The Drugs of Outrage Tobin Smith, a 14 year veteran commentator at Fox News explains the production tactics used and physiological basis for why the outrage narrative is so effective at building and retaining substantial audiences . Typically during an opinion show, the first step is that the viewer will see a "Fox News Alert" or teaser "cold open sequence portraying some tribal heresy or threat from an out-group. The tactic of using the Alert or cold-open serves to blur what is news versus what is opinion/ commentary . In the viewer's mind, the amygdala assesses danger and prepares the body for a fight or flight event and releases a boost of adrenaline, cortisol, and epinephrine. In the second step, the Fox producer runs a video of some noted liberal celebrity , politician or commentator "impugning, insulting, or mocking the viewer's right wing tribal belief system." The third stage is that the viewer enters "active tribal mode" and the "risk assessing amygdala silently shouts, 'Say it again and I'll punch you out!'" In the fourth step, "the tribal enemy(aka libtard) stands his/her ground, repeating the pronouncement and tribal heresy with more authority. Tobin Smith's view is that this is set up is similar to that of a WWE choreographed wrestling match, with the right wing host and guests stepping in the ring "rhetorically punching the tribal enemy in the nose for the viewer." In the 6th and 7th stages, the adrenaline rush in response to the threat is replaced with a dose of dopamine (associated with regulating strength of motivation towards a particular goal). Smith's account is that this "sets the viewer into anticipation of another tribal victory." Finally, "with the thrill of victory triggered by the validation of tribal orthodoxy and feelings of continued safety, the viewer's brain now releases the good stuff-serotonin, the opiate like chemical .
In 2019, Tobin Smith, a 14 year veteran commentator at Fox News , explained the production tactics used and physiological basis for why the outrage narrative is so effective at building and retaining substantial audiences in his book Foxocracy: Inside the Network’s Playbook of Tribal Warfare . In the book, Smith boiled the process down to four steps, in which commentators first show footage of a perceived enemy, such as a liberal celebrity or politician, saying or doing something outrageous or upsetting, followed by the commentators criticizing the perceived enemy's statement, resulting in the release of serotonin in the brains of those who are watching and agreeing with them .
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The Drugs of Outrage
In 2019,
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explains
, explained
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. Typically during an opinion show, the first step is that the viewer will see a "Fox News Alert" or teaser "cold open sequence portraying some tribal heresy or threat from an out-group. The tactic of using the Alert or cold-open serves to blur what is news versus what is opinion/ commentary
in his book Foxocracy: Inside the Network’s Playbook of Tribal Warfare
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viewer's mind, the amygdala assesses danger and prepares the body for a fight or flight event and releases a boost of adrenaline, cortisol, and epinephrine. In the second step, the Fox producer runs a video of some noted liberal celebrity , politician or commentator "impugning, insulting, or mocking the viewer's right wing tribal belief system." The third stage is that the viewer enters "active tribal mode" and the "risk assessing amygdala silently shouts, 'Say it again and I'll punch you out!'" In the fourth step, "the tribal enemy(aka libtard) stands his/her ground, repeating the pronouncement and tribal heresy with more authority. Tobin Smith's view is that this is set up is similar to that of a WWE choreographed wrestling match, with the right wing host and guests stepping in the ring "rhetorically punching the tribal enemy in the nose for the viewer." In the 6th and 7th stages, the adrenaline rush in response to the threat is replaced with a dose of dopamine (associated with regulating strength of motivation towards a particular goal). Smith's account is that this "sets the viewer into anticipation of another tribal victory." Finally, "with the thrill of victory triggered by the validation of tribal orthodoxy and feelings of continued safety, the viewer's brain now releases the good stuff-serotonin, the opiate like chemical
book, Smith boiled the process down to four steps, in which commentators first show footage of a perceived enemy, such as a liberal celebrity or politician, saying or doing something outrageous or upsetting, followed by the commentators criticizing the perceived enemy's statement, resulting in the release of serotonin in the brains of those who are watching and agreeing with them