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The, “how do we fix this” is perhaps the most important question we face as a country. To the extent that it can be fixed, it starts with framing and language used to describe the problem/solution. The “deprogramming” and “brainwashed” verbiage has to be eliminated. 1/ https://twitter.com/Washyourowndish/status/1385630507119960075
No one is receptive to finding “common ground” when the starting point of the person who claims to desire common ground is telling them they’ve been brainwashed, and that they need to be “deprogrammed”. 2/
This plays into the “Totalitarian” narrative that Tucker Carlson is propagating, even going so far as using the “don’t believe your own eyes” to reinforce the narrative. 3/
Of course, this is exactly what occurred during Trump’s presidency. Basically, it’s another attempt to confuse and distract with moral/false equivalency. 4/ https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-44959340
In the past, the Right attempted to excuse Trump’s pathological dishonesty with allegations of the Left lying: if everyone is lying, then no one is lying……because lying is normalized. 5/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1147505755953618945
With Carlson’s characterization of the Left being “Totalitarian”, it’s essentially an attempt to frame it (“it” being the Right’s fascism) as: “If everyone is authoritarian, then no one is authoritarian”….because authoritarianism will become normalized. 6/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1375429339114799106
Since the Right no longer believes it can compete in a democratic process, this creates self-granted permission to win by “any means necessary” in the newly framed, zero-sum, fascism-vs-totalitarian world where the Right clearly feels more competent. 7/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1194586885219205121
In my observation, people drawn to conservative ideology tend to have less cognitive flexibility, and struggle with or are less comfortable dealing with abstraction, nuance, "gray areas", or with grasping/accepting multiple complex explanations for a complicated problem. 8/
In previous writings, I’ve described this predisposition to think in absolute, either/or terms as having a “binary orientation”. 9/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1161047590256824320
People who are binary-oriented tend to see the world through the lens of polarity (polarization), and therefore are either unable or unwilling to see the “gray areas” of life or issues.
This makes them less willing to compromise or change their position on issues. 10/
This makes them less willing to compromise or change their position on issues. 10/
Couple this with the fact that they exist in a completely different informational ecosystem that not only constantly promotes binary, “Us-vs-Them” narratives, but also....11/
....provides positive reinforcement through bias-confirming narratives that affirms that they’re correct/justified in what they believe, and promotes moral superiority for believing it (which has parallels to the white supremacist themes). 12/
Essentially, these narratives put the Right’s political beliefs beyond reapproach because they are morally reinforced. This tactic works especially well with the highly religious because it aligns with their embrace/defense of their faith, which is also beyond reapproach. 13/
The soothing affirmation of their beliefs simultaneously exists alongside a persecution/victimhood narrative that implies that any disagreement, challenge, or attempt to enforce societal norms, or even codified laws, is an attempt to marginalize, “cancel”, or “replace” them. 14/
When Tucker Carlson repeatedly tells his audience to:
“Remember that when they come for you, and they will....”
This causes even the slightest challenge, disagreement, or criticism to immediately trigger their “binary orientation”…..
15/
“Remember that when they come for you, and they will....”
This causes even the slightest challenge, disagreement, or criticism to immediately trigger their “binary orientation”…..
15/
….which not only places the person engaging them (even if it’s a loved one) into an Us-vs-Them, ally-or-enemy, context…
....but it also inhibits their ability to process moderate, compromising solutions to difficult societal issues and problems. 16/
....but it also inhibits their ability to process moderate, compromising solutions to difficult societal issues and problems. 16/
As a result, "background checks" are cognitively equated with abolishing the 2nd Amendment....
...prohibiting hate speech or insurrectional incitements are equated to silencing “conservative” viewpoints, etc.
It’s all or nothing.
17/
...prohibiting hate speech or insurrectional incitements are equated to silencing “conservative” viewpoints, etc.
It’s all or nothing.
17/
Circling back to the question of how to “fix this” on a societal level, it would appear that it needs to be “treated” as if it were an individual problem because….18/
….many of the same psychological processes and cognitive distortions/dysfunction that play out on the societal stage, are often what are identified and worked on in an individual one-on-one therapy session. 19/
In a one-on-one context, when the client is having relationship issues, the work can focus on creating awareness of and improving and/or mitigating cognitive processes, defense mechanisms, conflict resolution skills, & seeing the conflict from their loved one's perspective. 20/
The client can then practice implementing these skills into their personal life and relationships.
But in the case of the political climate, even if there is progress/growth/healing on an individual level,…
21/
But in the case of the political climate, even if there is progress/growth/healing on an individual level,…
21/
…as soon as they engage the political informational ecosystem, their pathologies are affirmed/validated, & they're told that anyone who tells them otherwise (family/friend…“therapist”) is trying to manipulate/control them.
It’s a very difficult (impossible?) situation to fix.
It’s a very difficult (impossible?) situation to fix.
Other relevant threads: 23/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1358066262543200256
Other relevant threads: https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1161042539043942400
