existentialist
Tired and unemotional
I know this has been mentioned on other threads, but I think it's worth one of its own.
Alex Jones, he of the Prison Planet and Infowars websites, much beloved of those who have their millinery done by Alcan or Baco, is well known as a bit of a conspiracy theory enthusiast. This morning he appeared on the BBC's Sunday morning politics programme, hosted by Andrew Neil, laconic Scots ex-hack, and David Aaronovitch, iconoclast, non-conformist, and - it would seem, good-humoured current hack.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22832994
It would be easy to assume that Jones, given his choice of subject material, exhibited on websites with all the creative flair of a 3-year-old's LEGO project, fruit-machine-flashingly scrolling you through the various reported ills of the New World Order, from secret detention camps in the desert to weather-controlling radio arrays, er, in the desert, was just completely hatstand, and worthy of no more attention than the occasional humorous side-glance, knowing chuckle, and gentle tap to the forehead. But it is undeniable that people believe what he has to say. A lot of people.
To the extent that, if you ever find yourself in debate with a conspiracy theorist, and encounter their favourite debating strategy - "look for yourself - just go to this link and watch this [invariably one hour long] video, it's all explained there" - it's a better than evens chance that the video will have been hosted on one of Jones' two sites, and alarmingly likely that he will feature.
He seems like quite an affable chap. His head has the appearance of having been slightly over-inflated, so you get the feeling that, as he warms to his subject and starts to rant increasingly agitatedly, there's a very real danger that it might explode, showering the virtual studio in scalp fragments, facial features and bra...well, maybe just the scalp and the facial features.
So, the interview. Neil was being painstakingly polite. As, it emerged, was Aaronovitch. It was clear that something was up - my iPlayer feed wasn't quite up to seeing their facial expressions up close, but one got the feeling that both were smirking like Cheshire cats as they oh-so-gently led Jones exactly where he wanted to go - the Conspiracy at the heart of the BBC - "Winston Smith worked here, you know" (hastily corrected, rather belatedly for someone who is probably frequently accused of confusing fiction with fact) to George Orwell's nom-de-BBC - or pretty much anywhere else in the world. Even the most good-natured challenge only served to ratchet up his agitation, and a gentle inquiry from Aaronovitch as to how he had succeeded in surviving an organisation he had characterised as ruthless, all-powerful, and deadly just prompted a further increase in pitch and volume as Jones failed to realise that, for once in his life, he wasn't being shouted down, but given just enough rope to hang himself.
Which, ultimately, in the most delicious final 40 seconds of any TV interview, he succeeded in doing. By this time, it didn't matter that nobody was interrupting him - he could interrupt himself, dammit, and as the camera zoomed back for the obligatory end-of-interview shot, we were treated to a view of Jones ranting almost hysterically, while Neil and Aaronovitch looked on, good-naturedly amused, though not before Neil had averred that Jones was "the worst person he had ever interviewed" - a pretty drastic claim, given his long career as an interviewer of British politicians.
So, Alex Jones: prophet or pariah? Voice of reason, or completely Dagenham?
What do you think? Serious replies only... *snigger*
Alex Jones, he of the Prison Planet and Infowars websites, much beloved of those who have their millinery done by Alcan or Baco, is well known as a bit of a conspiracy theory enthusiast. This morning he appeared on the BBC's Sunday morning politics programme, hosted by Andrew Neil, laconic Scots ex-hack, and David Aaronovitch, iconoclast, non-conformist, and - it would seem, good-humoured current hack.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22832994
It would be easy to assume that Jones, given his choice of subject material, exhibited on websites with all the creative flair of a 3-year-old's LEGO project, fruit-machine-flashingly scrolling you through the various reported ills of the New World Order, from secret detention camps in the desert to weather-controlling radio arrays, er, in the desert, was just completely hatstand, and worthy of no more attention than the occasional humorous side-glance, knowing chuckle, and gentle tap to the forehead. But it is undeniable that people believe what he has to say. A lot of people.
To the extent that, if you ever find yourself in debate with a conspiracy theorist, and encounter their favourite debating strategy - "look for yourself - just go to this link and watch this [invariably one hour long] video, it's all explained there" - it's a better than evens chance that the video will have been hosted on one of Jones' two sites, and alarmingly likely that he will feature.
He seems like quite an affable chap. His head has the appearance of having been slightly over-inflated, so you get the feeling that, as he warms to his subject and starts to rant increasingly agitatedly, there's a very real danger that it might explode, showering the virtual studio in scalp fragments, facial features and bra...well, maybe just the scalp and the facial features.
So, the interview. Neil was being painstakingly polite. As, it emerged, was Aaronovitch. It was clear that something was up - my iPlayer feed wasn't quite up to seeing their facial expressions up close, but one got the feeling that both were smirking like Cheshire cats as they oh-so-gently led Jones exactly where he wanted to go - the Conspiracy at the heart of the BBC - "Winston Smith worked here, you know" (hastily corrected, rather belatedly for someone who is probably frequently accused of confusing fiction with fact) to George Orwell's nom-de-BBC - or pretty much anywhere else in the world. Even the most good-natured challenge only served to ratchet up his agitation, and a gentle inquiry from Aaronovitch as to how he had succeeded in surviving an organisation he had characterised as ruthless, all-powerful, and deadly just prompted a further increase in pitch and volume as Jones failed to realise that, for once in his life, he wasn't being shouted down, but given just enough rope to hang himself.
Which, ultimately, in the most delicious final 40 seconds of any TV interview, he succeeded in doing. By this time, it didn't matter that nobody was interrupting him - he could interrupt himself, dammit, and as the camera zoomed back for the obligatory end-of-interview shot, we were treated to a view of Jones ranting almost hysterically, while Neil and Aaronovitch looked on, good-naturedly amused, though not before Neil had averred that Jones was "the worst person he had ever interviewed" - a pretty drastic claim, given his long career as an interviewer of British politicians.
So, Alex Jones: prophet or pariah? Voice of reason, or completely Dagenham?
What do you think? Serious replies only... *snigger*
