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paulkienitz

(1,374 posts)
139. What I have come to understand about the republican base is that it all runs on doublethink.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 06:24 PM
Nov 2024

Most of them are perfectly capable of behaving kindly and decently. But inside their minds the dots are left unconnected, and they don't understand, or don't let themselves understand, that what they're voting for is in conflict with the way they like to treat people around them on a personal level. They think they're voting for freedom when they're supporting oppression, they see themselves as embodying kindness yet they enable cruelty, they identify themselves as upholders of the law while they break it, and they have no idea why anyone would ever think they were racist. The people in the Jan 6 insurrection seem to have mostly been wrapped up in some Walter Mitty heroic fantasy; many of them came to a horrible realization later on when they comprehended what they had actually done. (Being dragged into court and charged with a felony does help encourage this realization.) There's always a disconnect, always an element of self-delusion. You'd think that this would only affect a minority but it seems to be the norm among them. I'm guessing that for a lot of them this comes out of being raised with the kind of religion that demands to be believed in without evidence, so their minds are primed for believing lies in any area where the truth would create any conflict with their community. They end up supporting oppressive authoritarianism, yet if the day ever comes when they find themselves subject to authoritarian oppression, they'll be astonished and shocked and have no idea how it could have happened. They won't let themselves understand what they are doing.

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2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Most humans are garbage XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #1
They are catholic and vote conservative Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #15
I'm catholic XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #23
There is a rift in the church Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #39
Yeah I don't know any rw catholics XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #40
The parrish my sister belongs to Lifeafter70 Nov 2024 #153
It's not simply about being Catholic... King_Klonopin Nov 2024 #157
You described my dad until he retired Lifeafter70 Nov 2024 #158
I don't consider people like Alito Catholic. LisaM Nov 2024 #63
Hug XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #66
I call them churchers no matter what denomination Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #70
My sister is over sixty and converted to Catholicism about ten years ago. Hope22 Nov 2024 #98
I'm sorry XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #100
Confession: I'm already toying with the idea of flying the flag upside down, starting now. calimary Nov 2024 #144
My biggest problem with my situation was... Hope22 Nov 2024 #151
I will never understand. Catholic teaching of Jesus is largely liberal Norbert Nov 2024 #163
Yes to all of this. Hope22 Nov 2024 #164
I attended Catholic high school and college but Clearheadsam Nov 2024 #126
The people in that church will be crying a river Hope22 Nov 2024 #166
the two concepts don't gel in my head. I know too much about being a Catholic msfiddlestix Nov 2024 #137
Ok XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #138
Okay atreides1 Nov 2024 #47
God works through unlikely vessels 🤮 Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #61
Joe Biden is Catholic SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #68
Yep and liberal Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #73
So? SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #75
Who do you think the Heritage Foundation is? Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #76
The Heritage Foundation is SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #101
To me the heratige foundation I_UndergroundPanther Nov 2024 #148
I don't disagree SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #160
It is Bettie Nov 2024 #162
Didn't say that. Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #81
Then what is your point SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #106
TY XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #109
Because the catholic church has been Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #110
Oh so it's a secret conspiracy SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #112
