Analysis Episode #14 - Russia/UkraineKeep your private data private with our sponsor, Aura! Get two weeks free, no strings attached, with our link: https://a...
Has anyone watched the new episode from First Thought/JT?
He has a video on the CPUSA channel iirc on the war, calling it a proxy war and all that. I think since his channels are more directed at libs it took a very “centrist” stance trying to avoid controversy. For socdems/radlibs, admitting Ukraine is the vassal it is is a hard pill to swallow (especially in the US where I presume most the viewers are, where the war had pretty much no downsides). Nevertheless, in 2024 we have multiple statements and articles from the most fervent NATOist and pro-western sources spelling out that the war IS fought for the US’ benefit, and the 2014 coup WAS a US effort.
That said, I think it’s incorrect for JT to still be portraying the war in such a way on his channels. The war should be seen for what it is, before it inevitably disappears from libs’ memory and people can get away with saying stupid shit and get away with it. It’s not a secret that he’s a “tankie”, too. I don’t think the people supporting his channel are oblivious to that, so I wouldn’t say it’s a money problem. But then again, I’m not him.
This is an excuse that people have made for the deprogram guys for over 2 years now. I know because I myself was under the same impression. But this is proven to be completely bullshit and irrelevant for quite a while now. The whole “they are appealing to libs and want to take a centrist approach to sensitive topics” crap completely went out the window the moment they decided to comment in support of Gaza in the wake of the genocide since last October. All their channels got blacklisted from advertisers and they decided to throw caution to the wind and drop any pretense in their revolutionary messaging, since they have nothing to lose anymore. Just look at any of JT’s videos since October, and this is most evident.
If the goal was to cultivate a following of liberals and western moderates then start to slowly get them radicalized, it has failed or rather the plan has been long derailed. They ended up attracting a load of ultras and weirdos, which they’ll never convince of anything regardless. I think even they know this at some level because their messaging has shifted.
If they’re ready to tell the truth about Gaza, then they should do the same for Ukraine, simple as that. From here on, any milquetoast or weak spirited commentary should be rightfully called out, we should expect better from them.
This is a sad but sober and i believe accurate assessment of the situation. Unfortunately the audience they have cultivated is one which (at least a part of it) does not want to hear the truth about Ukraine. It is no coincidence that they have a lot of overlap with Hasan Piker’s audience, as Hasan is another “leftist” content creator who never had the guts to go against the anti-Russia narrative. It is just a fact that in today’s western left, much of which is extremely compromised, being pro-Palestine is acceptable while being pro-Russia is not. This is an indicator to me that for whatever reason the empire sees pro-Russia left anti-imperialists as more of a threat than the pro-Palestine movement. They have done a very good job infecting the western left with the anti-Russia psyop.
I completely agree with what you said at the end there.
This is an indicator to me that for whatever reason the empire sees pro-Russia left anti-imperialists as more of a threat than the pro-Palestine movement.
I always viewed this as “it’s way more difficult for the empire to justify what it does in Palestine than in Ukraine”. Primarily because of how many of these breadtube “leftists” like Vaush & friends rabidly support the US in Ukraine, but even they condemned Isn’treal as soon as October 7th happened.
I think since his channels are more directed at libs it took a very “centrist” stance trying to avoid controversy
Do you know what this is called? Tailism! To follow behind popular opinion in a condescending effort to “meet it where its at” even when “where its at” is backward, misinformed, and reactionary is literally the exact definition of tailism!
If he was actually doing Marxist agitation and not whatever miserable opportunist bullshit he’s evidently on, he would be trying to raise people’s consciousness instead of act as another mouthpiece on the thousand-tongued devil-spawn that is the MSM.
If JT “can’t” speak properly on Russia-Ukraine, better to not speak on it at all and focus on what he can address with truth, instead of this nonsense.
The current state of affairs is unacceptable. He must be either corrected or abandoned.
I completely understand why JT uses the language he does, I really do, but there has to be a way to portray the war accurately without using the framing or terms that would trigger anyone watching. Because this is what happens when there is not effort put in, you get lackluster content at best or add to the misinformation at worst. I don’t want to be too hard on him, and maybe I’m coming off that way, but it’s from a place of frustration from what could have been vs what we actually got. Gentle parenting libs is hard, I know, but I think the effort is worth it, this video is just not it and it doesn’t really add anything to the discussion either. At the end of the day I know he can do better and I hope the next video he makes is.
