TFTRH #10: Jen Senko: Director of "The Brainwashing of my Dad"

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF9we7rMhWA


Jen Senko is the director of the documentary film The Brainwashing of my Dad, released in 2016. The film tells the story of how her father had a drastic change in personality after slowly getting sucked into a rabbit hole of conservative talk radio. This was very interesting to me, not simply for the whole rabbit-hole aspect, but also because partisan media often traffics in conspiracy theories (like Obama being a Muslim.) Jen does a great job of examining the history of right wing media, going back to Goldwater, Nixon, and Roger Ailes.

While her perspective might seem too left-wing for many people, I encourage you to give it a go. It features several people who tell their own stories – some about their friends and relatives, and some who were sucked in themselves, and eventually escaped.

The last third of the documentary covers the tactics of disinformation used by partisan media, which should be of interest regardless of your politics. The Brainwashing of my Dad is available on most major streaming services and on DVD.

http://www.thebrainwashingofmydad.com/

Podcast Web: https://www.tftrh.com/2019/06/23/episode-10-jen-senko-director-of-the-brainwashing-of-my-dad/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...ashing-of-my-dad/id1462120258?i=1000442496199

 

@Mick West so I watched the first half hour of your interview. What comes across is how oblivious you both seem to the fact that literally every accusation you level at the "conservative brainwashers" is exactly the case with liberal media too. [Your] utter naivete is adorable. You even threw in the overused "Hitler" liberal leftist emotional manipulation word.

I'd love for her to try her socratic method on me (since my parents brainwashed me..even though I never heard them talk politics growing up), bet I could turn her conservative.

 

I tried to get some examples of "liberal media" in there, and we did briefly discuss CNN, MSNB, and even NPR (which she thinks is somewhat in thrall to the Koch brother). But I don't think there's anything comparable to conservative talk radio - at least at that scale.

 

oh ok. guess ill have to watch the rest. wasn't going to because it was so boring/one sided. ill go finish it.

I've never listened to talk radio, so who knows. I dont even know anyone who listens to talk radio other than NPR. But you guys have John Oliver and Jimmy Kimmel (Hollywood celebrity PSAs) and AOC and Huff Post and LA Times and WP etc. etc etc.

But whether you are getting your brainwashing from radio or from the ex I just gave, I don't really see the difference.
Anyway, ill go listen to the rest

 

at 38 min youre talking about how the center has moved to the right, but that has been debunked (I think it was TIm Pool..i look for the data he used later today) the right hasn't moved much right at all but the left has moved more left. (in America anyway)

I'm interested in @Joe 's take. Shes all concerned because CN isnt pushing anti fracking activism? And shes mad her dad thinks organic isnt really organic? That's pretty activist-left.

Anyway, if you want your spouse to be less angry after watching Hannity (who is a pip and a half!) you need to agree with his anger. acknowledge it. I'm pissed biological males are stealing women's sports and scholarships from biological women. I'm pissed women now need to use a buddy system to use a changing room or public bathroom, because a gender fluid might decide he feels like a female that day. I'm pissed children are dying in the desert because we ARE incentivizing people to bring (or steal) their children on a dangerous journey, because it's easier to get in if you endanger your (or someone else's) children. I'm pissed actual asylum seekers are stuck in the mess of "economic illegals" who are clogging the system. I'm pissed law abiding immigrants who want to come, can't because they aren't willing to break the law and we don't need to up our immigration quotas because so many illegals are filling their spots, it's just not fair to them. etc etc

You don't have to agree with people's viewpoints. But trying to at least understand FULLY their anger, and why they are angry. That would calm them down at least as far as your own household.
My rabid leftist sister-in-law is angry too... I acknowledge (and legitimately agree on most points ) her anger. her viewpoint.

 

here's one source: of course like everything it depends on which years one looks at etc this is 1994-2014 though.
(may take awhile for me to track down the original graphs I saw).

https://www.people-press.org/2014/06/12/section-1-growing-ideological-consistency/#interactive

 

I do actually agree with bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. I imagine they got rid of it because more options became available, and they figured adults were capable of making their own choices.

But I think anything labeled News, Science or History (or shows that fall under such labels, like "Hannity" is billed under FOx News) should be regulated to certain standards. I don't think this is censorship. We label food items for clarity. People are still free to showcase opinion shows, but it shouldn't be under the label of News. and the History Channel should have to change its name or it's programming

 

only because he likes to humiliate them. 60% of time Tucker's argument is purposefully ridiculous (and he knows it).

Tucker had a show on California? you have a link so I can watch it?

 

that's what Fabio said.

you only made him watch a 3 min vid in exchange for an hour and a half?

 

I agree with Joe, that both sides are exactly the same. It's super annoying. That's why I mostly read my local paper and listen to local news. Both sources are amazingly neutral, even on emotional stories and issues. They just tell the story.

I've actually seen Fox rip on Trump. When he dissed us to Putin, etc. And I thought I saw Hannity freaking out over Iran.. this is just headlines though as I don't click Hannity stuff.

Yea, but I give her kudos that at least she just comes right out and says it. I can respect that. Most people, on both sides, pretend so much it's mind blowing.

(of course, she doesn't seem to see that her whole documentary was about bashing on "the far right" for trying to "silence the lefties")

 

and this bit you quoted....

Conservatives don't care if "everyone" is laughing at us. We think "everyone" are ….

and as far as "schoolyard bully"... pfft. conservatives, for the most part, aren't hothouse orchids. Conservatives are the ones teaching their kids to punch the bully back. and kids ARE afraid of the schoolyard bullies, so your quoted blurb there really makes no sense.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/fox-news-criticizes-president-trump-on-putin-summit-1278765635544

 

the chart I get when I click your link says 36th rank. what am I missing?

 

so you're a habitual watcher of "Now this", but you're defending the stance that Fox News is brainwashing us?

 

because he doxed that chicks name. which is against Terms of Service.

now the debate is if journalism is doxing. since it was ok when sites and channels doxed the guy who made the Pelosi drunk video.

 

5k likes since april probably isn't 'viral'. But I saw MIB, I know "deny, deny, deny" is training 101. it's cool.

 

i know.

I do think it sucks that local news stations have any political bias, and i see by the SBC wiki page that Sinclair is pretty open and unapologetic about insisting on conservative stories he thinks aren't covered by other outlets, and things like his false news blurb.

I do support regulation for certain things. Like i said anything labeled "News" should just give the vanilla 'who, what, wehre, when,' and if a 'why' is given by a source that seems biased at all, a secondary source of the other side should be given. That is what journalism is.

While i do like hearing other people's opinions on issues, because they might mention something i didnt think of, I prefer News sources to just give me the facts. Then if i wish to hear other opinions (other than my own) i can go looking for them.

I'm surprised the viewers don't speak up.