Not to secret Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #113
So are all Catholics part of this conspiracy? SocialDemocrat61 Nov 2024 #114
Actually, various fundamental xian sects have made BIG strides among Hispanic populations for a couple decades now. Attilatheblond Nov 2024 #92
Didn't say it was only them Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #99
I didn't infer you said it was only them Attilatheblond Nov 2024 #131
Yep. The radtrad Catholic groups have "Google-bombed" the internet... keep_left Nov 2024 #127
Garbage kairos12 Nov 2024 #20
A time-honoured saying from British politics: anamnua Nov 2024 #21
I like that. Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #62
those papers will NOT protect them lapfog_1 Nov 2024 #30
It will be interesting to see his supposed deportations XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #34
to do it the right way is NJCher Nov 2024 #43
Unless they speak perfect, unaccented English Demobrat Nov 2024 #130
Didn't work for Hitler ended up being concentration camps. Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #44
I suspect they will be sold into slavery. They have a huge pool of people to sell. Clouds Passing Nov 2024 #52
Their lives will be a misery. BonnieJW Nov 2024 #55
Camps? 90-percent Nov 2024 #108
That is why I_UndergroundPanther Nov 2024 #149
What about the White men who consistently vote Republican? Yavin4 Nov 2024 #33
And many white women XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #35
A majority of white women Sable302b Nov 2024 #84
But, please, use caution. BadgerMom Nov 2024 #85
Please, I don't want to argue XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #86
White men are NOT the largest voting block in America. White women are. Latino's are going kelly1mm Nov 2024 #155
Right there with you. onecaliberal Nov 2024 #54
Don't let some of the headliners fool you Jk23 Nov 2024 #89
Good luck to them XanaDUer2 Nov 2024 #90
"I wonder, the Latinos who voted for him..." hadEnuf Nov 2024 #123
This message was self-deleted by its author hadEnuf Nov 2024 #124
just saw this: blueknight73 Nov 2024 #125
I think Latinos, especially multi generation Latinos are having the same conversion as other ethnic groups kelly1mm Nov 2024 #152
I went through most of my life honestly believing that Mr.Bee Nov 2024 #154
& then my question Lemon Lyman Nov 2024 #2
Right? I don't know Bettie Nov 2024 #4
I think people were always this bad. Elessar Zappa Nov 2024 #10
It's said to be a machismo issue with many Latino males. The man rules the house and is the authority figure. brush Nov 2024 #7
Yeah, Mexico's gotten A LOT better in the past few decades. Elessar Zappa Nov 2024 #9
Misogyny or racism, IDK if you can state which one right-wing white men harbor the most. CrispyQ Nov 2024 #13
Years of brainwashing Blue Full Moon Nov 2024 #17
I listened to an excellent Ursus Arctos Nov 2024 #38
I think it was inside them. BonnieJW Nov 2024 #57
Yeah, I truly believed that good people outnumbered the creeps. Quiet Em Nov 2024 #3
An awful lot of people are just mean and dumb. Ocelot II Nov 2024 #5
An economy for all & a solid educational system would cure a ton of our problems!! CrispyQ Nov 2024 #16
Completely agree with you here jmbar2 Nov 2024 #27
People have no idea how rich the rich really are. CrispyQ Nov 2024 #50
The pie exercise is really good way to present the information jmbar2 Nov 2024 #60
Adding some figures would be good, too, so people would know which plate they're on. CrispyQ Nov 2024 #67
Nick Hanauer does a good TedTalk on this... jmbar2 Nov 2024 #69
It is an eye opening visual. I wish they'd do another example of how it was 50 or 100 years ago. ffr Nov 2024 #140
That would be good jmbar2 Nov 2024 #141
The Pie. Luv this, saw it a few years ago. Very effective, terrific demo. Tx for posting appalachiablue Nov 2024 #111
We used to have that with FDR's New Deal FakeNoose Nov 2024 #94
Yes! Almost everyone in the US today has benefited in some way from the New Deal. CrispyQ Nov 2024 #105
To be honest atreides1 Nov 2024 #29
Yep, racism and misogyny 'r us. It's a harsh discription but it's evident now. brush Nov 2024 #6
We cultivate the type of society we want. CrispyQ Nov 2024 #8
It's been a rude awakening, for sure. City Lights Nov 2024 #11
But they are all over social media Bettie Nov 2024 #12
Couldn't agree more! nt City Lights Nov 2024 #18
It's like finding out that a family member has a secret second family progressoid Nov 2024 #14
For me, it feels like finding out a family member Bettie Nov 2024 #19
people in the USA voteragain Nov 2024 #22
It's sad so much hate and bigotry exists in our country kimbutgar Nov 2024 #24
