Sanewashing: How the Media Normalizes Insanity for Profit episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 29, 2026 · 57 MIN

Sanewashing: How the Media Normalizes Insanity for Profit

from I’m Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today! · host Chris Bevolo, Desiree Duncan

If you've ever watched mainstream media soften authoritarian language and wondered if you're the only one noticing: You're not. This week we unpack "sanewashing": the practice of making insane statements and authoritarian behavior sound normal and reasonable. From Trump's cognitive decline to media ownership by billionaires who need chaos to stay profitable, we break down why the news feels like gaslighting.You'll learn:- Why "bonkers" and "goons" are sanewashing words- How billionaire ownership changed journalism fundamentally  - Why CNN made $1 billion from Trump coverage (and needs him)- What Walter Cronkite-era journalism looked like vs. today- Specific independent journalists to follow insteadPlus: The independent journalists actually telling the truth (and how to support them instead of feeding the machine). (ProPublica, More Perfect Union, The Guardian, Joshua Doss, and more)https://www.instagram.com/doss.discourse/https://www.instagram.com/nowthisimpact/https://www.instagram.com/underthedesknews/https://www.instagram.com/perfectunion/https://www.instagram.com/thehumanityarchive/This is group therapy disguised as media criticism. You're not supposed to be here today—but here we are.====================Subscribe, watch and listen to I'm Not Even Supposed to Be Here Podcast====================🖥️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeHerePod📱 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/im-not-even-supposed-to-be-here-today/id1867373928🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3bypMpSmcoIjt4bHk0nvzz?si=18eab826d1394fd9====================Sponsored by Bearing 287====================

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Sanewashing: How the Media Normalizes Insanity for Profit

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