8 years ago, Alex Jones was a novelty to Joe Rogan. Someone he found fascinating and could hold an interview with that would be entertaining and incisive at the same time without ever devolving into namecalling or a debate. Today, Alex Jones is a personal friend who influences his opinions and values.
8 years ago, Joe Rogan opposed government intervention into personal liberties such as abortion, gender-affirming care, and marriage. Today, Joe Rogan pals around with people who think the government should pass laws to increase white birth rates, people who think "gender ideology" is corrupting our children, and people who want women to be submissive and for gays and trans people not to exist.
8 years ago, his guests included Bill Burr and Steve-O. Now, it's crackpots like Aaron Rodgers and xenophobes like Douglas Murray, author of "The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam" and "The War on the West"
This is what happens when dark money is behind the wheel of a Gen X-er's social media diet. You turn libertarians into white nativist conservatives. You create a climate where someone with the exact same platform as Pat Buchanan's becomes electable.