Best of the Program | 1/9/25 - The Glenn Beck Program

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Glenn Beck Program | Best of the Program | 1/9/25

Host: Glenn Beck
Network: Blaze Podcast Network
Release Date: January 9, 2025
Duration: Approximately 36 minutes

1. Introduction

In the "Best of the Program" episode aired on January 9, 2025, Glenn Beck delves into pressing issues affecting California, the evolving landscape of the Internet, and the profound impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on modern society. The episode weaves personal anecdotes with broader socio-political analysis, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of current challenges and future implications.

2. California Wildfires: A Modern Crisis

a. Current Wildfires and Personal Impact

Glenn Beck opens the discussion by addressing the severe wildfire situation in California, expressing deep compassion for those affected. He shares a personal experience from a minor forest fire in Idaho, highlighting the unpredictable and destructive nature of such disasters.

Glenn Beck [00:03:15]: "You know, this is a rate if you've never seen a forest fire, you can't really describe. It's almost like a tornado. Unless you've been in a tornado or seen the damage afterwards, you really don't know what you're talking about."

b. Historical Comparison: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire

Beck draws parallels between the current wildfires and the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire. He emphasizes the resilience of the San Francisco citizens who rebuilt their city from the ashes, serving as an inspiration for today's Californians.

Glenn Beck [00:10:45]: "By the time the fires burnt out, 80% of San Francisco was gone. But the citizens refused to give up and began to rebuild not just their homes, but their entire way of life."

c. Forest Management and Bureaucratic Hindrances

A critical analysis follows, where Beck attributes the exacerbation of wildfires to poor forest management and bureaucratic red tape. He contrasts California's approach with that of countries like Sweden and Finland, which prioritize sustainable forest practices and job creation through biomass energy.

Glenn Beck [00:16:20]: "Their forests are full of underbrush, dead trees, dried vegetation, which is kindling for those flames... Environmental regulations and lawsuits have blocked life-saving solutions."

d. Insurance Challenges

Beck critiques the role of insurance companies in California, likening their operations to "legalized gambling." He explains how the increasing frequency of disasters forces insurers to withdraw from high-risk areas, leaving residents without necessary coverage.

Glenn Beck [00:21:50]: "Insurance companies are betting that everyone won't get catastrophes at the same time. But in California, with the constant threats of fires and floods, their model is collapsing."

3. The Human Spirit and Rebuilding

Beck shares an uplifting narrative about the post-1906 San Francisco rebuilding efforts, highlighting the determination and collaborative spirit of its citizens. He contrasts this with current struggles, questioning whether California has the leadership and vision to overcome its challenges.

Glenn Beck [00:27:30]: "The human spirit is stronger than any disaster. When you come together, we can rebuild the cities, we can rebuild the lives, the communities, the future for our children."

4. The Death and Rebirth of the Internet

a. Introducing the Concept

Transitioning from physical disasters, Beck introduces a metaphorical discussion on the state of the Internet, likening it to California's wildfires. He posits that the Internet, much like uncontrolled wildfires, is being overwhelmed by irrelevant and AI-generated content.

Glenn Beck [00:32:00]: "The Internet is like California on fire. If we don't clear out the dead underbrush, it's going to burn down all the good stuff."

b. Stu Burguiere's Analysis

Stu Burguiere expands on Beck's prediction, citing a Guardian article that discusses how AI-generated content is degrading the quality of the Internet. He describes the proliferation of low-quality, AI-driven information that hampers genuine human interaction and knowledge dissemination.

Stu Burguiere [24:03]: "AI generated slop is slowly killing the Internet. You end up finding basically nonsense... It's like written in a format that is really familiar from AI stories."

c. Glenn Beck's Predictions and Concerns

Beck references his own predictions about the Internet's transformation, emphasizing the looming "death of the Internet" as it's "destroyed and reborn" under AI's influence. He voices his distrust of AI and major tech corporations in controlling and curating online content.

Glenn Beck [26:44]: "The Internet will be destroyed and reborn in 2025... They’re curating the Internet to the point where free will is dying."

d. ChatGPT Verification

Beck engages with ChatGPT to validate his predictions, revealing a 90% probability of AI-driven restructuring leading to a centralized, biased Internet. This interaction underscores his skepticism and fears about the loss of free will and information integrity.

