• A_Very_Big_Fan@lemmy.world
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    25 days ago

    “I don’t really understand politics or know history, so I don’t feel confident having a strong opinion”

    That was my stance when I was ~16 when Trump was first coming into the political scene… When I got more curious, I got shut down for even asking “what has he said that was racist?” like it was a crime to even ask.

    I was sooooo close to becoming a right winger, because the right wingers would JUMP at the chance to explain why they hated the people they hated. I disagreed with a lot but I bought enough lies to feel like the conservatives were overall the ones to vote for.

    That era of my life was so embarrassing in retrospect. I was a teenager, but still. I still have a Trump hat my friend bought me in my closet.

    • OpenStars@discuss.online
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      24 days ago

      This is what the left refuses to understand: when you spit upon everyone who is even slightly less left than you, the recipients end up being driven rightward.

      Example: Hexbear.net. Edit: actually, that’s a bad example since they aren’t truly “left”, just cosplaying as such while acting similar to MAGA, differing mainly in the words chosen yet similar in thinking processes, i.e. an echo chamber by a different name is still an echo chamber.

      • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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        24 days ago

        Can you explain why communism isn’t truly left, and how dialectical materialism is similar to MAGA thought? Both of those concepts are highly confusing.

        Also, the idea that political struggle from the left drives people rightward doesn’t seem to bear out in reality. I always see this concept coming from conservatives, but I have always seen it as an excuse for people to blame their own right-wing views on others.

        • OpenStars@discuss.online
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          24 days ago

          Echo chambers that deny facts in favor of their preferred view of reality? (e.g. that Ukraine is the aggressor rather than Russia) Check.

          Tribal politicking, where facts chiefly matter depending on who is speaking them? Check.

          Refusal to update one’s viewpoint after seeing incontrovertible evidence that would otherwise demand it, if someone’s goal was truth? Check.

          Making use of every logical fallacy to sow FUD in their opponents? Check.

          A better strategy might be to stop thinking of humans as “opponents” and rather than “beat them”, aid their thinking to enlighten and uplift them by knowledge, essentially turning an opponent into a true ally, as opposed to merely a worn down victim of bullying practices.

          Moral purity beatings will continue until morale improves.

          • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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            24 days ago

            All of what you said applies to you, though, which is why the only example you gave was the strawman idea that Ukraine is the aggressor, rather than NATO. No matter how many facts I have given you, irrefutable evidence, you generally dismissed it as “propaganda” while sowing FUD everywhere. Seriously, there are only a handful of people as obsessed with communists on this collection of websites that I’ve seen, and I only really recognize you because you kept mentioning me long after we had had a conversation.

        • OpenStars@discuss.online
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          24 days ago

          I mean, that argument seems a little… hyperbolic.

          It is possible for people to disagree and not be dicks about it.

          • jtrek@startrek.website
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            24 days ago

            Sure, but “you were mean to me so now I’m joining maga” is pretty silly.

            Some people are like that, I guess, but if someone rudely explains how racism is deeply entrenched in the US that doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Rejecting their message because they were mean is childish.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
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      24 days ago

      im guessing if you are not aware of trump and his history going back decades you would think he is “great”, alot of people seem to ignorant his past racist, business dealings.

      • A_Very_Big_Fan@lemmy.world
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        24 days ago

        I didn’t even know he was a celebrity before he got into politics tbh. I just knew he was brazen and 16 year old me found that appealing at the time.

        • [object Object]@lemmy.world
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          24 days ago

          Trump sure proved one thing, that USians don’t vote based on looks. Because a couple looks at how that saggy sack of rusty shit handles himself, should’ve been enough for anybody.

          This here is the most to-the-point impression of Trump I’ve seen so far.