5 chapters across the catalog
The concept of "Micro-Mockingbird" is expanded to include the amplification of viral stories, such as the Popeyes chicken sandwich craze, to test media manipulation machines. The hosts argue that the CIA and FBI directly or indirectly run the major tech platforms. They suggest that movements like "Blexit" were amplified by these agencies to create controlled binary oppositions in the political landscape.
The discussion introduces the ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) and Blexit movements, comparing them to the 2008 Tea Party. The hosts argue that these were genuine groundswell movements that were subsequently hijacked by "astroturf" interests and mislabeled by the media as Russian bots or right-wing propaganda. They emphasize that the underlying fuel for these movements remains despite media attempts to discredit them.
The Blexit movement, founded by Candace Owens, is examined alongside Kanye West's public distancing from the campaign. West claimed he was used to spread messages he didn't believe in and denied designing the Blexit logo. The hosts criticize Owens for trying to "cut corners" by leveraging West's celebrity without his full consent, which they believe tainted the movement's integrity.
Candace Owens describes Blexit as a "renaissance" for black Americans to release themselves from political orthodoxy. However, the movement was immediately mired in controversy when Kanye West tweeted that he had nothing to do with it. The hosts argue that while the term "Blexit" was great, the mismanagement by Owens made it "tainted" and "bogus," despite the underlying reality of black voters leaving the Democratic Party.
Joy Reid and Shireen Mitchell present a report on "disinformation" targeting black voters. They label movements like ADOS, Blexit, and "Foundational Black Americans" as bot-driven campaigns designed to suppress the Democratic vote by focusing on reparations and criminal justice.
