We need to talk about the “creator economy” and the stylish influencers pushing disinformation and misinformation directly into our feeds. The more glossy you are, the more attention you get–and attention is the new currency. That is the same ethos of the princess-haired women swanning around Mar-a-Lago. It’s a deliberate dumbing down of society. When gloss replaces the time-intensive grind of investigative journalism, the autocrats and oligarchs who push this strategy distract and confuse us, and ensure important voices who can’t win a Sephora Hunger Games get shut out.
In this week’s bonus show, Gaslit Nation also covers the chilling expansion of America’s police state, focusing on the horrifying conditions at the Delaney detention center in New Jersey. Inmates are on hunger strike to demand basic human rights, mirroring the brutal history of political prisoners under Stalin’s regime. We must raise our voices, pressure our elected officials (like Governor Mikie Sherrill), and refuse to look away.
Do not let the Mar-a-Lago face creator economy and the attention-hungry gatekeepers confuse and wear you down. Stay grounded in your moral force and amplify the truth.
Listen to the full episode on Patreon and support our independent journalism. Shape the show and raise your voice at the Gaslit Nation Salon Monday at 4 PM Eastern. Look out for exciting announcements this coming Monday with a special sneak peak exclusively for our Patreon supporters. Can’t make it? Listen to the recording later only on Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to everyone who supports the show.
Show Notes:
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Opening clip: Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath & EdTech https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dFgGnY87MGw
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Clip: Editor Sara Hadir spreading Ryan Grim’s disinformation https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYxFSFvIvfL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
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Watch Andrea Chalupa’s journalistic thriller, Mr. Jones https://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/mr-jones/#
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Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder https://bookshop.org/p/books/bloodlands-europe-between-hitler-and-stalin-timothy-snyder/8fa8bc938f216251?ean=9781541600065&next=t
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On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/558051/on-tyranny-by-timothy-snyder/
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Orwell and the Refugees: The Untold Story of Animal Farm by Andrea Chalupa https://www.amazon.com/Orwell-Refugees-Untold-Story-Animal-ebook/dp/B007JNKF5G
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“They raped every German female from eight to 80” by Antony Beevor in The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/may/01/news.features11
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Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American by Wajahat Ali https://www.porchlightbooks.com/products/go-back-to-where-you-came-from-wajahat-ali-9781324050322
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Listen to Andrea’s sweeping discussion with Wajahat Ali on his Substack show, The Left Hook https://substack.com/@gaslitnation/note/p-200496672?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=2mrjsl
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Watch the classic investigative journalism film, Spotlight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPZhUM8VlpQ
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Ryan and Emily DEBATE: Did Soviets END The Holocaust? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJuwsu109YM
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Laurie Santos, professor at Yale, on how students today just stare at their phones https://www.instagram.com/p/DZJUBPCHyM4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D
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The toll on press covering Delaney Hall https://bsky.app/profile/marisakabas.bsky.social/post/3mnarxbejw22l
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Learn more about the hunger strike and protests at the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/02/ice-detention-camp-delaney-hall
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Contact Representative Mikie Sherrill to demand action on Delaney Hall https://sherrill.house.gov/contact
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Sign up for the Gaslit Nation Patreon to attend the upcoming songwriting workshop with Leslie Nuss on June 22n at 4pm ET and access the exclusive Monday Salons https://www.patreon.com/gaslit
This content originally appeared on Gaslit Nation and was authored by Andrea Chalupa.