Michael Malice on Trolling, Anarchy, and the Fall of the Soviet Union

Michael Malice: The Ultimate Troll

Michael Malice has been called the "King of Trolls" by Joe Rogan. But Malice isn't just a troll - he's also an author and podcaster with some provocative views on politics and society.

Malice defines trolling as "turning a third party, and exploiting their weaknesses, and making them into an unwitting performer." He sees it as a type of performance art at its best, not just being rude on social media.

Some examples of Malice's trolling:

• When interviewing Jordan Peterson's daughter during Peterson's health issues, Malice joked that Peterson had influenced him to start taking benzos recreationally.

• On his podcast, Malice asked if there's ever been a person with more support than "Brandon" (referring to the "Let's Go Brandon" meme mocking President Biden).

• The title of Malice's own podcast, "Your Welcome," is itself a troll due to the intentional misspelling.

While his trolling can be provocative, Malice argues there's an art to it beyond just being an "ass on social media."

Malice's Views on Communism and Totalitarianism

Born in the Soviet Union before his family escaped to America, Malice has a particular interest in communism and totalitarian regimes. He's critical of Americans' naivety about the nature of evil and totalitarianism.

Malice visited North Korea to see firsthand what his family experienced under the USSR. He describes North Korea as a "time capsule of Stalinism" and wrote a book about his experiences there titled "Dear Reader."

Some key points about North Korea from Malice:

• North Koreans are taught absurd propaganda about their leaders from a young age, like Kim Jong Il being a genius in kindergarten.

• Even young children know to keep quiet and not question the propaganda, understanding the consequences.

• North Korean newspapers and propaganda repeat the same stories about the leaders providing "field guidance" in every industry.

• Access to outside information is extremely limited and can result in severe punishment.

Malice argues it's important for Americans to understand these realities of totalitarian regimes to appreciate the freedoms we have.

Anarchism vs Libertarianism

While Stossel identifies as a libertarian, Malice considers himself an anarchist. He defines anarchism as "libertarianism with principles."

Key differences in their views:

• Stossel believes some limited government is necessary for things like environmental regulations and national defense. Malice opposes all government.

• Malice argues that government monopolies on services like security lead to inefficiencies and lack of accountability. He supports private security instead of police.

• On pollution, Stossel credits government regulations for cleaning up air and water. Malice contends public pressure, not laws, drove companies to reduce pollution.

• Stossel supports democracy, while Malice opposes it, saying "I don't believe in democracy."

Malice summarizes his anarchist view: "I don't want to believe that I'm going to get together with my neighbors, and we're all going to collectively make decisions about my life, at all."

Media Criticism

Both Malice and Stossel are highly critical of mainstream media, though Malice takes a more extreme stance. Some key points:

• Malice repeatedly refers to "corporate journalism" to emphasize the profit motives and agendas of major media outlets.

• He argues people are naive about the "levels of malevolence and depravity that corporate journalists are capable of."

• Malice cites historical examples like New York Times reporter Walter Duranty covering up Stalin's atrocities in Ukraine.

• Both see the increasing public skepticism of media as healthy for society.

• Malice is concerned about efforts to censor "misinformation" online, seeing it as a threat to free speech.

Outlook on American Politics

While critical of the current state of politics, Malice expresses some hope for positive changes:

• He's more excited about Elon Musk's potential influence than Trump's return to politics.

• Malice doesn't expect Trump to significantly shrink government, noting spending increased in his first term.

• He hopes the conversation will shift to "what government program can we cut" rather than what new programs to create.

• Malice supports Trump's proposal to abolish the Department of Education, seeing it as an important step.

• Overall, he's hopeful but not optimistic about reducing the size of government in the near future.

Conclusion

Michael Malice offers a provocative and unconventional perspective on politics, media, and society. While his trolling and anarchist views may be extreme for some, he raises important questions about the role of government, media accountability, and individual liberty. His firsthand experiences with totalitarian regimes provide a valuable reminder of the importance of safeguarding freedom and remaining vigilant against authoritarianism.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxe1U15wres