Thank you for addressing Joe Rogan’s comments. I’ve never understood his popularity nor paid him much attention (I put him in the ‘Tucker Carlson trash’ bin), and now I’ll pay more attention to him and how he navigates the administration. I appreciate you taking all the time to collect and organize the volume of info you put into this (and every) post!
Thank you so much for this...PJ. I completely get lumping Rogan into the Tucker bin...he’s said and platformed enough outrageous crap to earn a spot there more than once. But what makes him different (and dangerous to Trump) is that he doesn’t stay loyal. He follows instinct more than ideology. And when that instinct turns? A lot of people follow.
I really appreciate you sticking with me through the long posts. These deep dives matter...and comments like yours remind me why I do them.
That line hit me hard...Barry...in the best way. I grew up hearing it too. And you’re right… if we’re the elders now, it’s on us to speak with conviction and carry some of that weight. I don’t know if it’ll all unfold the way I hope...but I do know we’re not powerless, and we sure as hell aren’t alone. Thank you for standing with me. Let’s keep pushing!
This was a great read and thank you for taking the time to legit support your opinion and observation here. I try in my walk of life to be as objective as possible and keep in mind that people are much more complex than a “vote”; that many times they’re not getting the same information as many of us are. Also, there’s confirmation bias—which is indeed a thing—and it affects us all! Thank you for continually being a voice of reason!
PS—I don’t even listen to Rogan but sure am glad a voice as loud as his is finally putting forth some serious critical thinking and questioning this bullshit!
Thank you, Samantha...seriously. You nailed something that too many people forget: we’re all swimming in different currents of information, and yeah...confirmation bias is real...and none of us are immune. But when someone with Rogan’s reach starts calling out the BS...even if we don’t follow him...it matters. It shakes the ground under the people who’ve been blindly trusting the narrative. And I’m here for it. Grateful you're in this with me. Let’s keep dragging truth into the light...no matter who it comes from.
Thank you...Lori...that means a lot. Rogan’s a complicated guy...no doubt. Beneath the bluster and bad takes...there’s a pattern that shows he’s not just some performative blowhard...he’s someone who....when pushed hard enough by truth or conscience... actually shifts. That makes him dangerous to Trump...and valuable to all of us trying to pull the curtain back. Glad this landed with you. More like this coming!
Truth is I used to ignore Joe Rogan and watched a few episodes to see what the fuss was about. Lately he has drawn my attention in a good way. Thank you Jack for your assessment here. There is hope.
I love hearing that, Barbara...and I feel the same. Something’s shifted lately, and it’s worth paying attention to. He’s asking sharper questions...cutting through more of the noise... and honestly? That gives me hope too. Appreciate you reading...reflecting..and being right here in this with me. More to come.
BTW, one of my "secrets" for how I gather information, is I watch/listen to people I like and admire...AND....people I can't stand...and detest. How do I manage to do that?
I literally have a magnifying glass in my drawer, that I pull out when it's time to do my transformation. "What transformation?," you ask?
When I am going to watch a certain episode of Patrick Bet-David, or...Joe Rogan, for example, I get out the magnifying glass and hold it in my hand as I watch. It's my external trigger to shift from Jack Hopkins....to "Professor Kackley." He's a fictional anthropologist I created.
When I shift to an anthropologist...I am free from my usual biases. I simply become an observer. Someone who simply wants to watch. Learn. Make notes about what I observe...and reflect on what it offers me in terms of how this information fits in...or doesn't...with prior information I've gathered.
It's how I watch....without letting the feelings and thoughts of Jack Hopkins preclude me from being able to watch and learn in a deeply curious way. As such, I can learn useful (for my purposes) things from literally anyone.
That's critical when striving to see the things others are likely to miss.
I appreciate you sharing this technique, Jack. This was, for me, a tough piece to get through. Not because of the length but because while I value and hold sacred every individual's right to err and learn and grow, Rogan embodies much of what I find despicable about White men in America. He's a racist and a misogynist and I can't forgive it. I have no desire to hear anything he has to say.
