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Ok slow down there. They don't SPEND hundreds of thousands on those topics, they MAKE hundreds of thousands on those topics. Comedy Central/Viacom is not UNIC
by lujim 10y ago
Ok slow down there. They don't SPEND hundreds of thousands on those topics, they MAKE hundreds of thousands on those topics. Comedy Central/Viacom is not UNICEF and John Oliver is not a career humanitarian. They entertain people. When that is too hard they just pander to the most prominent demographic to gain viewership because that's how they generate revenue.
- scrollaway 10y agoYou're under the impression that all that matters is the final number. They're still spending that money, regardless of whether they make it all back. Let's say I win some lottery and I MAKE $100k. I decide to SPEND $90k of that by giving it to charity. My gesture doesn't count because I'm still in the net positive by your logic. Yes, he runs a profitable show. Nobody said he's a career humanitarian. But you said, quoting, "he has just become a left wing slacktivist". Slacktivism is a term that pokes fun at people clicking Like on facebook and signing worthless petitions then feeling like they made a real difference. That you equate him to that is insulting and offensive to just about everybody.
- lujim 10y agoSo you don't question the motivations of a televangelist minister with private jets as long as he spends some money on what appear to be altruistic purposes? If I said that guy is just using peoples emotions and beliefs to generate revenue would that be "offensive to just about everybody".
- marxidad 10y agoI don't think it's fair to compare John Oliver to a televangelist minister with private jets.
- lujim 10y agoWell to be fair you're stripping away the context of the discussion I was having. An internet enthusiast believed that I was minimizing John Oliver's work by calling him a slacktivist. I felt like pandering to beliefs and emotions of your target demo without taking any real meaningful action other than talk and throwing around token amounts of money is insincere. Then he said John Oliver and HBO spend thousands of dollars to produce this show and report these stories. I countered that they make many more thousands in return for their effort. The internet enthusiast claimed that no matter how much gross revenue was made that any amount of charitable donation was good enough to be considered a full fledged caring activist. I questioned whether preachers flying in jets where admirable if they spend some small quantity of money on worthwhile causes. In the end neither I nor the internet enthusiast found common ground.
- aptwebapps 10y agoIf'd just conceded that 'slactivist' was a poor choice of words (because as it is commonly used it does not match the criticisms you are leveling at Oliver) you both could have saved a lot of typing.
- scrollaway 10y agoWhat is it in your mind that equates a "giveaway" as part of a larger program, to the abuse of impressionable people's donations to purchase expensive leisure items? Seriously, what the hell?
- lujim 10y agoWhat's with the swearing and lords name in vaining? Relax. How would you feel if I used John Olivers name in vain?
- nacs 10y ago> Comedy Central/Viacom is not UNICEF and John Oliver is not a career humanitarian His show is on HBO, not Comedy Central.
- lujim 10y agoI didn't make the jump with him and quit watching Comedy Central after Colbert signed off.
- sdenton4 10y agoDoesn't making all that money also undermine the slacktivist label? No one's going to tell Oliver that the bums lost...