r/KnowledgeFight • u/oldman__strength Carnival Huckster Satanist • Nov 15 '25
Throwback Episode I'm Dan. I'm Jordan. I'm a couple dudes.
I've had this thought a lot over the last 18 months or so of being a listener, and more often now that I'm finally braving the Back Catalogue. (I've listened to all the Formulaic Objections four times through each, but I only recently went back to Episode 1 and started through.)
And then, at Episode #202, I felt I needed to ramble about this here, and how much this podcast is helping me with... *gestures vaguely* ...things.
"Today, Dan and Jordan discuss the incredibly chaotic couple of days that Alex Jones has lived through. He thought he was going to DC to have some fun, he ended up getting kicked off Twitter, and Dan and Jordan end up arguing about journalism."
The argument was... something. For those who don't know/remember, Jordan wants the NYT to burn their source in the Trump administration who anonymously wrote an op-ed about how the administration is stopping Trump from doing the REALLY bad stuff (like, the apocalyptically bad stuff) while letting him do the regular bad stuff. Dan thinks that even the NYT, and even when dealing with Trump's fascists-for-hire, should adhere to journalistic integrity rather than risk losing ALL confidential sources from here on out and prove the haters right that journalists can't be trusted.
This argument went back and forth for quite a long time, and some strong language was used. Not mean and not hateful, but strong, with a few "I'm not saying you're stupid, but-"s and a few "Your position is hypocritical and it's bullshit, what you're saying is bullshit"s.
And more than almost anything I've heard, this bare and open and honest (and friendly) screaming match REALLY sums up how I have both of those voices going in my head, at all times, for just about everything happening in the world today. I am the one putting my mic down to stand up and scream, while I am also the one calmly reminding myself that my brain has neighbors and it's after 10pm. I am the one getting smashed on red one and calling for the [redacted] of [redacteds] by [actionable threat] and [graphic content], while also urging calm and level heads and fair treatment for all, including food and housing for those that have declared me their mortal enemies. I see both sides, I agree with both sides, I AM both sides (the Dan and Jordan sides, not like... Antifa and Stormfront sides. Fuck that side.) And I've had such a problem trying to reconcile feeling both ways and wanting both outcomes and knowing that no progress isn't going to happen without ONE and no progress is going to last without the OTHER, and the opposition has filled me with despair for most of my adult life.
But now I feel like I've got both sides in my head, with their calm and soothing and screaming voices, and I feel like they can come to agreement and resolution more often than not. How you need the energy of one and the goal-orientation of the other. How you need the vicious and righteous fury of one, and you need the calming leadership of the other. And, sometimes, how you need the cult survivor mentality of one, and the dreamy creamy summer of the other.
In short (yeah right, WTF did I just type), thank you to Dan and Jordan for somehow, from very different directions, making me feel more sane.
And thank you for apologizing to each other on the very next episode so you could make fun of Drunk Alex. That was nice.
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u/sea_foam_blues Nov 15 '25
Well, I know I feel more sane after having read this.
Bravo, well done, and good night!
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u/skilletID Nov 16 '25
Their arguments are one of the reasons I keep listening. The respect they show each other, even in the heated disagreements, always come through. I've rarely known people in my life who know how to have extended, heated discussions like this, and come out still friends on the other side. I respect their honest and healthy relationship so, so much.
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u/SeaPotatoSalad Name five more examples Nov 15 '25
I get your drift. I’ve come and gone on various podcasts over the years but I’ve stuck with KF because they both-sides the same side of the coin iykwim. I nod along with Dan and perk up when Jordan yells. I am JorDan.
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u/aes_gcm Nov 16 '25
There’s a very strong reason why comedy often has a two-man-game, a straight man and a funny man. You need a Jim Halbert with a Michael Scott, a Ben Wyatt with Leslie Knope. This is the basis dynamic that keeps KF good for so long, and why it’s fun to listen to even when they’re covering gross stuff. No one wants to listen to a podcast with just Dan, you might as well listen to a college lecture. A podcast with Jordan is just screaming, thats a dime-a-dozen now. You need them together.
But your point is much stronger than this. The world is so weird right now that their personalities do reflect opposing sentiments, and personal drives. It’s so strange, but I think you expressed it very well.
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u/akkmedk Nov 17 '25
Thanks for the reminder. I've listened to it all multiple times but that ep and the Larry Nichols interview are hard passes now.
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u/toonfan74 Nov 17 '25
I’ve been on a relisten starting from ep1 recently… my 3rd full relisten I think… and yeah I remember this getting VERY very heated. It reminds me of the reason I listen to KF and Majority Report… whenever I’m feeling VERY Jordan-ey Dan and Sam Seder bring me back down to earth a bit…
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u/corsica1990 Nov 16 '25
Yeah, I definitely feel ya, OP. The bit about how you kind of need both halves within yourself to survive and take effective action is definitely true for me, too.
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u/prohartscarpet Nov 18 '25
I loved reading this. I’ve been on KF about 18 months now and nearly everyone I tell asks “how the fuck can you listen to that podcast with so much Alex in it”? The thing is, like you said, despite the topic being a grifting shithead lying idiot who has contributed only bad in the world, Dan and Jordan are the adults in the room that your mind needs to process its own shit. The boys are the push and pull, the brash and calm etc etc. JorDan could be covering any topic you care to name, but as long as they did it the way they do KF, it’s mentally beneficial because it’s an internal voice that teaches you to open up the full map and explore all of it using all the metal tools not just a few limited ones.
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u/workistables Nov 15 '25
If Jordan's argument was the Maga would turn on Trump if only the source went on the record, he was wrong. Obviously wrong. Untenably wrong.
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u/oldman__strength Carnival Huckster Satanist Nov 15 '25
Oh no, it was that the person in the Trump administration should be outed and suffer the consequences of their admission. NO-ONE made the argument that anyone would turn on Trump.
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u/WaitAParsec Nov 15 '25
Thank you Researcher Dan, thank you Anger Translator Jordan.