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Rogan recalls when Dems were pro-freedom, now ‘they just throw you in an out-group and start screaming’

March 11, 2023 | | Print Article

Podcasting icon Joe Rogan believes people are falling victim to “mind viruses” in a world in which Republicans and Democrats have traded their traditional roles.

“Regular people get caught up in mind viruses,” Rogan told guest Michael Malice on Wednesday. “Like, we always want to look at people in a cult and go, ‘Wow, that would never be me, I’m too smart for that. These f***ing morons, why do they believe that guy?'”

“We’re all susceptible,” Rogan stated. “All of us are!”


(Video: YouTube)

Modern society and social media, the former “Fear Factor” host argued, make it easy for people to believe they are “in the know” and aggressively dismiss anyone who disagrees.

“I’m saying, like, there’s a thing that people are doing that they did during the pandemic and they do about any issue that’s controversial, whether it’s abortion or whether it’s guns or anything,” Rogan noted. “It’s like the people, instead of talking about it — these are the pros and cons, this is what’s going on, this is where I could understand why you would think like this, this is why I think like that and just try to work it out — it always becomes this very vicious attack on your mental capacity, on your thought process, your education.”

“Immediately,” he said, “they want to classify you in some sort of a category where they could dismiss you, whether it’s sexist or racist or transphobic or whatever. They just throw you in an out-group and start screaming at you.”

“It’s the most unproductive way to communicate,” Rogan continued. “I think it’s also a product of social media that we need to be really careful about because it’s changing the way people interact with each other.”

Malice theorized that it’s a “function of evolutionary psychology.”

“If I’m low status and I have no opportunity to raise my rank… this gives me an excuse,” Malice explained. “Now I’m in a position to tell Joe Rogan, Mr. Podcaster Celebrity, that I’m better than him.”

Both Rogan and Malice agreed that people from both sides of the political aisle partake in the phenomenon.

It’s “human nature,” Rogan said, but it’s leading to “bizarre shifts” in traditional party roles.

“When I was a kid, the left was all about freedom of speech and freedom of expression – if you were like a person who never vaccinated your children you would be much more likely to be on the left, you were someone who didn’t trust pharmaceutical companies,” Rogan recalled.

“The left used to be about, like, freedom, it was more like freedom of speech, freedom of expression, you know, like, think about the comic books that came from the left,” Rogan later said. “But then somewhere along the line, the roles reversed, and I don’t even know if people realize it’s like a shifting of the polar ice caps.”

“Like, today,” he continued, “if you are going to be a person who had a controversial comic book you would most likely be on the right.”

That’s a true statement.

Just ask Blaze TV commentator Eric D. July, who caused liberal heads to explode when he launched Rippaverse Comics — an alternative to the woke messaging of such giants as Marvel.

Rogan took his commitment to pushing back against cancel culture to the next level recently with the opening of the Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas.

Here, the comedian vows, comics will be free to make people laugh, and it’s up to the individual to decide if they can handle the funny.

“Should I research the comedian before attending a show?” the venue’s FAQ page asks.

“Yes,” the Mothership states. “Comedy is subjective and certain comedians are not for everybody. Watching a YouTube clip or reading the headliner’s biography is a great way to get insight on the expected performance.”

Melissa Fine
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