Midrange Weekly May 10
Your Weekly Round Up On What’s Got The Midrange Staff’s Attention
Midrange Staff @midrangeyvr
Welcome back to Midrange Weekly- we hope everyone had a great week and to all of the moms out there we hope you had a great Mother’s Day. To the one person on twitter that insisted we call it “birthing parent’s day” and to the other one person on twitter that thought that was worth getting into a fight over, well we hope you two find each other one day and this is all ends up beings some elaborate real life rom com. Surely Tom Hanks would produce. Moving on, let’s take a trip down memory lane that was the last seven days and see what’s good, infuriating, or a little bit of both. Mickey is currently retooling his Flux Playlist series so none of that this week but we’ve got lots of other treats.
Even Conservative Vanguards Don’t Believe Their Own Lies
To say the law is catching up with the virulent mendacity of the prominent participants in the conservative media ecosystem would be a naïve overstatement. The prognosticators, be them in media, government, or adjacent celebrity sycophancy are still systemically inoculated from the repercussions of their actions, for the most part. Still, the brief and occasional brushes with judicial recompense that occasionally manifest have provided a fascinating- if contorted- portrait of the legitimacy of conservative orthodoxy, or lack there of. Insulated within the confines of their respective safe zones- a Fox News broadcast, a conservative podcast, a fervent MAGA rally- their dogmatic and puritan ideals are gospel, codified into reality through shared beliefs in xenophobia, white supremacy, and increasingly, the big lie that Trump won the election but that victory was somehow stolen from him. Purveyors of disinformation and racist propaganda boast and spit their bilious screeds with the certitude of a priest, or at least one assured of the loyalty of their flock. On the other end, consumers of such a noxious media diet eat it up with a dependency made all the more tragic due to the extent to which they are unaware of their own indoctrination. But it’s interesting to see how this symbiotic relationship crumbles so easily when removed from the context of these aforementioned safe zones.
This dissolution can be seen from both sides of the relationship when external pressure is applied. An example from this week is that of alleged Capitol Hill Insurrectionist, Anthony Antonio, who is currently under trial for his role in the failed coup in January. Clearly a partisan true believer, who based on available evidence, did more than simply just being there, Antonio’s lawyer Joseph Hurley has had to adopt let’s say novel tactics to try and secure an acquittal for his client. Hurley’s defense for Antonio asserts that the individual fell victim to the toxic stream of bullshit that comes from right wing punditry and his sense of reality and rational decision making was irrevocably polluted. Hurley referred to this –ahem- condition as “Foxitus” or “Foximania”. Sure. Putting aside the desperate inanity behind this argument (media consumption aside this person is still an adult), it clarifies the extent to which in a legal setting where criminal liability is in play, the go to move is to acknowledge and then blame the fallacy of what a major conservative outlet preaches.
From the other side of the relationship we have seen conservative personalities from various points on the spectrum use essentially the inverse of this argument to distance themselves from accountability. When Tucker Carlson was subject to a civil lawsuit in 2020 for the various provable lies, vindictive accusations, or racial animus his defense too was focused around the idea of conservative media and those that ingest it being transactional at best, and a straight up con at worst; certainly not something to be trusted at face value. His legal team testified that the content of his opinions and editorializing was so outlandish or egregiously stupid that no reasonable person could possibly be expected to actually believe it. This argument actually worked! The judge in the case U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil wrote this in her deciding opinion( via NPR):
"Fox persuasively argues, that given Mr. Carlson's reputation, any reasonable viewer 'arrive[s] with an appropriate amount of skepticism' about the statement he makes."
It seems that such a ruling has emboldened Carlson to be even more outlandish and insipid in his ‘commentary’, recently suggesting that children wearing masks was tantamount to child abuse. He further went on to insist that good samaritans call the police on the parents that would dare try to protect their children in the midst of a still very much happening pandemic.
This defense, the idea that it’s ridiculous that anyone would take them seriously, has been used by other right wing grifters of similarly obnoxious proclivities. This spring, one time Trump lawyer Sidney Powel was slapped with a lawsuit by voting machine company Dominion. Powell had spent months spewing increasingly asinine lies about their supposed malfeasance on behalf of Joe Biden in the 2020 election. These spurious claims reached their delirious crescendo with her alleging the whole thing was a plot directed by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez (he’s been dead for 8 years, but details). Dominion came after her in court and she basically employed the Carlson defense, as it should perhaps be mockingly referred to as. Powel’s own lawyer (funny how lawyers always end up needing lawyers) claimed, “No reasonable person would conclude that the statements were truly statements of fact”. There seems to be a lot of references to reasonable people when discussing things like election conspiracies, anti vax manipulations, and, you know, treason.
The strategy, cynical as it is, goes back even further, albeit in similar contexts. Vindictive and downright psychotic radio shock jock Alex Jones- the guy that Sandy Hook was a hoax and 9/11 was an inside job- had to employ the tactic during a heated divorce proceeding. Faced with (reasonable!) accusations that he was too unstable and hostile to care for his children, as evident by his borderline feral conduct on his show, Jones’ lawyers tried to persuade the judge that it was all an act. They claimed that Jones was merely a performance artist, an actor; none of what he said was actually meant to be treated as a statement of fact. And yet he presents himself as a pundit, just as Carlson masquerades as a news anchor, or as Powell conducts herself under the purview of the United States Bar association.
