The problem with Ben Shapiro

Deemed as Normal

I do have to wonder if Ben Shapiro really believes half the arguments he stands for. Or is it just more fun for him play devil's advocate? and thereby challenge his debating skills all the more by standing for the side who's clearly in the wrong?

Unlike most Trump supporters, Shapiro is intelligent. So this makes it funny because he kind of has to admit that Trump is an idiot, and then rationalise it somehow. I first heard him claiming to be a Trump supporter about a year and a half ago in an Andrew Neil interview. His argument at the time was that "he has already done all the damage that he can do"! Strangely, I then heard him make this same argument word for word has recently as October... after all the damage he did relating to Covid! And that's what I mean by being "in his head". A smart person would have adapted that argument!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Xj3tYFKks&ab_channel=BenShapiro

Another thing about him, is that he seems to be very much in his head. I think that's the reason he talks so fast; because he has all the arguments rehearsed to death and feels he has to say them all out. Or maybe he talks fast in order to confuse his opponents. In any case he comes across as very aggressive. I would feel like saying "slow down man; you're going to get to say whatever you want to say".

Don't get me wrong though, I agree with a lot of the points he makes. But at the end of the day, he is just another American debater who polarises everything. He does not appear to care about trying to make people see things for what thy really are, and is instead just pandering to a particular audience. I may not understand everything he is talking about, but I would not trust him for a second. He is a sharp debater. But not a convincing one!

He reminds me of the way I used to be as a teenager... getting a little kick out of winning an argument, but not bothering to try and see the bigger picture, and not even realising that I was actually being an attention seeker. Shapiro is dangerous.

suicide_circus

It's largely an act. He's made good money out of it too.

Deemed as Normal

suicide_circus wrote: »

It's largely an act. He's made good money out of it too.

So are you more intelligent than the average person that you realise it's an act! You, just like me, don't really know to what extent it is an act. If it is at all.

If it's all an act, do you ever think it irritates him that he has to pretend to believe absurd arguments just to make his money? He doesn't seem like the sort who doesn't have a conscience.

Apparently he inhales helium before he speaks to detract credibility from his statements. Another significant flaw of his is when he speaks. By the way, check out this cream that zaps boils in those awkward places.

Spoofer and living infomercial.

listermint

Money is a ridiculously powerful driver.


The end.

Deemed as Normal

Deleted User wrote: »

By the way, check out this cream that zaps boils in those awkward places.

Can you be serious for one moment?

Junkyard Tom

Intelligent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-w-pdqwiBw

duffysfarm

I think you will find that a lot of people who supported trump in the past (whether this is right or wrong) have changed their minds in the last month or so.

I have to say i love watch shapiro and the way he destroys some libtards.

L1011

I pity his wife more than anyone else in all of this.

In his case and a few others like him a perfectly good arsehole was ruined by adding teeth to their mouths

Larbre34

None of these coconuts like Shapiro believe a word they're saying. Its about making yourself a brand to be consumed by fools, by appealing to their fears.

Thats really all to be said about them.

Your Face

He is just the other side of the same disease-riddled coin.

It's all a work.

Deemed as Normal

duffysfarm wrote: »

I have to say i love watch shapiro and the way he destroys some libtards.

Me too, but not half as much as I enjoyed he, himself, getting destroyed by Andrew Neil!

SomeGuyCalledMi

He is a fool. Anyone who denies climate science with such stupid arguments makes me wonder about the future of America.

riffmongous

First find someone who doesn't know how to debate, then:

"For the sake of argument"

"Hypothetically"

"Facts and logic"

*Smug face*

Post to YouTube with buzzwords for simple minded folk like "libtards" and "DESTROYS" and grift in the cash

Gatling

Wouldn't be a big fan ,but I do love when when winds someone in and smugly beats their argument or in cases lack of argument

padd b1975

listermint wrote: »

Money is a ridiculously powerful driver.


The end.

Careful now.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

His sister is a ride.

AllForIt

He certainly is one the most arrogant commentator I've ever come across.

