[Gareth321]

Just a couple of years ago the only thing I had ever heard about Ben Shapiro was that he is "crazy." I must admit that I didn't actually follow up on that. I just took it as fact. The truth is that I was living in a very safe, very insular media bubble; consuming news which gave me just one narrow narrative.

Covid struck and I became increasingly disappointed with the information I was receiving. It began conflicting with actual scientific research I was reading. I stepped outside my bubble. Boy is the world a bigger and more interesting place. Ben Shapiro promotes old timey family and economic values. That's it. His views would be mildly left to anyone in the 70s or 80s. Of course, to some, old timey family and economic values make him "literally Hitler." Not to me. I don't agree with most of his values but I also think he has a right to speak and discuss his views. He's clearly not crazy, and the world has space for people who believe in nuclear families and proletarian work ethics.

I'll never again make the mistake of not challenging the information I consume. I am now very suspicious of anyone who tells me that challenging authority is wrong.

[kenjackson]

“Old timey values“ is the best euphemism of the day.

[Chris2048]

If you're implying that it mean "racism" that's not a very good-faith reading.

[kenjackson]

Yes, it's not exclusively racism. But certainly includes it.

[criddell]

Are you saying you believe Ben Shapiro to be a racist?

[kenjackson]

I don't know if he is racist or not. I do believe that he pushes racist values and beliefs. For example, this article he wrote, which is basically just a collection of dig whistles: https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/ben-shapiro/ben-shapiro-c...

He makes this statement in that article: "Any incident of white-cop-on-black-suspect violence must be chalked up to the racist system" -- as an attempt to discredit system racism. Only those on the far right believe this. I don't believe Ben himself believes this, but I do believe that he understands that his target market loves it. It's an absurd statement.

The whole article completely misses what system racism is about and why its a useful construct to eliminate racism. Again, Ben seems like a relatively bright guy who I think probably actually understands it. I think that his financial interest is in not understanding, convoluting it, and selling to a group that is willing to suck this up.

The old timey values group wants us to stop talking about all this race stuff. Blacks have it better now than ever before -- what more do they want?! And don't get them stated on the gays and Muslims. But Shapiro pushes it in a way that outright racists can read it and say, "Hey this respectable guy says what I think -- except he uses Harvard JD words to say it!"

[Chris2048]

The phrase

> Only those on the far right believe this

I as hyperbolic as the phrase you are critical of, and equally absurd.