rant · moment 2 of 15
The Gentrification of Conspiracy Culture
from Mandalay Ray · #65
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
4 minTim riffs on how conspiracy theorizing used to be a niche pastime with specialists (aliens, MK Ultra, pedophile cults) and is now mainstream "identity politics," comparing it to rap going mainstream once suburban dads got into it. He mocks Alex Jones for contradicting himself within the same breath, claiming a shooter is both a patsy and an Antifa-inspired Islamic convert, and jokes about Jones name-dropping his access to the president.
- 0:54Conspiracy culture used to be a great way to make friends, bonding over Bill Hicks and weed until 4 a.m.
- 1:16Everyone had their conspiracy specialty—aliens, pedophile cults, military-industrial complex—like a collection.
- 1:39Now everybody thinks they can get in the game; it's the new identity politics.
- 1:52Tim's been listening to conspiracy shit since Art Bell on terrestrial radio, before Alex Jones was a nobody on Christian networks.
- 2:27Suburban dads got into it; like when your dad knew who Dr. Dre was, you realized rap went mainstream.
- 2:51Tim is fully convinced conspiracy people don't even know what they're saying anymore.
- 3:44Alex Jones's technique is to spew out as many premises as possible and see what sticks, like an open mic comedian working it out.
- 4:04Alex Jones claims he speaks to well-placed military sources and occasionally talks to the president, but the access is no longer exclusive.
- 4:21Anyone can say they talk to the president now—the guy selling Coca-Cola or running a taco stand talks to people on Twitter all day.