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“Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.” - Steven Wright
Political violence has always been a feature of the left. If your goal is to maximize personal liberty and happiness, you don’t have to hold a gun to someone’s head to get their support. But if your goal is increased centralized control and more limited freedoms, some people are going to be reluctant to give up their liberty unless they're afraid of what might happen if they stand up for themselves. So it would seem that the left would struggle to get anything done without at least the threat of force.
But I think another reason that the left tends to be violent at times is that they do a better job keeping their followers enthusiastic about their anger, and not merely depressed. One way that the left keeps their followers motivated is by convincing them that they are but helpless pawns, with absolutely no hope of improving their lives. At least, they have no hope without the sacrifices of selfless leaders of the working man like Fidel Castro, Adolf Hitler, or Joe Biden. Many people are reluctant to engage in violence unless they have no hope. So the left’s message of hopelessness paradoxically spurs people to action.
When I hear people on the right lament that our leaders do a poor job of motivating their base, my first thought is, “That might actually be a good thing.”
But I also wonder if it’s possible. I mean, if the message of the right is one of hope, and agency, and encouraging people to improve their lives, then it will be very difficult to then convince them that they have no hope and that they should lash out at their perceived oppressors.
So I think that the message of the political right will tend to be less likely to lead to jealousies, hatred, and violence. Which again, I think this is a good thing. But I think it at least partially explains the ‘enthusiasm gap’ that we see between Democrats and Republicans.
But this tendency may be changing. A bit. For better or worse. Donald Trump would have received almost no support from Republican voters even 10-20 years ago. But now he fills stadiums with adoring fans.
That should give pause to the left.
Not because Mr. Trump is such an effective politician. But because Republicans appear to be starting to wonder if they have any hope, without radical changes.
Once people believe that they have no hope, they sometimes become unpredictable and even dangerous. Leftists have been using this technique for years. They should recognize how powerful it can be.
They should be focused on how to diffuse this newfound enthusiasm on the right. Because when Republicans are depressed rather than angry, that’s better for Democrats.
And everyone else, too.
I hope.
I find it odd, and EXTREMELY concerning, that the left appears to be working to increase hopelessness and thus enthusiasm on the right, rather than finding ways to reassure Republicans that things are not as hopeless as they seem for them. Try to convince Republican voters that voting for another Mitt Romney is better than voting for another Donald Trump. Really, everything will be ok. We promise.
Is it possible that the left actually WANTS the right to engage in leftist-style violence? Or is it possible that the left doesn't understand their own tactics? Or is it possible that, um, well, I don't know. No other explanations leap to mind.
What do you think?
Discussion (30)
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I think that when what government does or doesn’t do is of such import that it inspires that much angst it’s a certain sign that that government is too darn big.
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Once they have established that their violence is speech but our speech is violence, they can get away with things like calling January 6 an insurrection. Funny sort of insurrection, when no one has a weapon and the guards open the doors for you, but they control the language, so it's an insurrection.
They have taken advantage of our equanimity and our inherent politeness for a long time. But as Robert Heinlein said about the British, you can push a British man around so far, but not one step farther.
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Violence like the BLM movement does not seem to generate more votes on the R side in subsequent elections. Violence from those perceived to be Republicans, by democrats or progressives, or those in the middle, means more votes to counter those dangerous MAGA extremists who wander the halls of public buildings after the guards let them in and are then held without bail or trial for a year because democracy might collapse into a singularity, and then where are we?
Pissed off people do stupid things. So anger and violence should be encouraged by the left to generate the desired result, which paints their enemies as maniacs, and helps them. If a few eggs get broken along the way, it's an omelette, etc.
It's all just painting the picture. Unions tend to support Democrats, the same party that is actively inhaling millions of workers who will take pay at a fraction of a union member. As long as the right picture is painted, the narrative maintains, and its Republicans that are evil.
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If so, they should give a care to what they wish for. They may get it, and then what will they do?
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All the leftists' brouhaha around J6, the so-called "insurrection," the so-called "white supremacy," and so-called "Christian Nationalism," "systemic racism," and on and on, are all designed to set the stage so when there is actually some sort of forceful pushback, by us normals outside the bubble of leftism, the PTB will use that as an excuse to try for suspension of civil liberties and national gun confiscation, the sine qua non of totalitarians everywhere, to disarm the populace so the left can impose its will to power without restraint. G-d help us.
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