r/askanything • u/Vert_der_Ferk25 • Sep 02 '26

Political Question Why am I supposed to be impressed with who Charlie Kirk was?

He was a paid professional debater. He went to a college campus, set up a tent and cameras, and engaged with amateurs who had no experience doing what he did. And the right loved him for it. His media team would then cut clips of him scoring points against amateurs, and they would push them out on all their social media feeds.

Isn't this like LeBron James going to a campus and setting up cameras while he played pickup games against kids who, at best, were on the college team but more likely dabbled in basketball, but were no match for the expert? And then what would people think if LeBron's media people cut clips of him dunking on these young amateurs and pushed them out as "highlights"?

"LeBron's TOP 10 Most SAVAGE College TAKEDOWNS 👀🔥"

"COCKY College Kid gets OWNED By Lebron James! Follow for more👉"

"LeBron James SHUTS DOWN 3 Arrogant College Students Best DUNKS Compilation"

"1 NBA Hall of Famer vs 25 Amateur College Students (Feat. LeBron James) | Surrounded"

Isn't Kirk's legacy just sad?

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u/YamFree3503 Sep 04 '26

Regardless of what you think about Charlie Kirk and his views, I at least thought it was somewhat refreshing to see a political…..person engage the younger crowd. I don’t think dunking on amateurs was his goal, but a means to an end. I think his goal was to engage the young conservative crowd and gain their support and turn that into a business to make money.

LeBron is kind of a bad example because he doesn’t need the money and Charlie Kirk isn’t the LeBron James of political debates. So let’s take someone who maybe played a couple years in the NBA but couldn’t make a career out of it. If they could make millions of dollars dunking on college kids on YouTube, I think they would. The goal isn’t to dunk on them for the glory of dunking on them. They’re just trying to make money.

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u/Vert_der_Ferk25 Sep 04 '26

His goal, or the goal of TPUSA was to produce these headlines for social media:

1. "Destruction / Humiliation" Headlines:

  • "Charlie Kirk OWNS Woke Student on White Privilege"
  • "Charlie Kirk DESTROYS Woke College Student's Argument"
  • "Triggered Student Tries to Debate Charlie Kirk—INSTANTLY Regrets It"
  • "Charlie Kirk SLAMS Woke Activist's Ridiculous Claims"

2. "Emotional Meltdown" Headlines:

  • "Charlie Kirk Brings Student to TEARS in Heated Debate!"
  • "Leftist Student LOSES IT When Asked a Simple Question"
  • "Triggered College Student RUNS AWAY After Getting Debunked"

3. "Systemic Threat / Fear" Headlines:

  • "Exposing the LIBERAL INDOCTRINATION in Our Schools"
  • "College Professor Caught TRASHING Conservatives on Camera"
  • "Woke Agenda EXPOSED on College Campus"

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u/YamFree3503 Sep 04 '26

So the only goal was to produce headlines?