Ep. 907 - A Very Merry Un-Thanksgiving To You!

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Ben Shapiro argues that mainstream media, Democratic candidates, climate activists, and cultural elites increasingly frame America and the West as fundamentally oppressive, using history, race, gender, and capitalism as tools to delegitimize core institutions. He contrasts this with a creed-based view of America, warns of polarization, and ends by criticizing New York Times identity-based coverage and praising Ford v Ferrari as an example of pro-capitalist storytelling.

Main Topics: Media and political elites 'crapping on America' (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro frames the episode around a broader trend: public praise for figures and ideas that portray the U.S. as inherently unjust, especially in the run-up to the 2020 election. Pete Buttigieg, black voters, and performative wokeness (Priority: 5/5): He criticizes Buttigieg for seeking black support by nodding along to radical historical claims, especially around immigration and American history, rather than defending rational positions. Colin Kaepernick and anti-American historical narratives (Priority: 4/5): Kaepernick's 'UnThanksgiving' activism and claims about indigenous land theft are presented as examples of selective, context-free condemnation of U.S. history. The New York Times, 'wokeness,' and conspiratorial thinking (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro attacks a NYT op-ed defending wokeness, arguing it excuses conspiratorial and anti-American claims so long as they serve a progressive moral narrative. Climate activism as anti-Western ideology (Priority: 4/5): He criticizes Greta Thunberg and coauthors for reframing climate change as a broader indictment of colonialism, racism, patriarchy, and the West itself. Capitalism, socialism, and Western institutions (Priority: 4/5): Shapiro rejects claims by Mark Ruffalo and others that capitalism is failing, arguing instead that market systems have lifted living standards globally. Family, social conservatism, and cultural conflict (Priority: 3/5): He discusses Thomas Edsall’s argument about liberalism and the family, using it to argue that the left is still culturally dismantling traditional institutions.

Key Arguments: Elite media and activist culture reward narratives that depict America as uniquely oppressive, which encourages politicians to perform ideological conformity instead of defending balanced historical truth. Pete Buttigieg’s outreach to black voters is portrayed as opportunistic wokeness: he is said to validate extreme claims rather than address policy or facts. Colin Kaepernick’s indigenous-justice messaging is described as a selective and historically simplistic condemnation of the United States that ignores broader human history and the benefits of Western civilization. The NYT’s defense of 'woke' thinking is criticized for treating conspiratorial claims as morally justified if they arise from genuine grievances, even when the details are wrong. Climate activism is presented as politically broader than environmentalism, since its rhetoric links emissions to colonialism, racism, sexism, and patriarchy. Capitalism is defended as the system that has reduced global poverty and mortality, while socialist alternatives are dismissed as misleading or incoherent in practice. The left’s cultural project is said to be undermining the family, free speech, and shared national identity, producing deeper political polarization. Thomas Edsall is singled out as a more moderate liberal voice who still sees America as broadly good, but Shapiro argues that the activist and media elite no longer share that view.

Data Points: Acorns customers: over 14 million all-time customers - Sponsor read promoting Acorns financial app Acorns assets invested: over $27 billion - Sponsor read on Acorns' total saved and invested amount Birch Gold offer deadline: before December 20th - Promotion for free silver with precious-metals purchase Kaepernick claim on land stolen: over 1.5 billion acres - Tweet describing U.S. government theft from Indigenous people Pew study year range: 1960 to 2014 - Quote on decline in children living with two parents in first marriage Two-parent household share: 73% to 46% - Pew data cited by Shapiro on family structure changes Black support in South Carolina primary base: about two-thirds - Reason Buttigieg is courting black voters Daily Wire promo discount: 50% off using code DW50 - Subscription promotion mentioned mid-episode Pearl Source discount: up to 70% off retail prices; 20% off entire order for listeners - Sponsor promotion for pearl jewelry Helix Sleep discount: up to $125 off - Sponsor promotion for mattresses

Pivotal Quotes: "It is the most wonderful time of the year for crapping on America, apparently." — Ben Shapiro: Opening framing of the episode's theme: media and political attacks on the United States "We need to dismantle them all." — Climate activists cited by Ben Shapiro: Shapiro quoting the Greta Thunberg-led op-ed linking climate change to colonial, racist, and patriarchal systems "Whatever you say that's bad about the country is justified because those are just people with highly attuned antennae." — Ben Shapiro: Critique of the New York Times 'In Defense of Woke' essay and its treatment of conspiratorial claims

Implications: The episode warns that American politics is increasingly fought over competing moral narratives about history, identity, and institutions. If elite media and candidates keep validating anti-Western framing, polarization and distrust of shared civic norms will deepen.