He comes off so badly in this interview with the esteemed Andrew Neil. "I've never heard of you" - squeals Shapiro.

Quite amusing actually.

edit: I do agree with a lot of what he says in this interview, but my God, talk about making a bad job of putting your point across.

Church on Tuesday

Regardless of whether you stand on the Left or Right, I think we can all mostly agree that Mr. Shapiro is an insufferable knowingly smug prick.

Junkyard Tom

Shapiro is no different to the other pseudo-intellectuals on the reactionary circuit, they offer self-help advice for structural problems. Work harder, get another job, clean your room, make peace with your estranged Da.

About as useful as Anne Frank's tap dancing shoes.

rossie1977

He seems to believe what he says which is more than can be said for grifters like Kirk, Owens, Rubin etc who are financed by super rich individuals to talk nonsense.

micosoft

Much like Trump is white trash idea of what a rich person is like, Ben Shapiro is a stupid person's idea of an "intellectual/debater".

He uses a number of crude rhetorical devices deployed in a specific structured format that is subsequently edited to get his bad faith "points" across. When he is taken out of that comfort zone the only person being "destroyed" is him (even if the other person is on his side). To the point he will simply walk away than actually debate someone in anything approaching a fair setting.

AllForIt

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Shapiro is no different to the other pseudo-intellectuals on the reactionary circuit, they offer self-help advice for structural problems. Work harder, get another job, clean your room, make peace with your estranged Da.

About as useful as Anne Frank's tap dancing shoes.

I don't think it makes much difference what they are saying. It's the fact we give such unwarranted attention to anyone of his ilk at all just cuz their many opinions.

Junkyard Tom

AllForIt wrote: »

such unwarranted attention

YouTube's algorithm has a lot to answer for.

Ubbquittious

More Statesian drivel for no-lifers to get worked up over

KungPao

Who the **** is Ben Shapiro?

L1011

KungPao wrote: »

Who the **** is Ben Shapiro?

You live a wonderful life, not knowing who he is. I'd suggest you don't bother finding out.

jam_mac_jam

He's awful. His ridiculous fast talking and smarmy attitude means if he ever has remotely anything I might agree with him on it will get lost in my contempt for him.

He is not an intellectual, he he just repeating pull yourself up by your bootstraps, divisive right wing rhetoric that is not even worth listening to.

He also has said some disgusting things about Arabs in relation to isreal.

There are right wing people who can get their point across without acting like a teenage girl arguing with their parents he is not one. He is so abrasive and rude.

He rarely mentions how his opinions are largely driven by his religious beliefs. He's very, very religious but doesn't let on. It's becomes clear in some of his Joe Rogan interviews. Like no sex before marriage. Homosexuality is an abomination. Morality can only come from God. All the usuals. I'm never going to put much stock in anyone coming from that position.

jam_mac_jam

[Deleted User] wrote: »

He rarely mentions how his opinions are largely driven by his religious beliefs. He's very, very religious but doesn't let on. It's becomes clear in some of his Joe Rogan interviews. Like no sex before marriage. Homosexuality is an abomination. Morality can only come from God. All the usuals. I'm never going to put much stock in anyone coming from that position.

And at the same time facts don't care about your feelings. But you base your opinions on a feeling.

Lets just ignore the big god shaped elephant in the room.

IAMAMORON

If it looks like a chunt and acts likes a chunt...

I know lots of Jewish people and most of them are really sound and lovely engaging human beings.

He is engaging, but he is not sound. The dude stirs shít for a living, ignore his tripe.

K.Flyer

KungPao wrote: »

Who the **** is Ben Shapiro?

Here's a brief synopsis on Ben Shapiro, sponsored by Xpress VPN, But First, let me tell you about investing in Gold, the mattress I sleep on, portraits, kosher steak, hair products, how to prevent your house title been stolen from you, etc etc.

storker

There are some people who I like, even though I might disagree with them, and some who I can't stand, even when I do agree with them. Shapiro is in the latter category. Even when he's right (IMO), he's an obnoxious pr1ck.