ChatGPT [31:39]: "AI driven tools will continue to restructure the Internet... raising concerns about censorship and bias."

Glenn Beck [31:58]: "Oh, wait, wait, wait. AI curated summaries? That doesn't sound good."

5. Implications for Free Will and Information Access

Beck warns of a future where AI-controlled Internet access manipulates user information intake, effectively eroding free will. He envisions a scenario where information is so heavily curated that users are unknowingly steered towards specific viewpoints and ideas.

Glenn Beck [35:41]: "We're approaching the end of free will... You'll still have a choice, but you've been nudged exactly where they need you to be."

6. Conclusion and Final Reflections

Beck wraps up the episode by reiterating the importance of resilience and proactive leadership in overcoming both physical and digital crises. He calls for determination akin to that of post-1906 San Francisco citizens to address and rectify the systemic issues plaguing California and the Internet.

Glenn Beck [35:55]: "May the people in California have the courage and determination that their forebears did in San Francisco and rise as a phoenix from the ashes."

He also encourages listeners to rate the program on iTunes, signaling the end of the "Best of the Program" episode.

Notable Quotes

Glenn Beck on Forest Fires:

"You cannot describe a forest fire. It is when it's out of control. Just get out of there." [00:03:20]
Glenn Beck on Insurance Companies:

"They're gambling that you are going to pay them more money than they have to pay out. It's legalized gambling." [00:19:10]
Glenn Beck on Internet Resurrection:

"The Internet will be destroyed and reborn in 2025... It's something that has to be done." [26:50]
ChatGPT on AI’s Impact:

"The Internet as we know it will feel more like a centralized, streamlined knowledge platform controlled by a few gatekeepers... raising concerns about censorship and bias." [31:39]
Glenn Beck on Free Will:

"We're approaching the end of free will. You won't have it." [35:41]

Final Thoughts

This episode of "The Glenn Beck Program" offers a potent mix of empathy, historical analysis, and cautionary insights into the future of technology and governance. Glenn Beck effectively uses past events to shed light on contemporary issues, urging listeners to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding their communities and digital freedoms.

Transcript

Glenn Beck (0:00)