He's maybe not as bad as Ben Shapiro or Jordan Petersen but he doesn't get a pass from me because he's suddenly discovered what many of have known for years.
As a woman and a mother, I have watched these "men" willfully and repeatedly work to subvert rational thinking, empathy, and the safety and well-being of women, children, and poc on the highest levels, all for the glory of likes and followers. Nearly everything that comes out of their mouths is all about them - their egos, how to keep all eyes on them, and how to safeguard their fiefdoms.
So I won't be tuning into any of them BUT I do recognize the cultural and political influence they carry and the significance of their criticisms - however mild in some cases. I understand that this matters because, after all, we do need to put Trump down like the dog that he is.
However, nothing they do or say now will change my personal opinion of them (not that they care!) and I am in no way prepared to forgive anyone who has intentionally contributed to this fucking mess we're in. They will never be the cultural heroes they believe themselves to be. Nor are they the philosophers or intellectuals they pretend to be.
That said, I can play anthropologist and I see the house of cards and how they are likely to crumple. My concern, as ever, is that beating back Trump doesn't solve our most critical, foundational problems.
Even if Rogan and others are successful in taking him down, I do not believe that they are allies in the fight against the deeply entrenched racism in this country, the erosion of women's/lgbtq+ rights, the subversion of democracy, or the continued marginalization of the poor, neurodivergent, and disabled.
As such, they can all fuck right off until the end of time.
I will continue to look to you for distillation of points that matter with regard to this particular set but I will never sing their praises.
I hear you loud and clear. And I respect the hell out of it.
You don’t owe Rogan...or any of these self‑anointed philosopher‑kings...a single ounce of forgiveness or a minute of your time. I can hold two truths in my head at once:
1. They’ve done immense damage...to women, to democracy...to the collective IQ of America. They’ve platformed hate...normalized ignorance...and fed the beast that now threatens to devour us.
2. They are also canaries in the coal mine. Not heroes. Not allies. But their wobbling...even the mildest tremor of “maybe Trump is too much”...is a signal worth dissecting. Because when the carnival barkers start twitching...it means the audience is shifting. And that can change outcomes...whether we like them or not.
I’ll keep distilling their moves so you never have to listen to a word they say. I’m with you on this: the praise will never come from me either. But I’ll use their influence like a crowbar against Trump and his cronies...and then throw it away when the job is done.
Thank you for trusting me to be your filter on this toxic circus. You’re exactly why I keep writing with fire in my gut.
Oh, Jack! THANKS for this “magnifying” response! As we all cycle into our silos, it’s important for you to focus our attention on strategies that’ll help us maneuver those difficult journeys when we’re hearing something that doesn’t jive!
This was an interesting read. I, as others have said, dismissed Rogan as a loyalist. My eyes are open now. It heartens me to see that he holds true to his moral compass. Thanks for this Jack. As difficult as it is to trust folks on the right, we cannot, nor should not remain divided. We do need to listen. Cheers!
It is hard to trust folks who’ve spent years feeding the machine that got us here. But like you...I see the value in the cracks. Rogan wobbling...even slightly...signals that some of the oxygen is leaving Trump’s room.
We don’t have to hand out trust freely. We don’t have to anoint new heroes. But we do have to watch where the wind shifts...because every defection...even a soft one...weakens the walls of this rotten fortress.
Thank you for seeing the bigger picture and for being willing to stay in the fight without blinders. That kind of clarity is exactly what keeps the Firebreak Brigade strong!
I too don’t follow Joe Rogan but had heard he was not as hard line evil as the MAGA /Project 2025 group. Glad you could point out some very significant differences. He actually has a conscious and some form of heart unlike mango Mussolini
Rogan will never be on my “must‑follow” list...but he’s a different creature than the Project 2025 crowd or the full‑blown MAGA ghouls. He may be reckless...self‑absorbed... and often wrong...but he has flashes of a conscience. And that single difference matters, because when someone with his reach starts showing cracks in the Trump armor...it lands in places we can’t reach ourselves.
