I think he’s got a show in some obscure place, but I blissfully haven’t heard his voice in years.

But there’s always a new asshole coming along

“Is it possible that Hillary Clinton actually was running a pedophile ring out of a pizza parlor basement? I mean, I’m just asking questions here.”

Ancient Aliens had more plausible propositions.

I have a little experience on Glenn Beck.

What sparked that was Glenn Beck asking the first sitting Muslim member of Congress, Keith Ellison: “Now, I wouldn’t say this, but some of my listeners might like to ask you: ‘Are you working for our enemies?’”.

Bear in mind that this was in a time when politicians were not openly working for Russia, so the idea of asking a sitting member of the House of Representatives if he was “working for our enemies” was galling. But it was Beck’s technique of “Oh, I’m not saying, this, rather, ‘it is being said by some unspecified people’” to weasel out of it being him saying it.

That said, I have avoided Rogan completely, so cannot speak directly to his particular brand of bullshit.

It’s not the question asked. It’s the first. Like hell have rfk on to spout nonsense about vaccines (made up example) and say he’s just looking at all views, just asking questions.

Well, if you have questions, ask a scientist that has studied it, not someone with a brain worm that directly caused children’s deaths due to misleading campaigns against vaccines on the Pacific islands.

Asking a terf on to talk about gender identity. Climate change deniers to talk about climate change. Asking trump on to talk about anything. It’s a way to muddy the waters about who is an expert while also making it unclear as to what the evidence says.

It’s all performative. Every ounce of it. Goth kids don’t put as much effort into appearance. Their version of masculinity is being loud, obnoxious and putting themselves above others. It’s a dentist on a $30,000 Harley going 15mph while making 160 decibels, wearing $200 T-shirts and $500 jeans to mimic the hard-earned look of a working man. It’s weak, fearful men spouting off constantly about the second amendment and their right to defend their families but wouldn’t touch a weapon if it didn’t look tacticool enough. Esthetics over everything. They’re not brave enough to be original in thinking or appearance. Not strong enough to be the rock of servitude that holds people together in hard times. The embodiment of paper tigers.

For what it’s worth, to your clarification at the end, after reading I in no way thought you were talking bad about showing emotions.

In general I think we as a society need to be kinder to these confused young men before they take that path. It’s a more difficult conversation to have and the solution is not very clear.

I agree, and I’ll come right out and say it. Real, truly meant words of praise, appreciation, affection, and pride – where appropriate – go a LONG way toward turning that shit around. If you have the opportunity to work with younger people, never miss a chance to give them something positive and truthful by way of observation and praise. You have no idea how long it’s been, if ever, that they’ve been made to feel valued.

Hell, I wouldn’t even take a bet on how long it’s been since YOU were made to feel valued. Even those we assume are the most popular among us can be walking in emotional deserts, because we’ve collectively stripped society of everything but the most superficial shows of value.

While this is true for people of all genders, it is exceptionally true for young men. Find ways to praise and even mentor, if you can. I honestly believe that if every father told his male child at least once how much he loved him, instead of using that kid as a personal mirror at which to strike at his own insecurities, this world would be a markedly different place.

I had an uncle that learned this the hard way. He grew up in hell, which made him a cold hardass who could be absolutely vicious. Back in his day (the 50s) you had to get married, so he did and had a few children, but he was a complete bastard. And he joined the Army too, so he had that reinforcement going for him at work, which he of course brought home.

And then something changed for him. He had some kind of epiphany back in the 80s. I forget what it was. It wasn’t just religion, but something flipped the switch in regard to what he was doing to everyone around him. And in response he decided that he was going to tell everyone just how much he cared about them. His wife was like whatever, his own adult children were wary as hell, and even his friends were like okay but don’t hug me. Because he was doing it from a very genuine place, over time he actually won a lot of people around. Even (eventually) his own family, to whom he apologized and gave room to confront him over his prior shitty behavior. Amends were quietly made. And when he died his funeral was so packed there were lines around the block: none of us ever knew he even had that many friends, and friends they were, lining up to speak one after the other about what he’d done for them in his life.

His change was real. And he didn’t do much, he just decided he didn’t care if it made him feel or look like a fool and started telling people how much he really did care for them, and stopped lying his way through what hurt.

I’d prove it with an obituary if it wouldn’t dox me, but yeah. Start there. People treat young men in terms of what’s wrong with them; if you want to make a difference, start seeing what’s right with them.

I won’t spoil it then. Enjoy!