I think his intention is to not let fascists dismiss him as easily. I don’t see any harm in saying “it’s surprising” that an awful person did an awful thing when your intent is to illustrate that it’s an awful thing. We have no evidence to suggest bill nye would seek to placate or minimize fascist deeds. He’s consistently throughout the years voiced sane opinions in favor of science and addressing climate change. Those are the things he cares about.
I can see how that could be the intent, but it still gives the fascists’ blatantly dishonest bullshit credibility that it doesn’t deserve and is thus IMO a tactical error. The audience for his comments can’t be the committed fascists themselves; they don’t give a shit about anything he has to say. The audience has to be people who are still (somehow) undecided, and treating the fascist position as anything but a sick joke helps the fascists.
I don’t agree that it’s productive for him to lash out at these people. I personally think they deserve it but millions of kids didn’t grow up respecting me. If they did, I’d do my best to remain someone they might listen to. We’ve all seen how little it takes for them to dismiss any point they don’t like
No, “lashing out” is not what I’m suggesting either, because that also hands them more credibility than they deserve.
The correct reaction is to shame and ridicule them. React as if they’ve told a joke, and treat them like the clowns they are. Literally laugh them out of the public discourse and demonstrate to every non-fascist that their “ideas” aren’t even worth bothering to refute. Channel Bender: “Oh wait, you’re serious? Let me laugh even harder!”
Above all, they must not be allowed to control the conversation, and that’s what treating their ideas as credible, as Nye has done here, does.
So another interpretation here is that he’s surprised in a historical sense that we could ever arrive here. I think people make a lot of assumptions about what people mean.
People need to quit being polite to fascists.
I think his intention is to not let fascists dismiss him as easily. I don’t see any harm in saying “it’s surprising” that an awful person did an awful thing when your intent is to illustrate that it’s an awful thing. We have no evidence to suggest bill nye would seek to placate or minimize fascist deeds. He’s consistently throughout the years voiced sane opinions in favor of science and addressing climate change. Those are the things he cares about.
I can see how that could be the intent, but it still gives the fascists’ blatantly dishonest bullshit credibility that it doesn’t deserve and is thus IMO a tactical error. The audience for his comments can’t be the committed fascists themselves; they don’t give a shit about anything he has to say. The audience has to be people who are still (somehow) undecided, and treating the fascist position as anything but a sick joke helps the fascists.
I don’t agree that it’s productive for him to lash out at these people. I personally think they deserve it but millions of kids didn’t grow up respecting me. If they did, I’d do my best to remain someone they might listen to. We’ve all seen how little it takes for them to dismiss any point they don’t like
No, “lashing out” is not what I’m suggesting either, because that also hands them more credibility than they deserve.
The correct reaction is to shame and ridicule them. React as if they’ve told a joke, and treat them like the clowns they are. Literally laugh them out of the public discourse and demonstrate to every non-fascist that their “ideas” aren’t even worth bothering to refute. Channel Bender: “Oh wait, you’re serious? Let me laugh even harder!”
Above all, they must not be allowed to control the conversation, and that’s what treating their ideas as credible, as Nye has done here, does.
So another interpretation here is that he’s surprised in a historical sense that we could ever arrive here. I think people make a lot of assumptions about what people mean.