Modern WisdomWhat Is Happening With Patreon, Gillette and Brexit? | Sargon Of Akkad
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:12
Patreon ban: what happened and why it shocked creators
Carl Benjamin explains being removed from Patreon after clips from an off-platform livestream were used against him. He argues Patreon acted outside its own stated rules and warns creators that their behavior across the wider internet can now be used for enforcement.
- 1:12 – 5:20
Monetization fragility: YouTube’s cut, alternatives, and fear of losing everything
The conversation moves to how creators monetize and how precarious that income can be. Carl compares Patreon, YouTube memberships, and SubscribeStar, and describes the anxiety of potentially losing his channel and livelihood overnight.
- 5:20 – 7:51
The deplatforming ‘slippery slope’: from Nazis to Alex Jones to mainstream conservatives
Carl frames a progression in enforcement: beginning with extremists and expanding toward more mainstream figures. He cites high-profile removals as evidence of a tightening censorship boundary and argues the center keeps moving inward.
- 7:51 – 14:50
Silicon Valley as an ‘ethical state’: concentrated power and shared censorship norms
Carl and Chris discuss power concentration in Silicon Valley and the idea that tech leaders share a moral-political agenda. Carl invokes fascism scholarship (Giovanni Gentile) to argue that an ‘ethical state’ mindset is emerging in corporate governance and content moderation.
- 14:50 – 20:30
The internet panopticon: permanent records, retroactive punishment, and no redemption
They explore how social media makes old statements permanently searchable and weaponizable. Examples like Cenk Uygur and Tulsi Gabbard illustrate how people can be punished long after changing their views, creating a culture of fear and absolutism.
- 20:30 – 21:12
Creator backlash and the Patreon exodus: Harris, Rubin, Peterson—and building new platforms
The discussion turns to prominent creators leaving Patreon in protest and exploring alternatives. Carl suggests these departures signal broader distrust of Patreon’s governance and a push toward independent infrastructure.
- 21:12 – 23:33
Payments censorship and ‘cartel’ behavior: PayPal vs SubscribeStar
Carl alleges coordinated action when creators moved to SubscribeStar and payment processors withdrew services. He interprets this as anti-competitive and politically motivated pressure, reinforcing his concern about centralized control.
- 23:33 – 26:01
Gillette ad controversy: ‘toxic masculinity’ narrative and moral messaging
Chris introduces the Gillette advertisement and Carl criticizes it as simplistic feminist propaganda. They discuss how the ad frames male behavior, why it triggered backlash, and the tension between marketing, morality, and audience reaction.
- 26:01 – 29:25
Play fighting vs predation: why the ad’s logic ‘doesn’t map’ to real behavior
They focus on a specific scene implying boys’ roughhousing leads to adult predation. Carl argues play fighting is normal social development and that conflating it with harassment is a category error rooted in misunderstanding male behavior.
- 29:25 – 32:57
Backlash mechanics: dislikes, deleted comments, and accusations around the director
Chris and Carl dissect the online reaction—heavy dislikes, allegations of removed votes, and comment moderation. They also touch on unverified accusations about the director, using it to highlight escalation and polarization in culture-war dynamics.
- 32:57 – 42:12
How to guide young men without authoritarianism: bottom-up norms and ‘know the limit’
They propose that better male behavior is encouraged through cultural norms and peer enforcement rather than top-down moral rules. Carl emphasizes channeling male instincts within boundaries, not pathologizing masculinity itself.
- 42:12 – 45:11
Brexit snapshot: May’s weak position, no-deal logic, and EU incentives to punish
The conversation pivots to UK politics. Carl argues Theresa May’s deal is unacceptable to Eurosceptics and that no-deal WTO terms may be preferable for sovereignty, even with short-term disruption.
- 45:11 – 50:16
Ripple effects: EU budget gaps, Nexit ‘fester,’ and Ireland’s trade exposure
Carl forecasts consequences for both the UK and EU: budget shortfalls, political fallout in member states, and trade disruption centered on Ireland. He suggests EU pressure could backfire by fueling exit movements and economic strain.
- 50:16 – 55:27
British political theatre: archaic Parliament rituals, heritage, and ‘double down’ pride
They end with a lighter reflection on the UK’s distinctive parliamentary traditions and how they look internationally. Both acknowledge the embarrassment and charm, concluding that Britain should embrace its historical oddities rather than sanitize them.
