Well, I hope everyone is having a Love filled ‘V’ day!  I’m hoping Ben is feeling a little more loved today, too, and a little less Vexatious about his obsession with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her ‘New Green Deal Plan’.

I stated in My previous Post regarding Ben Shapiro that I felt he was Acting like a jealous man child who didn’t get his Way – now I realize how seriously I understated that claim.

I always like to Give People the benefit of the doubt, so I thought I should at least try and hear the man child out, especially after Writing such a scathing Post about him.  I decided to watch the following video where Ben claims to ‘SLAM’ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez while ‘debunking’ socialism.  It is truly one of the most ridiculous, straw grasping accounts of socialism I have ever had the misfortune of listening to, yet hundreds of thousands of People seem swayed by his rhetoric.  One thing I can’t tolerate is Willful disinformation, so I feel I have something of a Duty and responsibility to clarify some of the ridiculous claims Ben makes in the video.

I strongly recommend watching the video before continuing with My review.  I literally could not sleep last night because I was so enraged by what I heard in the first four minutes (never Mind the rest).  He is NOT educating anyone, he is Willfully dumbing down his audience.

I feel it important to listen to Ben first!  The tactics he uses to manipulate his audience are easy to see once they’re pointed out – I’m wondering how many viewers pick up on them the first time round.  I Writ seven Pages worth of Notes on this speech, just to Give You an Idea how important this is to Me!  My hope is that after watching this and reading My review, My audience Will be able to spot these psychological tactics designed to manipulate and sway public opinion, wherever One may try to implement them.

When You are ready, continue with My review and feel free to listen along with Ben while You read.

Ben Shapiro – Dumbing Down America

Goal – (To fight) Rising Tide of Democratic Socialism

Claim – “Worst system of though ever pervaded against the human race [for Marxism]”

Really? The very first claim Ben makes is clearly false. All One has to do is consider fascism, military dictatorship, slavery, corpocracy, and, just to piss Ben off, let’s throw capitalism in there, too.

On this initial false claim, I’m going to Give Ben a ‘bye’, and presume this is a thesis he is hoping to validate with the rest of his speech.

The next twenty seconds after his ‘thesis’, Ben rattles out unsubstantiated claims and ad hominem remarks attacking the character of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. We also get a hint at his jealousy and envy toward Ocasio-Cortez when he says,

‘she is receiving an outside share of attention for a lady who won a grand total of 17,000 votes inside the democratic primary’. – Ben Shapiro of Ocasio-Cortez

(Demonstrates Ben is feeling a little ‘jaded’ and jealous about this.)

And if that wasn’t enough to demonstrate Ben’s awe of Alexandria’s support, he follows up with a comparison to his audience,

“There are more People watching this live online right now, than voted for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez”

(Clearly shows Ben compares himself to Alexandria and is in competition with her – this was an attempt to ‘prove’ his superiority and diminish Ocasio-Cortez.

This was an important jab for Ben and took some pre-emptive planning. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has 3.12 million followers on Twitter – Ben Shapiro, 1.92 million. Both impressive numbers, but if Ben wants a popularity contest, social media is not the same as politics and We should remember that Ben got ZERO votes inside the democratic primary. This is like comparing apples to oranges, and Ben does it a lot!

Ben then resorts to more ‘ad hominem’ attacks, comparing her exciting, sincere approach to politics to his five year old children, stating that she has great qualities but that doesn’t make her a suitable candidate for running economic policy. An intellect doesn’t need to resort to ad hominem remarks, One should be able to win on the merits of One’s arguments alone. It is important to note that Ben simply cannot do this.

Before Ben begins attempting to prove his ridiculous thesis, he employs the same psychological trick he used in the last video I dissected – he claims a position of authority without earning it. He tells his audience that he is going to tell You what ‘the SEVEN claims are that democratic socialism makes!’ (and that all of them are false). Where are these claims, and who (aside from Ben) made them?

The Seven False Claims of Democratic Socialism

1. Democratic socialism is not socialism
2. Democratic socialism is not forced
3. Socialism is fairer than capitalism
4. Socialism has never been tried before
5. Socialism is Norway

I can’t help but wonder if they sounded better in Ben’s head than they look on paper. Anyway, let’s not even bother as King to Ben where these claims come from, let’s just quickly address the points he makes regarding each one. And no, I didn’t leave any out, Ben lives in an alternate dimension where 5 is the same as 7, and where democratic socialism is the same as socialism.

