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In my latest Substack Live conversation, I was happy to talk to my friend and former Rantt Media collaborator Greg Fish. Greg is a Ukrainian-American writer, computer scientist, international radio contributor, and author of the Cyberpunk Survival Guide.
We dove into the mechanics of right-wing media consolidation and the dangerous incentives driving it. From billionaires buying up outlets to the ways social platforms amplify extremism, we explore how radicalization isn’t just a political project—it’s a business model.
We talk about how this manufactured nihilism machine impacts our culture, why it’s such a powerful tool for authoritarian movements, and what it means for the future of democracy if unchecked.
This conversation pulls back the curtain on the financial and structural forces that are turning disinformation into profit and reshaping our information ecosystem in ways that affect us all. We also talk about the role independent media plays in pushing back on this increasingly consolidated media environment.
As heavy as these issues are, Greg and I ended our talk on a hopeful note. We talked about how authoritarian systems, no matter how entrenched, are always brittle because they require constant effort to sustain. The same outrage economy that fuels radicalization also breeds exhaustion and backlash.
People are waking up - by using their wallets to sway corporations (like in the case of Disney and Kimmel), organizing their communities, or simply refusing to buy into the cynicism. That leaves space for optimism. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but every time citizens push back against disinformation, every time independent voices hold power accountable, every time someone defies Donald Trump, it strengthens the foundations of democracy.
