SOLVED! FROM THE ARCHIVES -  "Of Horse Races and Men: The Result of Decades of Media Atrophy (aka: Uncertain and Powerless"

SOLVED! FROM THE ARCHIVES - "Of Horse Races and Men: The Result of Decades of Media Atrophy (aka: Uncertain and Powerless"

Author: Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics January 26, 2026 Duration: 54:37

Re-Air Date: 01–26-26

Original Air Date: 06-09-24

Unless you were a member in June of 2024, this episode of SOLVED! will be brand new to you! If you were a member back then, THANK YOU and this one is worth a re-listen. We're slowing down production for a little bit to reorganize our production processes, so enjoy this episode from our archives (and before YouTube) where Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:

 

- How the media focus on the "politics" of an event trivializes the impact that event has on real people
- The detrimental effects combining the daily news grind and the prioritization of profits forces has on news coverage
- How keeping news coverage light and ignoring the effects of neoliberalism leaves desperate people vulnerable to fascism
- The way history is repeating itself when it comes to news media not treating a demagogue's rhetoric as the emergency it is
- The difference between symbolic beliefs vs factual beliefs

 

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REFERENCES:

Why Americans Hate the Media - The Atlantic (1996)

The Media Still Doesn't Grasp the Danger of Trump - The Intercept

Don't Believe What They're Telling You About Misinformation - The New Yorker

 

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Produced by:

Jay! Tomlinson

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For over fifteen years, Best of the Left-Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy has served as a vital, human-curated digest of voices from across the progressive spectrum. Instead of presenting a single opinion, each episode is built around a specific theme-from economic inequality to climate policy to cultural shifts-and weaves together insightful commentary from a diverse array of journalists, activists, and thinkers. This approach allows you to efficiently grasp the nuances of complex issues by hearing multiple expert angles in one sitting, all while discovering new commentators and sources you might not have encountered otherwise. The result is a richly layered analysis that algorithms simply cannot replicate, offering depth and context often missing from the daily news cycle. Since 2006, this award-winning podcast has cut through the noise, drawing from hundreds of independent and established sources to provide a coherent, thoughtful examination of the forces shaping our society and governments. Tuning in means joining a long-running conversation dedicated to understanding and advancing democratic principles, social justice, and a more equitable economy, all through the focused lens of leftist thought.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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