California wildfire. Compassionate message that needs to be heard if we're going to change things in California. A look back to what happened to the San Francisco earthquake, the fire of 1906 and how will it compare to what is happening in California not only during the fire, but the response and the rebuilding of California and the death of the Internet. What will 2025 have in store for us on the Internet? Today is the day that you can make an important decision. Do you keep your current cell phone plan? You know, the one where you shell out big money every month to a big mobile corporation, donating that money to leftist causes? Or do you switch to Patriot Mobile which charges way less and shares your values? I don't know. Choice seems pretty simple to me because I see Patriot Mobile, they've got an action side of them not related to Patriot Mobile that Patriot Mobile donates to to be able to help right people in school boards and, and even, you know, all statewide elections. They're not involved in any federal election. I'll tell you that right now. Patriot mobile.com Beck you can go there now, please. This is the lowest, what you're going to save money, you're going to get the same great service. This is the lowest rung of the ladder. If you want to help patriot mobile.com Beck patriot mobile.com Beck switch your service. Get a free month of service. 97 patriot 972 patriot patriotmobile.com Beck you're listening to the best of the Glenn Beck program. So let's talk about what's happening in California. And my heart is truly heavy for those people who have families in California. The people in California that have lost their homes or still fearing that they might lose their home. You know, this is a rate if you've never seen a forest fire, you can't really describe. It's almost like a tornado. Unless you've been in a tornado or seen the, the damage afterwards, you really don't know what you're talking about with a tornado. It is unlike anything I've ever seen. Same thing with a forest fire. We had a small forest fire here up in the, up in the mountains of Idaho last summer. It was just about, I don't know, two miles down the street from me. Luckily the winds weren't there, but if the winds had kicked up, it probably would have burned my house down. I mean, it is, you cannot describe a forest fire. It is when it's out of control. You have no chance. Just get out of there. And my heart breaks for people who are going through this right now and breaks for the people of California. I. Let me address that person right now. If you happen to be in California, know that you're not alone. You may feel like the flames have stolen everything from you. But. And I was thinking about this. Well, this summer when I came back from that forest fire and thought all of this could be gone. The things that you have in your house, they are just things. But there are certain things, memories, pictures, things that you have collected over the years with your family that you know can't be replaced. And I know what that must feel like. But two things. One, you're alive, you have your family, and help is on the way. My charity, Mercury One, is, along with the Red Cross and everybody else, is working tirelessly to bring relief and comfort and assistance to those who are affected. Right now, we are. We are doing what our government is asking us to do. We don't want to get into the way of forest or firefighters. They have enough trouble. But I. I want to talk to you first, with compassion, about why this keeps happening and what California needs to do about it. This is not my state. This is their state. But if you're asking for our help. You know, one of the hardest things I've ever had to do is I had a friend I went to church with, and he called me one time and he said, glenn, I really need. I don't remember what it was. Let's just say a thousand dollars, because I got to get home, some family stuff. And I was about to say, yes, but in my faith, it's the largest welfare program, I think, in the world. And we take care of, you know, not just our own, but anybody who lives in the district of that particular church. The bishop is responsible for them, and we have to take care of our neighbors. And so with that, it's very orderly. You know, when you have a problem or if there is a problem with a neighbor or something, you go to the church and say, hey, my neighbor who's not a member of the church, is really in trouble. Can. Can you help? And they usually will. But with that, there are certain things that you have to do. You, like, you just don't get free money. You know, you. You have to change your life. You'll take classes on how to, you know, manage money or whatever the thing is. And so I said to this person, I was just about to say yes, and I said, hey, have you talked to the bishop yet? And he said, no, no, I haven't. Now, that's unusual in my faith, if you have a big problem, especially with money. You normally would go to the bishop. And I said, okay, let me call you back. And I called the bishop and I said, hey, so and so just called me and I can do this, you know, is there anything I'm missing here? And he said, glenn, I'm so glad you called me. He said, yes. He said this. This particular individual is struggling, and we've been helping him for a while, but he won't connect with the problem and correct the problems. And he said he's doing this from time to time. He'll call people and they'll just give him money. And then that hurts it. He said, so I'm going to ask you to do the thing that is probably going to be the hardest thing you've ever done. I know you have the money to help. Please don't, because it will set him back and not let him feel the full ramifications. And I said, okay. So I had to call my friend back and say, I can't right now. And I felt awful. I felt absolutely awful about it. But if we don't talk and face the problem, you're never going to solve it. Now this, again, is not my problem. California, you're not my problem. Okay? I mean, I want to help. And as. As a citizen of America, you're another citizen. You are my neighbor. I want to help. I want to help people all around the world. But first you have to help yourself. You know, natural disasters most times are