#39 Adam Swart: CEO Crowds on Demand. Paid Protesters a Moral and Political Dilemma?

2025-07-01

I had a friendly debate with Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, the largest protest company in America. He ran circles around me having clearly argued almost all my points many times before. He called out my hypocrisy at being intolerant of paying protesters while being ok with all the other money that flows around inside politics. Adam forced me to face reality. I am still opposed to paying protesters, but I do not have a proper solution for it yet (and all the other conflicts of interest we...

I had a friendly debate with Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, the largest protest company in America.

He ran circles around me having clearly argued almost all my points many times before. He called out my hypocrisy at being intolerant of paying protesters while being ok with all the other money that flows around inside politics.

Adam forced me to face reality. I am still opposed to paying protesters, but I do not have a proper solution for it yet (and all the other conflicts of interest we discussed).

A spicy discussion!

AI summary:

In this episode, Shawn dives deep into the world of paid protests with Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, the largest protest company in the U.S. Adam discusses the ethical, practical, and social implications of paying individuals to participate in protests. He defends the practice by highlighting the opportunity costs for potential protestors and draws parallels to various economic incentives present in other sectors. Shawn and Adam engage in a friendly debate, examining moral boundaries, the commoditization of activism, and the broader influence of money in politics. The discussion also covers differences between violent and peaceful protests and features many real-world examples from both sides of the political spectrum. Join them for a thought-provoking conversation that challenges some commonly held beliefs about advocacy and influence in a capitalist society.

00:00 Introduction to the Largest Protest Company

01:02 The Ethics of Paid Protests

01:45 Debating the Morality of Paid Protests

04:51 Adam Swart's Perspective on Paid Protests

07:17 The Reality of Paid Protests

16:07 Global Perspective on Paid Protests

17:15 Commoditization of Protests and Other Concepts

27:46 The Flexibility of Protest Participation

28:16 Grassroots Protests: A Deeper Look

30:12 The Politics of Incentives

31:58 The Ethics of Paid Advocacy

37:43 Protests and Public Perception