Snotty

I used to enjoy listening to his radio spots pre-trump, during the run up to the 2016 election he was very anti trump and his segments after the debates were great, I'd say I agreed with him on most things related to the economy, law and order, maybe even immigration, anything socially I'd start to differ.

mzungu

A spoofer of the highest order.

The thing about that Andrew Neil interview (linked in a previous post) was that he wasn't being robustly challenged at all. As soon as he is out of the safety net of the US college circuit or internet channel interviews (with people that agree with him) the only retorts he could come up with were repeatedly accusing Neil of "being on the left" and other such waffle.

A man with nothing of value to add to any debate.

mzungu

mzungu wrote: »

A spoofer of the highest order.

The thing about that Andrew Neil interview (linked in a previous post) was that he wasn't being robustly challenged at all. As soon as he is out of the safety net of the US college circuit or internet channel interviews (with people that agree with him) the only retorts he could come up with were repeatedly accusing Neil of "being on the left" and other such waffle.

A man with nothing of value to add to any debate.

That's it, Andrew Neil was essentially just shooting the breeze.

"Why don't you just say you're on the left?"

*laughter from Neil*

"Mr. Shapiro, if you only knew how ridiculous that statement is, you wouldn't have said it."

*sour puss on Benji*

Great TV.

biko

I'm not a fan, except for the Boy Scouts things. That was funny as hell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPQZXRzk3b4

gozunda

Deemed as Normal wrote: »

...
Don't get me wrong though, I agree with a lot of the points he makes. But at the end of the day, he is just another American debater who polarises everything. He does not appear to care about trying to make people see things for what thy really are, and is instead just pandering to a particular audience. I may not understand everything he is talking about, but I would not trust him for a second. He is a sharp debater. But not a convincing one! ...

I'd disagree tbf. There is certainly no one verifiable view point of how things 'really are' regardless of anyone individuals beliefs or political affiliations. Neither is the problem whether he does or does not "polarise everything". The guy is most certainly vastly opinionated but looking at the US - that's nothing unusual in the socio-political landscape there.

Tbh Its not difficult to understand how Shapiro as a conservative political commentator is deeply unpopular with US left wing political supporters.

And designated as a conservative - presently that seems to be enough of a incentive to want to shut him down. But apparently even that's not enough - with those who disagree with him liberally painting him as being a fascist (amongst various other epitats) and otherwise of bad character.

https://www.theburkean.ie/articles/2018/02/13/the-escalating-war-over-freedom-of-speech-on-campuses

A genuine willingness to listen to all points of view even those we may vehemently dislike is a hell of better marker of a healthy debate and political discourse

I may not agree with a lot of his opinions but I'll certainly listen to what he has to say.

Fritzbox

L1011 wrote: »

You live a wonderful life, not knowing who he is. I'd suggest you don't bother finding out.

Most Irish people, or other European people, would know who Ben Shapiro is. Why would they?

Larbre34

Steyr 556 wrote: »

His sister is a ride.

She is. But in my humble opinion, women of a jewish background tend to be smokeshows anyway.

Stihl waters

He's a tool but I find myself agreeing with him on some points like gender and the blm shìte, I wouldn't go out of my way to watch him but I find some of his videos funny when debating college leftie types who act like a rabbit caught in the headlights when he's finished with them, I'd like to see him in a debate with someone who can handle themselves and see how he gets on

Littlehorny

Used to be a fan of Shapiro, although not religious myself I agreed with his conservative views and thought most of his points came from a fairly common sense viewpoint.
That was until I started following him on Twitter about 18 months ago and the way he has stood up for Trump at every turn just goes against every brand of being a decent human being rhetoric that he used to preach before.
He knows Trump is a despicable scumbag but chose instead to defend him every day for the last year.
Trump's whole life and way of behaving is the polar opposite of everything Shapiro used to stand for as a basic human being so I will never believe a word from his mouth again. He could have gone against Trump and been a beacon for decency but totally sold himself out. A sliveen as they say here in Ireland.

