Well that backfired on Ethan
Incorrect, the reason I don’t like him is because of this rod-polishing parasocial relationship people have with him for scraping the literal bare minimum, which isn’t unique to him but part of a larger critique of the alienation that is inherent to streamer media.
I mean for Christ’s sake, this is the exact same argument as ‘You just criticize capitalism and want communism because you are jealous of other’s success’ level of breadtube argument slop.
You don’t like him because people e-fellate him? That can’t be on him. Sure, I understand if you want someone as popular and ‘on our side’ to be deeper, more intellectual, more politically engaged, but I won’t let perfect be the enemy of good. In a world of Ethans and Musk fanboys, Hasan is a breath of fresh air, and that is enough for me.
I never said it was ‘on him’. I’m not even mad that he is surface level. Don’t put words in my mouth, please.
I said that it was part of a larger critique. Streaming culture is bad for us, politically, as leftists. It is inherently bad because it creates a simulacra of community, without even a hint of theoretical will to power. It is the ultimate liberal simulation of politics without actually being politics. You feel ‘politically engaged’ without actually engaging with the polity. How can you? The community only exists if you are actively online supporting it, which means you are actively disengaged from the polity. You are engaging with a petite bourgeois capitalist influencer on a capitalist rentier platform. At least recognize it.
As such, even the best part of it, which Hasan absolutely is, is still bad. Therefore, I don’t like him, because I don’t have to like him.
