this post was submitted on 10 Jun 2023
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Let's be real. A lot of these people don't actually believe anything that comes out of their mouth, but if they think it'll trigger a liberal they're down with it.
I especially don't get this "dying to trigger the libs". Interesting tactic I have to say. I am not compelled to try and trigger anyone - are they all trolls now or something? I have more interesting things to do than to cut off my nose to piss someone else off.
I think there is a lot of pride to be conservative coming into play here. Hard to explain, but I sometimes see this in my family. They proudly present their ignorance to show off their conservativism, hold it in front of them like a banner. When I inquire a bit deeper their views are often a bit more reasonable, it just feels like average boomers wanting to be cool by flaunting their ignorance, as weird as this sounds.
Yeah it feels like most right wing people are more progressive than they think.
I'm not from the U.S. but everytime I talk with a conservative we agree on a lot of things once they stop talking with slogans
That's my experience too. Often when I talk to people they have pretty moderate or left-leaning views that would fit well in any of our more left-leaning parties. However the majority of them still votes for our biggest conservative party, which openly promises and does the opposite of what they claim they would want in a conversation. Frustrating.
Well yeah, they wouldn't want to be a stupid science bitch.
Yes, there are likely lots of people like me who remember having smudge fires to keep the bugs down when working outside in the country or how a campsite smells.
But, living in Alberta, with the air quality rapidly going to hell, the notion that breathing this stuff in day after day even if only when outside is somehow not harmful is ridiculous.
I often find with really nuts conservative ideas there's this kernel of truth that they are based on. The conservative focuses on that, the progressive focuses on the crazy parts. I am not excusing this. The lack of critical or deep thinking is a serious problem. All I'm trying to say is if you meet them in reality you might be able to find some common ground and maybe help them see another point of view or learn a little yourself about their perspective. Doesn't quite work that way dealing with online trolls but occasional can in person.
The documentary Behind the Curve explores this idea a bit. It follows die hard flat earthers around their daily lives to get to know them a bit more.
There's a running theme throughout the movie that these people weren't very happy with their lives prior to becoming flat earthers. Joining the "movement" gave them instant friends and a sense of direction. There's subtle hints now and again that most don't actually believe the Earth is flat, but they feel like "coming out" would ruin their reputation with their new community.
I get the sense that a lot of right wingers feel the same.
The Right uses fear and intimidation to keep their base in line. They brainwash their children into believing as they do that an absolute authority exists and someone will tell them who that is and that to succeed in life all they have to do is follow a proscription.
and the reason we don't hear much about flat earth any more is because most of them moved on... to QAnon.
"Hey look I proved the Earth was round with a relatively long lage, a semi-proffessional camera and a jury rigged gimbal."
"Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The anti-Semites have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.”
― Jean-Paul Sartre
Perfect description. Thanks for sharing.