“Mango Mussolini” has no conscience...no humility...and no loyalty to anything but himself. That contrast is why I keep watching these moments carefully. If even the orbiting planets start wobbling...the gravity of Trump’s empire weakens.
Thanks for catching the nuance here...and for being part of the crew that can see the game behind the noise. This is exactly how we spot the cracks before the walls fall.
I grew up with a brother that I called a poor man’s drumpf he had all of the attributes right down to the drugs. He used our mom like an ATM. During mom’s last year and half I had full control over her finances due to her memory issues. She was in a nursing home by then. He was furious! I was being threatened and followers. I went to the courts and got the restraining order with him in the courtroom. The judge said he was not “credible “ more than once since he would not shut up. She said he would land in jail if he did not obey the law. It worked for me. He did not come to the hospice facility to see her before she died. She passed in 2018 and he died of a massive stroke in 2019. One rarely gets to see the “ bad guy” get his but this time I did. Now if only McDonald’s can do its magic and help someone to the other side where it is much warmer than earth!
Hey, Teri! Good for you for posting this and standing up for your Mom. My heart is with you, as I have a brother like your brother, who seems more focused on his own needs/
I hear you. I think when things have reached this point...it's okay to have hope in anything that, psychologically and behaviorally...indicates a shift in the right direction. It's not so much desperation as it is the application of astute observation.
Once again, you give me hope, Jack. Perhaps what gave Rogan such reach in the first place is that people sensed a sincerity in what he says. This stands in contrast to many pundits who have been caught spouting party line (on either side) only to switch sides when switching to a different paymaster.
You’re right...Rogan’s reach didn’t come from slick production or party loyalty. It came from that perceived sincerity people can smell a mile away...even if we disagree with half of what comes out of his mouth. That’s the edge he has over the pundits who’ll dance for any paymaster and then pivot like nothing happened.
And this is why his wobble matters. It’s not because he’s a hero. It’s because when his audience starts hearing doubt in his voice...it sends a signal that no party‑line talking head can match. Those ripples reach people we could never reach on our own.
Thank you for recognizing that spark. Every time someone like you keeps hope alive...it fuels the fight. This is exactly how we turn their cracks into our leverage.
I hope there are lots of loud voices brining this regime down. I too pay no attention to Joe Rogan abd the other pods of the right. So when they comment, I tune them out. I appreciate your discussion and explanation about why it matters.
This post brought me up short. I am so grateful for it and for your writing, Jack. Technically-wise, this was a terrifically effective writing structure that pulled me along, one bite of intriguing writing at a time; unfolding, making clear and supported points, and allowing me to wade into what for me has been one of the most distasteful and infuriating phenomena of our era right now, which is the whole bullshit bro-sphere. God I hate these idiots who sit behind a microphone with their stupid hats or t shirts or whatever and spout their BS. Have any of them sacrificed anything, any time or effort for something bigger than themselves that didn't pay them millions? And there's also the whole Russian influence.I digress......
The fact that many of them supported trump in the first place is something I'll never forgive or forget. But I also was not aware of the reality of Rogan, in this case, that you illuminated so well. He is more complex and humanistic than I thought. Shame on me for writing him off and throwing him in the bin with those other f$%^heads. This is why you're there and I'm here in my little room reading your posts! It is good news, yes. But like many others, I surmise, after so much harm has been done and this monster was reelected, it feels like a lot of 'too little too late'. But you nailed the point that, as distasteful to people like me as this might be, it 's the reality and it is what changes people's (fickle) minds!
Thank you for addressing Joe Rogan’s comments. I’ve never understood his popularity nor paid him much attention (I put him in the ‘Tucker Carlson trash’ bin), and now I’ll pay more attention to him and how he navigates the administration. I appreciate you taking all the time to collect and organize the volume of info you put into this (and every) post!
