Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Hold Still... Here's A Nice Thumb In Your Eye"
Date: September 15, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

This episode centers on American polarization, the effects of social media, and recent news events—including political violence and media bias. The hosts discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the role of social media in fueling division, reactions in media and culture (like the Emmys), and broader implications for society and politics. The episode also covers lighter topics like exercise, personal anecdotes, and quick takes on trending news and oddities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Social Media’s Destructive Role & Political Extremism

• Governor Spencer Cox Remarks (03:39–07:44)
  • A guest (presumably Governor Spencer Cox of Utah) describes the "deep, dark Internet" and the memeification of society influencing political violence.
  • Cox argues that social media platforms exploit "dopamine hits," creating "conflict entrepreneurs"—those profiting by provoking outrage and division.
    • Quote: "The most powerful companies in the history of the world have figured out how to hack our brains, get us addicted to outrage, and get us to hate each other." — Guest [05:46]
  • Cox connects social media use to an increase in political violence, calling the problem akin to a "cancer," especially for young people.
    • Quote: "I believe that social media has played a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt that we have seen over the last five, six years." — Guest [07:09]
  • Utah has enacted reforms, but big tech lawsuits stall enforcement.
• Host Response:
  • Jack expresses deep pessimism about reversing these trends: "We're doomed. There's no way out of this." [07:51]
  • Joe suggests only an authoritarian government could stamp out the problem, a cure worse than the disease.
    • Quote: "The only cure for this I see is a semi-totalitarian government that doesn't give a wit about free speech…" — Joe Getty [08:45]

2. Individual vs. Societal Solutions

• The hosts debate whether personal vigilance is the only realistic defense against social media’s toxicity.
  • Jack notes people actively seek echo chambers as a form of "self-care."
    • Quote: “People find so much comfort in hearing the other side demonized. It’s like relaxing.…It’s self-care.” — Jack Armstrong [10:54]
  • Both lament the absence of solutions for saving society as a whole, instead advocating for personal responsibility.
    • Joe: “Society is doomed. So look after yourself and the people you care about.” [10:13]

3. Culture and Media’s Role in Polarization

• Reaction to the Emmys (19:54–23:36)
  • Jack criticizes the Emmys as an example of Hollywood catering to only one political side, highlighting Stephen Colbert’s prominent role and standing ovation.
    • Quote: "They made it clear to you that you're wasting your time watching this because we're only interested in talking to ourselves." — Jack Armstrong [20:12]
  • The Emmys did not mention or honor Charlie Kirk after his death, which the hosts take as evidence of increased division.
    • Jack speculates this was to avoid boos if a moment of silence were held.

4. Cancel Culture and the "Blue Sky-ization" of the Left

• Segment on Progressives and Social Media (42:54–48:24)
  • Jack summarizes an essay by a progressive writer, comparing cancel culture to an "invincible weapon" that stopped working once corporations realized threats of boycotts lacked real power.
    • Quote: "Progressives got addicted to the power of cancel culture… and when it stopped working, they just didn’t know what else to do." — Jack Armstrong (paraphrasing essay) [44:45]
  • On Blue Sky, a progressive Twitter alternative, activists now turn on each other due to lack of ideological adversaries.
  • Joe observes, “You stop persuading people. You just bullied them.” [46:16]
• Both hosts see this as symptomatic of broader dysfunction on the left and a cautionary tale about the dangers of intellectual inbreeding and retreat from persuasion.

5. News Roundup and Political Tidbits

• World and National News (28:24–34:18)
  • U.S. and Venezuela tensions rise as each side increases military readiness [28:24].
  • Alphabet (Google) surpasses $3 trillion in market value, joining a club of massive US tech firms [30:51].
  • Updates on potential Trump administration deals regarding TikTok and trade with China [31:43].
  • News on Trump’s stances toward Russia, Ukraine, crime in US cities (sending National Guard troops), and his polarizing rhetoric [33:01–34:18].
  • Brief humorous asides, e.g., a new vaccine for koala chlamydia [34:31].

6. Lifestyle & Health: "Surprise Your Bones"

• Jumping for Bone Health (34:31–37:39)
  • Jack shares a study: jumping ("surprising your bones") is highly effective for bone health and preventing decline with age.
    • Hosts joke about how rarely adults jump, with playful banter about exercise routines and trampoline use.

7. Golf Anecdote & Closing

• John Daly's Infamous Round (48:24–49:54)
  • Jack recounts golf legend John Daly's meltdown, scoring a 19 on one hole after repeatedly hitting the same poor shot.
    • The tale serves as a metaphor for futility and self-sabotage, ending in laughter and mutual ribbing.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "The most powerful companies... have figured out how to hack our brains, get us addicted to outrage and get us to hate each other." — Guest [05:46]
• “Conflict entrepreneurs are taking advantage of us and we are losing our agency.” — Guest [05:46]
• "Society is doomed. So look after yourself and the people you care about." — Joe Getty [10:13]
• “People find so much comfort in hearing the other side demonized. It’s like relaxing.…It’s self-care.” — Jack Armstrong [10:54]
• "They made it clear to you that you're wasting your time watching this because we're only interested in talking to ourselves." — Jack Armstrong [20:12]
• "You stop persuading people. You just bullied them." — Joe Getty [46:16]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:39–07:44 – Governor Spencer Cox on social media, Internet toxicity, and violence
• 07:51–11:48 – Armstrong & Getty discuss doom loop, echo chambers, and personal responses
• 19:54–23:36 – The Emmys, media bias, and disregard for conservative voices
• 28:24–34:18 – Fast-moving world news (US-Venezuela, tech valuations, TikTok/China news, Trump)
• 34:31–37:39 – Health and fitness: “surprise your bones” through jumping
• 42:54–48:24 – Cancel culture, the problem with insular progressive discourse
• 48:24–49:54 – John Daly’s golf round and comic relief

Memorable Moments

• Jack’s frank pessimism on American polarization: "We're doomed. There's no way out of this." [07:51]
• The existential self-care of seeking echo chambers: “At the end of a long, hard day of work, it’s just fun to hear all the other side is evil.” — Jack Armstrong [11:48]
• The "Blue Sky-ization" metaphor for progressive self-destruction and echo chambers [42:54]

Tone & Style

Wry, conversational, sometimes darkly humorous. The hosts approach serious subjects—political violence, social breakdown, media echo chambers—with a mix of fatalism, sarcasm, and mordant wit, as well as self-deprecating banter and playful asides.

Summary

This episode candidly examines the American predicament: growing polarization, the corrosive effects of social media, the impotence of traditional solutions, and the shifting contours of media and activism. Armstrong & Getty alternate between deep worry about society’s trajectory and resigned humor, offering sharp critique and occasional practical advice—while never losing their trademark skeptical edge.

For listeners seeking the pulse of current cultural and political anxieties, this episode is essential, alternately sobering and wryly entertaining.