As the #MontereyPark shooter was a 72-year-old man, an observation about how some Asian American elders consume media lately: Unlike the past, when they mostly read Asian-language newspapers/watched TV news, many now get their info from YouTube. (1/6)
They watch video after video from their suggestions. As with all media bubbles, this produces an echo chamber, offering ideology disguised as news. This is exacerbated by language & cultural differences that already keep them from engaging a wider range of sources. (2/6)
For example, my father sometimes watches “news” videos that are virulently anti-China, likely disseminated by Bannonite forces that exalt the US. Once he clicks on one, more appear, & then they are constantly in his suggestions. (3/6)
I’ve watched them with him. They are histrionic at times, & if you believed everything they said, you’d be plenty agitated and plenty mad. While I don’t know if everything they say is lies, I do know it’s certainly not “news.” (4/6)
There are so many ideologically-oriented Asian-language media outlets now producing this content. No presumptions about the shooter’s motives, but I think whatever (sick & twisted) ideologies he subscribed to, there’s probably videos out there that perpetrate & co-sign them.(5/6)
In any case, pay attention to the Asian language sources the people around you are engaging. It’s the freaking Wild West out there. (6/6)
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