Thank you so much for this...PJ. I completely get lumping Rogan into the Tucker bin...he’s said and platformed enough outrageous crap to earn a spot there more than once. But what makes him different (and dangerous to Trump) is that he doesn’t stay loyal. He follows instinct more than ideology. And when that instinct turns? A lot of people follow.
I really appreciate you sticking with me through the long posts. These deep dives matter...and comments like yours remind me why I do them.
-Jack
Elders from the neighborhood used to say, "from your mouth to God's ears". Now I'm an elder, so the time has come. Hope all you say comes to fruition.
That line hit me hard...Barry...in the best way. I grew up hearing it too. And you’re right… if we’re the elders now, it’s on us to speak with conviction and carry some of that weight. I don’t know if it’ll all unfold the way I hope...but I do know we’re not powerless, and we sure as hell aren’t alone. Thank you for standing with me. Let’s keep pushing!
-Jack
This was a great read and thank you for taking the time to legit support your opinion and observation here. I try in my walk of life to be as objective as possible and keep in mind that people are much more complex than a “vote”; that many times they’re not getting the same information as many of us are. Also, there’s confirmation bias—which is indeed a thing—and it affects us all! Thank you for continually being a voice of reason!
PS—I don’t even listen to Rogan but sure am glad a voice as loud as his is finally putting forth some serious critical thinking and questioning this bullshit!
Thank you, Samantha...seriously. You nailed something that too many people forget: we’re all swimming in different currents of information, and yeah...confirmation bias is real...and none of us are immune. But when someone with Rogan’s reach starts calling out the BS...even if we don’t follow him...it matters. It shakes the ground under the people who’ve been blindly trusting the narrative. And I’m here for it. Grateful you're in this with me. Let’s keep dragging truth into the light...no matter who it comes from.
-Jack
Absolutely! We’re all so grateful for you 🙏💖
Likewise, Samantha!!
Thank you for this insightful article Jack. It really shows a side of Joe Rogan that I wasn’t aware of. 🩷
Thank you...Lori...that means a lot. Rogan’s a complicated guy...no doubt. Beneath the bluster and bad takes...there’s a pattern that shows he’s not just some performative blowhard...he’s someone who....when pushed hard enough by truth or conscience... actually shifts. That makes him dangerous to Trump...and valuable to all of us trying to pull the curtain back. Glad this landed with you. More like this coming!
-Jack
Truth is I used to ignore Joe Rogan and watched a few episodes to see what the fuss was about. Lately he has drawn my attention in a good way. Thank you Jack for your assessment here. There is hope.
I love hearing that, Barbara...and I feel the same. Something’s shifted lately, and it’s worth paying attention to. He’s asking sharper questions...cutting through more of the noise... and honestly? That gives me hope too. Appreciate you reading...reflecting..and being right here in this with me. More to come.
BTW, one of my "secrets" for how I gather information, is I watch/listen to people I like and admire...AND....people I can't stand...and detest. How do I manage to do that?
I literally have a magnifying glass in my drawer, that I pull out when it's time to do my transformation. "What transformation?," you ask?
When I am going to watch a certain episode of Patrick Bet-David, or...Joe Rogan, for example, I get out the magnifying glass and hold it in my hand as I watch. It's my external trigger to shift from Jack Hopkins....to "Professor Kackley." He's a fictional anthropologist I created.
When I shift to an anthropologist...I am free from my usual biases. I simply become an observer. Someone who simply wants to watch. Learn. Make notes about what I observe...and reflect on what it offers me in terms of how this information fits in...or doesn't...with prior information I've gathered.
It's how I watch....without letting the feelings and thoughts of Jack Hopkins preclude me from being able to watch and learn in a deeply curious way. As such, I can learn useful (for my purposes) things from literally anyone.
That's critical when striving to see the things others are likely to miss.
Thanks again, Barbara.
-Jack
I appreciate you sharing this technique, Jack. This was, for me, a tough piece to get through. Not because of the length but because while I value and hold sacred every individual's right to err and learn and grow, Rogan embodies much of what I find despicable about White men in America. He's a racist and a misogynist and I can't forgive it. I have no desire to hear anything he has to say.
