Scott talks to Matt Taibbi about his new book, Hate Inc, written in the aftermath of the media malfeasence around Russiagate. But the media’s problems go much deeper, explains Taibbi. Mainstream discussion used to take place in a tightly controlled middle ground between two “extremes”, which were actually both very moderate and centrist. Today, internet and cable journalism allows the opposite: a specific set of views highly catered to what each of us wants to see on TV, on our Twitter feeds, and from our favorite writers. This has created an atomized and unpersuadable America of people who would rather retreat to their bubble than confront any opposing views.

Discussed on the show:

• The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion
• Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History
• Hate Inc.: Why Today’s Media Makes Us Despise One Another
• “New project: Untitledgate” (taibbi.substack.com)
• Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
• “It’s official: Russiagate is this generation’s WMD” (taibbi.substack.com)
• Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media
• “Hillary Clinton Mannequin Challenge – Hillary Clinton Election Day 2016 – Jon Bon Jovi Mannequin” (YouTube)
• ““Yanks to the rescue”: Time’s not-so secret story of how Americans helped Yeltsin win 1996 presidential election” (OffGuardian)
• “Spinning Boris (2003)” (IMDb)
• “Foreign Policy Follies: Russiagate Skeptics” (Foreign Policy Follies)

Matt Taibbi is a contributing editor for Rolling Stone and winner of the 2008 National Magazine Award for columns and commentary. He is the author of numerous books, including I Can’t Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street and Insane Clown President: Dispatches from the 2016 Circus. Follow him at taibbi.substack.com or on Twitter @mtaibbi.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

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