For his first argument, Ben says that democratic socialism is like adding the word sandwich to turd, suggesting one is still left with a ‘turd sandwich’. He’s really not Good with the metaphors! It is not at all the same. A sandwich without the word turd in front of it, is just a (harmless) sandwich. Socialism without the word democratic in front of it, is just socialism. He’s actually implying that the word democracy is what makes democratic socialism a ‘turd sandwich’, and that socialism itself is harmless! Now, if he’d said it was like putting the word ‘tasty’ before the word turd, he’d have made his point – a tasty turd is still a turd. See how that works? Most People would know what he was trying for, but the room goes silent – his audience isn’t stupid, they noticed the metaphor didn’t work.

For a man who claims that the money he has doesn’t belong to him in the end, but God, he’s sure trying to hang onto it pretty tight!  (Though shall not covet, Ben – 10 Commandments).

“[The ridiculous aphorism] From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”

He has to preclude the [reasonably accurate but not textbook] definition with ‘ridiculous aphorism’ to discredit something that otherwise sounds harmless.

Here is the real, textbook definition of socialism:

“A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”

(In Marxist Theory) – “A transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of Communism”

Now, there is no reason Ben couldn’t have used the real definition, it would probably help his cause (many American’s are deathly afraid of the Word ‘Communism’).

Instead, Ben makes up his own definition:

“Socialist programs redistribute, socialist economics abolish private property and nationalize industry in order to override profit incentives that drive the market.”

Ben Shapiro, redefining socialism.

Ben’s definition of socialism is nothing like the actual definition of socialism and may explain why he’s so terrified of any kind of socialist policy. He also debunks his first argument, where he claimed that democratic socialism is the same as socialism; instead, he further defines the difference, claiming that ‘voting for the use of force is still the use of force’. Clearly, he knows there is a difference between democratic socialism and socialism and claims that if it is voted in democratically, it is ‘unfair’ (forced). Does he think everyone loves Trump? Since when have politics been fair, Ben?

Nowhere do either of his previous definitions cite anything about the use of force, but now he is combining that word with voting? Why? Because he knows what democratic socialism really is, it’s allowing for the majority to vote on social policy (like Universal health care). Nothing at all scary about that! Ben even goes on to Give examples of Great countries with socialist policies that are not socialist! And Ben knows this, that’s why he’s making so many outrageous false claims – he wants to Keep as many industries privatized as possible, that’s what he’s getting paid to do.

He compares allowing People to vote on something like Universal health care, to allowing People to vote on ‘putting a gun to One’s head to rob them’. This is MORE than just grasping at straws, he’s creating his own fantasy narrative!

He EVEN goes on to say that the founding fathers created the declaration of independence to protect the ‘minority’ from socialism! The guy is a complete LOON – and he’s calling out Alexandria! Man, gotta have some audacity to call one’s Self a political pundit, make a speech like this, and call someone else crazy! Oh, and he’s supposed to be a lawyer, too!?

The third argument is so pathetic, it’s not worth spending much time on because the foundation of his argument is false to begin with. He’s claiming it’s unfair because his definition of socialism is a lawless world where a man without money can legally steal someone’s wallet. Like I said, not at all what socialism is about, so I’m not going to waste My time or Yours on this one.

I can actually debunk both four and five together. He (first) claims that socialism has been tried, then cites all the countries that have called themselves socialist as examples. But in his fifth and last argument, he claims that all the current and previous examples of socialism were not really socialist because they still had market economies.

Capitalist America and their record 22 trillion dollar debt!!!

Post Script – I came back to revisit this Post because it was getting a fair bit of attention when first published. The first time I re-read the Post, the video I am critiquing was gone. I Wish I knew how fast Ben took it down, but I thought I would chime in today to let You know that I actually published a total of three Posts critiquing some of Ben’s commentary because his psychological tools of manipulation infuriate Me so much! All of them are GONE. Like they never existed. And Ben has blocked Me on Twitter. That’s a win, People because it was legitimately the goal, and not one I actually expected to make. #BetheChange.

[I also keep all the removed videos on the Page as ‘trophies’.] 😉

Love and Blessings!