He's maybe not as bad as Ben Shapiro or Jordan Petersen but he doesn't get a pass from me because he's suddenly discovered what many of have known for years.
As a woman and a mother, I have watched these "men" willfully and repeatedly work to subvert rational thinking, empathy, and the safety and well-being of women, children, and poc on the highest levels, all for the glory of likes and followers. Nearly everything that comes out of their mouths is all about them - their egos, how to keep all eyes on them, and how to safeguard their fiefdoms.
So I won't be tuning into any of them BUT I do recognize the cultural and political influence they carry and the significance of their criticisms - however mild in some cases. I understand that this matters because, after all, we do need to put Trump down like the dog that he is.
However, nothing they do or say now will change my personal opinion of them (not that they care!) and I am in no way prepared to forgive anyone who has intentionally contributed to this fucking mess we're in. They will never be the cultural heroes they believe themselves to be. Nor are they the philosophers or intellectuals they pretend to be.
That said, I can play anthropologist and I see the house of cards and how they are likely to crumple. My concern, as ever, is that beating back Trump doesn't solve our most critical, foundational problems.
Even if Rogan and others are successful in taking him down, I do not believe that they are allies in the fight against the deeply entrenched racism in this country, the erosion of women's/lgbtq+ rights, the subversion of democracy, or the continued marginalization of the poor, neurodivergent, and disabled.
As such, they can all fuck right off until the end of time.
I will continue to look to you for distillation of points that matter with regard to this particular set but I will never sing their praises.
I hear you loud and clear. And I respect the hell out of it.
You don’t owe Rogan...or any of these self‑anointed philosopher‑kings...a single ounce of forgiveness or a minute of your time. I can hold two truths in my head at once:
1. They’ve done immense damage...to women, to democracy...to the collective IQ of America. They’ve platformed hate...normalized ignorance...and fed the beast that now threatens to devour us.
2. They are also canaries in the coal mine. Not heroes. Not allies. But their wobbling...even the mildest tremor of “maybe Trump is too much”...is a signal worth dissecting. Because when the carnival barkers start twitching...it means the audience is shifting. And that can change outcomes...whether we like them or not.
I’ll keep distilling their moves so you never have to listen to a word they say. I’m with you on this: the praise will never come from me either. But I’ll use their influence like a crowbar against Trump and his cronies...and then throw it away when the job is done.
Thank you for trusting me to be your filter on this toxic circus. You’re exactly why I keep writing with fire in my gut.
–Jack
That is a really neat idea!
Thank you. I've gotten a lot of mileage out of it.
Oh, Jack! THANKS for this “magnifying” response! As we all cycle into our silos, it’s important for you to focus our attention on strategies that’ll help us maneuver those difficult journeys when we’re hearing something that doesn’t jive!
This was an interesting read. I, as others have said, dismissed Rogan as a loyalist. My eyes are open now. It heartens me to see that he holds true to his moral compass. Thanks for this Jack. As difficult as it is to trust folks on the right, we cannot, nor should not remain divided. We do need to listen. Cheers!
I love how you put this.
It is hard to trust folks who’ve spent years feeding the machine that got us here. But like you...I see the value in the cracks. Rogan wobbling...even slightly...signals that some of the oxygen is leaving Trump’s room.
We don’t have to hand out trust freely. We don’t have to anoint new heroes. But we do have to watch where the wind shifts...because every defection...even a soft one...weakens the walls of this rotten fortress.
Thank you for seeing the bigger picture and for being willing to stay in the fight without blinders. That kind of clarity is exactly what keeps the Firebreak Brigade strong!
–Jack
I too don’t follow Joe Rogan but had heard he was not as hard line evil as the MAGA /Project 2025 group. Glad you could point out some very significant differences. He actually has a conscious and some form of heart unlike mango Mussolini
I’m right there with you, Teri.
