Chapo Trap House and the rise of the dirtbag left

you're an enabler

I don't think Jeet is a moron tbf

I was talking about the people whose tweets Jeet included in his article

Those people are the Democratic base

ok

lol why did Jeet do this? it's a total filler piece, like he had to make quota... hilarious that he invited himself on the show several months ago on twitter and Will was all for it... I generally like him but this is such a limp-wristed & weak argument... a full-throated criticism of CTH is one thing but this is just completely superfluous.

I haven't read a ton about Taibbi/Ames, some of it sounds bad... is there really no recourse but to make M.T. an Untouchable? I hate to invoke "purity" outside of its revered electoral context, but I just did.

jeet is good, but that piece is bad (not coming at this from a captain save a chapo angle, i actually haven't even been keeping up with the podcast the last month or so).

Clintonites actually are Republicans in most respects, so, <by his own logic> simian displays of dominance are likely to be an effective tactic against them.

also funny

otm. i disagree that 'dominance' is not consonant with liberal/left politics... Matt's bit in the Harvard Crimson interview about politics being 'visceral and libidinal' struck a chord with me... they're also not addressing the vast majority of voters, they're talking about centrist/moderate/Clintonites that double down on "keeping the discourse civil" while the best they can come up with is "I mean, have you seen the other guys?" people want full-throated defenses and arguments for causes they believe in, that doesn't necessarily mean bullying or the kind of dominance that Trump thrives on.

These guys are Napoleon and his clique in Animal Farm. The sooner they go, the better.

animal farm is a metaphor on stalinist totalitarianism, chapo are some guys making fun of libs online

you are a dolt

Also farm animals could never run a farm like that, book is some bullshit

Animal Farm is way more than that -- learn how to think and apply what you read.

People like Chapo are offering the same old shit, just on a different team. There's nothing left or leftist about these guys in any positive sense, just using a moment in time to make some money at the expense of other people, while poisoning the well further, and accomplishing nothing while throwing even more negativity out there.

They're no less center-right free market capitalist blah blah blah than the libs they mock.

xp

Hahaha

what

They're no less center-right free market capitalist blah blah blah than the libs they mock.

― carpet_kaiser, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 12:39 PM (three minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

what

challop trap house

they make good money from the podcast therefore they can't be left-wing anymore because it's hypocritical. i am smart.

I don't like them but I don't agree with that.

They are a backlash to a liberal establishment that had become too scolding, moralistic, and obsessed with cultural issues.

They're popular because people are mad at this establishment for failing to stop Trump, perhaps the most disgusting person to ever seek the presidency.

I think they fall short because they are only increasing the false divisions between people concerned with economic issues and those concerned with ending discrimination of all forms. These goals are related, not opposed, a fact that is obscured as long as liberals and "bernie bros" go meaninglessly back and forth about petty shit that had more to do with social media than American politics.

a truly tweet worthy take

Xp to the Kaiser

Stop Trump by acting like Trump. Makes sense. Or rake in a ton of money using a model that's clearly worked recently.

They're savvy guys, I'll give 'em that. The main Chapo dude comes from a media family, so that's not surprising

I just think the whole dynamic of endlessly rehashing the Democratic primary is extraordinarily toxic.

It's not "rehashing the Democratic primary," it's bigger than that. The schism between actual progressives/lefties and Clintonistas is real, and if it's not fought to a decision, hello President Pence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpKJUa6IoBs

If UK labour experience is any guide, bitter conflict within party may actually be sign of vibrancy (yeah I know, I was surprised too)

treeship otm

Stop Trump by acting like Trump. Makes sense. Or rake in a ton of money using a model that's clearly worked recently.

― carpet_kaiser, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 12:50 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah this is exactly not what i said. Trump is a bully - hosts of CTH are not bullies.

hosts of CTH are not bullies.

I don't like them but I don't agree with that.

They are a backlash to a liberal establishment that had become too scolding, moralistic, and obsessed with cultural issues.