out of our control. The extent of the destruction in California, you know, could be mitigated if we made smarter choices about how, you know, Californians manage their land and their resources and their votes. California has been playing with fire literally for a long time. Their forests are full of underbrush, dead trees, dried vegetation, which is kindling for those flames. The material builds up on the forest floor. It's a perfect condition for fire. If you're going to start a fire, go to California, because that. That's perfect condition. I'm not saying that literally, by the way, but it doesn't have to be this way. You know, you go to places like Sweden or Finland or Austria, countries that have large vulnerable forests. They understand the importance of forest management, and they prioritize the clearing out of the underbrush and the dead trees. And they, because they're a little socialist in nature, they do it in a sustainable way. They partner with local industries that will take that material from the forest floor and they use it as biomass energy for other products so it doesn't just reduce the fire risk, it creates jobs and a healthier ecosystem here in America. Some states do it right? I mean, Florida has fires, but not like California. Why? Because they do controlled burns, forest thinning, routine practices. You know what, honestly, God does this lightning before, before we would put forest fires out or could, lightning would strike and that would burn the forest down and it replenishes the soil and everything else. Well, we don't want to do that because our houses are now surrounded in, you know, by trees and forest and everything else. So we have to either do a controlled burn or we have to go in and take all of that stuff that lightning would have taken out to replenish everything. But California won't do that. Why? The answer lies in bureaucracy and priorities. Um, and, and really, honestly, eggheads, you know, these people from the cities that want to manage our forest have no idea. It's common sense. The environmental regulations, the lawsuits that block or delay any kind of forest management ideology has gotten in the way of the practical, the life saving solutions. And this has to change California. It has to. You see devastation every year. And you know, honestly, I, I really don't like insurance companies, but insurance companies, what they do, it's honestly, it's legal gambling. They are gambling that you are going to pay them more money than they have to pay out. As a collective, somebody's house might burn down, you might have something catastrophic cancer or something that costs a buttload of money. But they're betting that all of the people in their community, they're sharing the risk and not everybody's going to get cancer at the same time. That way they can make money. It's legalized gambling. Honestly it is. Well, that's the way insurance works. And I don't like insurance companies because many times they're, you know, scamming people or hurting people. However, let's not blame the insurance companies for getting out. If I'm a company and I have to make a bet I'm pulling out of California, it's landslides, it's fires, it's floods, it's every year whole swaths of the state are, are, are burning down to the ground. What kind of bet is that? How do you keep a country? Now what they'll say is they'll do what they did when you couldn't get flood insurance on the coastlines. We used to say, well then don't live there. Or if you live there, accept the risk yourself. Okay. Instead we didn't think that was fair. So we came up with government funding. If you couldn't get flood insurance. No longer was it. Don't live in a flood zone. Build your house somewhere. I don't know if you've seen the country, but there's lots of open space. Don't build in a flood zone. Instead, we wanted to help everybody live their dreams. So now we pay as a federal government for insurance for the coastlines. Why? The other issue is water. And let me tell you what the problem is in California. Now we know what the immediate problem is. They don't have firefighters, don't have water coming through the fire hydrants. Why is that? You're listening to the best of the Glenn Beck program. Ever uttered the phrase, will they ever learn? Will they ever learn? You might say that about your kids from time to time. Are you ever going to learn this lesson? We learn from disaster, usually our own, usually created disaster. Or something terrible happens to you, somebody dies, tragically, something happens. Your life turns, you know, on one moment. And you can either take that and learn from it or you can wallow in what's happened to you and that leads to your own destruction. And that's where I think God says, will they ever learn? Will they ever learn? This isn't bad, this. Yes, change their course, but it's not bad. It doesn't have to be. Take the bad and now find out what you want to do with that. How do you grow from that? Let me tell you a great story about this. It relates to the fires in California. Early, early in the, in the morning, it was April 18, and people were jolted out of bed. They were, they were on their feet. They. They could feel the. The earth beneath them trembling. Not a shudder. It was a violent, relentless earthquake. Tore through buildings, streets, lives. Merciless power. But it only lasted 42 seconds. But in 42 seconds, everything changed. The ground rippled like waves. It split open streets. It swallowed homes entirely. Buildings crumbled as if they were made of paper. The Great Palace Hotel, which was a symbol of the city's wealth and prestige, collapsed, Smoldering ruin. People were screaming in terror for those 42 seconds. But they scream and ran in terror in the minutes and hours that followed. The earthquake was only the beginning. In 1906 in San Francisco, what followed there was an inferno unlike anybody had ever really seen. It reduced the entire city to ash. Firefighters back then with the steam powered pumps, they were brave. They were desperate. They tried to battle the flames. But just like today, no water. The water lines back then were severed because of the quake. No way to stop the blaze. Last ditch effort. They Decided to dynamite the buildings. Can you imagine this? They decided that they had to take dynamite and blow up all of the buildings, everything, to create some sort of a fire break. And so they did. It didn't work. By the time the fires burnt out, 80% of San Francisco was gone. 80% percent of the city. Nearly 500 city blocks, 28,000 buildings were destroyed. 