Oliver Bateman Does the WorkVerified account

i don't use the word "grifter," a term with zero meaning aside from when influencers who are deeply worried about their own operations call you one to deflect suspicion that they themselves are. they're not grifters, though: they do the work. that is its own kind of economy.

i mean, the characters in jim thompson's the grifters are grifters -- they're running illegitimate scams and hustles and roping in legitimate folks. but when your whole business is just brand hustling, that's not a grift, distasteful though it might be. retire the term.

these folks call each other "grifters" because they're battling over the marketplace. it's like running down a competing company's automobiles as "lemons" or accusing them of using "frozen" instead of fresh ground beef, etc. it's part of the advertising.

Genuine question, do you find the way you criticize media figures on What's Left to be different from that? It seems like the point of the Krystal Ball critique is that she doesn't hold her positions authentically.

Insofar as I've got issues with her, it's merely to remind the listeners of her transition. She's an interesting case, and has progressed rapidly through the mainstream media. I don't want her to be de-platformed, lose money, whatever. But knowing her biography is interesting

I can't speak for Aimee but my interest in these figures is merely in pointing out where they sit in the market I'm mentioning in the tweets above. My problem with any of them is that some may mistake them for political actors instead of products

I agree it's important context to have and I appreciated it. I just wonder if there's any way to transcend media and takes as products.

The founders published under pseudonyms and engaged in vigorous debates in the press. Of course, pseudonyms can be commodified as well, but at least it's just a brand and not your personal brand.