Podcast Summary: Digital Social Hour

Episode: Older Millennial: The RNC's Social Media Problem: Why Conservatives Struggle Online | DSH #1483
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: The Older Millennial
Date: August 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sean Kelly sits down with "The Older Millennial" at the Student Action Summit for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about why conservatives struggle on social media, the evolving generational divide in politics, and pressing issues facing America today. From cancel culture to immigration, from the conservative movement’s lackluster digital strategy to the state of U.S. foreign policy, the discussion is lively, unfiltered, and often humorous.

Key Discussion Points

1. Personal Political Journeys and Ideological Shifts

• The Older Millennial describes not growing up politically conservative, echoing the adage, “If you’re not liberal in your 20s, you don’t have a heart. If you’re not conservative in your 30s, you don’t have a brain.” (01:53)

  • “I just didn’t care. … And then it kind of smacks you in the face.” (02:05)

• Describes evolving views on issues like abortion, shifting from “I don’t care” pro-choice to pro-life after direct conversations and research. (08:21)

  “I was convinced to be pro-life. … If somebody’s got a good argument, I want to hear it.”
  — The Older Millennial [08:36]

2. Conservatives’ Online Struggles & Social Media Bans

• Conservative creators face outsized challenges on platforms, with the guest claiming to have been banned on TikTok 66 times before finally getting verified.

  “I’m on my 67th account. … I’ve had more than a million followers 20 times.”
  — The Older Millennial [22:33]

• The RNC’s dated, ineffective approach to social media is critiqued:

  “They are all—they don’t understand how it works. … The left crushes it.”
  — Sean Kelly [22:21]

• Left-leaning creators have more support and fewer bans compared to conservative voices, contributing to a digital imbalance.

3. Shifting Youth Political Trends

• Noted that today’s young generation is trending conservative due, in part, to early exposure to adult challenges and feeling alienated or blamed by left-wing narratives.

  “You become conservative when the real world hits you … they’re having to grow up a lot faster, [and] become conservative a lot faster.”
  — The Older Millennial [03:52]

• The perception that the left no longer appeals to young people by being the “party of rules and regulations.” (04:10)

4. Immigration, National Identity, and Assimilation

• Skepticism of modern U.S. immigration policy:

  “It was a strength when you were bringing people in who wanted to be Americans. … Now … they just want the benefits while repping their culture.”
  — The Older Millennial [02:19]

• The importance of prioritizing American identity over hyphenated identities is emphasized:

  “We’re the only country in the world that hyphenates. … Why would you be an African-American? Just be an American.”
  — The Older Millennial [03:22]

5. Critiques of the Political Left and Cancel Culture

• Claims the left resorts to personal attacks rather than policy debate.

  “When they bring personal into debates, … you’re losing when you do that.”
  — Sean Kelly [01:36]

  “They don’t have valid political arguments. They have insults and hatred.”
  — The Older Millennial [01:41]

• On cancellation and apology culture:

  “On the left, if you say something that offends people … now you’re left out in the cold. … You can never be woke enough.”
  — The Older Millennial [05:27], [05:44]

• Conservative influencers characterized as more ideologically committed but financially unsupported:

  “Every conservative influencer I know is struggling moneywise.”
  — Sean Kelly [22:01]

6. On Foreign Policy and America First

• Strong critique of U.S. involvement abroad and provision of foreign aid.

  “America has a weird FOMO with everything else in the world. … We’re not focused on America.”
  — The Older Millennial [12:03], [12:41]

• Cites the irony of “America First” being controversial, while other leaders (Macron, etc.) operate similarly for their nations.

  “Saying you’re America first doesn’t mean you hate the world. … Make your own bed, clean your own room before you try to save the world.”
  — The Older Millennial [12:58]

7. Economics, Capitalism, and Industry Capture

• Open defense of meritocracy and capitalism, skepticism of socialism.

  “You can’t have equality of outcome without equality of effort, and you’re never going to have that.”
  — The Older Millennial [14:38]

• Criticizes industry consolidation, e.g., Big Food, Big Pharma, Visa/MasterCard:

  “They might as well be a monopoly. … Power is so centralized right now … you have an oligarchy at that point.”
  — The Older Millennial [15:12], [15:46]

• Cites excessive interchange fees and lack of congressional will to change:

  “Congress isn’t interested in changing. … Did this benefit Congress? Yes, that’s why they did it.”
  — The Older Millennial [17:52], [18:05]

8. Government Reform, Corruption, Influence

• Outlines ideas for Congressional reform: term limits, salary tied to state median income, remote work for legislators.

  “Being in Congress shouldn’t be a career. It should be a service that you give.”
  — The Older Millennial [18:12]

  “Everybody in Congress should be paid the median salary of the state they represent.”
  — The Older Millennial [18:38]

• Wants to ban corporate and personal donations to political candidates.

  “Every candidate for office should have a set amount of money that they can spend, and there should be no donations.”
  — The Older Millennial [19:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-------------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:53 | The Older Millennial | “If you’re not liberal in your 20s, you don’t have a heart. If you’re not conservative in your 30s, you don’t have a brain.” | | 03:52 | The Older Millennial | “You become conservative when the real world hits you … they’re having to grow up faster.” | | 05:27 | The Older Millennial | “On the left, if you say something that offends people … now you’re left out in the cold.” | | 08:36 | The Older Millennial | “I was convinced to be pro-life. … If somebody’s got a good argument, I want to hear it.” | | 12:03 | The Older Millennial | “America has a weird FOMO with everything else in the world. … We’re not focused on America.” | | 14:38 | The Older Millennial | “You can’t have equality of outcome without equality of effort, and you’re never going to have that.” | | 18:38 | The Older Millennial | “Everybody in Congress should be paid the median salary of the state they represent.” | | 22:33 | The Older Millennial | “I’m on my 67th account. … I’ve had more than a million followers 20 times.” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Immigration & National Identity: 02:12 – 03:27
• Youth Trends & Party Image: 03:27 – 04:25
• Social Media and Conservative Struggles: 22:21 – 23:02
• Congress Reform Proposals: 18:12 – 19:46
• Industry Consolidation & Credit Card Monopoly: 15:12 – 16:27
• On Foreign Aid and U.S. Involvement: 12:03 – 14:29

Conclusion

A frank and engaging discussion, this episode explores the challenges faced by conservative voices online, the philosophical rift between young Americans and establishment politics, and offers specific critiques on government, media, and the conservative movement’s missteps in digital outreach. Whether or not one agrees with the guest’s views, the conversation is packed with insights and provocative takes on politics, media, and the future of American conservatism.