Question for future bonus content
This is a quickie post before I go make dinner, apologies for the brevity.
I've long thought that the Bret and Heather IDSG content (and, by extension, the IDW more generally) could be extended into a podcast of its own because *they're just so terrible*. Is this something that people would be interested in being a regular Patreon exclusive? I'm thinking of something like a regular solo show that just looks closely at the claims they make, at about a 30-60 minute episode length.
I'm trying to gauge interest here. It would be a lot of work, and would need a significant funding boost to happen. What Patreon tier would you sign on to to listen to this, say, twice a month?
Thanks as always for your support. I hate to be relentlessly money-driven with this but ultimately I am already stretched thin and I need to know what people will support.
Thanks to all of your continued support.
Comments (27)
And I like the idea of a news roundup
I want more nazi content! I’m sick of Bret and heather
I feel very strongly that if Bret and Heather require that much coverage then the episodes about them shouldn't be locked behind a paywall.
I'm sure there's a full time job in trying to keep up with those specific professional Gish Gallopers, but I feel like it would be kind of endless and frustrating. Keeping it broad would be better.
I'd be interested in more IDW content.
This post is a bit cryptic. Who are Bret and Heather? Why should one care? Also, what is IDW?
The "Intellectual Dark Web" (IDW) is a collection of pseudo-intellectual speakers and podcasters who often try do dress up right-wing authoritarianism in the guise of faux-rationalism. They tend to be markedly anti-feminism, anti-LGBT, anti-religion (but almost exclusively focus on Islam), anti-social justice, and anti-anti-fascist (feel free to reduce that fraction). Bret Weinstein and his partner Heather Heying are two particular grifters active in this ecosystem. Other prominent IDWers are Ben Shaprio, Eric Weinstein, Sam Harris, Doug Murray, Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and Michael Shermer. The reason they they've been picked up by IDSG and some similar outlets is that they provide cover for and act as a gateway to far-right movements, such as the alt-riech and incel movements.
I'm happy with the current content. I'd much prefer that any serious analysis be kept publicly available. The IDW provide suppression fire for the far right, and so there has to be at least the occasional look at the IDW by a show about the far right. But i don't particularly want a show about the IDW. I'd be willing to up pledge if it made IDSG more sustainable. I don't need special patreon-only content.
Yeah I think this is how I feel too. Like, there is a fair bit of IDW coverage from other shows already, but at the same time when the IDW starts to veer too far in some fashy direction, it is super valuable to have the IDSG perspective on things (eg. James Lindsay, Brett & Heather recently). So unless they are "acting up" then I don't necessarily see it being worth creating a dedicated show over if it will cause Daniel and Jack to become over worked and to suffer. But maybe I just answered my own question because the IDW is ALWAYS acting up ... Especially if you extend the universe even slightly to the likes of Tim Pool or Tucker etc .... And I trust Daniel to know who in the general media landscape is the most threatening force at any given moment in time. I mean, Cantwell just ain't the threat he used to be.
Would 100% be down for this. 5$ if there are enough people? Worth it to have the perspective aside from IDSG. It’s not a given that fascists always intersect, honestly. I want you to succeed.
(Also, I forgot to say thanks for answering my AMA questions - Thanks!)
I worry that Bret & Heather get more attention than they deserve. They particular brand of awfulness seems to enthrall people somehow. Chris K from DTG, for e.g., seems completely addicted to them - someone should make an intervention! (only messing). But I do wonder if focusing on one node in the network of awfulness does run the risk of other important things happening elsewhere while we're distracted. That said, while my main focus is on nazis and the far right, I do accept that the rw influencer ecosphere does have a kind of "layer cake" setup, where the gateway drugs of JBP and the other IDW schmucks draw people in, to then get further drawn down into the rabbit hole until fully black-pilled. I'd like more content on how the mutual aid between the players works.
I am okay with the IDW just staying as part of the show. Maybe mini-series-esque deep-dives
They're just so insufferable, I doubt I'd tune in frequently. A more general IDW pod that also checks in on Jimmy Concepts and maybe other up & comers in that griftspace would be more interesting for me. While I think we would all rather ignore these people, they occasionally manage to be dangerously influential.
I’d happily go to $5 a month to listen to you dissect the IDW crazy more often.
Already at $5 (and 5 to Jack as well) and I'd be happy to up my pledge for more content for sure, but to be honest, I feel like Bret and Heather content was starting to wear a bit thin, and there seems to be loads of other things happening.
$5 per month. I think it's worth even more, but I'm stretched thin, too.
I'm less interested in the IDW shenanigans because it really doesn't seem to be an existential threat like the militant right, but perhaps that's just a function of my privilege. I would listen to a show that you two did on the IDW, but with a bit less interest than IDSG.
I'd up my pledge a couple bucks a month for more content. This is more up my alley than a Zoom call/hangout or video anyway.
I’m interested, though more so if it had a snappy title like Weining About Pseudoscience, O Brether Whore Art Thou, or FrenOlogy: The Intersection Between Quack Science and the Far Right.
It'd be worth $5 for me
I'd listen to it, but honestly I'd listen to any of your podcasts. I'm not so much interested in Brett and Heather, but taking the intellectual dark web down a peg or two is fun. I'd also love to see your takedown of allegedly leftist debate tubers like Vaush.
I think well thought-out dismantling of idw arguments would be a good thing to have out there. As a student I could probably afford 3 to 5 dollars a month, maybe 2 dollars an episode of it was bimonthly. Especially if you stick it to Jordan b Peterson, I hate that guy.
I'm down for what you describe Daniel. I'd be willing to up my pledge to hear more about anything related to the IDW.
I'm not terribly interested in quite that much IDW firehose and I'm mostly subbed just to support IDSG, but I like the idea of putting more content and creating tiers for the content you already have and create. I'd up my sub if necessary just to have access in the event that I wanted to go review.
Sounds really good
I'd join at $5 a month for something like that.