There are two types of people who consume pop culture: Those who are aware and those who are not.
Those who aren’t aware will consume every last bit of entertainment they want, enjoying it as much or as little as they please with nary a thought beyond the direct correlation between what they’re consuming and the dopamine being pumped out by their brain.
Those who are aware do all that, too. They just do it with an unshakable and growing sense of dread.
That dread stems from the outsized and swelling influence that China has on Western pop culture, including everything from television and movies to sports and comic books.
To make it abundantly clear: China is no friend to freedom or democracy, and the fact that it has its tendrils creeping into entertainment — and thus into young and impressionable minds — should be cause for concern for anyone who cares about this country.
Most concerning of all?
The establishment media seems all too eager to brush that undue Chinese influence under the rug.
The New York Times, for instance, reported on Thursday that former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart is parting ways with Apple and its streaming platform, Apple TV+, over a number of issues that were collectively billed as “creative differences.”
Stewart was viewed as a massive get for Apple TV+.
Despite “The Problem with Jon Stewart” not debuting to particularly rave reviews in late 2021, many felt the show found its footing in Season 2, with an upcoming third season looking to continue that improvement.
Do you agree with Apple’s decision to cancel Stewart’s show?
Yes: 44% (7 Votes)
No: 56% (9 Votes)
So what were those “creative differences” over?
According to an unnamed source, “Mr. Stewart told members of his staff on Thursday that potential show topics related to China and artificial intelligence were causing concern among Apple executives.”
Another source noted that “there was potential for further creative disagreements” as the 2024 general election draws closer.
Apple being squeamish about artificial intelligence or politics is one thing. But the company already has an extremely checkered history of kowtowing to China’s communist regime.
It should terrify us that China wields such influence over one of the most ubiquitous technology companies in the world (got an iPhone in your pocket?).
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Apple had asked Stewart to be “aligned” on the above topics. Translation: Apple likely told Stewart to take it easy on China on his show, and he chose to walk away rather than comply.
Neither the Times nor the Reporter seemed overly concerned about the fact that a major American company is so afraid of offending Beijing.
The double whammy of Apple ousting a host who would dare to criticize China and the toothless and tepid coverage of it in the media cannot be overstated.
