I’ve just read a number of twitter conversations and posts about interviewing or not interviewing Steve Bannon, whether or not to invite skinheads and nazis on talk shows. There’s a basic distinction and I think a really important one that isn’t getting made in this discussion.
2/ When you interview someone, especially a set piece TV interview or at an event, you’re clearly giving them a platform, in a way you’re validating their thinking as something to grapple with, to take seriously even if you disagree with it. But I think it’s equally wrong ...
3/ to ignore these people. There is a certain part of the liberal world view that really does think that if you ignore something it disappears. It doesn’t. Put a bit more plausibly, I will hear people say if we just don’t give it oxygen, it’ll disappear. This is silly.
4/ That’s not how it works. But there is a big difference between monitoring something, covering something, making sure people are aware of it and engaging it, treating it as an ideology and worldview to be engaged, understand and contended with rather than a pestilence to ...
5/ be monitored.
