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

Mick West

Administrator
Staff member

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
 
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@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. :)
 
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.
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.
 
and we did briefly discuss CNN, MSNB, and even NPR
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).

A second consideration is that the nation as a whole has moved slightly to the left over the past 20 years, mostly because of a broad societal shift toward acceptance of homosexuality and more positive views of immigrants. Twenty years ago, these two issues created significant cleavages within the Democratic Party, as many otherwise liberal Democrats expressed more conservative values in these realms. But today, as divisions over these issues have diminished on the left, they have emerged on the right, with a subset of otherwise conservative Republicans expressing more liberal values on these social issues.

However, on economic issues and the role of government, Republicans and Democrats are both substantially more consolidated than in the past: 37% of Republicans are consistently conservative and 36% of Democrats are consistently liberal on a five-item subset of the scale restricted to just the items about economic policy and the size of government. In 1994, those proportions were 23% and 21%, respectively.
Content from External Source
https://www.people-press.org/2014/06/12/section-1-growing-ideological-consistency/#interactive
 
I Like the part where Mick says NPR didn't seem to brainwash Joe as it did her Dad :) ]
 
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 :)
 
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 :)
Fox has More Liberals on Then I can handle sometimes . I only watch Tucker and that is on You Tube . Hannity I never liked his show . Actually liked it better when it was Hannity and Colmes . half of Tuckers Guest are liberals . When Mick watch his show on California he felt it was just propaganda ? What part was not factual he never mentioned . So we all have a Bias . I haven't watched it all I chime in Later when I do . :)
 
half of Tuckers Guest are liberals

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?
How was this propaganda ? Im not sure if this is everything he saw other video was taken down but I think its the same ?
 
that's what Fabio said.

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

Did you see this? 4 minutes of Fox News.
"What if Fox News covered Trump the way it covered Obama? It would look like this"

Hannity: Mr. President, you need to stop acting like a schoolyard bully and start acting like the leader of the free world.
Judge Pirro: Mr. President, everyone is laughing at us. You're like a schoolyard bully, no one's afraid of you. PUTIN sure as hell isn't!
Cavuto: With all due respect Mr. President, maybe it is time you stopped looking at a TV tuned to Fox, and looked in a mirror tuned to, I don't know, you.
Content from External Source

Source: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1118228314257350657
 
Did you see this? 4 minutes of Fox News.
"What if Fox News covered Trump the way it covered Obama? It would look like this"

Hannity: Mr. President, you need to stop acting like a schoolyard bully and start acting like the leader of the free world.
Judge Pirro: Mr. President, everyone is laughing at us. You're like a schoolyard bully, no one's afraid of you. PUTIN sure as hell isn't!
Cavuto: With all due respect Mr. President, maybe it is time you stopped looking at a TV tuned to Fox, and looked in a mirror tuned to, I don't know, you.
Content from External Source

Source: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1118228314257350657

They should be critical of any president . Especially on Spending . I could say the same for CNN MSNBC CBS NBC ABC NPR Ect . All those networks who now call Trump a Traitor and Puppet of Russia Gave Obama a pass at everything . Fox the network that has moved to the left is such a threat that Media Matters (DAVID BROCK) exist to destroy Fox . Her Movie and her goal isnt about coming together its Division Demonizing anyone she disagrees with . Even her own father . Her goal is to Silence the right.
 
"What if Fox News covered Trump the way it covered Obama? It would look like this"

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.

Her goal is to Silence the right.

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")
 
Mr. President, everyone is laughing at us. You're like a schoolyard bully
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.
 
