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Dan Gillmor
@dangillmor@mastodon.social  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

Regarding the bogus notion that Charlie Kirk was doing politics "the right way," Mike Masnick nails it here: "When we praise bad-faith performers for “engaging” with their critics, we’re not celebrating democratic norms—we’re rewarding those who exploit them."

https://www.techdirt.com/2025/09/17/the-debate-me-bro-grift-how-trolls-weaponized-the-marketplace-of-ideas/

Techdirt

The “Debate Me Bro” Grift: How Trolls Weaponized The Marketplace Of Ideas

Among the attempts to create hagiographic eulogies of Charlie Kirk, I’ve seen more than a few people suggest that Kirk should be respected for being willing to talk to “those who disagree with him”…
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Orlaya
@Orlaya@mstdn.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor

Good article. When watching talk shows on German television or participating in discussions with trolls in forums, one can observe that the AfD and its supporters employ the same tactics.

I wonder how best to deal with this without giving up the space.

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Askold
@gonzo_askold@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor I hope you will be happy knowing the other side did it the wrong way.

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der.hans
@lufthans@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor ""exactly backwards from how the actual “marketplace of ideas” is supposed to work. Ideas don’t deserve platforms simply because someone is willing to argue for them loudly. They earn legitimacy through evidence, peer review, and sustained engagement with reality. Many of the ideas promoted in these viral “debates” have already been thoroughly debunked and rejected by that marketplace—but the “debate me bro” format resurrects them as if they’re still worth serious consideration.""

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der.hans
@lufthans@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor "Klein is inadvertently endorsing a grift"

don't think it's inadvertent. Klein has been endorsing bad faith acts and providing soft landing cushions for a while

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Dr Andrew A. Adams #FBPE 🔶
@a_cubed@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor @i47i
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance?wprov=sfla1

Kirk was the equivalent of the first Nazi in the bar.

Paradox of tolerance - Wikipedia

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Margaret Sefton
@MargaretSefton@writing.exchange replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor Sometimes Ezra Klein hurts my brain.

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RiaResists
@RiaResists@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor #MAGATs dont debate.
Just another excuse to shout hateful conspiracy theories over everyone as rude & stupid as possible.

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pippipopple
@pippipopple@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor "change my mind" if that were possible, then it would have happened. Its was never possible to change his mind.

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Nosaj :boost_ok: :loading:
@nosaj@aus.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor

The problem with the "Marketplace of Ideas" is that it is still a marketplace, the ones with more money have more power.

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cognitively accessible math
@geonz@mathstodon.xyz replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor SERIOUSLY!!! Abusers and con artists are THE BEST at that. It's part of their crime.

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FinchHaven sfba
@FinchHaven@sfba.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor

""When we praise bad-faith performers for “engaging” with their critics, we’re not celebrating democratic norms—we’re rewarding those who exploit them.""

"engaging"

Yeah

About that

I'm old enough to remember the original trope:

Steven "Change My Mind" Crowder

"engaging"

Yeah

About that

I'm old enough to remember the original trope:

Steven "Change My Mind" Crowder
"engaging" Yeah About that I'm old enough to remember the original trope: Steven "Change My Mind" Crowder
"engaging" Yeah About that I'm old enough to remember the original trope: Steven "Change My Mind" Crowder
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Ike
@ike@pkm.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

@dangillmor

It surprises me how people dont see it.

The article puts it succinctly:

> Kirk wasn’t showing up to campuses to “talk with anyone who would talk to him.” He was showing up armed with a string of logical fallacies, nonsense talking points, and gotcha questions specifically designed to enrage inexperienced college students so he could generate viral social media clips of himself “owning the libs.”

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