EXCLUSIVE: "I'm NOT Sympathetic To The Trump Shooting" - Rise of Civil War & Conspiracies | Destiny

Added: Jul 21, 2024

Destiny's Shift in Approach

Destiny explains that he has deliberately shifted his rhetorical approach recently. He feels that the discourse in the United States has become unbalanced, with conservatives escaping accountability for their actions while liberals are expected to apologize for everything. He believes he has given too much credence to conservative arguments in the past by engaging with them civilly, which he now regrets. He argues that conservative ideas are "absolutely unhinged" and that there needs to be more cultural accountability for the "crazy insane things" they are saying.

Motivations and Goals

Bilyeu tries to understand Destiny's goals and motivations for this new, more aggressive approach. Destiny explains that his aim is to decrease turnout on the conservative side by demotivating potential Trump voters, while increasing turnout and motivation on the liberal side. He wants to emphasize that "reasonable minds cannot disagree" on certain key issues, like the January 6th insurrection. He believes that working against him are self-proclaimed centrists who he argues are actually all conservative and support Trump, which pushes him further to the left in perception.

Debate Strategy and Public Perception

Destiny uses an analogy of having "long legs and short arms" or vice versa to describe his debate strategy. His current aggressive approach gives him "short legs but long arms" - meaning he's less able to reach outside his community, but when he does engage, he's incredibly compelling with strong arguments. He acknowledges this may turn some people off, but feels it's necessary given the current political climate.

Media Landscape and Information Environment

Destiny criticizes the current media landscape, particularly alternative media influencers who he says don't do proper research or homework. He argues that these influencers have huge incentives to lie and sell conspiracies, making a lot of money by hyping up their audiences. He believes this is destroying discourse and making it difficult to have important conversations about policy.

Trump and the Republican Party

Destiny views Donald Trump as an existential threat to American democracy. He argues that Trump has historically escaped accountability in unprecedented ways and that every possible red flag about Trump's character and intentions has been raised. He believes many conservatives would support fascism if it weren't labeled as such, based on their willingness to trust Trump over all other institutions.

Biden and Democratic Leadership

While acknowledging Biden's cognitive decline, Destiny still supports him over Trump. He argues that Biden has handled complex foreign policy situations well, such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict and Israel-Palestine tensions. He believes Biden's administration has been more effective than many expected, passing bipartisan legislation and addressing issues Trump promised but failed to deliver on.

Political Polarization and Shared Reality

Destiny discusses how political polarization has led to a breakdown in shared reality between conservatives and liberals. He argues that many apparent value disagreements are actually factual disagreements in disguise. For example, debates about vaccine mandates are really about disagreements on the danger of COVID-19 and the safety of vaccines, rather than about personal freedom.

The Role of the President

When asked about the role of the president, Destiny describes it as being the spiritual leader, head representative, and cheerleader for the country. The president is responsible for negotiating treaties, making judicial appointments, pushing legislation, and executing laws. He sees these as crucial functions and believes Biden has performed them well despite concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.

Potential Outcomes of the 2024 Election

Destiny expresses uncertainty about the outcome of the 2024 election, noting that polls don't look good for Biden but that there's been a strange divergence where down-ballot Democrats perform better than expected. He discusses the possibility of the Democratic Party replacing Biden as the nominee, but cautions that this could be risky and unpredictable.

The "Deep State" and Government Dysfunction

Bilyeu brings up concerns about a "deep state" within the government that may work against the president's agenda. Destiny is skeptical of deep state narratives, arguing that if such a thing exists, Trump would be more likely to enable it than Biden. He points to Trump's attempts to interfere with investigations and his pardoning of associates as evidence of this.

Cultural Shifts and Narrative Breakdown

The conversation touches on the breakdown of shared cultural narratives in America. Bilyeu argues that the country no longer has a unifying story of what it means to be American, leading to division at the level of both narrative and values. Destiny agrees that this is a problem, noting how politics has encroached into every aspect of life, making it difficult for people to find common ground.

Destiny criticizes the tendency of people to live in information bubbles, especially online. He argues that the internet has allowed people to filter their experiences to an unhealthy degree, leading to the reinforcement of extreme or unfounded beliefs. This makes it difficult to have productive conversations across ideological lines.

Challenges of Political Discourse

The podcast highlights the challenges of having productive political discussions in the current climate. Destiny expresses frustration with the need to constantly debunk new conspiracy theories or misinformation, feeling that it takes time away from more important policy discussions. He argues that many people lack the skills to critically evaluate information, making them susceptible to manipulation.

Destiny shares personal reflections on how political divisions have affected his family. He mentions that his parents, who are conservative, now believe in many conspiracy theories. This has been painful for him, as he grew up hearing positive things about America from them but now finds himself at odds with their worldview.

Future of American Democracy

The conversation touches on concerns about the future of American democracy. While Destiny is uncertain whether Trump winning would lead to the end of fair elections, he sees it as a possibility. He expresses worry about Trump's understanding of how to manipulate the system in a second term and the potential for significant dismantling of federal agencies and democratic norms.

Media Responsibility and Public Discourse

Destiny calls for more accountability in media, particularly among alternative media figures. He argues that there need to be consequences for spreading misinformation or making false predictions. He sees this as crucial for improving the quality of public discourse and decision-making.

Conclusion and Looking Forward

Bilyeu expresses hope that Destiny will continue to engage in substantive debates and not fully embrace a "blood sport" approach. Destiny reiterates his belief in the importance of holding conservatives accountable for their rhetoric and actions. The conversation ends with mutual appreciation for the discussion and recognition of the complex challenges facing American politics and society.