Great stuff as always, Scott! The conservative media does run a slick con job on their viewers by getting them to defend the people who are causing them pain. You articulated it brilliantly here.
I'm not down with being mean of course, but sometimes I have to wonder about the impressive mediocrity of the conservative mind. These are the same folks who conclude that rocks can kill and AR-15s can kill and therefore we should legislate rocks and ARs identically.
I think you did a good job generously translating their poorly articulated feelings. I think also we need to remind them that they - we all - have rights. And even if you don't win an election, even if you are in the tiniest minority however you slice it, you still have rights that no one can take away.
I feel sympathy for people who are inclined to accept the mainstream narrative uncritically. I believe that conservatives specifically are mostly people who are naturally inclined to operate from a space of fear and insecurity. There is no defect of character, some people's fear response just activates more easily, like different dogs might have a stronger or weaker predator instinct. The fear response is innate and more easily triggered in some humans than others. And when a propaganda system can make a large portion of the population feel freaked out and besieged, more people will have their fear response triggered. Once a person is operating out of a sense of fear, their ability to think rationally is hampered. Fear and anxiety have a way of disabling logical thinking. This makes people more susceptible to propaganda messaging that points toward simplistic thinking. The next step, after you freak out as many people as possible, is to hammer the pro-capitalist, anticommunist message, which will be uncritically accepted as truth.
You make such a great point that all are negatively impacted. Yes, your point about rights is well-taken. Thank you for the thoughtful comment.
Clever article and profound reality! I tip my hat to your well-written explanation.
Keep it up! We need innovative and elegant reforms to the structure of U.S. politics!
Thank you for the kind words... I intend to!
Great stuff as always, Scott! The conservative media does run a slick con job on their viewers by getting them to defend the people who are causing them pain. You articulated it brilliantly here.
I'm not down with being mean of course, but sometimes I have to wonder about the impressive mediocrity of the conservative mind. These are the same folks who conclude that rocks can kill and AR-15s can kill and therefore we should legislate rocks and ARs identically.
I think you did a good job generously translating their poorly articulated feelings. I think also we need to remind them that they - we all - have rights. And even if you don't win an election, even if you are in the tiniest minority however you slice it, you still have rights that no one can take away.
Larry, thank you so much for the kind words.
I feel sympathy for people who are inclined to accept the mainstream narrative uncritically. I believe that conservatives specifically are mostly people who are naturally inclined to operate from a space of fear and insecurity. There is no defect of character, some people's fear response just activates more easily, like different dogs might have a stronger or weaker predator instinct. The fear response is innate and more easily triggered in some humans than others. And when a propaganda system can make a large portion of the population feel freaked out and besieged, more people will have their fear response triggered. Once a person is operating out of a sense of fear, their ability to think rationally is hampered. Fear and anxiety have a way of disabling logical thinking. This makes people more susceptible to propaganda messaging that points toward simplistic thinking. The next step, after you freak out as many people as possible, is to hammer the pro-capitalist, anticommunist message, which will be uncritically accepted as truth.
You make such a great point that all are negatively impacted. Yes, your point about rights is well-taken. Thank you for the thoughtful comment.
nice way to frame it. Thanks again
So glad you enjoyed! Thank you.