Journalism is actually about none of these things.
The idea that a single human in this country remains unexposed to the "idea" of ethnonationalism and white supremacy is just hilarious.
Just took the dog for a walk and actually have more thoughts on this. The idea that journalism is about debates between the powerful is actually deep-rooted--and harmful af.
Studies have shown repeatedly that views only make it into the press when they are espoused by the politically powerful/wealthy
In the US, "wealthy" and "politically powerful" are the same thing. See Page & Gilens or Thomas Ferguson or any number of others
Bannon was able to spread his "ideas" because he's rich. He continues to do so because he's rich. The New Yorker festival isn't just inviting Joe Klansman to speak. Wealth brings a veneer of respectability. It's also what makes Bannon dangerous.
This has fuck all to do with ideas. The marketplace of ideas is best understood as "he who has enough money can get his ideas heard"
I cover labor and social movements as a beat. The people whose ideas are routinely ignored in the press until they prove some level of respectability (see @Ocasio2018 )
@Ocasio2018 The best way to cover social movements is not by talking to the rich figureheads. You want to understand Bannon's "ideas" and how they work? Go do some actual journalism on the ground where those ideas are enacted.
@Ocasio2018 Festivals of ideas are lots of fun but let's not pretend they're anything but exercises in gatekeeping and elite elbow-rubbing.
@Ocasio2018 TL;DR it's about class power y'all, and class power has always been created and sustained with racism
