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[–] 14 points 1 year ago (8 children)

I tend to doubt it's as different as you think. IMHO, the majority of people want good, but are clueless as to what exactly that looks like when it comes to more complex topics like managing the wide variety of people that make up a society. Understanding that usually requires a LOT more time and effort into reasoning things out than they're willing/able to put in, anyway.

They therefore pick someone to trust who seems (read: cons them into believing) like they know "the truth" to do all their thinking for them. Those arrogant enough to portray themselves as such are almost always malignant personality types interested primarily in manipulating others to do their bidding in order to benefit themselves. They "know" everything, and either are exceedingly unlikely to admit to human failings such as not knowing something, or always have a ready excuse that puts blame upon their enemies for their failings.

They divide people up & pit them against one another to distract, ensure loyalty, and keep control.

Any of this sound familiar? It's a pattern repeated among humans throughout history.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago (7 children)

    I dunno about that. You can blame it on right wing media brainwashing or whatever else, but I don't believe that anyone didn't know that electing trump was going to bring harm to several groups of people. They knew it, and they decided they were ok with it because they thought trump would be good for them personally.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    Yeah, I suppose that's fair to an extent. The slow burn of Faux Snuz brainwashing and anger buildup definitely contributed as you mentioned, but it is possibly unusual in that the buildup period was so long (Republicans have been working from a basic plan since the mid 70s when some strategist of theirs came to the realization that abortion would be an extremely effective wedge issue) before it reached its peak without anything happening to break that spell.

    I'm not really a history buff, so I don't have a lot to compare to off the top of my head. My argument was based more upon what I know of human psychology - a subject of much more interest to me personally, but which doesn't have nearly the same amount of documented historical details with which to compare.

    Honestly, though, the only thing I think is different today is our level of knowledge and understanding. Data warehousing, statistical analysis, psychological profiling, etc., etc. are all new additions to the dynamic that I strongly suspect have made successful manipulations possible at such as massive scale.

    People themselves are still the same as they've basically always been - some good, some not, some smart, etc. It's just now we have the ability to give those in power much more certainly with regards to methods of achieving their goals. Since those who actually desire to be in positions of power are almost invariably the types who shouldn't have it, the end result is sadly predictably ugly.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (5 children)

    and they decided they were ok with it because they thought trump would be good for them personally.

    nah that's not what it is, i think. many trump voters knew that trump would hurt them personally but they still voted for him because ideological consistency (or "the long-term good") is more important to them than not getting hurt within the next four years.

    you can see ample proof of this in the !leopardsatemyface@lemmy.world community, where people actually did and continue to get harmed by trump and would still vote for him again.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (4 children)

    You think republicans have principles??? You lost me there.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (3 children)

    republicans have principles???

    sure they do. like:

    • who doesn't work, doesn't deserve to eat
    • hard work is more important than human life itself
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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago* (2 children)

    Change those to:

    *Who isn't rich, doesn't deserve to eat

    Being rich is more important than human life itself *

    And you might be closer to some actual republican principles. But of course they'll toss them and start believing the opposite if they're told to.

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