The Conversation (0)
Izin Akhabau
Sep 09, 2020
If you can rely on Stephen Fry for one thing, it's to explain why the far-right are wrong so eloquently that it sparks joy.
The actor, comedian and writer has done so on several occasions – with such flair that we couldn’t resist a roundup.
1) When he perfectly explained what the problem was with Donald Trump.
Fry explained in a video why Trump simply isn't as smart as he thinks he is.
In an explainer video video, he explained a concept called the Dunning-Kruger effect, where unintelligent people think they are very clever, saying:
When McArthur Wheeler learned that lemon juice was used as invisible ink, he rubbed it on his face and confidently proceeded to rob two banks. When the police found him he was shocked.
The case inspired experiments by professors David Dunning and Justin Kruger. They found that the least proficient students dramatically overestimated their own ability. Dunning found that the incompetent are often blessed with an inappropriate confidence.
He also pointed out that something called salience bias could also be affecting how Trump shapes policy.
To put it simply, it meant that he focussed his policy on the most shocking and negative news stories – which would explain his focus on immigration.
You can watch the full video here.
2) When he explained how Trump and Boris Johnson have benefitted from nationalism.
In another video, Fry explained why it might not be quite right to call Trump nationalist although he and Boris Johnson have benefited from nationalist support.
Fry pointed out that the US President hadn’t done much to help people at risk of losing their jobs to automation, nor had he worked to tackle climate change – although it could push many into poverty.
You can see the video in full here.
3) When Fry pointed out how Donald Trump had personally benefited from racism.
Fry said that Trump’s father bought property through subsidies and loans that were difficult for Black people to access.
He also shared that identical CVs can get very different responses depending on the applicant’s name.
You can find out more in the full video here.
4) When he highlighted how some right-wing governments had handled coronavirus very poorly.
He explained how despite their claims to the contrary, Trump and Johnson were both good examples of this.
He put it simply, saying:
The most dangerous avenues weren’t avoided, they were encouraged.
He picked out some of their finest moments, reminding us that Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask, and that Johnson shook hands with people who may have had Covid-19 and said so publicly.
You can watch the full video in detail here.
5) When he busted some of the biggest myths that right wingers use to oppose universal healthcare.
He discredited myths which claimed healthcare for all was more expensive or less efficient. He also came with the facts that showed medicare for all in America would be more affordable in the long term.
But he didn’t stop there, and came with data that showed doctors were more likely to perform unnecessary procedures when a healthcare system was for profit – and that this was harmful to patients.
Alongside these gems, he told us that healthcare lobbies contributed far more to political campaigns than oil and gas companies.
If you’d like more of the facts, watch the video here.
6) When he explained how right-wingers are more likely to believe fake news online.
He pointed out that Trump supporters were some of the least educated in comparison to Bernie Sanders voters, who were some of the most educated and least likely to believe fake news online.
You can find out more in the video here, a FOX News logo makes a cheeky appearance in the video.
So there we have it. Tonight we will be binge-watching all things Stephen Fry.