MSNBC pundit Anand Giridharadas on Friday groaned that conservatives have a “media ecosystem” led by Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson that acts as a “radicalization engine” for young men — before lamenting “we don’t have the equivalent” on the feminist and “pro-democracy side.”
Giridharadas made his comments while appearing Friday on “Morning Joe.” The right, he said, has a “negative” but effective approach to courting voters, in particular young men. This “radicalization funnel,” as Giridharadas put it, works “literally the way militant groups” work by harping on issues like the cost of eggs and what kids are learning in school.
Here’s what that leads to, according to Giridharadas:
“[It] moves them through YouTube videos, through podcasts, moves them from that annoyance all the way, slowly, slowly, slowly, to a full blown fascist politics,” Giridharadas said. “It’s an elaborate, multi-billion dollar infrastructure, and there is nothing like it on the pro democracy side.”
He added: “When a man is just lost and lonely and not yet radicalized, we don’t have the equivalent of Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson to move that man in a feminist direction.”
You can watch his full answer in the X video below:
Rogan has the top ranked podcast on both Spotify and Apple, where he talks about a wide-range of topics, from mixed martial arts to politics to comedy to UFOs. His recent interview with president-elect Donald Trump has been viewed 47 million times on YouTube since it was posted two weeks ago. The comedian extended an invite to Vice President Kamala Harris to appear on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” but she declined, unless Rogan came to her for a one-hour interview.
Peterson, meanwhile, is a Canadian psychologist and academic. He’s made a name for himself in the non-mainstream media world over the past decade by offering advice — primarily aimed at young men — like the importance of making one’s bed each morning and other compounding life habits. His YouTube account has more than 8.3 million subscribers.
The left’s lack of similar influencers, Giridharadas said, played a key role in Trump performing so well with young men on Election Day. Exit polls show Trump won 56% of the the male 18-29 vote this year, compared to 41% in 2020.
Beyond Rogan, Trump appeared on a number of shows that appealed to young men leading up to the election, including comedian Andrew Schulz’s “Flagrant” podcast and streamer Adin Ross’ show.