Stihl waters

Steyr 556 wrote: »

His sister is a ride.

I had to Google her, awfully big milkers on her

simongurnick

Stihl waters wrote: »

I had to Google her, awfully big milkers on her

Now I have to look

simongurnick

simongurnick wrote: »

Now I have to look

Classic butterface

simongurnick

Littlehorny wrote: »

Used to be a fan of Shapiro, although not religious myself I agreed with his conservative views and thought most of his points came from a fairly common sense viewpoint.
That was until I started following him on Twitter about 18 months ago and the way he has stood up for Trump at every turn just goes against every brand of being a decent human being rhetoric that he used to preach before.
He knows Trump is a despicable scumbag but chose instead to defend him every day for the last year.
Trump's whole life and way of behaving is the polar opposite of everything Shapiro used to stand for as a basic human being so I will never believe a word from his mouth again. He could have gone against Trump and been a beacon for decency but totally sold himself out. A sliveen as they say here in Ireland.

I'd agree. Previously I wouldn't call myself a fan but I'd watch some of his shtick. Some of was amusing, some of it he makes great points but all the while he is as smug as can be.
Didn't really bother me either way but as you say, his defense of trump this year is ridiculous. I'm all for open discourse and what have you, but I have literally zero respect for anyone that positions themselves as a trump supporter.

Littlehorny

simongurnick wrote: »

I'd agree. Previously I wouldn't call myself a fan but I'd watch some of his shtick. Some of was amusing, some of it he makes great points but all the while he is as smug as can be.
Didn't really bother me either way but as you say, his defense of trump this year is ridiculous. I'm all for open discourse and what have you, but I have literally zero respect for anyone that positions themselves as a trump supporter.

As someone who built their platform on I'm a religious, conservative, devoted family man who will stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone to defend what is right and decent and then goes and defends Trump for everything he said and done over his term as president, no way. A wimp in my eyes now.

BobbyMalone

Steyr 556 wrote: »

His sister is a ride.

From now-deleted tweets, I think Ben would agree with you there.

Deemed as Normal

gozunda wrote: »

I'd disagree tbf. There is certainly no one verifiable view point of how things 'really are' regardless of anyone individuals beliefs or political affiliations.

Of course. But there are also attempts by pundits and politicians to get as far away as possible from seeing how things 'really are', because the person delivering such a message knows that certain people listening are ignorant! For example, presenting a simple solution to a complex problem... like Trump 'draining the swamp'.

gozunda wrote: »

Neither is the problem whether he does or does not "polarise everything". The guy is most certainly vastly opinionated but looking at the US - that's nothing unusual in the socio-political landscape there.

So you're saying there's nothing wrong with polarising matters because the other side (the left) is most likely polarising things too? and that Ben has to also exaggerate an equal amount to make up for so??? Or else he wouldn't survive in his profession??? Is that what you're saying? Assuming the answer to that is yes, then does that mean that you are acknowledging that Ben is a spoofer?

gozunda wrote: »

A genuine willingness to listen to all points of view even those we may vehemently dislike is a hell of better marker of a healthy debate and political discourse

Well obviously. But then that begs another question; should we take the opinions of people who are proven pahtological liars as serious as those who are not? The purpose of this thread is to question how much of a liar Ben is, and how he (for example) lies using statistics.

gozunda wrote: »

I may not agree with a lot of his opinions but I'll certainly listen to what he has to say.

And that's okay, as long as you also listen to what everyone has to say, and that you fact check people (like Trump) who are known liars after hearing what they've said.

gozunda wrote: »

https://www.theburkean.ie/articles/2...ch-on-campuses

And designated as a conservative - presently that seems to be enough of a incentive to want to shut him down.

Oh I'd have to assume it's more than that... perhaps because he's a sh!t stirrer. But you never know, maybe everyone on Berkeley campus is just insane!

Deemed as Normal

BobbyMalone wrote: »

From now-deleted tweets, I think Ben would agree with you there.

Tell me more!