Matt Rife stands firm, unapologetic for his humor
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast: Matt Rife’s Response to Criticism and Lack of Consequences
The following is a transcript excerpt from Dr. Jordan Peterson’s conversation with comedian Matt Rife. In this segment, they discuss the criticism over Matt’s Netflix special, how he responded, and the lack of consequences for leveling an accusation. You can listen to or watch the full podcast episode on DailyWire+.
Start time: 1:01:29
Jordan: One of the things that I have noticed repeatedly, because I have gone through repeated attempts of people trying to cancel me, is that it can be quite an intense experience when in the immediate aftermath of its occurrence and that is somewhat off-putting and destabilizing because you do not exactly know how far out it is going to spread or what the consequences could be. But if you did not do anything wrong and you do not apologize, or maybe you make light of it in some creative way, then the probability that it will turn around and flip in your direction, if you can tolerate the weight, is extremely high. Part of the reason I am bringing this up is because I do not think the people who are in the throes of being canceled understand this.
You can imagine historically, if an angry mob of 40 of your neighbors showed up on your doorstep with pitchforks and flames, it would probably be a good time to think, “These people would not have gone to all that time and effort, in all likelihood, had I not done something wrong.” But now you can whip up a Twitter mob in no time whatsoever, with no effort at no cost to yourself and probably some benefit. So your instinctual responses to being mobbed are wrong.
Matt: Yeah, it doesn’t translate to the real world. I just walked through two very packed airports and did nothing but take like 45 pictures. Nothing but a positive response.
Jordan: Have you had any negative responses? You said you had no negative responses to anything you have ever said so far at a live show and when you were actually on stage. What about out in the actual world?
Matt: Not once. Never once has somebody come up to me and said, “Hey, I didn’t like the thing you said.” That kind of — I don’t know if you want to call it — a mixture of social awareness and accountability doesn’t translate to the real world.
WATCH: The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jordan: It also takes a lot of gall to do that — to come up to someone and say, “You know that thing you said?” even though you don’t know who they are.
Matt: Imagine you see a street performer; they’re playing violin on a street corner, they’ve got their case out with cash. Say you f***ing hate violins. Violin drives you nuts. Maybe he’s not even good at playing violin. What do you do? You keep walking, right? No sane, decent human being stops and goes, “You’re f***ing awful dude. Kill yourself. What are you doing out here? You’re making my life miserable until I just look a different direction.” That’s an insane thing to do, and most people know not to do that. But obviously the internet creates this. This is what I would believe to be false confidence and believing that they’re safe behind this imaginary source of social media — that they don’t face any repercussions because their profile picture is an anime character and everything’s a private profile. There’s no consequence for saying what they say.
Jordan: There is no consequence for leveling an accusation. Yes, it is really bad.
Matt: Versus the real world. You come up to me; I can have an intellectual conversation with you as to why I disagree with you.
Jordan: Or make a joke.
Matt: Yes. Or I could smack the s*** out of you. That is also a consequence that is viable. And that doesn’t weigh on anybody on the internet, so it’s easier for people to talk s*** on there versus the real world where people actually aren’t even bothered. And also, I had to figure, most people who talk s*** on the internet and actively try to cancel people and have no life, they’re not out in the real world. They’re in their house doing absolutely nothing, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Jordan: Yes, and they definitely have the mentality of mean girl high school bullies: We are going to shame, we are going to reputation savage, we are going to exclude.
Matt: Go ahead. Put so much energy in your life into thinking about me and how much you don’t like me. What a waste of your life.
Jordan: Now, you said too that when you posted your response to the criticisms, you posted something — I think that is wildly funny, by the way — so maybe you could explain that to this particular crowd. But you also told me in the intervening time between the two podcasts that that was not a calculated response — that you relied on your instinct for what was funny. So explain what you did.
Matt: So funny, you sound like a principal, who my parents came here — “Tell them what you did.”
Jordan: Right? That’s right. Exactly. Lay it out, man.
Matt: Basically, this thing happened. There was outrage over a joke that was wildly misperceived, and that’s fine. You’re allowed to like or not like a joke. Totally ok. And in response to that, I posted. When you get canceled or somebody is upset about a joke, you’re supposed to apologize. People want you to back down and shame you and recognize what you’ve done wrong. And I don’t believe I did anything wrong whatsoever. So it made me really feel like the people who were offended by this were, for lack of better words and to be quite frank, weak-minded. So I posted a photo of me on stage — I thought it was a good photo — with a link at the bottom of it.
Engaging Paraphrase:
Matt Rife: Hey, have you seen that caption on my post? It’s hilarious! It’s like a hidden apology for all the offensive jokes I’ve told. The link description was a dead giveaway, saying “click to solve your issue.” But guess what? When you click on it, it takes you to an online store! Can you believe it?
Jordan: The Ambiguity of the Apology
Jordan: That’s funny, Matt. “Click to solve your issue.” It’s so ambiguous, and that’s what makes it even funnier.
Matt Rife Instagram.
Matt: Exactly! And when you click on the link, it redirects you to a store selling special needs helmets. People misunderstood the joke and thought I was making fun of special needs individuals. But that’s not the case at all.
Jordan: Well, you’re actually making fun of those who claim special needs for their emotional fragility inappropriately.
Matt: That’s right. I’m saying they need those helmets more than anyone else. And the best part is that they clicked on it!
Jordan: Haha, true! Maybe they should invent special needs earplugs for comedy shows, so they can’t hear the comedian at all.
