Yes. It has been shocking to me to see the same things political scientists have observed in authoritarian countries happen here while so much of civil society just watches.
I'm skeptical about the benefit of paying for news subscriptions, because Trump isn't enabled by you or I lacking trustworthy news, he's enabled by the hundred million Americans or so who support Trump, none of whom are listening to the podcast. No matter how many people buy subscriptions to The Economist, the The Economist will remain behind a paywall where Red America will never see it. So I feel like a suggestion for listeners to encourage conservative friends to watch Belle of the Ranch, Braver Angels, Patrick Boyle or LegalEagle on YouTube would be more useful.
I see your point, David. But I think the issue is that unless we pay for reporting, no serious reporting will be done. Maybe good journalism isn't enough to stop authoritarians—although elections in the US are pretty close so maybe it could make a difference—but it's really hard to stop them in countries where there's no independent media.
I had just read the Foreign Affairs article and was amazed how its projections are happening in real time before our eyes.
Yes. It has been shocking to me to see the same things political scientists have observed in authoritarian countries happen here while so much of civil society just watches.
I'm skeptical about the benefit of paying for news subscriptions, because Trump isn't enabled by you or I lacking trustworthy news, he's enabled by the hundred million Americans or so who support Trump, none of whom are listening to the podcast. No matter how many people buy subscriptions to The Economist, the The Economist will remain behind a paywall where Red America will never see it. So I feel like a suggestion for listeners to encourage conservative friends to watch Belle of the Ranch, Braver Angels, Patrick Boyle or LegalEagle on YouTube would be more useful.
I see your point, David. But I think the issue is that unless we pay for reporting, no serious reporting will be done. Maybe good journalism isn't enough to stop authoritarians—although elections in the US are pretty close so maybe it could make a difference—but it's really hard to stop them in countries where there's no independent media.