They're popular because people are mad at this establishment for failing to stop Trump, perhaps the most disgusting person to ever seek the presidency.

I think they fall short because they are only increasing the false divisions between people concerned with economic issues and those concerned with ending discrimination of all forms. These goals are related, not opposed, a fact that is obscured as long as liberals and "bernie bros" go meaninglessly back and forth about petty shit that had more to do with social media than American politics.

― Treeship, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 9:48 AM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i think the "cultural issues" thing as a some sort of dividing line between bernie bros and centrists is a bit of a canard. the chapo/bernie bros criticism is generally that a) wokeness of many centrist libs, especially on twitter, is glib and insubstantial and b) focusing on economic issues helps all marginalized groups

Is there a new book/article or did the internet detectives finally figure out Matt Taibbi is *that* Matt Taibbi?

I read a bunch of exile stuff years ago, and there's no way I'd want to read it now as an adult in my 30s, but Taibbi's writing after his return to the US seemed like a clean break from that execrable shit and I've read it without character judgments on his past, just taking the writing as-is.

as far as podcasts in the political vein go, I haven't had a chance to check this out but am surprised it hasn't been mentioned:
https://www.patreon.com/tarfureport

it was mentioned elsewhere on ilx (on the thread about matt taibbi i guess).

i wouldn't listen to a matt taibbi podcast because he's matt taibbi

ah, forgot that thread was there

wokeness of many centrist libs... is glib and insubstantial and focusing on economic issues helps all marginalized groups

otm

What do they care? They don't have any alternative ideas or guiding philosophy behind that criticism ... they just look for little things to attack and criticize. It's glib and insubstantial, too.

yeah exactly, it's so disingenuous and calculated. and no, CTH hosts are not bullies like Trump is a bully. making fun of Ben Shapiro's height or Mike Cernovich's lisp? well, that's fine with me...

What do they care? They don't have any alternative ideas or guiding philosophy behind that criticism ... they just look for little things to attack and criticize. It's glib and insubstantial, too.

― carpet_kaiser, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 10:10 AM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

they care because this putative intersectional liberalism is the main content of many of these peoples politics, and the basis of their claim to be the legitimate representatives of the marginalized and "the left".

They don't have any alternative ideas or guiding philosophy behind that criticism

uh... i think "focusing on economic issues helps all marginalized groups" is an alternative and legitimate idea

xxp

I first knew Chapo from their gang clowning of Arthur Chu on Twitter, that lasted months. Arthur Chu seemed like a tool, but other than the delight in tormenting the guy, not sure what that has to do with their better alternative to the Democrats and libs.

And yeah, like they give a flying fuck about helping marginalized groups. What history do they have with that? Picking on vulnerable weirdos on Twitter?

Entertainers, fine. The whole Chapo/DSA thing is utter horseshit. Talk about poisoning the well.

Arthur Chu is a sociopath, he's not a "vulnerable weirdo." http://theralphretort.com/it-ends-tonight-arthur-chus-wife-dumps-him-has-marriage-dissolved-11014016/

Alright, he seems like a creep, but my point still stands. Blood tastes the same no matter who it's coming from.

Blood tastes the same no matter who it's coming from.

what

let's not rely too heavily on low rent gamergate websites

I haven't paid attention v closely but it's weird how Arthur Chu went from "adorable weirdo" on the Jeopardy thread to persona non grata on every other thread in the space of like 18 months

xp. chapo are entertainers. the podcast is not politics, it's not substantial, it's for you to have a laugh at if you're on the left and dislike centrists and the right. no-one itt is under any illusion about that.

i think their most substantive/worthwhile episodes are when they have a guest talking about important stuff in a knowledgable way, i.e. Tim Faust talking about healthcare. but those are little interludes in a sea of irreverent and, depending on your viewpoint, dumb ribbing on NYT columnists and the like.

let's not rely too heavily on low rent gamergate websites

― goole, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 1:23 PM (three minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

agreed, but all you need to read are his ex-wife's tweets, which are included in the piece.