BristolUK

Well, instead of paying attention to me, you could google him and see the conspiracy and denial stuff or just read the comments on the youtube videos to see the sort of nutters he attracts. But then I suspect you already know why he appeals to you.

dbd33

The problem for far right posters is that, in order to gain credibility with everyone else, they have to cite credible sources; obviously the Guardian and the Atlantic aren't going to publish supportive articles, but even the Telegraph and the FT aren't on board with these policies and attitudes. Thus, they're left with Breitbart, the National Enquirer, ONAN, the Daily Mail and GB News. Citing any of those as a source makes one a figure of fun but they've nothing else. Get Marina Hyde on board and I'll give you five minutes.

dbd33

David Icke, are you thinking of?

BristolUK

Right said Fred?

dbd33

Lest anyone think I discount lunatics simply for being lunatics, "don't stick your vote in crazy", I gave this video a go.

He describes Jacinda Arden as "being on a rant". Eh? Has he ever heard Ms. Calm and Rational speak? Then there's an advert targeted at the very gullible "you won't believe ...". Well, no, obviously not. After the advert he explains that New Zealand's covid policy didn't work, despite it being the envy of the world. He suggests that Arden is a "petty tyrant" despite her being a fabulously popular leader of a democracy. He tells us her innermost thoughts, kind of surprising he would know that pillow talk stuff, him being a ragged, smelly looking oik and her being married and on the other side of the world.

There is an extended period of quotes from various books with no attempt to tie them to the theme, if any, of his talk. After that he describes Arden as a "would be tyrant", better I suppose, that the actual tyrant she was before the break but a line of thought not supported by anything at all, She may as well be described as a "would be astronaut". He says she's a globalist, an anti-semetic smear, apparently not realizing that she's not Jewish.

The next section deals with the insides of peoples' heads. I gave up. He's stoned, he's having a laugh, good for him.

BristolUK

Birds of a feather...

Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is a big fan of Poilievre

That's Alex Jones, the man who claimed Sandy Hook didn't happen, they were actors...one of many who said the election was stolen from Trump...helped fund the Capitol rioters... ...flock together.
Nothing to be worried about there then.

Shard

Used to like Neil Oliver until I realized how much of a conspiracy theorist he is !

Shard

Thanks for doing the heavy lifting. Could listening to his wacky ideas, although occasionally I'll give him a few minutes on GB News. Entertainment purposes, not news !

Shard

There's talk of the era of serious political leaders being gone. Social media being all too powerful.

dbd33

And yet there's AOC, serious political leader and star of social media.

Shard

Well the discussion was about how social media has come to dominate politics, and so all the leaders (or rising stars) calibrate their political stances to what will play well on social media. It's like an extension of "soundbite politics" because of the instant feedback (and momentum building) in social media. The downside is that it is that much more difficult to propose and implement complex policy. Hence Truss, not Sunak.

dbd33

Firstly, Not that it's likely anyone voting in the Conservative leadership election is exposed to Instagram or Tik Tok, they likely see Facebook as a new fangled tool of the devil. How many followers does JRM have for his dance videos?

I expect television was the death of serious politicians and the newspaper before that. Having the ability to present one's case with pith and style doesn't make the case being made any less well thought out. Sunak is a brown man who sought to lead a conservative party through an election involving only the oldest and most reactionary followers of that party. Truss is a woman but, at least, she's white. I think that result was a foregone conclusion.

In any case, the implication that Truss has some sort of knack for social media is risible, she's the butt of online jokes not a star of the gram.

Shard

Despite the voting base, I really don't think it came down to colour. I hope not. I think it was Truss' hyper populism and Mrs T tribute show.

The Disgusted of TB might not be on Insta but they hear about Twitter, IG, etc through the papers and broadcast media who themselves parrot what's been said on social media.

abner

Hard to see why it went off the rails so soon...

dbd33

It went off the rails because her economic policy, borrow lots of money to give tax cuts to a few rich people, was more glaringly stupid than Brexit; an achievement for the ages.