Yeah, I agree. He did a better job on the Taiwan video, taking into account that he was being that centrist. The Europe video was very basic, but still getting the point across.
He has a video on the CPUSA channel iirc on the war, calling it a proxy war and all that. I think since his channels are more directed at libs it took a very “centrist” stance trying to avoid controversy. For socdems/radlibs, admitting Ukraine is the vassal it is is a hard pill to swallow (especially in the US where I presume most the viewers are, where the war had pretty much no downsides). Nevertheless, in 2024 we have multiple statements and articles from the most fervent NATOist and pro-western sources spelling out that the war IS fought for the US’ benefit, and the 2014 coup WAS a US effort.
That said, I think it’s incorrect for JT to still be portraying the war in such a way on his channels. The war should be seen for what it is, before it inevitably disappears from libs’ memory and people can get away with saying stupid shit and get away with it. It’s not a secret that he’s a “tankie”, too. I don’t think the people supporting his channel are oblivious to that, so I wouldn’t say it’s a money problem. But then again, I’m not him.
This is an excuse that people have made for the deprogram guys for over 2 years now. I know because I myself was under the same impression. But this is proven to be completely bullshit and irrelevant for quite a while now. The whole “they are appealing to libs and want to take a centrist approach to sensitive topics” crap completely went out the window the moment they decided to comment in support of Gaza in the wake of the genocide since last October. All their channels got blacklisted from advertisers and they decided to throw caution to the wind and drop any pretense in their revolutionary messaging, since they have nothing to lose anymore. Just look at any of JT’s videos since October, and this is most evident.
If the goal was to cultivate a following of liberals and western moderates then start to slowly get them radicalized, it has failed or rather the plan has been long derailed. They ended up attracting a load of ultras and weirdos, which they’ll never convince of anything regardless. I think even they know this at some level because their messaging has shifted.
If they’re ready to tell the truth about Gaza, then they should do the same for Ukraine, simple as that. From here on, any milquetoast or weak spirited commentary should be rightfully called out, we should expect better from them.
This is a sad but sober and i believe accurate assessment of the situation. Unfortunately the audience they have cultivated is one which (at least a part of it) does not want to hear the truth about Ukraine. It is no coincidence that they have a lot of overlap with Hasan Piker’s audience, as Hasan is another “leftist” content creator who never had the guts to go against the anti-Russia narrative. It is just a fact that in today’s western left, much of which is extremely compromised, being pro-Palestine is acceptable while being pro-Russia is not. This is an indicator to me that for whatever reason the empire sees pro-Russia left anti-imperialists as more of a threat than the pro-Palestine movement. They have done a very good job infecting the western left with the anti-Russia psyop.
I completely agree with what you said at the end there.
I always viewed this as “it’s way more difficult for the empire to justify what it does in Palestine than in Ukraine”. Primarily because of how many of these breadtube “leftists” like Vaush & friends rabidly support the US in Ukraine, but even they condemned Isn’treal as soon as October 7th happened.
Do you know what this is called? Tailism! To follow behind popular opinion in a condescending effort to “meet it where its at” even when “where its at” is backward, misinformed, and reactionary is literally the exact definition of tailism!
If he was actually doing Marxist agitation and not whatever miserable opportunist bullshit he’s evidently on, he would be trying to raise people’s consciousness instead of act as another mouthpiece on the thousand-tongued devil-spawn that is the MSM.
If JT “can’t” speak properly on Russia-Ukraine, better to not speak on it at all and focus on what he can address with truth, instead of this nonsense.
The current state of affairs is unacceptable. He must be either corrected or abandoned.
I completely understand why JT uses the language he does, I really do, but there has to be a way to portray the war accurately without using the framing or terms that would trigger anyone watching. Because this is what happens when there is not effort put in, you get lackluster content at best or add to the misinformation at worst. I don’t want to be too hard on him, and maybe I’m coming off that way, but it’s from a place of frustration from what could have been vs what we actually got. Gentle parenting libs is hard, I know, but I think the effort is worth it, this video is just not it and it doesn’t really add anything to the discussion either. At the end of the day I know he can do better and I hope the next video he makes is.
Yeah, I agree. He did a better job on the Taiwan video, taking into account that he was being that centrist. The Europe video was very basic, but still getting the point across.
Yeah, I agree that this honestly was one of his worst videos.