Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think the problem with political discussions is often the two people arguing both hold positions *appropriate for their standing in society*.
It's really hard to change your social standing, and it's naive to think you can use logic games to convince someone to vote against their own interests.
In the end, there is no single set of beliefs and ideas which is good for everybody. Because of how ability, resources, etc. are distributed, there will always be contention in society.
Description Many Americans feel an obligation to keep up with political news. But maybe we should be focusing our energies elsewhere. In this episode from 2020, political scientist Eitan Hersh says there's been a rise in "political hobbyism" in the United States. We treat politics like entertainment, following the latest updates like we follow our favorite sports teams. Instead, he says, we should think of politics as a way to acquire power and persuade our neighbors to back the issues we support.
"Highly educated adults – particularly those who have attended graduate school – are far more likely than those with less education to take predominantly liberal positions across a range of political values. And these differences have increased over the past two decades.
More than half of those with postgraduate experience (54%) have either consistently liberal political values (31%) or mostly liberal values (23%), based on an analysis of their opinions about the role and performance of government, social issues, the environment and other topics. Fewer than half as many postgrads – roughly 12% of the public in 2015– have either consistently conservative (10%) or mostly conservative (14%) values. About one-in-five (22%) express a mix of liberal and conservative opinions."
25 years, one big shift
Remarkably, this is a perfect inversion of the way the parties were made up just 25 years ago.
The education gap gets even bigger when you look at postgraduate experience. Based on the 2017 number, 63% of voters with postgraduate experience are some shade of blue, and 31% are some shade of red. https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/22/polit...rnd/index.html
I was more conservative years ago peaking in the 1980s and 1990s, then became more liberal after the finical crisis in 2008.
I want to add one more thing about being Roman Catholic. Here in the US, for many years Catholicism was looked down upon and even outlawed. Remember, this nation was founded in part by people who were leaving Europe to get away from Catholicism - it was founded with the Reformation and its ideas in full swing and at the heart of our Constitution. For many decades, Catholicism was seen as answering to the Pope, not to a particular government, and the founders of our nation didn't like that.
Yet another reason to remember that personhood and our inner beliefs often transcend political parties. Political parties come and go.
Yes, I remember this well. It was as if Catholics were another group of folks who appeared different, but were never around. Until I was about 2nd grade, I thought Catholics were rightfully called Papists and were like communists. I don't know what all the hoopla was about but the KKK actually hated Catholics most off all it seemed. My father supported the few rural farmers for 'Bo' Callaway for governor over Lester Maddox and once and old meanie called my father a supporter of popery. Over the next few decades this kind of nativism nearly disappeared.
My friend identifies as a communist . IMO his political views stem from being angry and poor. Meanwhile he has gotten Govt aid for years under questionable circumstances and lives in Mexico where he spends his check every month.
He basically called me a fool for believing Covid is real.
Last point he sought out the CHINESE vaccine Sinovac specifically because it wasn't an American product.
I think the "tribes" are being fueled and drummed up by big business through media, to keep us all preoccupied with meaningless petty bickering.
Here's my take on it all...
Now, more than ever, we are exposed to such divergent sources of information, it's hard to keep it all straight. But yeah...we develop our tribes.
Like...where I live, our local newspaper is liberal. Sure, we have conservative people in our area, but our newspaper is decidedly liberal. So...our tribe is liberal.
If you were to go to a state like Oklahoma...it's decidedly conservative. Look at Oklahoma City's local newspaper. Very conservative. Look at Chattanooga's local newspaper...conservative. The 'tribe' is conservative.
Now...there's some peace and comfort hanging with your tribe...whichever tribe you belong to. You have more peace of mind if you just go with the tribal thought. You get along with your neighbors, you get happy being in your pocket, and everyone is homogenous.
But now...we get exposed to news from many many sources, and we just can't understand how someone from (let's say) St. Louis thinks this, that and the other, and people in Oklahoma City think like THAT!?!? The other side are fools! Their ridiculous thinking! Their crazy ways!
Everyone I know who’s so passionate about being on a political team and hates anyone who disagree really doesn’t have much going for them wheter socially professionally or whatever.
I mean those people in Qanon who got together to see the return of JFK who they thought was gonna become Trumps VP when he returns I mean I doubt these are people who are thriving or who have many friends or family.
They’re probably mentally ill loners who finally found their tribe.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
