The Far Right Contagion - It’s not a Trump thing. It’s not a politics thing
The Far Right Contagion - It’s not a Trump thing. It’s not a politics thing
chadbourn.substack.com
The Far Right Contagion
9 comments
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This does ring true. And the right has been systematically attacking public education for decades, with considerable success. They have created the constituency they knew they would need to do what they actually want to do. The worst of it is that there's nothing we can do about it, in the short term. Education operates on a generational time scale. We desperately need to fix this, but even if we had the political power to do that, which we currently do not, it would be at least twenty years before it could begin to affect things.
I think we are nearing the point where even the far-right base is realizing that what's being done is making things worse for the, not better. We may get a window of opportunity to start fixing things. When and if we do, progressives need to be decisive and daring. Big changes need to be made and made quickly.
The Democratic party, as it currently stands, is not going to do what is needed. It needs to be reformed or replaced if we're going to make this work. The best of the alternatives would be the return of something like the Great Depression.
I don't think the system we have will allow the practical creation of a new party, but I have begun to wonder if we can't get away with bypassing the Democratic "leadership". If we get progressive candidates through the primaries as Democrats, and support them directly with funding and volunteers, we can get them elected.
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I still actually do believe the Internet will start producing worthwhile information again. I'm noticing patterns of the Internet being useful and filled with dogshit and back to useful.
Just give those wonderful Indian dudes some time to make more YouTube videos on every subject
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It’s an education thing.
9 comments
I think I need help with this, because I also interact with some "low information" (I don't like that term) voters, who agree with me on a lot of policy. I struggle to extend the grace I need to because it makes me even more upset. At least fascists and racists have a real reason to vote for this. I'm having a convo with someone and they're ostensibly pro choice and pro gay rights, and they still voted Trump. When I ask about why they voted for him if Rs are historically anti those things it's because Trump is just "better for America". I try to reason and kindly ask questions etc and I hope I make some inroads, but internally I just dislike them as people. How am I supposed to square that? They care so little about their purported positions they don't actually care if they happen, so long as some other nebulous concept of America becoming great happens. It upsets me and I can't help but think they're just bad people who don't actually care about others, they're just too stupid to realize that. They know conceptually gay marriage is ok, they just don't actually believe it so are willing to throw it away for vibes? I don't know, sounds like being a bad person with extra steps.
Vibes based voting is stupid, but vibes over policy means you care more about vibes than policy, so how much do they really care about the policy? Also, what kind of person are you that you get good vibes from Trump?
I go back and forth with myself about this so much, but there's always a part that believes no matter how "low information" you are, you have seen or heard Trump do some heinous stuff that you are willing to overlook even though you don't know his actual policy stance. That's at least been my experience with low information voters. I wish there was just a magical phrase someone could say that would make me understand that not all Trump voters are bad people, but I've yet to come across it. Truly looking for more insight on this if anyone is willing to share.
I feel this. Its basically more infuriating where as if they are just straight up evil at least they would be voting consistant with their values. Every so often I have said im not sure which is worse evil or stupid but oftentimes I lean toward stupid. As much as we say policies favor the wealthy it really does not in a long term holistic way. The one cult expert guy has it right. It was only a few years ago that I realized mlm was a cult (I mean I always realized its a scam but never realized the people in it were so brainwashed) and he got me to realize it really is the same with maga.
There's a question I have, and it's an honest one: Did you ask WHY ? and HOW?
One can't begin to understand another until those they are trying to understand provide those answers to those questions
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Otherwise it's just two strangers making noise.