On the Media: "In Retrospect" – A Comprehensive Year-End Review of 2022

Hosted by Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger, WNYC Studios' award-winning podcast "On the Media" dives deep into the pivotal events and narratives that shaped 2022. This detailed summary captures the episode's key themes, discussions, insights, and conclusions, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps for clarity.

Introduction

As 2022 drew to a close, Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger took a reflective stance, categorizing the year's major stories into three overarching themes: Everything is War, Everything is Fiction, and Everything is Reverberating. This structure allowed for a nuanced examination of the multifaceted challenges faced by society, media, and governance.

1. Everything is War

Metaphors of Conflict in Modern Discourse

The theme "Everything is War" encapsulates the pervasive use of war metaphors in various sectors, reflecting societal tensions and conflicts.

• Civil War Concerns:

  • Brooke Gladstone highlighted the alarming trend of framing societal issues through the lens of war, questioning the implications of such metaphors.
  • "The New York Times and the New Yorker are now running headlines saying, 'Is a Civil War ahead?'... closer to civil war than any of us would like to believe." [05:20]

• Russia's Invasion of Ukraine:

  • The podcast delved into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, emphasizing it as a literal war intertwined with an extensive information war.
  • Olga Tokhariok, a Ukrainian journalist, shared insights on Ukraine's use of media to garner global support: "This is not just Ukraine's fight. Ukraine is fighting for the values of freedom and democracy." [20:45]
  • The discussion underscored the resilience of Ukraine amidst ongoing aggression and the critical role of accurate media portrayal.

Domestic Conflicts: Free Speech and Social Media

• Elon Musk and Twitter:

  • The episode explored Musk's controversial management of Twitter, including the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of journalists' accounts based on public polls.
  • Micah Loewinger remarked: "The ability for the world's richest man to buy the rails and wires of such a massive communications apparatus... is an important reminder of what it means for our communications infrastructure to be up for sale to the highest bidder." [45:30]

• Joe Rogan and Spotify:

  • The discussion touched upon Joe Rogan's influence on free speech, misinformation, and Spotify's role in moderating content.
  • Jill Filipovic, CNN columnist, commented on Rogan's platform: "He is considered by a tremendous number of people... somebody who they can trust." [32:15]

2. Everything is Fiction

Defining Truth in a Post-Truth Era

The second theme addressed the blurred lines between fact and fiction, emphasizing the challenges of navigating truth in contemporary discourse.

• Election Denial and the Big Lie:

  • The podcast examined the persistence of the false narrative that the 2020 U.S. election was stolen, termed the "Big Lie."
  • Astid W. Herndon, New York Times political reporter, explained: "If you don't speak the language [of the Big Lie], they're not gonna really wanna talk to you." [55:10]
  • Micah Loewinger added: "Embracing the Big Lie proved to be a disadvantage... but the fervor of believers burned hot." [59:45]

• Book Bans and Libraries:

  • The rise in book bannings within public libraries was scrutinized, highlighting the conflict between parental rights and educational autonomy.
  • Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire, authors of "A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door," discussed the detrimental impact of such bans: "Children themselves have a right to an education, and they are future citizens who we all have a stake in." [1:10:20]
  • The episode emphasized the essential role of libraries as non-coercive learning spaces amidst increasing censorship threats.

3. Everything is Reverberating

Systemic Challenges and Their Lingering Effects

The final theme delved into enduring systemic issues that continue to influence American society and its institutions.

• COVID-19 Pandemic Response:

  • Ed Young, science writer at The Atlantic, critiqued the U.S. pandemic response, labeling COVID-19 as the third leading cause of death and discussing the resultant societal fatalism.
  • "Fatigue has been stoked by failure. The U.S. went into this pandemic rated as the most prepared country... yet it really did fail to control the pandemic." [1:20:35]

• Gun Violence Crisis:

  • The episode highlighted the surge in gun violence, surpassing car accidents as leading causes of death, especially among children.
  • Victor Black, CNN correspondent, reflected on the national grief: "Family after family, after having nowhere to go with their grief." [1:35:50]
  • Susie Linfield, journalism professor, underscored the power of visual documentation in conveying the grim realities of gun violence: "Photographs can make the actual experience of violence, of degradation, of suffering, realer to us." [1:40:15]

• Economic Confidence and Youth Perspectives:

  • Mark Blythe, political economist at Brown University, discussed declining consumer confidence and its impact on young adults' outlook on the future.
  • "Do we really think that, like, 20 years from now things are going to be totally fine and kids coming out of college are going to have more life chances than they do now?" [1:50:10]

Additional Discussions

Anti-Semitism within Black Communities

• Leo Ferguson, director of Strategic Projects at Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, explored the roots of anti-Semitism among Black Americans, tracing it back to historical interactions with white supremacist ideologies.
  • "The root of anti-Semitism among Negroes is, ironically, the relationship of colored people all over the globe to the Christian world." [1:25:30]
  • The conversation referenced James Baldwin's critical perspectives on Jewish assimilation and racial tensions: "Jewish assimilation into Christendom rather than whiteness." [1:28:45]

Body Image and Racial Implications

• Sabrina Strings, associate professor of sociology at UC Irvine, analyzed the intersection of race and body image, emphasizing the shifting definitions of whiteness and societal standards of beauty.
  • "Whiteness is always aspirational. If it were settled, then we would know who belongs where at all times." [1:45:20]
  • The discussion highlighted historical prejudices, such as stereotypes against Irish immigrants, to illustrate contemporary issues surrounding race and body size: "They arrived fleeing famine, but the moment they arrive in the US they're too fat." [1:48:10]

Conclusion

2022 was portrayed as a year marked by intense conflicts—both literal and metaphorical—that reverberated across the societal fabric. From the looming specter of civil war and global conflicts like Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the internal battles over truth, free speech, and systemic inequalities, the podcast underscored the complex interplay of forces shaping the American experience. Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger concluded with a call for awareness and proactive engagement to navigate the "perpetual reverberation" of these challenges, emphasizing the importance of informed discourse and collective resilience.

As Brooke aptly summarized: "It's just really hard. But what's the alternative? Perpetual reverberation." [2:00:00]

Notable Quotes:

• "The ability for the world's richest man to buy the rails and wires of such a massive communications apparatus... is an important reminder of what it means for our communications infrastructure to be up for sale to the highest bidder." — Micah Loewinger [45:30]

• "This is not just Ukraine's fight. Ukraine is fighting for the values of freedom and democracy." — Olga Tokhariok [20:45]

• "If you don't speak the language [of the Big Lie], they're not gonna really wanna talk to you." — Astid W. Herndon [55:10]

• "Whiteness is always aspirational. If it were settled, then we would know who belongs where at all times." — Sabrina Strings [1:45:20]

This summary provides an in-depth overview of the "In Retrospect" episode, offering insights into the pivotal discussions that defined 2022. Whether you're revisiting the year's events or exploring them anew, this guide serves as a comprehensive resource to understand the complex narratives that continue to shape our world.