Rogan will never be on my “must‑follow” list...but he’s a different creature than the Project 2025 crowd or the full‑blown MAGA ghouls. He may be reckless...self‑absorbed... and often wrong...but he has flashes of a conscience. And that single difference matters, because when someone with his reach starts showing cracks in the Trump armor...it lands in places we can’t reach ourselves.
“Mango Mussolini” has no conscience...no humility...and no loyalty to anything but himself. That contrast is why I keep watching these moments carefully. If even the orbiting planets start wobbling...the gravity of Trump’s empire weakens.
Thanks for catching the nuance here...and for being part of the crew that can see the game behind the noise. This is exactly how we spot the cracks before the walls fall.
–Jack
I grew up with a brother that I called a poor man’s drumpf he had all of the attributes right down to the drugs. He used our mom like an ATM. During mom’s last year and half I had full control over her finances due to her memory issues. She was in a nursing home by then. He was furious! I was being threatened and followers. I went to the courts and got the restraining order with him in the courtroom. The judge said he was not “credible “ more than once since he would not shut up. She said he would land in jail if he did not obey the law. It worked for me. He did not come to the hospice facility to see her before she died. She passed in 2018 and he died of a massive stroke in 2019. One rarely gets to see the “ bad guy” get his but this time I did. Now if only McDonald’s can do its magic and help someone to the other side where it is much warmer than earth!
Hey, Teri! Good for you for posting this and standing up for your Mom. My heart is with you, as I have a brother like your brother, who seems more focused on his own needs/
Can’t believe I’m putting some hope behind Rogan…pretty desperate.
I hear you. I think when things have reached this point...it's okay to have hope in anything that, psychologically and behaviorally...indicates a shift in the right direction. It's not so much desperation as it is the application of astute observation.
-Jack
Once again, you give me hope, Jack. Perhaps what gave Rogan such reach in the first place is that people sensed a sincerity in what he says. This stands in contrast to many pundits who have been caught spouting party line (on either side) only to switch sides when switching to a different paymaster.
I really appreciate this reflection, Cindy.
You’re right...Rogan’s reach didn’t come from slick production or party loyalty. It came from that perceived sincerity people can smell a mile away...even if we disagree with half of what comes out of his mouth. That’s the edge he has over the pundits who’ll dance for any paymaster and then pivot like nothing happened.
And this is why his wobble matters. It’s not because he’s a hero. It’s because when his audience starts hearing doubt in his voice...it sends a signal that no party‑line talking head can match. Those ripples reach people we could never reach on our own.
Thank you for recognizing that spark. Every time someone like you keeps hope alive...it fuels the fight. This is exactly how we turn their cracks into our leverage.
–Jack
I hope there are lots of loud voices brining this regime down. I too pay no attention to Joe Rogan abd the other pods of the right. So when they comment, I tune them out. I appreciate your discussion and explanation about why it matters.
This post brought me up short. I am so grateful for it and for your writing, Jack. Technically-wise, this was a terrifically effective writing structure that pulled me along, one bite of intriguing writing at a time; unfolding, making clear and supported points, and allowing me to wade into what for me has been one of the most distasteful and infuriating phenomena of our era right now, which is the whole bullshit bro-sphere. God I hate these idiots who sit behind a microphone with their stupid hats or t shirts or whatever and spout their BS. Have any of them sacrificed anything, any time or effort for something bigger than themselves that didn't pay them millions? And there's also the whole Russian influence.I digress......
The fact that many of them supported trump in the first place is something I'll never forgive or forget. But I also was not aware of the reality of Rogan, in this case, that you illuminated so well. He is more complex and humanistic than I thought. Shame on me for writing him off and throwing him in the bin with those other f$%^heads. This is why you're there and I'm here in my little room reading your posts! It is good news, yes. But like many others, I surmise, after so much harm has been done and this monster was reelected, it feels like a lot of 'too little too late'. But you nailed the point that, as distasteful to people like me as this might be, it 's the reality and it is what changes people's (fickle) minds!