EPTIn journalism, a hot take is a "piece of deliberately provocative commentary that is based almost entirely on shallow moralizing" in response to a news story,[1] "usually written on tight deadlines with little research or reporting, and even less thought".[2] It was a sports talk radio industry term, referring to the tactic of hosts picking "a topic from the sports zeitgeist, often one that has no business being discussed because the answer is unknowable", making "loud, fact-free declarations" about the topic, eliciting angry listeners to call in and providing show content.
With all the shit that has gone on this past year, I felt the need to let loose some of my personal 'hot takes'. I dislike cancel culture, but I abhor how people pass off their opinions without a worry in the world. At the very least, I feel like these individuals should have the common decency to preface their bullshit with a warning label.
That being said, here are some of my stupidest, most impossible, and extreme personal opinions. Warning: potential bullshit ahead, read at your own discretion.
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Hot take #1: All technology should require a license or a certification to use
Just like how a car requires a license to legally drive, cellphones and computers should require individuals a license for a person to use. Technology is evolving way too quickly for the average person to keep up, and I feel that the potential for misuse will eventually skyrocket out of control if we allow irresponsible individuals and neophytes access to a social media outlet or blog. Scam websites and social media bots are becoming easier to make, while keyboard warriors and trolls are slowly overwhelming the gateway of information with utter garbage. Could this license be manipulated by governments as a form of censorship? Sure, but I'd rather have that than have random Facebook strangers commenting "kill all dems" and me not knowing if that's a bot or a real person with 25 seemingly random "friends."
Hot take #2:Cryptocurrency as a form of UBI
I think it'd be really neat if governments started dishing out their own forms of cryptocurrency that could only be used for cost-of-living stuff. I won't pretend to understand how the economy works, but if we could expand food stamps into legal tender for rents, student loans, and utilities, I feel like that would go a super long way towards improving the standard of living (at least in America, not sure what other countries have).
Hot take #3: Emphasis on life skills and culture in school, not on math or english
School in America is a travesty. K-12 schools are underfunded, teachers are underpaid, and the subjects being taught are damn near useless. The most useful things I learned in life was done outside of class, in the households of my friends, and in the community I grew up in. School shouldn't be a place where 30 kids get babysat by 1 adult, school should be a community where children are supervised by every adult and taught how to respect one another. Allow kids the freedom to choose learn about interests them. I truly believe that it takes a village to raise a child.
Oh and standardized testing is fucking useless. Unless you're writing an academic paper. Then proper grammar would be highly appreciated.
Hot take #4: Entertainment will be the downfall of humanity
As more people consume media and seek to consume even more media, people will inevitably line up to feed that desire. Streamers, Instagram, TikTok, and gaming companies are experts at creating addictive content and media that makes a user want more. The more we want to be entertained, the more time we end up entertaining ourselves, and the less time we spend helping and building our society.
I'm a hypocrite, as I am hopelessly addicted to videogames, Twitch.tv, and to anything with a gachapon system.
Hot Take #5: Un-informed people shouldn't be allowed to vote
Yes, I know it's illegal, and literacy tests are unconstitutional ever since it was used to prevent recently-freed African-American slaves from voting. But I sincerely wished that everyone who voted at least used their own heads, and not their ears. I respected my friends who voted for Trump because they were sick of the system, and that by voting for a non-politician, that their voice would be heard. However, I immediately lost all respect for my former friends that voted for Trump "because it'd be funny if he actually won." The right to vote is something people have died for, and to disrespect it is an insult to everyone who has given their lives for that right. Perhaps an audit would be sufficient to scare people into voting with a clear conscience. But I will admit, the idea of forcing someone to use their conscience and their head at the same time sickens me to my core.
Hot take #6: There should be no such thing as a career politician
Having a Senator or representative serve for 10+ years is a recipe for disaster. Yes, while some individuals seem to be level headed after spending so long in the filth of political swines, there are some individuals who lost their heads. A broken record player would essentially serve the same purpose. If our society was responsible enough where we could serve in congress/legislature like we do in the courtroom, that would be a game changer in my opinion.
Hot take #7: Organized religion was the original pyramid scheme
Being religious is fine, but being part of an organized religion is a sham. It's a human institution that unifies people in a single, potentially false belief that is derived from another person's opinion. Make sure you praise him for everything good. cause everything good in your life was given to you by God. If something bad happens to you, its cause God works in mysterious ways. Or, it's a test. Goes to show that freedom of speech was definitely not a thing back in the day.
Hot take #8: Conspiracy theorists and dumbasses should be educated with retributionist justice.
Are you a flat earther? Here, let me strap you in a rocket and send you to the Moon. Once you're there, you can just "jump really high" and get back to Earth. Anti-vaxxer? Here, free trip and house in Middle-of-nowhere, Montana with all the other anti-vaxxers. Don't come crawling back to the other side when polio hits. Climate change denier? Let me just confine you to your house in Montana that uses a diesel-powered electric generator that vents everything into your living room (basically free central heating as an added bonus). Think the election was stolen? Here, you fucking count the votes. No dinner until its done.
Just like how a car requires a license to legally drive, cellphones and computers should require individuals a license for a person to use. Technology is evolving way too quickly for the average person to keep up, and I feel that the potential for misuse will eventually skyrocket out of control if we allow irresponsible individuals and neophytes access to a social media outlet or blog. Scam websites and social media bots are becoming easier to make, while keyboard warriors and trolls are slowly overwhelming the gateway of information with utter garbage. Could this license be manipulated by governments as a form of censorship? Sure, but I'd rather have that than have random Facebook strangers commenting "kill all dems" and me not knowing if that's a bot or a real person with 25 seemingly random "friends."
Hot take #2:Cryptocurrency as a form of UBI
I think it'd be really neat if governments started dishing out their own forms of cryptocurrency that could only be used for cost-of-living stuff. I won't pretend to understand how the economy works, but if we could expand food stamps into legal tender for rents, student loans, and utilities, I feel like that would go a super long way towards improving the standard of living (at least in America, not sure what other countries have).
Hot take #3: Emphasis on life skills and culture in school, not on math or english
School in America is a travesty. K-12 schools are underfunded, teachers are underpaid, and the subjects being taught are damn near useless. The most useful things I learned in life was done outside of class, in the households of my friends, and in the community I grew up in. School shouldn't be a place where 30 kids get babysat by 1 adult, school should be a community where children are supervised by every adult and taught how to respect one another. Allow kids the freedom to choose learn about interests them. I truly believe that it takes a village to raise a child.
Oh and standardized testing is fucking useless. Unless you're writing an academic paper. Then proper grammar would be highly appreciated.
Hot take #4: Entertainment will be the downfall of humanity
As more people consume media and seek to consume even more media, people will inevitably line up to feed that desire. Streamers, Instagram, TikTok, and gaming companies are experts at creating addictive content and media that makes a user want more. The more we want to be entertained, the more time we end up entertaining ourselves, and the less time we spend helping and building our society.
I'm a hypocrite, as I am hopelessly addicted to videogames, Twitch.tv, and to anything with a gachapon system.
Hot Take #5: Un-informed people shouldn't be allowed to vote
Yes, I know it's illegal, and literacy tests are unconstitutional ever since it was used to prevent recently-freed African-American slaves from voting. But I sincerely wished that everyone who voted at least used their own heads, and not their ears. I respected my friends who voted for Trump because they were sick of the system, and that by voting for a non-politician, that their voice would be heard. However, I immediately lost all respect for my former friends that voted for Trump "because it'd be funny if he actually won." The right to vote is something people have died for, and to disrespect it is an insult to everyone who has given their lives for that right. Perhaps an audit would be sufficient to scare people into voting with a clear conscience. But I will admit, the idea of forcing someone to use their conscience and their head at the same time sickens me to my core.
Hot take #6: There should be no such thing as a career politician
Having a Senator or representative serve for 10+ years is a recipe for disaster. Yes, while some individuals seem to be level headed after spending so long in the filth of political swines, there are some individuals who lost their heads. A broken record player would essentially serve the same purpose. If our society was responsible enough where we could serve in congress/legislature like we do in the courtroom, that would be a game changer in my opinion.
Hot take #7: Organized religion was the original pyramid scheme
Being religious is fine, but being part of an organized religion is a sham. It's a human institution that unifies people in a single, potentially false belief that is derived from another person's opinion. Make sure you praise him for everything good. cause everything good in your life was given to you by God. If something bad happens to you, its cause God works in mysterious ways. Or, it's a test. Goes to show that freedom of speech was definitely not a thing back in the day.
Hot take #8: Conspiracy theorists and dumbasses should be educated with retributionist justice.
Are you a flat earther? Here, let me strap you in a rocket and send you to the Moon. Once you're there, you can just "jump really high" and get back to Earth. Anti-vaxxer? Here, free trip and house in Middle-of-nowhere, Montana with all the other anti-vaxxers. Don't come crawling back to the other side when polio hits. Climate change denier? Let me just confine you to your house in Montana that uses a diesel-powered electric generator that vents everything into your living room (basically free central heating as an added bonus). Think the election was stolen? Here, you fucking count the votes. No dinner until its done.
What are some of your guys' hot takes?
