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They can't think for themselves. They have to go back to Facebook and find out what "Q" would say. But by then it's too late, the conversation is already over.
for years now, I keep reminding them "Don't change the subject, we're talking about XYZ"
a traitor and expects the history books to restyle it so her grandchildren won't be ashamed of her? Or maybe burst into tears at being called out and beg forgiveness?
The vast majority of conservatives believe we don't understand their values and believe a lot of lies about them. Both are true, so what's the point to proving what they believe about us are right? Searches for tips on discussing politics with people with different views turn up a lot of hits these days. Maybe check out "moral reframing."
Things have gotten to bad that I consider it a win if I can get across the simple idea that I have a moral basis for my position on whatever, and a double win if it turns out the other person shares that moral belief. Then stop there, in discovering that much agreement. Because no one ever changes his mind during what comes next.
That said, some months ago now I asked someone how her grandchildren were going to feel about her part in denying them the right to vote. It went about as expected. But she started it. And who knows? I've heard pigs have been seen flying, so maybe she woke up once in the middle of the night wondering herself.
communication, but how many are? Yelling at sheeple wearing masks, trying to wake them up to the horrible government conspiracy they're part of, doesn't work for them.
The brain is a marvelous thing: most authoritarians can hold 100% conflicting ideas in their heads simultaneously and believe both. It's proven. There is something wrong with them. A lot of things. They literally do not see dissonance between their chosen professed beliefs and their chosen actions. And no amount of righteous anger directed at them will awaken them. They'll call the police.
Btw, tRump's followers actually hold many moral positions and tend to consider themselves THE moral people. They know they're loving parents, good caring neighbors, wouldn't steal a dime, etc. We're the ones who are so lacking in decency and ability to understand right and wrong that no one can blame them for giving up any attempt to talk to us or, often, refusing to associate with us altogether. All their friends have the same problem.
Not a simple situation. I try to treat others decently, even when they don't me. There will be an end to at least this degree of mass sociopathy someday, and we'll mostly all still be here. Like Germany after WWII.
Sorry I didn't understand, absolutely agree.
My hopes for that have to be on the wobblier ones, more moderate conservatives who've been going along, but not passionately.
As for the more hard core RW authoritarians, probably thinking doesn't really enter into it, in that anything that conflicted with their image of and loyalty to their leader would be immediately rejected. And, boy, is it watched for!
I actually do as you discuss, though, with a neighbor here in FL; our common meeting ground I can move right to when I do have to talk to her is that Medicare should pay more for her healthcare. She's too far right (the "base"
to even pretend common ground with her on political things. We talk about our kids and their kids.
Fwiw, I believe that people like her have been encouraged/trained over the years to be close to the worst political versions of themselves, that they have the capacity to be much better, because of those we knew back in the last century. We watched them becoming.
I currently live in one of the bible belt states....doing it for the money...
You can not talk to anyone here about trump and question what he says or has done without being called a commie, a traitor. People will call you evil and tell you that you should go to church and listen to what the preacher says about trump and believe everything...it's crazy. They all think trump is really President and he was cheated out of the election by the commies or the illuminati, or some other group. I avoid politics here because they get down right hostile about it. A favorite site of my co-workers is something call Freerepublic. It has some of the biggest kooks there you have ever seen. And what is scary is these people vote....
I consider myself a social liberal and a fiscal moderate...or a "Stranger in a Strange Land" where I currently reside...
and yes we know all about the FReepers and their hamster-driven website. 
Must be going 100 mph. 
And again, we know about freepers.
Somewhere there is a freeper posting something like, DU has some of the biggest kooks there you have ever seen.
Enjoy, DU members are some of the smartiest people with an unbelievably funny sense of humor.
BULLSHIT
Organized religion is mass madness, stop giving them a free pass.
