The People vs. Alex Jones
Submitted by Willl on Fri, 01/25/2013 - 20:10Hi folks,
I'm fascinated by the controversy over AJ on this site. Can't believe how strong feelings run on both sides as to whether he's 'for real' or not. Some people are apparently so strongly convinced that he is some kind of government agent seeking to gain leadership of the Liberty movement only so he can destroy it. But why?
Thought I would make a thread dedicated to the evidence for and against. Would genuinely love to hear it. Like many I enjoyed his trashing of sickening nitwit Piers Morgan on CNN the other week, and tried to discover the source of all these rumors and bad feeling for myself, but came up pretty empty. Here's the charges I found:
1) Alex Jones is an irresponsible journalist.
He repeats gossip and rumors and doesn't check facts properly.
2) He is too concerned with making money and has a lucrative business as a Liberty mouthpiece.
3) This includes such petty dishonesty as e.g. selling signed DVDs that were in fact signed by his staff.
3) He demands allegiance from other Liberty media, if they don't tout his line, he runs unnecessary, competitive vendettas against them.
That is all I've managed to find out. All this seems to be true, however, have to say none of it makes me think all that much less of him. He's a loudmouth blowhard, but we certainly need a few of them. That doesn't come close to negating the positive effects he is having. Is there more substance than this to the whispers and rumors regarding his motives?
Opening statements please...
- Login to post comments
My opener is my closer.
Alex has already secured his place in history as a controversial figure and such he will remain long after any of us is dead.
Hidden Harvest: Long Term Food Storage Techniques For Rich And Poor is and inespensive ebook for beginners to advanced food storage preppers. Download one today!
You don't have to...
Will,
You've framed the specific question in such a way that, for me, it hardly matters. Is Jones motivated by greed or power? Is he a government agent motivated by one or both?
How you've framed the question, limits the answer. I'm far less concerned with motivation than I am with product. I know that on any given day of my work I vacillate between various motivations. I'm thinking money, then acclaim, then to just feel like what I accomplish is righteous and good enough to be one step closer.
You don't have to know the motivation to judge the product. If you want to get biblical, there's that bit about judging by the fruits. Notice -- not motivation, but product.
You've stated that you like the product. You like loudmouth blowhards. You enjoy watching Jones trash media personalities you already disdain. You think that we need more of that. That's all you need to judge. Jones passes your fruit test.
You aren't as interested in empirical evidence, reasoned debate, or a humble spirit that provokes a free exchange of ideas. Those aren't the fruits that get your juices flowing.
It doesn't matter Jones motivation. He's selling a product you like. You should buy it.
It doesn't matter if I tell you that Jones is as much a responsible journalist as I am a sword-fighting hypo. Nor does it matter that it's common practice for celebrities to pawn off signature signing tasks. Nor that folks with some degree of power get muddled up with that power and make mistakes. None of your four points really matter, in my opinion.
All the matters is the fruit and who's pickin' and eating. You, and I suspect most Jones fans, like blowhards and loudmouths and think we need more of that. You like the vicarious thrill of watching him go off on someone you already don't like.
I assume, from your post, that you're at a crossroads, that you're getting some inkling that Jones isn't all he once was for you. I'd encourage you to punch out of the box you're thinking in.
There's no need to cast about for evidence to discredit a blowhard and blame some government agent stuff. You can just decide that your impulse is spot on. It's okay to crave real debate, empirical evidence, and humility that fosters bigger-box thinking. You don't need to stomp on whatever blowhards got you there.
Ok thanks for that
But I guess I do think motivation matters, hence the questions. For you it doesn't, I get it. Also, what is a sword-fighting hypo? ;)
It's 1776 again in America
first
"Trying to decide who is "good" or who is "evil" is a distracting waste of time. We must seek what is TRUE and ferret out what is FALSE."
-fishyculture
Here they make the case that he is massad: http://truthernews.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/10-reasons-why-a...
Not for sure what to think of it. I just try to be a little more cautious.
alex jones wakes up a lot of
alex jones wakes up a lot of people. and he doesn't endorse romney.
lawrence
He just announced he was giving away $100,000 today.
I don't think he is in it for the money.
From writer and from his site, Paul Joseph Watson on facebook today:
Those people who still claim Alex is "in it for the money" are going to look a bit stupid now he just announced he was giving away $100,000 dollars :-D
https://www.facebook.com/paul.j.watson.71