 A pattern I've noticed is that liberals typically don't have any direct interactions with people who are struggling and assume that their experience is representative of the general population. Rejecting material analysis as an explanation for their ideology becoming unappealing they latch onto the idea that the problem is with foreign actors interfering. These people think that as long as as they can control the narrative then everybody will just magically forget that their lives suck. 14 comments
@yogthos you’re very certain of your theory there. I have some other culprits in looking at the rise of right wing extremism (it’s the promoters of right wing extremism at the top of my list). Also not having a problem with the system is almost a definition of conservative. But it was the specific that liberals don’t actually interact with people who are suffering that caught my eye. That’s not my experience. Felt like a post hoc rationalisation of anti-liberal prejudice @JimmyB right wing extremism isn't a new idea, and the question liberals have to ask themselves is why it's becoming increasingly appealing to people today. As material conditions deteriorate people start moving either left or right on the political spectrum leaving the liberal mainstream. The reason alternative narratives are becoming increasingly appealing is precisely because liberal policies have resulted in a horrific decline of living conditions. @yogthos well - that’s one framing. I think it lets those promoting right wing extremism off the hook pretty nicely. @JimmyB you seem to have missed the point entirely here. The question I asked you why you think such narratives are becoming popular now. These narratives aren't new, right wing extremism isn't new. What exactly do you think changed today that makes increasing numbers of people in the west buy into these narratives? @yogthos yeah - I didn’t address your question in a way you found satisfactory because I found it a a) a bit carefully framed b) had ignored my previous points while suggesting I had missed the point (very characteristic of those with really definitive answers seeking to control a conversation). Try this: do you think I am unaware that extreme right wing narratives are new? (Hint: I am) @yogthos there an irony in completely ignoring what I post, posting your own questions back and being annoyed I didn’t engage with your questions. ... don't wind me up like that. It's always framed as reaching voters, not as raising and addressing issues. When you're out #BlockWalking or in #PhoneBanking or #TextBanking ... they carefully select people who they think would vote their way if they could only get them to vote If you are having to ask your OWN people to stir their asses to the polls, maybe it's because you're not inspiring anyone. @yogthos I'm filing this under "Thing I Understood but Couldn't Effectively Communicate." Thank you for this. @kpopncommunism people become disillusioned with the system, but they the understanding of what the actual problems are. The right offers platitudes that are in line with the capitalist indoctrination. The whole idea that the government is the problem, and you just need more free markets, etc. This is what's been drilled into people's heads, and they think things are getting worse because we're just doing capitalism wrong. Meanwhile, moving to the left requires rejecting the whole system. |
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@yogthos that’s weird - I’ve noticed the complete opposite. Are you sure you aren’t just backing some anti-liberal prejudice with some made up evidence there?