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")
There are a few On Fox that carry water for Trump but there are a lot of Never Trumpers as they are called as well on Fox . I dont watch Fox only You Tube clips . Hannity is annoying as hell to much Trump butt kissing. The 2 Media Matters folks in her movie says it all . Progressives :rolleyes:
 
There are a few On Fox that carry water for Trump but there are a lot of Never Trumpers as they are called as well on Fox . I dont watch Fox only You Tube clips . Hannity is annoying as hell to much Trump butt kissing. The 2 Media Matters folks in her movie says it all . Progressives :rolleyes:

Fox News staff were reportedly embarrassed by Hannity's promotion of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory.
The Daily Beast spoke to nearly a dozen reporters, pundits, and hosts inside Fox News who all conveyed the same sentiment: Hannity is “embarrassing” the network, and the promotion of the Rich conspiracy theory is senselessly cruel to a grieving family.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-staffers-embarrassed-by-hannitys-conspiracy-theory-crusade
Content from External Source
Hannity stopped pushing the conspiracy theory on his show after Fox News retracted its article on it.

Fox News pulled Judge Napolitano in 2017 "over his unverified claims that British intelligence wiretapped Trump Tower at the behest of former President Obama," but he returned later and criticized Trump for committing various crimes.

Edit: Some people jump from one rabbit hole to another. David Brock went from left to right and back to left. Andrew Breitbart went from left to right and co-founded the Huffington Post with Ariana Huffington when she was a Republican.
 
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Tucker Are liberal policies making a mess of the Golden State?
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJgHwHJLzZA


I watched it. One-sided and pretty light on data.
US News and World Report ranked California as the 19th best state, up from 31st last year.
Texas is ranked 38th, Alabama 49th.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california

California was even ranked 12th best for taxpayers by Wallethub thanks to low property taxes and effective income tax rate.
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416/
 
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I watched it. One-sided and pretty light on data.
US News and World Report ranked California as the 19th best state, up from 31st last year.
Texas is ranked 38th, Alabama 49th.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california

California was even ranked 12th best for taxpayers by Wallethub thanks to low property taxes and effective income tax rate.
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416/

California lost its Top 10 ranking as a place to raise a family in WalletHub‘s annual scorecard on child-rearing qualities.

A year ago, California ranked 10th best. But this year the Golden State scored a No. 19 ranking — between Illinois and Virginia — in the 2019 edition of this family yardstick that the online financial website bases on “five key dimensions” derived from “49 relevant metrics.”
Content from External Source
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/0...g-falls-to-19th-best-state-to-raise-a-family/
 
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California rates 36th best for taxpayers with the Adjusted Overall Rank based cost of living index. From your same link , Great state for the wealthy Sucks for the Middle class. Cost of living matters , Im sure it is the cost of housing

The lowest cost of living is in Mississippi because nobody wants to live there. The highest cost of living is in California and Hawaii.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/opportunity/affordability

Let's see, California also has the 4th highest life expectancy, 5th lowest suicide mortality, and second-lowest rate of smoking.

But it has the smoggiest cities, "thanks to a combination of cars, the Golden State’s weather and topography, and added smog from less rainfall and more frequent wildfires in recent years."
"The state would be much worse off without its strict laws on tailpipe pollution and eliminating coal-fired power plants."
It used to be a lot worse in the 70's.
 
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My overall take on her movie is if it addressed the problems with ALL media and on both sides of the political spectrum . She would have made a valid point . I know people like her father on the right who are grumpy old men and politics only make them worse . My father who was a lifelong Democrat was polar opposite of me and had the same problems . He watched MSNBC CNN Morning Joe ect . I personally think its done on purpose by both sides to Divide and Conquer and rob us blind . IMO of course
 
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.

Unless they're owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group ;). Did you see how they force local news to repeat the same right-wing talking points?
"Watch the truly chilling propaganda Sinclair Broadcast Group is beaming into millions of homes across America"

Source: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/980924837051949057
 
Unless they're owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group ;). Did you see how they force local news to read the same right-wing talking points?
"Watch the truly chilling propaganda Sinclair Broadcast Group is beaming into millions of homes across America"

Source: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/980924837051949057

Right wing Talking points ? You think all those news personnel are Right wing ?
NowThis News is a progressive[1][2] American media website and campaign platform that primarily distributes video news content and political campaign material to mobile devices and social platforms.
Content from External Source
 
Right wing Talking points ? You think all those news personnel are Right wing ?
NowThis News is a progressive[1][2] American media website and campaign platform that primarily distributes video news content and political campaign material to mobile devices and social platforms.
Content from External Source

The right-wing Sinclair Broadcast Group bought up local news outlets and forced their news anchors to read from a script. The progressive NowThis News compiled the above video to call attention to this.

