More Content Talk

You won't see many woeful tales of overlooked artists in your average history book. Instead we are taught that the greats somehow make it, regardless of the adversity they face. I mean, just look at greats like Bukowski or Baldwin; these men faced far more challenges than us, and therefore success should be simple. At least, that is what we all tell ourselves. People are now expected to be great or grand, as opposed to content or fulfilled. It is almost unjust to pursue a life dedicated to pleasure, as opposed to rigorous, back breaking work. We still hear gossip columns, and gossipers, going on about the dangers of sex addiction or marijuana as if we are in the 1950s preparing to hide under our desks from Stalin's inevitably imaginary attack. People compare the amount of work that they do with each other; they bandy it about as a badge of honor. "Well, I pulled a triple this week. That's right, a triple!", they shout, thumping their chest like some sort of ape. Of course the motive behind this ape like behavior is to assert a kind of dominance much like our former orange baboon in chief, a rare breed indigenous to failed companies, president Trump. But it doesn't end there. We are expected to congratulate people for "sacrificing" or "taking the initiative". We hear terms like "team player" used to refer to people who "go the extra mile", and "take one for the time". We very rarely think of what is at risk here. We don't consider that going the extra mile may mean breaking the law or infringing upon personal liberties. We believe that our striving for prosperity is inherently good because, so the saying goes, more wealth equals progress. Neoliberals believe this gospel more than anyone else. However, this is not always the case. Did the industrial revolution lead to a healthier nation? Did the huge availability of access to gas guzzling cars really benefit humanity? Did the institution of factory farms improve the quality of goods that farms produce? Has having access to food and clothing on demand decreased poverty and famine in any way measurably positive? When we ask these really difficult questions, the ones that fewer and fewer people are willing to ask, we often find that the answers are quite complex. Indeed, it was mostly the wealthy and middle classes that benefited from the industrial revolution, and its ready made toxins they refer to as products. Poor people were mostly left out of the economic boom, a through point in history that often gets conveniently left out. Economic booms are built upon the backs of poor people, but the poor people do not get much out of it. Wealth and power are monopolized, and any hope for advancement is quickly squashed. Thus, the fantasy of working for a better future is a myth for the poor worker in America. Of course there are Bukowskis and Baldwins because there are a lot of people in the world. Sure, a few artists will be recognized as great. Whether they are or not is always up for discussion, but this will inevitably happen. I do not care what art you like. I am simply suggesting that we remember the backs of the poor people that is the foundation of great art. We need not stroke the ego of the tony winning actor or the Grammy winning musician. However, isn't it our duty to recall the overlooked artists, the people who often inspire movements, and new waves of thinking in their fields? Aren't there worthy people who are not chosen, who are simply forgotten and left behind? I think we care more about these forgotten ones, and less about the chosen people. It's nice to celebrate the victories, but we shouldn't forget the defeats. I've moved on from hating my enemies, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to forgive, not after being forgotten, not after being overlooked. The next time I attend an audition, if there is a next time, I will remember my sacrifices, because, in reality, everyone else has forgotten them. 

These days, it seems as if humor is under attack, or maybe I'm just mad because I get censored more than major corporations who cause real harm. Yeah, it's probably the second one, but I'm not too upset about the whole thing. I've long since let go of the initial rage of being silenced for no good reason. Now, I just find the whole thing kind of ridiculous. Could you have imagined, years ago, that something as ridiculous as social media would be used as a tool to control the hearts and minds of millions? Wasn't this the place where DIY and Oddly Satisfying thrived? Now it seems as if social media isn't used so much for fun or distraction as it is for making political statements, and those political statements are becoming more and more a part of the political sphere everyday. You would think the response from the establishment "left" would be to wage an effective counter campaign, satirizing the very people who satirize them, but they have been asleep at the switch when it comes to getting even with their foes, which is vital in American politics. The establishment "left" has instead decided to wage an all out war on the actual left, the very people responsible for their presidential win. This strategy is not only incredibly stupid, possibly leading to congressional losses in 2022, but it also makes very little sense. Silencing liberals is the last thing democrats want to do if they hope to maintain power. Silencing liberal humor is practically political suicide; this is why Trump was sure to censor the show "Spitting Image" while he was in office. He realizes that humor is perhaps the most effective political weapon. The neo liberal establishment has consistently failed to realize this to its own detriment. This generation grew up mocking the news and political blunders. And why shouldn't they? Politicians have been a complete train wreck since the 1980s, failing to heed the advice not only of their constituents, but of trained government officials and advisors. The result has been the chaotic scenario we currently find ourselves in, and it does not appear that all that much is changing, apart from the fact that only conservatives get to make jokes now. Social media has fostered to conservative nonsense since day one, forcing the spread of violent conspiracy theories that have harmed everything from our diet to our right to protest; yet these same companies are now the arbiters of truth. How on earth does that work? Do you really believe these people are sincere when they censor others? I hope not because minorities have been censored far more that Europeans, who started, and the profited from the conspiracy industry, selling deadly supplements, misleading literature, and clothing attire very much like what you saw at the Capitol Riots to deranged consumers. Social media moguls are not doing their job to confront the spread of conspiracy theories. Much of the anti-vaxx and new world order conspiracies are still widely available on youtube, facebook, and twitter. These businesses are obviously playing both sides against each other to promote their agenda, which has nothing to do with what either party wants. It is discouraging seeing this same script repeated over and over again, with people actually believing that companies have political views. What a joke! How do you not laugh at such a thing? How can you have a set political view as a company when your economic well-being fluctuates from year to year? Profit knows nothing of politics or morality. Money doesn't judge; it simply goes to the person who is willing to make a deal. But to make that deal, you have to sacrifice things you care about, or that you just pretend to care about, which is the case with people like Jack Dorsey, Mark Zuckerburg, and they goofy guy who owns google (I honestly don't care what his name is). These are all monopolists. They don't care about your free speech or your second amendment rights. They just want your money. 

