Anti-intellectualism is a halmark of reactionary movements.
And also of bowel movements like PragerU.
this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2023
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It's also a hallmark of fascism. How convenient!
This is a good time to remind everyone that Republicans want to get rid of the Department of Education so that there are no federal standards for what can be taught in schools, so that they can force schools locally to teach what they want to be true rather than what is actually true.
Jefferson public School system brought to you by the Sinclair Group
Republicans also want to get rid of all regulations that help govern the country.
They’re taking another page out of the authoritarian handbook, and making their own version of history. Hilter Youth, more like the Maga Munchkins.
This is disgusting.
I very much hope the current crop of youth is smart enough to evade this brainwashing from the leaded gas generation.
Judging by the popularity of Andrew Tate with high school boys, I don’t have high hopes.
Man, when I was in high school, all I worried about was smoking weed, getting laid, and playing video games. Not mindlessly following some political douchenugget like a flunky. In fact, in my time, admitting that would have gotten your ass kicked. 90s kids were barely politically aware. Not like these new kids who are neck deep in it.
getting laid
That's exactly why they listen to Tate. He promises them if they follow his lifestyle they'll get laid all they want, like the image he projects.
Not mindlessly following some political douchenugget like a flunky
Tate comes across as explicitly apolitical (though obviously is not), and his stated focus is on making money and getting laid. This is attractive to a certain segment of the population for obvious reasons.
I think that's part of the long game too--get this messaging in front of kids long enough to make the logo stick. In a few years when they're looking something up, hey look, it's a logo they know from school--enough grown ups thought that was credible to be taught in schools. So, they probably figure, the info is worth looking at without looking up the source. Cuz like, even if school's bullshit, it's not supposed to be total bullshit.
Is Andrew Tate popular because he gives these young boys hope of getting laid, or is he popular because he's not telling young boys how horrible they are for being boys?
In other words, are young boys being ignored/shunned so often that a complete loser like Andrew tate seems like a good thing?
No. Young boys love Andrew Tate because the social media algorithms push misogynist right-wingers on everyone, and teen boys are uniquely vulnerable to these messages.
and teen boys are uniquely vulnerable to these messages.
And why are the vulnerable? It's because everyone else tells them they are evil.
Adults aren't even intelligent enough to parse through blatant misinformation. Western society has been thoroughly dumbed down by bread and circus since the 40s.
Well if my brothers are anything to go by, they're not smart enough.
Okay, I am admittedly very much not their target market, being middle aged and educated. I’d see the occasional headline about their latest hot take, but that’s about it.
My original understanding was that they were some kind of hyper capitalistic (republican style) “education” resource paid for by the Koch Bro or Sinclair or one of those groups as a semi-astroturf propaganda outlet.
Was there a point where, like the gop itself, they pivoted to being pretty much just culture war/race baiting? If we were to take a look at their headlines over the past 5+ years, would we see that they’re doing more and more of this and less trickle down?
I really thought they were St Joseph’s Baby Ayn Rand for Children, not Mr Racist’s Neighborhood.
No, PragerU's entire purpose for existing is to reframe education across all topics with a Conservative mindset. It's basically Conservapedia made into videos and "educational" materials.
We promote American values through the creative use of educational videos that reach millions of people online. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Prager University Foundation (“PragerU”) offers a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education. Whether you’re searching for a deeper understanding, a new perspective, or a way to get involved, PragerU helps people of all ages think and live better.
Their mission statement, taken from their own page.
And here is their own documentary explaining it.
https://www.prageru.com/video/the-prageru-story-a-short-documentary
It should be noted that the "left-wing ideology" they're replacing is "history."
They're exchanging history with David Barton's bullshit and pretending that they're both of the same value.
It'd be like going to a fancy Brazilian buffet and getting served Golden Coral.
God I hate David Barton. He buys up historical documents and hoards them.
I mean, much of what galvanized the "modern" conservative movement comes right down to racism, especially as it relates to desegregation of schools. Same for the so-called "school choice" nonsense - it's about trying to maintain segregation.