The right wing media ecosystem needs both individuals to fill the bubble with hot air, and those to absorb it. Both need each other in a reciprocal entanglement of profiteering and confirmation bias. But when the actors in such a perverse dynamic are removed from the contexts and comforts of that bubble, when their legal stability is threatened, it’s revealing to see just how little the rest of that truly means to them. The viewers will disavow their views and beliefs, the kinds that they say form the crucible of the country they wish to make great again. The celebrities, in whatever viral form they take, are just as quick to disavow any connection to or responsibility towards their true believers should it become legally inconvenient. These insights highlight just how untenable modern day conservativism has become, especially when forced to contend with something as scrutinizing as basic reality. It also brings in to stark clarity the mere verisimilitude of the movement as something to truly believe in. The reality is, it’s merely a convenient vessel for their prejudices and biases. When this one breaks, they can always find a new one; they always have. -Tristan
Universal Basic Income Gets Another Boost
In preparation for a podcast Mickey and I will be doing for Track and Food next week with the head of a prominent foundation on helping the homeless, I’ve begun reading Rutger Bregman’s seminal bestseller, Utopia For Realists. The book is an unflinching examination on why just giving people money versus most other forms of assistance is the way to go if we want to eradicate poverty. There’s a reason he’s been called “a more politically radical Malcolm Gladwell” as Bregman writes in a similar fashion, one that is easily digestible, but also highly informative and thought provoking. It’s been a good read so far.
Ironically, however, it’s with this author and book in mind in which I found the title of this Eater column that came out on Friday, Hunger Rates Drop as People Spend Stimulus Money on Groceries, to be exceedingly self-evident. If the pandemic has showcased anything, it’s that giving direct cash to those who need it is far superior to any other form of aid.
From Eater:
We are here to report some breaking news that may come as a shock: Giving people money for food means they can buy food and thus not go hungry. Please take all the time you need to process this revelation.
Thankfully Eater’s not afraid of stating the obvious and making this revelation easy to take in.
As countries begin to unpack how the pandemic has changed their economies, what’s become frighteningly clear is that so many were hanging on by just a thread before all this happened. Giving people money during this time has revealed that they DO in fact spend it on essentials and not on frivolous wants. Helping people make and have their basic needs met not only gives them food, clothing and shelter but it frees their minds from worry, stress and distraction.
Living your life in a scarcity mindset narrows your ability to focus on other endeavours, such as school, work or building a business. It’s why those who live in poverty often stay that way for life, not because they can’t or are unwilling to work, but because their limited scope hinders them from making smart decisions. When you’re hungry the last thing you’re often thinking of is building a better life for yourself.
I remember when I was a child, my mother raised my little sister and I on welfare. She would get two checks per month and they never covered our most basic expenses. When payday arrived, she’d take us out for dinner and we’d go grocery shopping. It was the best day of the month for my sister and I as we knew that for the next seven days or so, we’d have enough food in the house to never be hungry. But my mother had her issues and money was always gone within a few days, which meant that what she bought on grocery day had to last us for most of the month. It never did. Hunger was always a constant struggle as payday approached. Going to school without a lunch was a normal occurance. We made due, but it was never fun.
Kids should never go hungry. We worry that giving people money will do more harm than good, that those receiving funds will spend it on drugs and alcohol or they just plain won’t work. This line of thinking has no merit. It’s a cruel way of keeping people down when all they need is something basic.
When Rutger Bregman wrote Utopia For Realists back in 2014, the concept of UBI was novel for most in society at the time. Andrew Yang pushed the concept even further when he ran for President last year. The pandemic has propelled it even more so. Helping everyone meet their most basic needs is good for us all. It’s nice we’re finally realizing that.
Now’s the time to make it a reality. - Jamie
Things From The Internet We Liked
George Romero’s Lost Film Looks Fucked Up
A few years ago it was revealed that the late, great icon of horror George Romero made a secret film in 1973 that never saw the light of day, although a cut allegedly still existed. Well, that cut has been found, restored and is coming out on Shudder. Titled The Amusement Park, the footage appears to have no zombies, for which Romero was known for, but looks no less hauling for it. Ostensibly some existential trip through a freaky amusement park, the film looks like it aims to depict the mental delirium and horror that comes with the decline into old age. Or something like that. Who knows! Looks scary.
Czarface and MF Doom Take Nerd Core Hip Hop To A Whole New Level
One of the more pleasant surprises this week was the new collaborative release from Czarface and MF Doom who sadly passed away last year. Recorded before his death but only seeing the light of day now their new album Super What? has all the lyrical finesse you could hope for. The track This Is Cannon in particular is a wild survey of nearly the entire comic book pantheon, albeit with a healthy dose of larcenous revisions. Check it out.
Happy Mother’s Day From All These Idiots
Twitter comedian JL Cauvin is back on his impersonation game running through all of the high profile people in the right and left wing stratospheres with their own takes on the perfunctory Mother’s Day well wishes. Unsurprisingly, the Trump one is the best.
Mother's Day (full epic video below)
— J-L Cauvin (@JLCauvin) May 7, 2021
24 hour cameos are available for Mother's Day gifts - see my pinned tweet pic.twitter.com/oPnDx0GhDE
A glimpse into creative licensing for artists and animators
Animator Antonio Vincentini uploads a satirical reading of an actual letter he recieved from a client a few years back. Aside from being just hilariously worded, it’s also a good reminder to always side with the person making the art. Oh and fuck Google.