A lot of the censorship on social media is aimed at minorities. The reason for this is quite clear, and that is that intellectualism simply was not made for black people, and Europeans have a difficult time accepting when we are good at it. Black people, as well as all races, bring a unique perspective to the table when it comes to social media censorship. The technological revolution has also refined the ability of racists to exclude certain world views from their virtual realities, or should I say fantasy. There is no perfect world; we must always deal with people we dislike, regardless of how reclusive we becomes. However, social media allows one to assume that their opinions are not only ideal, but superior. One is able to surround themselves with exclusively like-minded people, leading to confirmation bias. Though much of the calls for censorship have been a kind of knee-jerk reaction to the rhetoric of Donald Trump, no one has really considered the smaller organizations that can be effected by such censorship. It has become a common trait of the public to forget the smaller organizations that are just trying to make a buck being funny. Is it really productive to slow their participation in the public sphere down? We, as entertainers, do not have much left after the pandemic. Our livelihoods depended on in person shows, and events. Now, who knows when those will return? Shall we add insult to injury by banishing the small youtube and twitter channels that make these platforms unique? Many of us have contributed a great deal to these platforms, and have seen little to know reward in return. Some of us were quite influential in getting out the vote, or in tipping off the authorities when injustices have been done. We may seem like nothing special to you now, but we may have a bit more value than you believe as well. We may not just be unemployed actors. Some of us, many of us, have many special talents. Sure, the prospects for making money on social media may seem dim; there are even people who say that it is a waste of time. However, there are also people who are persistent and see steady growth overtime. Social media works much more like an investment than a source of income, but investing in one's future can be smart. Do I think that anyone can make on a podcast? Probably not, although I don't believe it is as difficult as a lot of creator's make it sound; sometimes I just think these people are discouraging others from joining because they're afraid of losing their audience. However, does a person trained in political science, theatre, communications, philosophy, and production have a shot at making a successful podcast? Sure. Of course it takes a few years, but what else did I have to do all this time? Did you expect me to spend all of my money on Amazon? You can make Jeff Bezos de facto mafia don if you want; I'm just trying to make some people laugh at what joke the righteous censorship quest of anti-social media really is. Why are there more minorities being censored on these social media sites? Is this just another whites only club? Or is it that systemic racism has blinded people so much that they cannot even tell they are being racist anymore? It would be easy to just forgive Europeans for continuing to ignore us, a little too easy, and a little too dishonest. We cannot simply forget the past, and let bygones be bygones. There is so much more to this than what you have "solved" in your mind. You cannot ignore a wound. That cannot be repeated enough. What did we gain by censoring social media into a large transcript of Hollywood's downtime, as opposed to reality? Nothing that I can see. It's interesting to see these tech companies come and go, rise, and plummet. They never seem to catch on to the fact that their customers are making their products for free. And now they want to charge us for it too, even Twitter. That's no way to make friends anti-social media. You won't get many followers like that. 