3,000 people were dead. Half of the population of the city, 250,000 men, women and children homeless. Now, what we're looking at is bad, but it's not this. They were living for weeks and weeks and weeks in makeshift tents. They were living in parks, on the beaches, in the streets. And for a long time, the air that they were breathing was filled with smoke and ash. And it wasn't just the city that burned. It was the livelihoods, the futures, the dreams. People came to San Francisco at that time because it was a new, fresh start. Well, when you're faced with those times, you have a decision. I'm not living here. I mean, I don't know if you saw the. The TV show 1882. Is it 82? 83. And it's about the beginning of Yellowstone and what it took for the pioneers just to cross over to get to a place like Montana. It was insane. Insane. Anybody who tried to do that, I mean, we don't give our pioneers enough respect. What they face to get across the mountains and the west was nuts. Well, that's the kind of people that were out in California at the time, in San Francisco. They didn't just rebuild. First of all, they didn't wait for the government, the federal government to come in. They didn't wait for everybody to tell them what to do. They weren't. I mean, it was bad. It was really bad. And they did have people that came in and help, but they had to do it themselves. Now, think about this. They decided that they were going to rebuild. They refused to give up. There was such devastation that it would have broken the spirit of most people. But the city did something extraordinary. All of the citizens refused to give up. Almost immediately, they began to rebuild not just their homes and their businesses, but their entire way of life. There was nothing. So the first thing that had to happen with all the citizens of San Francisco needed to clear the rubble brick by brick. They had to get all of it out. Then they began laying the foundations for a new San Francisco. Engineers, architects, all came together to create plans for a stronger, safer, safer city. And one that they hoped could withstand future earthquakes. But it didn't. But they tried. And they didn't just rebuild, they reimagined. Now, this happened in 1906. How long do you think it's going to take before you're going to be able to go in the Pacific Palisades? You're going to be able to go into California, and you won't see anything from the fire. How long before that's a new and just magical thriving area again? That place is different because of all of the money that is there. Think about Appalachia. Think about what's happening in the Carolinas. Think about what's happening in Hawaii right now where they're still trying to rebuild. How long? They're not building houses there yet. How long is that going to take? So within nine years in San Francisco in 1906, by 1915, San Francisco had completely rebuilt. They stood ready to show the world what determination and hard work could accomplish. They were part. They had already been signed up for the Panama Pacific International Exposition. This is like a world's fair, but it was. It was in honor of the completion of the Panama Canal, and it was to show what the American spirit could do. And so San Francisco raised their hand. Remember, there's nothing left. They raised their hand that we want to host that. We want to host that. Now think of this. Where ashes nine years before covered the ground, there was new, breathtaking architecture. The palace of Fine Arts. It's still standing in San Francisco. It is a landmark. It is stunning to see in person. It was the symbol. They built it as the symbol of the triumph of the soul. They said, we're going to create beauty out of this, out of these ashes. And it wasn't a fair. The. The Panama exhibition of 1915 was not just a fair. It was a declaration. It was saying to the world, we're not only still here, we're strong, and we're going to lead into the future. This is the thing that really is exciting me about what Donald Trump has been doing lately. We're not talking about just survival anymore, if you notice that. I said to my wife last night, I'm beginning to love my job again. She said, really? And I said, yeah, because I'm not. I don't have to just give people bad news all the day. I don't have to just say, here, put your hole in this, or put your finger in this hole, because that's going to help hold the dike together just a little longer, knowing that we're all going to be wiped out. We're actually talking about building a new future that is Exciting. That's what happened in 1906. California, once again, is, is facing challenges, and it's going to feel overwhelming. But the question is, does California have the leadership to have vision? Do the people have it in them anymore like the people in San Francisco did, that they're not going to be wiped out, they're not going to sit down, they're not going to wait for somebody else? Does the city and its citizens have it in themselves to create something better? I, I, I come at times like this and I look at tragedies and I know how dark things can seem. But I, I always pull out of this and I'm, I'm watching California for this, and I think you're beginning to see it to some degree, but I know I saw it in North Carolina. The human spirit is stronger than any disaster. When you come together, we can rebuild the cities, we can rebuild the lives, the communities, the future for our children. May the people in California have the courage and determination that their forebears did in San Francisco and rise as a phoenix from the ashes. This is the best of the Glenn Beck program. And don't forget, rate us on itunes. Stu, you said a minute ago that there is a story about the death of the Internet, because that's, I mean, it's cleverly worded here, but that's what I predicted on last night's show. And you said two stories came up about that last night.