MicroWaveNov 20, 2024

Don’t underestimate the Rogansphere. His mammoth ecosystem is Fox News for young people

https://lemmy.world/post/22240648

Don’t underestimate the Rogansphere. His mammoth ecosystem is Fox News for young people - Lemmy.World

Summary The “Rogansphere,” a sprawling ecosystem of podcasts and online shows led by figures like Joe Rogan, has become a powerful cultural force for younger audiences, functioning as a “Fox News for the young.” With its mix of anti-establishment rhetoric, distrust of Democrats, and casual conversations blending left-leaning and conservative ideas, it normalizes figures like Donald Trump for a disillusioned, lonely audience—particularly young men. Democrats risk underestimating its influence, as this ecosystem fosters deep listener loyalty and has contributed to a significant shift in young male voters toward Trump.

Show threadWeirdGoesProNov 20, 2024

I find this frustrating. Yes, many of those podcasters are conservative and have participated in spreading misinformation, but there is a huge difference between a private cable news company that is designed to manipulate the electorate, and a bunch of loosely connected yahoos on YouTube who share similar opinions.

Trump gained ground with nearly every demographic out there. They weren’t all watching Kill Tony. Working class people, comedians who rely on unrestricted speech, and a whole lot of other demographics have legitimate grievances that the Democrats have either ignored or shamed them for. They either need to lean how to address these people’s needs, or they will continue to suffer the consequences.

And when you aren’t trying to form a political opinion about it, Kill Tony is actually a pretty funny show. That is why it is the number one comedy podcast, not because of Tony’s political opinions.

Show threadThirdWorldOrderNov 20, 2024

We are being downvoted for this but it’s funny to me that they are calling him Fox News for young people. The show really isn’t all that political. Instead of whining about Rogan, democrats need someone who occupies a similar space as Rogan that young people want to watch.

When I was younger we had Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Times have changed and right leaning comedians are edging out left leaning comedy, for whatever reason. Maybe the left is too PC? I don’t know.

Show threadblackbelt352Nov 20, 2024

The problem is that Rogan is the beginning of algorithmic rabbit holes that relatively quickly draw people into further right-wing political commentary, pundits like Ben Shapiro or Matt Walsh or Tim Pool start popping up more and more on recommended pages, for whatever criteria the almighty algorithm had decided Joe Rogan and right-wing pundits have in common.

He might not seem very political, but he has politically engaged figures on his show quite often.

Even on my own YouTube, I actively curate the recommendations and channels that get suggested to me and tend to cut out the extreme right wing and I still get suggestions for anti-woke conservative videos.

Rogan is an inflection point that leads many people to right wingers.

Show threadThirdWorldOrder

Those other guys you mentioned are certified douchebags. Joe Rogan is way more moderate than those clowns.

If Tim pool appeals to young people, then we have to ask ourselves why. It’s not because they may like Joe Rogan. I have a maga buddy who is a huge pool fan but doesn’t like Rogan

Nov 20, 2024 at 4:34pmWeb
Show threadblackbelt352Nov 20, 2024
Congratulations you’ve pointed out the obvious they’re douchebags who lean further right than rogan, it doesn’t change the fact that algorithms have linked Rogan with these douchebags.
Show threadThirdWorldOrderNov 20, 2024
No need to act like you’re better than me for whatever reason. It sounds like you’re blaming Rogan instead of the algorithms. If that’s not good enough then shout at the sky because hacks like Tim Pool exist. You all are going out of your way to blame something else that isn’t even the problem to begin with.
Show threadblackbelt352Nov 20, 2024
You need to work on your reading comprehension. I am primarily pinning it on the algorithm but I’m also pointing out that Rogan’s podcast is leading people to right-wing commentators, partly because of the guests he has on and partly because the algorithms push people in that direction.
Show threadThirdWorldOrderNov 20, 2024

He has plenty of left wing guests on. I have no idea what the situation is with algorithms because I don’t get any right wing nonsense in my feed despite watching Rogan from time to time.

I will say that I checked my ChatGPT and it thinks I’m a right winger because I’m always fact checking my maga friend. What I’m saying is that if people are like me and have right wing friends they argue with, they may get flagged as right wing just from checking their links.