Persons are decent--as a group, people are not always Maeve Nov 2024 #25
Ya... I was really hit with that 2016, so I do get what you are saying. LizBeth Nov 2024 #26
I agree. It is a seismic shock. anamnua Nov 2024 #28
yeah...i have a few ppl who are no longer friends cuz of that premise FirstLight Nov 2024 #31
One thing I learned on the front lines of Covid Docreed2003 Nov 2024 #32
My mom had a similar saying Lifeafter70 Nov 2024 #165
People no longer want decency. They want money, or they want to watch other people lose and suffer. Wingus Dingus Nov 2024 #36
You know, i know people who watch Bettie Nov 2024 #42
There's so little that's uplifting anymore, you have to really seek it out--I don't watch that trash either. Wingus Dingus Nov 2024 #46
So in other words, the fruit of the Reagan tree misanthrope Nov 2024 #115
Reagan made greed and ignorance fashionable Skittles Nov 2024 #159
The lesson I've learned is that too many generally decent people are also dumb as dirt. Pacifist Patriot Nov 2024 #37
The internet broke our culture Johnny2X2X Nov 2024 #41
Spot on and a book to read jayschool2013 Nov 2024 #91
It needed to be heavily regulated from the start Johnny2X2X Nov 2024 #103
Well, we have got to figure something out. Elessar Zappa Nov 2024 #121
Will take something big happening Johnny2X2X Nov 2024 #122
The media was better off before 1990. Dawson Leery Nov 2024 #97
Reality can be very unpleasant sometimes Trust_Reality Nov 2024 #45
Perhaps a better guideline is "There's a sucker born every minute." Martin68 Nov 2024 #48
I have become a misanthrope BigmanPigman Nov 2024 #49
True. There are several politicians who have greatly disappointed me too * Oopsie Daisy Nov 2024 #51
Look at our history stollen Nov 2024 #53
Went to my SILs funeral a couple of months ago ismnotwasm Nov 2024 #56
Good illustration of why we shouldn't be too hard on the other side jmbar2 Nov 2024 #65
They are NOT reachable ismnotwasm Nov 2024 #82
JFK Jr has been dead for 25 years. misanthrope Nov 2024 #116
The cost of. . . Stargleamer Nov 2024 #156
I learned the truth of the saying Colgate 64 Nov 2024 #58
Exactly my feelings!!!! nt LAS14 Nov 2024 #59
You are not alone. ananda Nov 2024 #64
Welcome to Club 2016. Iggo Nov 2024 #71
Pretty sad realization Old Crank Nov 2024 #72
Evidence would support that position** misanthrope Nov 2024 #117
Thank you for expressing exactly how I've felt since waking up yesterday morning geo1 Nov 2024 #74
I am not proud of this country BluenFLA Nov 2024 #77
Agreed - it's going to be an awful 4 years and we have few allies left FakeNoose Nov 2024 #78
Assuming it is only four years is optimistic misanthrope Nov 2024 #118
Religion should have no place in American politics. Instead it is a basic requirement to get elected walkingman Nov 2024 #79
I love this country and the idea of what it could be. mymomwasright Nov 2024 #80
Fear and ignorance rules the day. BarbD Nov 2024 #83
Very. It is a harsh lesson. Learning it almost destroyed me, to be honest. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Nov 2024 #87
There were millions of Americans is the mid-19th century that seemed paulrevere2018 Nov 2024 #88
Corruption gone wild. moondust Nov 2024 #93
I never regretted not serving in the military. Dawson Leery Nov 2024 #95
America is certainly embracing hate at the moment 4catsmom Nov 2024 #96
Can't be that many votes LESS than 2020 for the Democratic candidate Eliot Rosewater Nov 2024 #102
The 2020 candidate was a man. Demobrat Nov 2024 #132
Human nature Semperviren Nov 2024 #104
FIFY misanthrope Nov 2024 #119
I believed that until the 2016 election. raccoon Nov 2024 #107
In 2016, I mistakenly put it down to Bettie Nov 2024 #120
Only 29% of US adults voted for Trump. MisterG Nov 2024 #128
Better late than never. Demobrat Nov 2024 #129
There are more assholes in the world brettdale Nov 2024 #133
I've always preferred my pets DemonGoddess Nov 2024 #134
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2024 #135
Yup. People need a re-boot. Joinfortmill Nov 2024 #136
What I have come to understand about the republican base is that it all runs on doublethink. paulkienitz Nov 2024 #139
Totally Agree Starlight27 Nov 2024 #142
"It is a hard thing to finally understand." B.See Nov 2024 #143
Throughout my long adult life I've met thousands of people moniss Nov 2024 #145
Important lesson mamacita75 Nov 2024 #146
What i see in what has happened reinforces my foundational understanding of humanity and life... Trueblue Texan Nov 2024 #147
I think I_UndergroundPanther Nov 2024 #150
Like 2016, if pettiness was radiation... Montauk6 Nov 2024 #161
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