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talking about the contempt and disgust he witnessed from the liberal, left-wing people towards trump supporters, libertarians, people who want a strong border

believing them to be robots incapable of agency, brainwashed, the manipulatable ingredients of fascism in waiting

saying if you just changed your ways, if you'd just speak to them and believe in their ability to think logically

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I have seen this too, and been frustrated with it. I think it has to do with their sense of identity being wrapped up in resistance. focusing on being anti-fascist instead of looking at the actual problems people are experiencing that are leading to the beliefs and belief-state that makes them interested in right wing ideology. this need for the identity of resister generates the behaviors and disgust and models of understanding of conservatism or libertarianism that they hold.

it is similar to police

cops often approach situations with a sense of identity - "I am a protector, an administrator of the law, of good against evil." this identity requires an evil to exist, and so it is assumed. this vision of evil is applied to the people they police, who are often not evil but whose disruption to society has deeper systemic roots

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I appreciate this series so much - really high quality conversations.

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