17yo son into Steven Crowder, etc

[Anonymous]

OP

This is an unacceptable period.

Nothing redeaming about SC period. Anyone who thinks SC is is a alt right, anti semite woman hater shall I go on. Not only that SC spews lies and garbage daily.

OP get an education and educate your child.

Anyone on this thread supporting that garbage go back to your holes. Leave the USA if you are not happy here. We support Democracy not criminals and liars and people who try to over throw the government of the USA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're a functioning adult and so are unfamiliar with juvenile right-wing grifters on YouTube, here's a good introduction. What happens when BS accidentally engages with someone who isn't a 17-year-old college coed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6-TFpmix54

+1. Even the little answer he gives before deciding to freak out about being asked the question: "something called science" isn't a real answer to the question. "Science" doesn't dictate what abortion policy should be, because that question involves ethics and values not merely scientific facts about fetus development. I'm a centrist on abortion and there are places he and I probably agree, but he's not making the intellectual argument that he (I assume) could, he's making a half hearted gesture towards an argument then changing the subject and ranting. He's not an impressive debater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell me this is just a phase. I can’t handle it. Yes I have warned him and educated him about alt-right recruitment as well as how to do your own research about topics and to get information rather than rely on inflammatory videos, etc.

He likes to debate with me and argue with me about it a lot - topics that this guy talks about, etc. I know this is how they form their views of the world and he’s only a junior in high school. But I can’t rely on his dad to refute this stuff as he’s pretty libertarian/conservative.

I won’t be able to handle my kid being a Ben Shapiro acolyte.

What exactly has Ben Shapiro said that you don’t like?
(He’s an observant Jewish man from Harvard.)

+1 I love hearing people say they hate Ben Shapiro (Steven Crowder, heck even Fox News) but when you ask why they can’t point to anything actually said. They just know other people say they’re terrible. Ben Shapiro is hilarious, incredibly smart, and I’d love it if my kids could debate like him.

Do you feel the same about John Oliver?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell me this is just a phase. I can’t handle it. Yes I have warned him and educated him about alt-right recruitment as well as how to do your own research about topics and to get information rather than rely on inflammatory videos, etc.

He likes to debate with me and argue with me about it a lot - topics that this guy talks about, etc. I know this is how they form their views of the world and he’s only a junior in high school. But I can’t rely on his dad to refute this stuff as he’s pretty libertarian/conservative.

I won’t be able to handle my kid being a Ben Shapiro acolyte.

What exactly has Ben Shapiro said that you don’t like?
(He’s an observant Jewish man from Harvard.)

+1 I love hearing people say they hate Ben Shapiro (Steven Crowder, heck even Fox News) but when you ask why they can’t point to anything actually said. They just know other people say they’re terrible. Ben Shapiro is hilarious, incredibly smart, and I’d love it if my kids could debate like him.

It's funny, you hear this a lot from folks who are trapped inside the far-right epistemological bubble. There are youtube folks who do nothing but spend time debunking the nonsense these grifters churn out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcTx_SXun_4

The problem is that social media platforms that folks like BS or Jordan Peterson dominate tend to push viewers deeper into a given silo, so it makes sense that someone who becomes a big BS fan would be unaware of any contradictory (i.e. correct) information.

I do have to say, one of my favorite quirks of the whole BS schtick is that his critiques of "social justice warriors" is such a critical component, but the second the topic switches to Israel, he turns into the biggest SJW imaginable. Even the mildest criticism of Israeli policy and he's instantly transformed into Huey P. Newton reincarnated. lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell me this is just a phase. I can’t handle it. Yes I have warned him and educated him about alt-right recruitment as well as how to do your own research about topics and to get information rather than rely on inflammatory videos, etc.

He likes to debate with me and argue with me about it a lot - topics that this guy talks about, etc. I know this is how they form their views of the world and he’s only a junior in high school. But I can’t rely on his dad to refute this stuff as he’s pretty libertarian/conservative.

I won’t be able to handle my kid being a Ben Shapiro acolyte.

What exactly has Ben Shapiro said that you don’t like?
(He’s an observant Jewish man from Harvard.)

+1 I love hearing people say they hate Ben Shapiro (Steven Crowder, heck even Fox News) but when you ask why they can’t point to anything actually said. They just know other people say they’re terrible. Ben Shapiro is hilarious, incredibly smart, and I’d love it if my kids could debate like him.

Conservative here. If you're being honest that you've never been exposed to a rational critique of Shapiro, this is a pretty entertaining piece: https://static.currentaffairs.org/2017/12/the-cool-kids-philosopher

OP, maybe a good idea would be to try to introduce you DS to some less toxic, more thoughtful conservatives like Rod Dreher or Ross Douthat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell me this is just a phase. I can’t handle it. Yes I have warned him and educated him about alt-right recruitment as well as how to do your own research about topics and to get information rather than rely on inflammatory videos, etc.

He likes to debate with me and argue with me about it a lot - topics that this guy talks about, etc. I know this is how they form their views of the world and he’s only a junior in high school. But I can’t rely on his dad to refute this stuff as he’s pretty libertarian/conservative.

I won’t be able to handle my kid being a Ben Shapiro acolyte.

What exactly has Ben Shapiro said that you don’t like?
(He’s an observant Jewish man from Harvard.)