Edit: Actually, the original compilation was made by Deadspin, a sports news site that was owned by the liberal Gawker Media. NowThis News appended some more commentary to the viral video. Here's the original compilation and article from Deadspin.
"How America's Largest Local TV Owner Turned Its News Anchors Into Soldiers In Trump's War On The Media"
https://theconcourse.deadspin.com/how-americas-largest-local-tv-owner-turned-its-news-anc-1824233490

Earlier this month, CNN’s Brian Stelter broke the news that Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner or operator of nearly 200 television stations in the U.S., would be forcing its news anchors to record a promo about “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country.” The script, which parrots Donald Trump’s oft-declarations of developments negative to his presidency as “fake news,” brought upheaval to newsrooms already dismayed with Sinclair’s consistent interference to bring right-wing propaganda to local television broadcasts.
You might remember Sinclair from its having been featured on John Oliver’sLast Week Tonight last year, or from its requiring in 2004 of affiliates to air anti-John Kerry propaganda, or perhaps because it’s your own local affiliate running inflammatory “Terrorism Alerts” or required editorials from former Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn, he of the famed Holocaust Remembrance Day statement that failed to mention Jewish people.
Content from External Source
 
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The right-wing Sinclair Broadcast Group bought up local news outlets and forced their news anchors to read from a script. The progressive NowThis News compiled the above video to call attention to this.
Heard and saw that a long time ago sounds like they were spewing liberal talking points ,Fake news on Social Media Platforms is real we all know that ..Shows my bias :)
 
• Insider: Google "is bent on never letting somebody like Donald Trump come to power again."
• Google Exec Says Don't Break Us Up: "smaller companies don't have the resources" to "prevent next Trump situation"
• Google Head of Responsible Innovation Says Elizabeth Warren "misguided" on "breaking up Google"
• Insider Says PragerU And Dave Rubin Content Suppressed, Targeted As "Right-Wing"
• LEAKED Documents Highlight "Machine Learning Fairness" and Google’s Practices to Make Search Results "fair and equitable"
• Documents Appear to Show "Editorial" Policies That Determine How Google Publishes News
• Insider: Google Violates "letter of the law" and "spirit of the law" on Section 230
Content from External Source

Source: https://vimeo.com/344068138?ref=fb-share&1&fbclid=IwAR3xeif6C91g-LklyZXlv6UIOW4LpZRwW8A8OA6XSzU-6yc3oCVWmpWHfwo
 
My only reason for posting James Okeefe video is to prove both sides are guilty of trying to NUDGE us You Tube Deleted his video
 
You Tube Deleted his video
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.
 
so you're a habitual watcher of "Now this", but you're defending the stance that Fox News is brainwashing us? :)

If two viral videos is habitual, then I'm a habitual watcher of Fox News, Project Veritas, and all sorts of stuff.
 
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5k likes since april probably isn't 'viral'. But I saw MIB, I know "deny, deny, deny" is training 101. it's cool.
 
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.
almost all his videos he list their names unless they are undercover , But since Google is You Tube
 
5k likes since april probably isn't 'viral'. But I saw MIB, I know "deny, deny, deny" is training 101. it's cool.

The NowThis video had 697K views, but here's the original video from Deadspin with 9.35 million views.

Source: https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/980175772206993409


It was reported on widely after it was featured on Last Week Tonight. For example:
"John Oliver blasts Sinclair for making local TV news anchors recite a speech about 'false news' like 'members of a brainwashed cult'"
https://www.businessinsider.com/joh...ir-forcing-local-tv-speech-false-news-2018-4/


I thought the video was made by NowThis News, which compiled the viral Fox News video (with 3.3 million views) that I had just posted here. But it was actually compiled by Deadspin.
 
I thought the video was made by NowThis News
:) 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.
 
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