How does that become a thing in a supposedly modern nation in 2021? I really think, as a nation, we are suffering some sort of illness. Widespread obesity, drug addiction and conspiracy theories; we are mentally ill.
2 Likes
Someone put it really well recently, and I can’t remember the exact words… With the advent of the electronic echo chambers that live in the dark of the internet, bad ideas/morals/thoughts are not disinfected from society by the harsh light of in person social interaction anymore.
I’m equal parts pissed and frightened about how widespread these awful ideas and opinions have spread.
2 Likes
I blame social media. From the area I’m in most of my Facebook is right wing people. I don’t post but I do read and the memes shared are insane. And people comment in agreement without even thinking about it being untrue. Of course this an issue for both sides. But too many people see something on the internet and immediately think it’s true.
Personally I think this has led a lot of people who might have been moderate with a lean either way to creep towards the fringes. These lunatics have always existed they are just more organized and potentially growing in numbers.
When the Prevent (anti-terrorism) training was rolled out in the UK it was initially overseen by the police. However, most of the investigations triggered where with vulnerable people and the remit was shifted to social workers.
Right wing terrorism was seen as a large threat in many areas of the UK. Sometimes the grooming process has similarities between extremism and child sexually exploitation. Not always, but finding vulnerable, isolated people is often the first step. Troll farms try and find vulnerable individuals or groups, if it didn’t work they reposition and try again.
Has social media made people stupid or has it weaponized stupidity?
1 Like
weaponizes stupidity and blurs the gap between radical and moderate ideologies
Weaponized. It takes advantage of our brains natural tendency toward doing less.
You don’t need to think when someone else will tell you everything you need to know.
1 Like
Agreed, it also ups affinity bias and confirmation bias since the algorithms are designed to show users only what they are likely to be interested in and not differing opinions/ideas.
That kind of mass manipulation is most definitely a weapon.
1 Like
There was a good article in Wired about how and why Qanon and other conspiracy theories catch on. I’ll see if I can dig it up.
It seems like the Qanon component of the insurrection and the general state of things right now isn’t getting enough attention. These are people who believe the following-
A cabal of Satan-worshipping Democrats, Hollywood celebrities and billionaires runs the world while engaging in:
- pedophilia
- human trafficking
- harvesting of a supposedly life-extending chemical from the blood of abused children
QAnon followers believe that Trump is waging a secret battle against this cabal and its “deep state” collaborators to expose the malefactors and send them all to Guantánamo Bay.
And, we now have 2 congresswomen who are Qanon believers:
Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia
Lauren Boebert of Colorado
It’s incredibly bad that these people can garner enough support to get elected.
2 Likes
1 Like
They are followers. The militia people here call Trump “Daddy” sometimes. (“Daddy says show up in DC on January 6”). They are authoritarian boot-lickers. They are true “betas” who want a strong leader that they can put on a pedestal. Maybe this gives them sense of order in a world that seems chaotic.
That’s just weird.
1 Like
That’s absurd! These people aren’t authoritarian, they’re concerned about … um … the Constitution and … um… gestures vaguely more efficient government by integration of different branches under a single person.
https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1346900032780455936
https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1348824020964270080
https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1346886192990744580
1 Like
“Liberty Hangout”?? How the fuck can those two words go with a trash Twitter espousing the exact opposite of liberty???
Hating nazis was something that I thought everyone was on board with.
Judging by how folks wearing nazi slogans/symbols were welcomed as just part of the crowd on Wednesday (and at previous trump and trump aligned rallies), I guess I was wrong. Millions in this country see nazis as better than a democrat. How did that become acceptable, and how can we move forward knowing that? IDK. I’m not okay preaching tolerance towards that kind of thinking.
2 Likes
Could be ominous for Trump:
He owes them money, and now they have even less incentive to restructure his debt.
2 Likes
I don’t know. Blind allegiance to a team over everything else? It needs to be stamped out.
I still refuse to believe the numbers of those types (Nazis are better than Dems) are nowhere near the millions. Call me naive, maybe I just can’t handle the idea of living in that kind of world, but I don’t think there’s those kinds of numbers. I hope
Oh really?
Who do you think gets a worse reaction at a trump rally: a guy wearing a MAGA hat and and SS shirt, or a guy wearing a Biden hat and PRESS shirt?
Let that sink in. Disgusting isn’t it? We have Qanon promoting politicians being elected into federal office. Colorado and Georgia (that we know of).
Now, watch the people who bring up a false equivalency by saying that someone wearing a MAGA hat at a Biden rally will be treated worse than someone wearing a hammer/sickle shirt. Problem is, the hammer/sickle worn by those folks is meant to represent the ignorantly idealistic positives of communism/socialism (we all know that)… i defy anyone to defend fucking nazis.
We have lost the fucking plot.
1 Like
Probably happened about the time NAZIs became irrelevant and powerless, and because of that. A quadriplegic would-be school shooter is not as dangerous as an able-bodied guy that wants to murder one person.
Meanwhile a guy wearing a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt, along with many others wearing nazi or white supremacists related paraphernalia were photographed in and around our capitol building during an armed insurrection last week.
We had/have a guy in the highest office in the country who, if he doesn’t speak in support of these types, he treads close enough to the line that those types think he speaks to them.
1 Like