vlogbrothers

A Lie I Heard this Week (2021x76)

: 01, 2021

One of the things it made me think and that I barely talk about in this video is that we are really good at saying "Boy, things sure are bad, but I know there is one thing that isn't part of the problem, and that thing is me." Which, like, might be true but is also awfully convenient. Like, I often hear people blaming news organizations for making the kind of content that people want. We can have a robust conversation about whether news should be constructed as a public good, but as long as they're out there competing with each other, they aren't going to have any incentive to believe that's what their role is. I'm not saying they have no responsibility to not post terrible, rage-batey hot takes, but I also have a responsibility to not engage with those things. I'm their customer, and I shouldn't be shocked that they keep selling me things I keep buying.