I read something recently that said it's not about the left vs right anymore but the authoritarian vs. tolerant. There are authoritarians on both sides of the political divide who are, for a variety of reasons, pushing for the extremes.
I'd like to think that a majority of us are sensible, down to earth people who want a better world and…
I read something recently that said it's not about the left vs right anymore but the authoritarian vs. tolerant. There are authoritarians on both sides of the political divide who are, for a variety of reasons, pushing for the extremes.
I'd like to think that a majority of us are sensible, down to earth people who want a better world and thought we were working for that by backing our usual side.
I for one have come to realize, in the last 6 months, how much I had been played by the people I thought were politically progressive, and that the caricature of the whacky people on the right was, just that, a ridiculous caricature meant to build my mistrust.
I sure hope that many more of us wake up to what's happening. Whether we are concerned about free speech, child safeguarding, women's rights, or another issue, it's going to be important for us to push for open debate and the coming back together of reasonable people who have had enough of the ridiculous.
Very well said. I think the reality deniers and the authoritarians are often one and the same because if you want to push an idea that's ridiculous or whose logic falls apart under the slightest scrutiny, you can't rely on tools like persuasion and debate. In fact, you have to silence those tools as quickly as possible so they aren't allowed to undermine your agenda.
You can't allow people to listen to "the other side," so you convince your side the they're evil and stupid. You can't acknowledge the strengths of the opposing arguments, so you rely on straw-men and lies. You can't afford dissent, so you silence people using emotional manipulation and intimidation.
I absolutely believe that most people are sensible and reasonable. As long as you can break down these filters first.
I read something recently that said it's not about the left vs right anymore but the authoritarian vs. tolerant. There are authoritarians on both sides of the political divide who are, for a variety of reasons, pushing for the extremes.
I'd like to think that a majority of us are sensible, down to earth people who want a better world and thought we were working for that by backing our usual side.
I for one have come to realize, in the last 6 months, how much I had been played by the people I thought were politically progressive, and that the caricature of the whacky people on the right was, just that, a ridiculous caricature meant to build my mistrust.
I sure hope that many more of us wake up to what's happening. Whether we are concerned about free speech, child safeguarding, women's rights, or another issue, it's going to be important for us to push for open debate and the coming back together of reasonable people who have had enough of the ridiculous.
Very well said. I think the reality deniers and the authoritarians are often one and the same because if you want to push an idea that's ridiculous or whose logic falls apart under the slightest scrutiny, you can't rely on tools like persuasion and debate. In fact, you have to silence those tools as quickly as possible so they aren't allowed to undermine your agenda.
You can't allow people to listen to "the other side," so you convince your side the they're evil and stupid. You can't acknowledge the strengths of the opposing arguments, so you rely on straw-men and lies. You can't afford dissent, so you silence people using emotional manipulation and intimidation.
I absolutely believe that most people are sensible and reasonable. As long as you can break down these filters first.
You just wrote what I was trying to say.