Working Across the Isle

[brimstoneSalad]

Here's another:

Those conservatives you think are assholes are actually making the same kind of assumptions about you as a liberal as you made about conservatives, which may be why they were assholes to you (being prejudiced).

It's like when some carnists talk about bacon, or how they're going to eat two animals for every animal you don't eat: it's a defense mechanism calculated to offend because they hate vegans. It comes from a place of ignorance, and assuming others are enemies to be hurt rather than reasoned with.

The difference between a reasonable and civil conservative and an asshole can often just come down to him or her making the connection that not all liberals are bad/brainwashed/whatever and being open to listening because of it. Not really differences in beliefs aside from that.

[DarlBundren]

I'll leave this here. It's a link to Scott Alexander's blog entry on what he termed the 'thrive theory of political spectrum'. It is, admittedly, a flawed, but interesting opinion. I'd like to know your thoughts on it. The post is very long, but the basic idea is that, in his words, 'rightism is what happens when you’re optimizing for surviving an unsafe environment, leftism is what happens when you’re optimized for thriving in a safe environment.'

https://slatestarcodex.com/2013/03/04/a-thrivesurvive-theory-of-the-political-spectrum/

He has also another post called ' I can tolerate anything except the outgroup' which covers some of the same ideas. That post is even longer and I don't think it really belongs in here. Maybe I could start another thread about it.

[EquALLity]

^^Well, that might be true to an extent, but they're definitely at least dogmatists.

^I agree with the general idea, although I didn't get to read the entire article.

[PsYcHo]

The difference between a reasonable and civil conservative and an asshole can often just come down to him or her making the connection that not all liberals are bad/brainwashed/whatever and being open to listening because of it.

This is why it makes sense to treat everyone with respect, even those who you disagree with the most. Perhaps your conservative friend will realize not all liberals are as "crazy" either.

The news and those in power like to separate us into divided camps, for ratings and votes and political contributions.

Atheists can befriend Christians. Vegans can befriend carnist. Jews can befriend Muslims. Democrats can befriend Republicans. Everyone who takes a side can learn from someone who has taken the opposite side.

The only side any rational person should take is on the side of those that respect others, and want to be respected themselves. (Of course that is sometimes harder in practice, but we are all human, and fallible, right? )