Quote from: MightyGiants on April 26, 2021, 07:13:29 PM
So I am hardly the only one who recognizes reality. People on both sides of the aisle see it.
MG,
I am certainly not denying that there are kooks on the right. There is no question about that. But there are on the left as well. There are plenty of extreme and misguided individuals and groups on both sides of the aisle. I don't know a single fair-minded adult who thinks otherwise. Anyone on either side who claims that their side is populated solely by well-meaning, sane, reasonable individuals and that the other side is all crazies and propaganda spreaders is biased and lost to the point of being incapable of having a rational discussion about any political topic.
Any individual will have the end of the spectrum with which they most identify, and that is obviously fine, but once they go down the road of claiming/implying anyone else with an opposing view is irrational or spreading propaganda, all while ignoring or even condoning similar behavior on their own side, loses credibility quickly with any reasonable, fair-minded adult. This to me qualifies as an ad hominem attack, which as we know is a fallacious line of reasoning in any debate. Further, I think it is condescending and wrong to claim that anyone who has different beliefs from those one favors has been brainwashed by a supposed propaganda machine, implying that this individual is too stupid or weak to think for himself and formulate his own viewpoints, unlike the individual making the accusation who of course has thought everything out for himself.
People are always going to disagree. Right-leaning people are not going anywhere, and neither are left-leaning people. They will have to continue to co-exist. I would prefer, and hence I try to promote myself, a less accusatory and less caustic tone in the national discourse than what I am seeing from both sides lately, particularly in the last five years or so. I don't see how constantly pointing the finger at the other side and claiming people are brainwashed or are spreading "propaganda" promotes any sort of constructive dialogue. Rather, I try to listen to the other side, disagree respectfully when I disagree, summarize my rationale for disagreement, and then have a thoughtful and fair discussion. Name calling and complete close-mindedness to any remotely different view does not seem constructive to me. Sadly, so many people on both sides don't seem to agree.