So, today I decided to take you inside the mind of a conspiracy theorist  to let you know how they see the world. Remember, I am a former  conspiracy theorist myself. i know how they think. I know what they are  trying to do, and I know the feelings that are motivating their  behavior. I have been disheartened when seeking out documentaries on  conspiracy theorists. The people they are portraying, mostly illiterate  Trump supporters, as being conspiracy theorists are nothing more than a  stupid stereotype. I'm not saying that paranoid schizophrenics cannot  become conspiracy theorists, anyone can. However, making outrageous  claims such as "we need to listen to conspiracy theorists more" or "we  need to stop making fun of them" is just incorrect. First of all, as I  state in the video, a stranger will never get through to a conspiracy  theorist. Conspiracy theorists are suspicious of strangers, and  generally tend to keep to their own. This is evidenced by Dr. Fauci's  low approval rating, not to mention the mistrust of intellectuals and  medical professionals in America. They simply do not trust strangers.  So, arguing that you can kill these people with kindness is just  bizarre. They will interpret your kindness as being motivated by some  dastardly plot. It is much better to be brutally honest with conspiracy  theorists, especially if you don't know them. At least then they will  leave you alone. Only relatives and friends can reach conspiracy  theorists, people they trust that would have no motivation to turn on  them. Yet I am hearing more and more people say that they are giving up  on their friends and relatives that support conspiracy theories. This is  not a good sign. These people are the only ones who can convince  conspiracy theorists to think twice.The only other thing that may work is to leave them to their own devices  so that they lose everything, but this is also a sadistic approach, one  that will make them despise humanity, and possibly harm themselves or  others. We are playing a dangerous game here, and no one seems to  notice. These people believe they can overthrow the government, and they  came pretty close in January. Their actions could be that of delusion,  however they are also consciously waging an all out war on the social  contract, and society in general. They are very hostile toward us, and  our way of life. They are our enemies, not our friends, and they should  be treated as such. And, with a host of prominent celebrities, world  leaders, and quack doctors on their side, they are slowly, but surely  making it so that our new normal will be the normal. It is time to  understand that we are losing the battle for hearts and minds. We cannot  sit around entertaining these people forever. Either they vaccinate or  they must be punished for harming themselves and others. It's just  reality. Of course the media talks about them, but that is only because they can  make a buck. Besides, the media's "care" for children is rooted in them  wanting to get people back to school. You know, the schools that  couldn't even teach children that pandemics were a problem. And the  media's concern for the elderly is obviously because they know that  elderly people watch the news. If news was a millennial past time you  would hear nothing but how we need to take more care of those between  the ages of 25 and 40. It's all meaningless. Besides, we should not be  wasting our time deciding who deserves the most pity. We all do. The  time for tiny violins has passed. We need to identify the problem, and  find a solution. Joins us for conspiracy honesty on More Content Talk. Image credit goes to: Thomas Carnegie; Music Credit goes to bensound.com

All over the world conspiracy theories are growing just when we need them to stop the most. Many analysts have offered theories of their own as to why this is occurring, but none that I have heard focus on real social issues. People become bitter before they descend into madness, and there are very real reasons why this happens. Too often the real reasons for a persons delusional thinking are glossed over, as if the word conspiracy has no real meaning, or that no real conspiracy has ever happened. This is misleading. Conspiracy, though rare, and often far more subtle than people make them, have occurred. Denying such a thing may be tempting when we need people to be vaccinated, but this approach actually does more harm than good. As a college educated black male American (only 19 percent of black males living in America have college degrees; the surge in college educations that has overtaken the U.S. has occurred amongst black women, not black men), I have a very unique perspective on this issue. I am a member of a persecuted group of people that have been largely forgotten by the general populous; there is actual science about this fact. And the discrimination does not stop after you get a degree. The hatred of black men in America is so real that, even after obtaining a college education, black men are still twice as likely to unemployed as all other groups with college degrees. The statistics I have provided you with are derived from US census data, and has been published by liberal papers like the NY Times, as well as conservative papers like The Atlantic. There is no debate to be had on the issue: black men in the US are indeed discriminated against, and marginalized. However, though this fact has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, people still pretend as if this is a group fantasy that black people are having, that there is no hatred of black men, that we are all just a bunch lazy, good for nothing, complainers who do drugs all day, and hate white people. I am not writing this to tell you to stop such behavior. You're not going to stop. If you were going to stop, the murders of Trayvon Martin, and Mike Brown would have stopped you. You have witnessed police strangle us to death without cause, and I have witnessed you cheering as those murderers are set free. Yes, I saw you. I know that you think you can hide behind your keyboard, but I can read; I do have a college degree after all. I am writing this to let you know that it is too late, that even if you did stop such behavior, even if you did decide not to be racist any longer, and welcome black men to your jobs with open arms, you would most likely get a look of disbelief in return, shortly followed by a denial. You have rejected black men, and, now, they are rejecting you. They are rejecting your knowledge, some of that knowledge is indeed fact. It is absolutely true that the Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective. Dr. Fauci is not a monster; he is a scientist, and, I would argue, a humanitarian. However, there have been instances, such as Tuskegee, the Eugenics movement, The Jim Crowe South, and in certain parts of South Africa, where blacks were specifically targeted for extermination by scientists and government officials. Anyone who debates these facts is a liar, and most likely an opportunist. Of course black men don't trust the government. Why would they? We are discussing a country that has failed black me in every way possible, whether it be health, education, social norms, or the law, the message is clear: if you are a black man, you must change your attitude or be punished. This Jim Crowe era dogma, which states we must agree with white people or be ignorant, has caused blacks to distrust white intellectuals. Years of lying about history, covering up white supremacy, and being an apologist for systemic racism is what is causing black people to reject the Covid-19 vaccine. The falsifiers of history are to blame, not black people. Pic:Kingsley Abrah