Matt: That’s genius! Earplugs that filter out all the words and AI-generate what they want to hear.
Jordan: It won’t be long before that becomes a reality. You’ll be able to get an AI sensor for sure.
Matt: But technically, that’s what algorithms do already. They show you what you want to see and tell you what you want to hear. When I was trending on Twitter, I realized it wasn’t as big of a deal as people made it out to be. It’s all about perception.
So, yeah, I posted that misdirected apology as a joke, and it couldn’t have gone better. It was just a spontaneous idea I had while sitting in the passenger seat of a car. I thought it would be funny, and it turned out to be hilarious. The outrage on Twitter and TikTok was expected, but the fact that it spread to other platforms proved my point even more. People who didn’t even know me or like my comedy found it funny. It actually gained me more fans because most people are tired of this kind of sensitivity.
Jordan: Absolutely! Most people want comedians to be funny, not politically correct. Apologizing to appease a small group of people who weren’t even fans to begin with is pointless. You missed the opportunity to appeal to a much larger audience who would appreciate your humor.
Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
Matt: Exactly! Analytically, I gained more fans than I lost across all platforms. The extremes of the outrage actually benefited me. Even if people didn’t like that particular joke, they found other jokes of mine funny. The loud opposition balanced each other out, and I attracted a whole new demographic of fans.
Jordan: You definitely brought your work to the attention of people who wouldn’t have known you otherwise.
Matt: So many people have commented saying they didn’t know me before, but they liked the joke I told. It’s an ongoing process of love and hate, and I’m totally fine with that for the rest of my career and life.
Jordan: Well, if you’re lucky, it’ll continue that way.
Matt:
I sure hope so.
* * *
To hear the rest of this discussion, continue by listening or watching this episode on DailyWire+.
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 1993 to 1998, he served as assistant and then associate professor of psychology at Harvard. He is the international bestselling author of Maps of Meaning, 12 Rules For Life, and Beyond Order. You can now listen to or watch his popular lectures on DailyWire+.
In what ways does cancel culture promote anonymity and hiding behind screens?
The outrage mobs only perpetuates the culture of cancel culture, where people are silenced for expressing their opinions or making jokes. By standing your ground and not apologizing for something you believe is not wrong, you are actually gaining more respect and support from your audience.
The Lack of Consequences in Cancel Culture
Jordan: That’s an important point, Matt. The lack of consequences in cancel culture is a significant issue. People on the internet can make false accusations, slander others, and ruin their reputations without facing any repercussions. It’s like they have a false sense of safety behind their screens.
Matt: Exactly. They hide behind fake profiles and anonymous accounts, thinking they can say whatever they want without any consequences. But in the real world, if someone has a problem with what I say, they can confront me, and we can have a conversation or even settle it physically if necessary. There’s accountability in the real world.
Jordan: It’s true. The internet has created this culture where people feel entitled to tear others down without any accountability. They act like high school bullies, shaming and excluding others, all while hiding behind their screens. It’s a waste of their own lives and energy to focus so much on hating someone else.
Matt: Absolutely. They put so much time and effort into hating and trying to cancel someone they don’t even know. It’s a sad way to live.
Engaging with Criticism: The Power of Humor
Jordan: Now, let’s talk about your response to the criticism. You posted a clever photo and link on your Instagram as a way to respond to the outrage. Can you explain what you did and your intention behind it?
Matt: Sure. So, when the outrage happened over a joke that was misperceived, I knew that people expected me to apologize. But I didn’t believe I did anything wrong, so apologizing was not an option. Instead, I decided to post a photo of myself on stage, a good photo, with a link at the bottom that said “Click to solve your issue.”
Jordan: That’s hilarious. The ambiguity of the apology is what makes it funny.
Matt: Exactly! And when people clicked on the link, it redirected them to a store selling special needs helmets. It was a way of saying that those who were offended by the joke needed those helmets more than anyone else. And the fact that they clicked on it just added to the humor.
Jordan: It’s a brilliant response. It shows that you can use humor to address criticism and poke fun at those who are overly sensitive. It also gained you more fans who appreciate your ability to stand your ground and not apologize for something you believe in.
Matt: That’s exactly it. Comedy should be funny, and comedians shouldn’t have to cater to everyone’s sensitivities. By not apologizing and responding with humor, I showed that I am confident in my jokes and that I won’t back down to the cancel culture mob. It’s important to stay true to yourself and not let others dictate what you can and cannot say.
Conclusion
Criticism and cancel culture are prevalent in today’s society, especially on the internet. However, it’s crucial to understand that not all criticism is valid, and not all jokes should be taken seriously. By responding with humor and standing your ground, you can navigate the world of cancel culture and gain support from those who appreciate your authenticity.
Matt Rife’s response to the criticism over his Netflix special is an excellent example of how to handle cancel culture. By using humor and not apologizing for something he believes is not wrong, he shows that he is not afraid to be himself and that he won’t be silenced by outrage mobs on the internet.
Cancel culture and the lack of consequences for leveling accusations are toxic aspects of our society that need to be addressed. It’s essential to cultivate a culture where open dialogue and debate are encouraged, rather than silencing those with differing opinions.
As consumers of media and participants in online discussions, we should be critical of cancel culture and not be quick to jump on the bandwagon of outrage. It’s important to consider different perspectives and engage in thoughtful conversations rather than resorting to accusations and canceling individuals.
Overall, Matt Rife’s response to criticism and the lack of consequences in cancel culture serves as an important reminder to stay true to oneself and respond with humor, not justifying false accusations or giving in to the demands of an outraged mob.
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