+1 I love hearing people say they hate Ben Shapiro (Steven Crowder, heck even Fox News) but when you ask why they can’t point to anything actually said. They just know other people say they’re terrible. Ben Shapiro is hilarious, incredibly smart, and I’d love it if my kids could debate like him.

Conservative here. If you're being honest that you've never been exposed to a rational critique of Shapiro, this is a pretty entertaining piece: https://static.currentaffairs.org/2017/12/the-cool-kids-philosopher

OP, maybe a good idea would be to try to introduce you DS to some less toxic, more thoughtful conservatives like Rod Dreher or Ross Douthat.

DP. This is a great suggestion, and then also challenge him to read some opposing opinions of similar quality. getting out of the social media/clickhole bubble is key. I can’t stand Dreher but I would not be concerned if my DS decided he was going to be a Rod Dreher fan!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP

This is an unacceptable period.

Nothing redeaming about SC period. Anyone who thinks SC is is a alt right, anti semite woman hater shall I go on. Not only that SC spews lies and garbage daily.

OP get an education and educate your child.

Anyone on this thread supporting that garbage go back to your holes. Leave the USA if you are not happy here. We support Democracy not criminals and liars and people who try to over throw the government of the USA.

Must be quite the burden to be the most educated, smartest person in the room all the time with the only thoughts and ideas that count. Sorry that makes you so angry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP

This is an unacceptable period.

Nothing redeaming about SC period. Anyone who thinks SC is is a alt right, anti semite woman hater shall I go on. Not only that SC spews lies and garbage daily.

OP get an education and educate your child.

Anyone on this thread supporting that garbage go back to your holes. Leave the USA if you are not happy here. We support Democracy not criminals and liars and people who try to over throw the government of the USA.

Must be quite the burden to be the most educated, smartest person in the room all the time with the only thoughts and ideas that count. Sorry that makes you so angry.

Not every movie is Citizen Kane. Not every idea is equally valuable. Not every public figure adds equally to the discourse. At the same time, these kind of bottom-feeder polemicists get a lot of traction because making fine those kinds of distinctions isn't easy. Especially when elite signaling is there to promote it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're a functioning adult and so are unfamiliar with juvenile right-wing grifters on YouTube, here's a good introduction. What happens when BS accidentally engages with someone who isn't a 17-year-old college coed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6-TFpmix54

+1. Even the little answer he gives before deciding to freak out about being asked the question: "something called science" isn't a real answer to the question. "Science" doesn't dictate what abortion policy should be, because that question involves ethics and values not merely scientific facts about fetus development. I'm a centrist on abortion and there are places he and I probably agree, but he's not making the intellectual argument that he (I assume) could, he's making a half hearted gesture towards an argument then changing the subject and ranting. He's not an impressive debater.

Shapiro has a good trick - he talks steadily and at a cadence that is hard for the average American to interrupt because we are so conditioned to treat conversation as a give and take. Shapiro doesn't observe that norm and just keeps talking. Andrew Neil didn't fall for it and threw him very easily off his game for someone that claims to be such a serious thinker/debater.

That doesn't really help OP. OP, I think you may be stuck for right now. I guess I'd focus on how Crowder's show/rants actually contribute to anything constructive for society or is it just a fun outlet for grievances? Because that's all Shapiro, Crowder, Tucker Carlson Laura Ingrham Sean Hannity Rush (thankfully no more) are doing. They have always been part of the elite and are going to fight tooth and nail to make sure it stays that way. Sad way to go through life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP

This is an unacceptable period.

Nothing redeaming about SC period. Anyone who thinks SC is is a alt right, anti semite woman hater shall I go on. Not only that SC spews lies and garbage daily.

OP get an education and educate your child.

Anyone on this thread supporting that garbage go back to your holes. Leave the USA if you are not happy here. We support Democracy not criminals and liars and people who try to over throw the government of the USA.

Must be quite the burden to be the most educated, smartest person in the room all the time with the only thoughts and ideas that count. Sorry that makes you so angry.

+1. Except this reads like it’s written by someone with barely a HS diploma. Zero factual data, just more vomiting of EMOTION and HATE from the “tolerant” who feel like if they scream “racist” at someone often enough, it will finally stick. Good luck with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell me this is just a phase. I can’t handle it. Yes I have warned him and educated him about alt-right recruitment as well as how to do your own research about topics and to get information rather than rely on inflammatory videos, etc.

He likes to debate with me and argue with me about it a lot - topics that this guy talks about, etc. I know this is how they form their views of the world and he’s only a junior in high school. But I can’t rely on his dad to refute this stuff as he’s pretty libertarian/conservative.

I won’t be able to handle my kid being a Ben Shapiro acolyte.

What exactly has Ben Shapiro said that you don’t like?
(He’s an observant Jewish man from Harvard.)

he spends all his time trying to disprove that systemic racism and sexism exist. he’s more interested in p0wning the libs than reporting on issues, analyzing issues, or elucidating values. in short he’s an entertainer making a buck on polarizing discussion about really important questions.

Again, what exactly did he say that you don’t like?

It’s not about any particular thing he said but the overall pattern and content. Would you like to point to where he has done sustained reporting and thoughtful analysis intended to engage everyone?

No one person engages everyone, silly!