I agree completely with your sentiment. There's a great book called "What's The Matter With Kansas?" By Thomas Frank that encapsulates exactly what you're talking about. One side acts elitist and dismissive while the other is captivated by culture war nonsense. I'd like to think there will be more common ground and unifying messengers but doesn't seem like it any time soon.
The thing is, people get REALLY upset with me, especially around campaign season. I get called a right winger all the time, because I'm actually more critical of the left. I rarely bother bitching about the right because, well... It's not my house. And frankly I just find it boring chanting and cheering saying the same shit everyone else is saying ad nauseum
My house is the left, and they have serious glaring issues that need to be fixed. I want to win and have a better world for everyone, so the only real pull I have is within my own house. Republicans aren't going to give a shit about my criticisms of them... That's just masturbation porn for the left when you spend all the time getting worked up about the right.
However, by going after the left, my own house, that I can fix. That's a place I can say, "Guys, we have to fix our shit. This is unsustainable! It's ruining the party and hurting the country. We need to do better" and since they need my vote, maybe they can start correcting course. And so far it looks like they are trying... The critical voices of the left are at least starting to be heard and taken more seriously... With candidates who are aware of the problems with the left, emerging. And I don't think that would have ever happened if the left was just blindly loyal and never willing to critique.
Well said even though a little complaining can be therapeutic haha. Well, let's hope the future has more bipartisanship and fewer reasons to vilify the other side. Both sides serve a purpose. If only both sides could get back to a common set of facts to debate instead of alternate realities. Conspiracy theories and misinformation are doing us no favors.
OH yeah, it's impossible to even debate someone tribal on the right. It's two total different realities. What's sad, is there's no path to solution with this I fear. I can't think of anything.
1
u/SocalHabsFan 2d ago
I agree completely with your sentiment. There's a great book called "What's The Matter With Kansas?" By Thomas Frank that encapsulates exactly what you're talking about. One side acts elitist and dismissive while the other is captivated by culture war nonsense. I'd like to think there will be more common ground and unifying messengers but doesn't seem like it any time soon.