Anxious, Folks.
We’re all anxious I assume.
It’s funny. I don’t do a political show but I am very political. Innately. I keep up. I read too many clickbait pieces. I waver between almost uncontrollable fear and, not really hope, but just fantasizing for an outcome that will guarantee the progress of culture and freedom of mind for everyone.
Once tolerance is removed from the dialogue, democracy suffocates.
Even though I do not do a political show I have been very clear in my specials and on the podcast that I believe, and have believed for years, what is brewing in this country is an American fascist movement rooted half in grievance and half in Jesus and enabled by tech oligarchs and an inundation of propaganda from many sources.
Well, it's fully percolated and pouring into the minds of all of us. It is shameless and proud. Culturally, the combination of blatant racist fear mongering and the anti-woke movement has delivered their message for the future. A future that marginalizes almost all voices.
The anti-woke flank of the new fascism is being driven almost exclusively by comics, my peers. Whether or not they are self-serving or true believers in the new fascism is unimportant. They are of the movement. Whether they see themselves as acolytes or just comics doesn’t matter. Whether they are driven by the idea that what they are fighting for is a free speech issue or whether they are truly morally bankrupt racists doesn’t matter. They are part of the public face of a fascist political movement that seeks to destroy the democratic idea.
When comedians with podcasts have shameless, self-proclaimed white supremacists and fascists on their show to joke around like they are just entertainers or even just politicians, all it does is humanize and normalize fascism. When someone uses their platform for that reason they are facilitating anti-American sentiment and promoting violent autocracy.
It may be all self-serving. Greedy influencers and comics and public personalities and certainly tech companies want to align themselves with an unapologetic right wing movement that has no concerns for regulation or law or justice or decency or democracy to increase their earnings and put them in the seat of power.
Fascism is good for business if you toe the line. Popular podcasts became tribal and divisive years ago. Now they may be in the position to become part of the media oligarchy under the new anti-democratic government.
Hopefully, it goes the other way and tolerance and diversity can breathe and inch forward but who knows?
I’m trying to remain a realist and live my life and do the things that keep the existential crisis this all seems to bring out of me at bay.
Try to realize that you don’t have to annihilate yourself in the face of cultural annihilation. Hold onto who you are and try not to be afraid to live your truth in the midst of an avalanche of toxic bullshit.
Today I talk to Robert Patrick about his acting roles, sobriety, motorcycles and life. Thursday I talk to Billy Corben about his new documentary on Lev Parnas and the crimes of Trump. Great talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron
