Michael Beyer

Michael 'Mike from PA' Beyer

Prolific couch-beater Michael from Penn State is a well-known beta male in the Twitch streaming space. In recent years, Mike has resigned himself to life as an extra testicle for Hasan Piker, streaming strictly to gobble up Hasan's viewers whenever he is offline. Much like the socialists he idolizes, Mike is a parasite. He briefly attended law school, after which he never passed the bar.

nathanYikes

History with Destiny

First Appearance

Mike's first conversationwith Destiny occurred on August 6th, 2019. Over the course of the conversation Destiny and Mike engaged in a deep discussion covering electoral politics, policy and the healthcare system. The response to Mike's first appearance was generally positive as he managed to have a thoughtful discussion over polling and the American healthcare system.

Second Appearance

Mike's second conversationwith Destiny occurred on August 7th, 2019. This conversation was much more contentious compared to Mike and Destiny's initial discussion.

The debate centered on economic and environmental regulations and their impact on developing countries. Destiny argued that first-world countries often impose stringent regulations on developing nations, which he sees as hypocritical since developed nations historically polluted heavily during their industrialization phase. Mike from PA contended that this is a nuanced issue, suggesting that merely placing environmental restrictions on developing countries isn't sufficient. He argued for more comprehensive measures, such as substantial financial transfers and development subsidies, to help these countries adhere to environmental standards without compromising their growth.

The discussion also delved into the topic of multilateral trade agreements, specifically focusing on how these agreements can unfairly benefit corporations at the expense of labor and environmental standards. Destiny brings up that economic shifts from manufacturing to service-based jobs in the U.S. generally have a positive impact. Mike from PA argued that this shift has led to growing income inequality and is not inherently beneficial.

Both seemed to agree, at least in part, that trade agreements could play a role in enforcing labor and environmental standards. However, they differed in how effective or ethical this role was, with Destiny being more open to the utility of these agreements and Mike from PA more critical of their real-world impacts.

Third Appearance

Mike's third conversationwith Destiny occurred on August 18th, 2019. This conversation was even more contentious than the prior two debates.

The debate centered on the topic of stock buybacks, particularly questioning whether Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is economically illiterate for criticizing them. Destiny argued that AOC's comparisons between stock buybacks and R&D expenditures are not directly related, while Mike defended the point that both come from the same pool of money. Destiny contended that companies won't buy back stock if there are profitable investments to be made in R&D, suggesting that doing so doesn't necessarily detract from innovation. Mike argued that this behavior could be influenced by the self-interest of executives rather than the company's well-being.

A historical discussion then arose, with Mike pointing out that stock buybacks were not common until the Reagan era, linking the practice to increased income inequality and imbalances between executive and worker pay. Destiny countered that multiple factors contributed to the economic growth post-World War II, and attributing it solely to the absence of stock buybacks is misleading.

Eventually, both debaters acknowledged the need for increased minimum wages and stronger unions but still disagreed on the role stock buybacks play in economic inequality. Destiny argued that they are merely a symptom, not a cause, of broader issues.

Fourth Appearance

Mike's fourth conversationwith Destiny occurred on August 18th, 2019. The cracks in the foundation of Destiny and Mike's relationship begin to show at this point, with Destiny ending the conversation by stating "I'm on the fence about whether or not you're a tankie". The conversation occurred on Mike from PA's channel.

Mike from PA and Destiny engaged in a debate covering various topics, such as stock buybacks once again, political institutions, and democratic socialism.

Mike from PA argued that addressing issues like stock buybacks is part of a larger effort to reduce inequality. Destiny questioned if stock buybacks would be bad in an ideal world where workers are well-compensated. The two also discussed the influence of political appointees on institutions like the EPA and the FBI, with Destiny warning against undermining these institutions. Mike from PA insists they are not entirely independent and can be influenced by political appointments.

They also debated the merits and drawbacks of the electoral college versus popular vote systems. Mike from PA argued for a more democratic system, while Destiny suggested that the electoral college serves a purpose.

Both touched on issues like gerrymandering, the role of the Supreme Court, and the potential dangers of populism. Mike from PA leaned toward technocratic solutions, while Destiny remained adamant in cautioning against undermining existing, essential, institutions.

Fifth Appearance

Mike's fifth conversationwith Destiny occurred on August 19th, 2019.

The debate centered on the economic literacy of AOC, specifically her opinions on stock buybacks and research & development (R&D) spending by companies. Destiny suggested that economic rationality doesn't mean actors have perfect information but that they make what they believe to be optimal choices based on the information available to them. Destiny also emphasized the need for more empirical evidence to definitively say whether stock buybacks have a long-term negative impact on companies and their level of investment in R&D. Mike from PA was critical of the practice of stock buybacks, agreeing with AOC's viewpoint. He argued that stock buybacks serve to inflate stock prices, primarily benefiting CEOs whose pay is often tied to stock performance. He suggests that this focus on stock buybacks diverts funds from other important areas like R&D. Mike challenges the notion that the current economic system is optimal or rational, pointing to how CEOs may have interests that don't align with the long-term health of their companies.

Of note, the broader DGG community was rather unhappy with his treatment toward an undergraduate student who sat in on the call, and his general rudeness during the call.

Mike calls Destiny a "useful idiot" for the Right

On September 6, 2019 Mike from PA, seemingly unhappy with Destiny's treatment of the "far left", states in a twitch clip that Destiny's actions have made him a "useful idiot" for the right.

Bridge degradation

Sometime around October 19th, 2019 the bridge between Destiny and Mike from PA had officially been destroyed as a result of twitter^{[citation needed ]} interactions btween the two streamers, and various snipes taken by Mike on his own stream. Thus began Mike's descent towards madness and the man we know today. Now that all good will with Destiny and DGG had been eroded, Mike would begin to become more explicit in his "dunking" towards "libs" and establishment Dems in order to appeal to the more radical left-leaning community on the rise lead by Twitch streamer Hasanabi.

Sixth Appearance

Mike's sixth conversationwith Destiny occurred on November 21st, 2019. This was a three hour long conversation which ultimately cemented the two streamer's disdain towards one another.

The video begins with Destiny reacting to Mike's response to a conversation between Destiny and David Pakman regarding the coupe in Bolivia. It was at around this time that the lefty arc was in full swing, and Destiny's patience for those he perceived to be a "commie" or "chapo poster" was worn thin(in fact he bans one of those individuals 3 minutes into the video).

Destiny begins the call by saying he'd like to go over Mike's conversation with MindWaves, a conversation that Destiny had prepared extensive notes for. The conversation starts off cordial enough, with Destiny positing the question to Mike: "Is it possible for an individual to not be racist/sexist, but still partake in a racist/sexist system?" Mike states it is certainly possible, and goes on to say "while personal racism is objectionable, it is not as important as structural racism". Destiny then asks Mike to expand on his take that "all cops are racist". Mike denies that he ever said this, at which point Destiny cites a quote taken directly from Mike's conversation with MindWaves in which he stated "Police officers are racist, just by virtue of being a police officer you are partaking in a racist system." Mike then walks back his statement, hesitantly, and agrees with Destiny that "not all cops are racist".

The conversation continues, and eventually Destiny points out that Mike's chat seems to think that "every single cop is participatory in a horrendous criminal justice system, that is necessarily racist, and that all of them should quit." Destiny then points out to Mike that this seems contradictory with his previously stated position all cops are not racist. Destiny then describes a hypothetical of a non-racist cop who works in a non-racist precinct, and asks Mike if that individual should quit. Mike does not answer the hypothetical initially, and instead attempts to critique it as unrealistic. When Mike does eventually answer the hypothetical he states that the officer should quit the force, even if it would be to the detriment to his wife and children.

Mike then makes the point that if a black motorist broke down in any 100% white precinct in the United States/one with no historical instances of racism, that they would almost definitely experience some form of racism. Destiny then asks Mike: "If a black person wandered into any precinct in the United States would they experience racism? Even if there was no historical instances of racism occurring in that precinct?" Destiny also points out that Mike's position that the black motorist would likely experience racism is contradictory to his earlier position that not all cops are racist. Again, Mike does not directly answer the hypothetical, and instead begins to explain "the talk" black parents give to their children regarding police officers. Destiny cuts Mike off, and points out that Mike's responses have been tepid/lukewarm compared to the responses he is seeing in Mike's own chat(i.e., all cops are racist). Mike once again does not respond directly to the question nor the hypothetical, and instead goes on the recite Martin Luther King's "riot's are the language of the unheard" quote.

Destiny then makes the claim that "almost every single answer you've given me has been contradictory to what you said in the MindWaves conversation". At this point, Destiny and Mike run through the list of timestamped notes Destiny had made from the MindWaves/Mike conversation, and even go on to discuss a few hot button topics at the time including the N-Word drama, and Bolivia. Destiny's preparation of timestamped links to pin Mike down on, coupled with Mike's general slipperiness and tendency to contradict himself in the topics that followed, solidified his perception as a "dishonest fucking snake" in the eyes of Destiny and the broader DGG community.

Notable weaselly instances from Mike in the conversation include:

• "If someone critiques you (MindWaves) for being sexist, it doesn't mean that you have to take it personally". Mike goes on to claim he never called MindWaves sexist. Destiny then pulls a timestamped link to Mike's conversation with MindWaves, in which MindWaves asks "Am I Sexist?" and Mike states "Well if you look at your body of work, there's a gender balance problem...". Mike maintained this was not an accusation of sexism. It is worthwhile to note that Mike was only defending this position in an attempt to stan Badbunny, because MindWaves refused to invite her onto his podcast due to her abrasive behavior.

• When Destiny brought up the point that the best way to apply pressure to China was through multilateral trade agreements. Mike was skeptical of the efficacy of this tactic, implied that allowing China to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) was a mistake (despite the fact that in order to bring WTO suits against China, they need to be a member of the organization), and then pivoted to some point about "Neoliberals thought opening markets to China 10 years ago would lead to social and political freedom..." Destiny noticed this pivot in real time, and questioned what any of those statements had to do with multilateral trade agreements.

• Framed the N-Word Debate as a normal conversation that devolved into "a bunch of white people yelling about how it's okay to use the n-word in private", when it was in fact Destiny getting ambushed by two black people who were very excited to have that particular conversation.

• Claimed that fascism doesn't work because it "always ends up in ruins, and makes a lot of enemies", to which Destiny replied: "That's strange; you could apply that same definition to a lot of socialist countries." Shortly afterwards, Mike claimed that Destiny stated "Ultimately, you're saying that socialism never works, as if that's an argument against the platform I'm arguing for..."

• Claimed that the 9 million people that die every year under capitalism is the same as some of the famines that occurred under the USSR.. He then claimed this was not tankie propaganda.

External Links

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