I’m halfway through your EXCELLENT deconstruction of Shapiro & his ilk. Before my head explodes I must stop to emote in common street parlance, as I make no claim of being an intellectual or trained philosopher.
Shapiro is a flaming bundle of steaming hot bullshit.
I watched him being “raised” by Ann C for -unt. Or “Unty Ann” as I think of her now. I watched Mini-Spock the wunderkind’s star as it rose — along with his Alvin the Chipmunk voice — via FoxNews. And I bought it all for an uncomfortably long period of time.
TY Mike, this piece is very helpful as a teaching piece, especially for ppl like me who will, till my last day, be in recovery from Rightwinkthink, even tho I officially got out in 2016.
*** returning now to finish your teaching module ***
What an elegant explication of Shapiro’s motivated lunacy you’ve written for us!
I see Shapiro now as the high-dollar, tail-case equivalent of Baghdad Bob. All the call backs to enlightenment traditions collapse as soon as he states his conclusions.
He’s leapt into the running dog sector of the public yapper Venn diagram for reasons that have to include hubris, avarice, and fear.
Thanks again, Mike for an analysis that is as honest as it is illuminating.
A few thoughts:
As a practicing psychologist, I admire your ability to see through the disguises of public figures and movements. Your vocabulary is more philosophical than psychological, but I recognize a fellow seeker of truth, especially hard truths. Your insights are both remarkable and articulate.
I am also an admirer of Sam Harris, not just because of this interview, but of his courage and dedication to truth. Much like you. I am not unaware of his flaws- I think he does become obsessive about certain issues, and it affects his usual ability to think clearly. But everyone has limitations. I think that may happen to you as well, and being the honest observer you are, I think you already know that.
Please keep writing the way you are here. We need it.
“That would imply a coherent ideology being defended. What Shapiro is, is a partisan apologist of the most elite kind, whose job is to make the most plausible steelman case for voting his clan, in the language of the liberal intellectual tradition, in order to confuse people into going along with it.”
Excellent analysis. Although, I would also posit that Shapiro’s Ideological alignment with Israel clouds his moral judgment—if he possess’s any!
For example, my brother is conservative and we’re also Jewish. He voted for Trump three times because of tax cuts and Trump’s unwavering support of Israel.
Furthermore, it sounds like guys like Shapiro are the same way as my brother. They justify every heinous and insidious decision and act based solely on whether it’s good for Israel, as well as their respective wallets!
Not to mention, Ben has always been a stalwart supporter of Netanyahu and his Kahane-ist crazies running the Israeli government—into the ground of late!
After all, the Daily Wire has been an amazing platform that has been promoting Netanyahu incessantly. Just saying! IMHO…:)
Fast talking and running your mouth really equates to intellect in these right-wing spaces. I'll never forget that Ben Shapiro said, long ago on Larry Wilmore's podcast, the civil rights act was unnecessary because we live in a free country. If someone doesn't want to allow people of a certain group in their establishment, then people are free to open their own business for "their" people. Sure, Ben, go ahead and open a Jewish business for every single thing you want or need. Great plan coming from that big-boy brain.
I’m halfway through your EXCELLENT deconstruction of Shapiro & his ilk. Before my head explodes I must stop to emote in common street parlance, as I make no claim of being an intellectual or trained philosopher.
Shapiro is a flaming bundle of steaming hot bullshit.
I watched him being “raised” by Ann C for -unt. Or “Unty Ann” as I think of her now. I watched Mini-Spock the wunderkind’s star as it rose — along with his Alvin the Chipmunk voice — via FoxNews. And I bought it all for an uncomfortably long period of time.
TY Mike, this piece is very helpful as a teaching piece, especially for ppl like me who will, till my last day, be in recovery from Rightwinkthink, even tho I officially got out in 2016.
*** returning now to finish your teaching module ***
What an elegant explication of Shapiro’s motivated lunacy you’ve written for us!
I see Shapiro now as the high-dollar, tail-case equivalent of Baghdad Bob. All the call backs to enlightenment traditions collapse as soon as he states his conclusions.
He’s leapt into the running dog sector of the public yapper Venn diagram for reasons that have to include hubris, avarice, and fear.
Simultaneously pathetic and dangerous.
The reasons also include money. Lots and lots of money.
Thanks again, Mike for an analysis that is as honest as it is illuminating.
A few thoughts:
As a practicing psychologist, I admire your ability to see through the disguises of public figures and movements. Your vocabulary is more philosophical than psychological, but I recognize a fellow seeker of truth, especially hard truths. Your insights are both remarkable and articulate.
I am also an admirer of Sam Harris, not just because of this interview, but of his courage and dedication to truth. Much like you. I am not unaware of his flaws- I think he does become obsessive about certain issues, and it affects his usual ability to think clearly. But everyone has limitations. I think that may happen to you as well, and being the honest observer you are, I think you already know that.
Please keep writing the way you are here. We need it.
“That would imply a coherent ideology being defended. What Shapiro is, is a partisan apologist of the most elite kind, whose job is to make the most plausible steelman case for voting his clan, in the language of the liberal intellectual tradition, in order to confuse people into going along with it.”
Excellent analysis. Although, I would also posit that Shapiro’s Ideological alignment with Israel clouds his moral judgment—if he possess’s any!
For example, my brother is conservative and we’re also Jewish. He voted for Trump three times because of tax cuts and Trump’s unwavering support of Israel.
Furthermore, it sounds like guys like Shapiro are the same way as my brother. They justify every heinous and insidious decision and act based solely on whether it’s good for Israel, as well as their respective wallets!
Not to mention, Ben has always been a stalwart supporter of Netanyahu and his Kahane-ist crazies running the Israeli government—into the ground of late!
After all, the Daily Wire has been an amazing platform that has been promoting Netanyahu incessantly. Just saying! IMHO…:)
"Footprints on the floor" is an unfit analogy for what Donald is doing.
A more fitting one would be "urine in the coffee mug".
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jerry-bance-marketplace-1.3217797
Common knowledge. Since like forever.
I don't think that's true. If it were common knowledge, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing right now. Of that I am sure.
Maybe ‘common’ was the wrong world. But in the admittedly lefty online spaces I’ve inhabited for years, he’s long been an object of ridicule.
Fast talking and running your mouth really equates to intellect in these right-wing spaces. I'll never forget that Ben Shapiro said, long ago on Larry Wilmore's podcast, the civil rights act was unnecessary because we live in a free country. If someone doesn't want to allow people of a certain group in their establishment, then people are free to open their own business for "their" people. Sure, Ben, go ahead and open a Jewish business for every single thing you want or need. Great plan coming from that big-boy brain.
I’ve assumed Shapiro was paid by Russia since he defended his fellow tools who were caught. Innocent victims, my eye. (https://www.thewrap.com/russian-interference-right-wing-influencers-indictment-explained/)
Yes, Shapiro is definitely a POS
Your analysis is spot on. Thank you.