrage, over the new Superman movie when its progressive writers likewise took back "woke".]
Thank you for your insights, David. However I want to bring to your attention the latest cruelty of the Trump regime, and it is on utube. REFS:- Martigen War Cemetery, Netherlands. Afro-American servicement of WW1, particularly names: - WILLS/ PRUITT. and what the Trump regime hass done recently via your War Graves Commission et al. Please research and share with your viewers/listeners. It's a disgrace and cruel and abhorrent.
First off you can't put comedy and the right wing in the same sentence.....
Second ....there won't be any more Trump voters at least not for Trump......maybe? But other than that great insight into how our culture and society have been circling the bowl for a long time now.
very important points David, thanks so much for continuing to shed a light on things mainstream media ignores (at their own peril). 🙏
The truth in what you say is downright scary. I saw some of this when I was younger, and it scared me when I realized what it was. I know someone who became right wing,and he became downright scary!
Good topic. Thanks David.
Perfectly explains alot of what has happened in recent years
Should be warning labels on these as they are on anything else for morons!!!
Warning labels are so needed! Gaming culture is the latest situation where parents should never allow children online without a guardian present. (As with Sesame Street, parents will use video games in place of day care when they are poor and must leave their children alone to go to work. Unlike SS, internet games are not trustworthy!)
Super important message for parents and kids!!! I talk to my kids about this all the time.
Happened to my once bright, funny, happy son. Now he's a disgruntled white male who believes 'they' are holding him back and T will be his savior. Breaks my heart.
David — this is good, but only as far as you have taken it. To ignore the malign interests in and investment by an array of overseas actors, led first and foremost by the Kremlin, is to continue to promote algorithms as happy AI bot-warriors. Trump Tyranny Tracker is a good place to start.
https://substack.com/@olgalautman/note/c-183790515?r=oqjb&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
If you're gong to post a link, always describe what it's about.
THANK YOU! Excellent and clear -- and very scary.
This is a really sharp analysis of how algorithmic optimization creates radicalizaton pathways without anyone consciously designing them. The bit about parents not realizing gamers are giving political sermons disguised as jokes really nails why this flies under the radar for so long. What's particulary chilling is the dopamine loop parallel, where the same mechanics that make Fortnite addictive also make grievance content addictive. The call for media literacy education is spot on, but it feels like we're asking schools to teachcritical algorithm awareness while these platforms are iterating faster than any curriculum can keep up.
David, thanks for allowing EVERYONE to comment. I no longer listen to Joy Reid, Glen Kirshner, Don Lemon and other "progressives" because they've decided to go the snob route and block comments from non-paid subscribers. If they hold me in contempt because I'm poor, I will reciprocate by unsubscribing, not watching, and not giving likes. I'm sure I'm not alone in my sentiment so being greedy will cost them in the long run!
I've heard obnoxious liars describe themselves with the exact terms you cite: "truth-teller" and "free-thinker". And it's not limited to young gamers. A self described 66 year old black man swearing that about himself insisted that blacks were in North America pre-Columbus and other falsehoods. He blocked me after I fact checked him too many times. My final response was "Who do you 'speak truth to power' to, when the powerful can just block you like you did me?". YES he used that cheap line too.
One area of confusion is that MAGA (or more specifically, Groypers) and the Resistance have each adopted frogs as their mascots. Groypers have "Pepe the frog" who looks a lot like the dancing, inflatable frog in the Portland protest. Before the Resistance gets too far along, I think it should consider a new mascot/logo/character for the New Year. I really think this could be a serious problem. And Pepe is not going to be abandoned by the MAGAturds.
Pepe is unmistakably a cartoon. Progressive activists are well aware of Pepe and thus their frog costumes were as realistic as possible. So, there will be no confusion. This is an example of the left taking back what is theirs: concern for the environment, for which disappearing frogs are the perfect symbol. [We saw great success, resulting in rightwing outrage, over the new Superman movie when its progressive writers likewise took back "woke".]
Let's not forget that this article is specifically about younger net surfers who might not be able to distinguish the nuances.
Telling Pepe from a realistic frog costume doesn't require life experience.
Thank you for your insights, David. However I want to bring to your attention the latest cruelty of the Trump regime, and it is on utube. REFS:- Martigen War Cemetery, Netherlands. Afro-American servicement of WW1, particularly names: - WILLS/ PRUITT. and what the Trump regime hass done recently via your War Graves Commission et al. Please research and share with your viewers/listeners. It's a disgrace and cruel and abhorrent.
Splendid explanation, thank you so much. May it be widely read!
First off you can't put comedy and the right wing in the same sentence.....
Second ....there won't be any more Trump voters at least not for Trump......maybe? But other than that great insight into how our culture and society have been circling the bowl for a long time now.