Sunday, November 23, 2008

Marc Maron on the appeal of Talk Radio

Liberal talker Marc Maron made a poignant observation on the appeal Talk Radio has for it's consumers - "It makes you feel like you're thinking".

Marc made this point in reference to Nate Silver's heated interview with John Ziegler.
MARC MARON: he made an interesting point about Radio [talkers] and whether or not they know what they're talking about... his point is that "it usually doesn't f*cking matter to most people" because they're barely listening. They're doing other things and ultimately what it is, is that it enables these people (radio talkers) just to put their ego out into the world and if they have an engaging tone and an engaging, lyrical way of putting things it feels like thinking to most people (talk radio listeners)... they don't care where the information comes from or whether it's true or not. It just feels like they're thinking it and it gives them something to say.
Listen to the excerpted Marc Maron audio here

Marc recounted similar observations from his time as a 'pundit' during my interview with him. He explained the temptations of ego and partisanship a pundit must negotiate with:
The one element of being a pundit I didn't like was that you're sort of in a position to be partisan and righteous in ways that I may have not thought through completely or in ways that I didn't find completely authentic just because I had such resentment towards the other side
- Listen to the original Marc Maron, Sam Seder conversation on John Ziegler
- Find my interview with Marc Maron here

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