I don't think he fell for anything. I think he was fully complicit, and now he's pivoting to give himself the option of more anti-Trump (or at least Trump-skeptical) populism. It's hard work maintaining the grift, but it pays off!
This type of engagement is probably what he wants because it unintentionally does the work of marketing his new audience pivot.
It's pro-wrestling, his gimmick as the "MAGA leftist" will lose fanfare now that Trump is actually governing, so he's launching a new product, "Trump apologist betrayed"
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
Every day people like teachers and factory workers... And also the armed members of the state paid to suppress them in the interests of protecting capital
You are doing Lee Fang's marketing for him just by mocking his "awakening," because it's telegraphing to everyone he is saying anti-Trump stuff again, generating receptiveness to his new "Trump apologist betrayed" product offerings on substack
I'm ceaselessly amazed at these folks that have years of his politics and decades of his own personal life in front of them, but they ignore it all to create this bizarre projection of him that doesn't exist and always act shocked when the real him appears.
This is Lee Fang's attempt at pivoting to a new market and branding, just like everything Fang has said up to now. Nobody who gets paid to give political opinions doesn't constantly weigh which ones they can steadily make the most money repeating.
He is such a blank slate of a human being that anybody with slate grievances projects their own politics on to him. Because he believes in nothing it's easy to convince yourself that he believes in you
I'm sure they feel it way more than they let on, but they mostly suppress it for their careers. But every now and then it slips out like in this tweet.
You are doing marketing for him just by mocking his "awakening," because it's telegraphing to everyone he is saying anti-Trump stuff again, generating receptiveness to his new "Trump apologist betrayed" product offerings on substack
This type of engagement is probably what he wants because it unintentionally does the work of marketing his new audience pivot.
It's pro-wrestling, his gimmick as the "MAGA leftist" will lose fanfare now that Trump is actually governing, so he's launching a new product, "Trump apologist betrayed"
Stop taking people's views in good faith when they pay rent by giving political opinions. This is Lee Fang's attempt at pivoting to a new market and branding, just like everything Fang has said up to now.
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
This is why the GOP defund education.
Critical thinking skills non existent
Scientific thinking non existent
Facts become opinions and feelings
Reality and logic are subjective
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
Everyone shouting"he fell for it again!" is doing Lee Fang's marketing for free by helping publicize his new audience pivot.
It's pro-wrestling, his gimmick as the "MAGA leftist" will lose fanfare now that there's actual Trump policies to evaluate, so he's rebranding as "Trump apologist betrayed"
I feel like libs also clowned them w supporting israel tho. Lee has been consistent on not funding war crimes. It’s good to have a mix of anti-anti-trump leftists who focus on foreign policy. They shouldn’t be in charge but their perspective is helpful to call out lib hawkishness
Folks either taking Trump's imagery at face value, proactively arguing he owns the "working class" label, or bemoaning that the Dem coalition now includes suburbanites, professionals, white collar types, service workers etc.
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
You are doing marketing for him just by mocking his "awakening," because it's telegraphing to everyone he is saying anti-Trump stuff again, generating receptiveness to his new "Trump apologist betrayed" product offerings on substack
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
You are doing marketing for him just by mocking his "awakening," because it's telegraphing to everyone he is saying anti-Trump stuff again, generating receptiveness to his new "Trump apologist betrayed" product offerings on substack
You are doing Lee Fang's marketing for him just by mocking his "awakening," because it's telegraphing to everyone he is saying anti-Trump stuff again, generating receptiveness to his new "Trump apologist betrayed" product offerings on substack
This is not Lee Fang's sincere expression of bafflement. This is him consciously aware that oncoming Trump policies will make it harder for him to have cache and substack subscribers as the "MAGA-sympathetic leftist."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
It doesn't matter, he just needs you to help prime the public so that once he has a fiercely anti-Trump tweet that does go viral people don't go "huh? This is from Lee Fang?" But rather "Wow, Lee Fang's pretty cool now these days, maybe I owe him a follow"
This is Lee Fang's attempt at pivoting to a new market and branding, just like everything Fang has said up to now. Nobody who gets paid to give political opinions doesn't constantly weigh which ones they can steadily make the most money repeating.
Comments
“We don’t need your votes.”
“He’s (Xi) now president for life. President for life. And he’s great. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll give that a shot someday.” - trump, 3/4/18
congrats, fools. Go buy a meme coin.
It's pro-wrestling, his gimmick as the "MAGA leftist" will lose fanfare now that Trump is actually governing, so he's launching a new product, "Trump apologist betrayed"
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
"Both sides are the same"
It's pro-wrestling, his gimmick as the "MAGA leftist" will lose fanfare now that Trump is actually governing, so he's launching a new product, "Trump apologist betrayed"
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
*so they can be easily manipulated
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
Critical thinking skills non existent
Scientific thinking non existent
Facts become opinions and feelings
Reality and logic are subjective
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
It's pro-wrestling, his gimmick as the "MAGA leftist" will lose fanfare now that there's actual Trump policies to evaluate, so he's rebranding as "Trump apologist betrayed"
Folks either taking Trump's imagery at face value, proactively arguing he owns the "working class" label, or bemoaning that the Dem coalition now includes suburbanites, professionals, white collar types, service workers etc.
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
Some people will go along with it.
"Just following orders."
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.
It will hopefully be several years of finding out the hard way for all of them.
His performative "revelation" here is just a business pivot.