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(Not sure if this is the right place for this...)
I had a conversation with my dad in which we were not on same page at all. He was too busy trying to convince me that Trump played Goebbel’s “playbook” with his divisive messaging against immigrants. I was too busy trying to convince him that Trump played Obama’s playbook to beat Hillary and that she learned nothing from 2008.
My dad was also too busy repeating what I call the “Big three” of MSNBC propaganda: The “Big Lie,” that Trump was a Nazi, and that Trump followed the Nazis’ playbook, ergo Trump is a Nazi.
The Republicans also repeat the “Big Three” of Fox News propaganda: Trump actually won, coronavirus is fake, and but but Hunter Biden (which is being played like “But but Benghazi”).
This does not mean the “Big three” of both sides of these propaganda wars can necessarily be wrong. However, constant and near identical repetition by memorization, of the exact words your favorite newscaster says means you’re not thinking; i
My dad disappointed me. First, I’m an Aspie (or formerly was on the spectrum). Politics is my passion -- I was even a political science and history double-major. For years, we’ve had fun discussions of ideas and analysis, instead of “I’m right, you’re wrong.” This was civil discussion and it helped me learn a lot and formulate the ideas that I have in my adult life. It disappoints me that he has given into the temptation to act just like talking heads do on television and, in the process, treat me like partisans treat “the enemy” on television. So, if I don’t say the exact words he says, he believes it is his “job” to get me to submit (for lack of a better word) to his viewpoint.
The fact of the matter is, in this particular discussion, it was possible for both of us to be equally right (or wrong). But he was too busy talking over me and refusing to hear what I am saying for him to actually understand this.
Perhaps “playbook” is not the correct term for either one of us to use. Before I begin with this opinion, I want to draw up the definitions I am using (and if anyone comes up with better words for these, please let me know — it may help me discuss things better in the future):
Goebbel’s anti-Jewish/Trump’s anti-immigrant/Obama’s anti-Republican messages are messaging. This is not the playbook. This is the pep talk you give to your team when you’re up (or down) in the fourth quarter. This is how you bring your team to the victory and incentivize voters to get out there and vote (if they like your messages). Note that I am not equating Trump to Obama, Trump to Hitler, or Obama to Hitler, I am simply using an example. LBJ’s ads against Goldwater was his messaging, for another example. Using these examples, I agree with my dad that Trump used messaging in the Nazi’s style, or any other politician ever who’s run with a divisive message against any groups (be they gay, what have you). In this sense, it is an -element- of the playbook, but it is not -the playbook-.
The playbook is -where- and -how- you campaign. This is the playbook that all coaches review with their players when they’re on the field. This is how you run the field. You calculate where you campaign and, combined with messaging, where you run ads. This is where I felt Trump played Obama’s 2008 playbook. Trump went into heavily Republican towns and cities and drummed up his support. The result was an outsized turnout of Republicans, some of who had never voted before, and catapulted himself to victory. It showed that Hillary had learned nothing from her campaigning into 2008.
Therefore, we both can be right. Trump can use Goebbel’s messaging AND use Obama’s playbook. But when you're too busy shouting down the other person and having cognitive dissonance, nobody wins.
It used to be funny watching this on TV, when both people were seeing past each other. But when it happens to you in real life, it is depressing and disappointing. I will not talk politics with him nearly as much as a result: he’s too busy trying to be proven right.
I’ll just sit in the corner and go take my political toys elsewhere. Or perhaps I'll just give up on it.
I had a conversation with my dad in which we were not on same page at all. He was too busy trying to convince me that Trump played Goebbel’s “playbook” with his divisive messaging against immigrants. I was too busy trying to convince him that Trump played Obama’s playbook to beat Hillary and that she learned nothing from 2008.
My dad was also too busy repeating what I call the “Big three” of MSNBC propaganda: The “Big Lie,” that Trump was a Nazi, and that Trump followed the Nazis’ playbook, ergo Trump is a Nazi.
The Republicans also repeat the “Big Three” of Fox News propaganda: Trump actually won, coronavirus is fake, and but but Hunter Biden (which is being played like “But but Benghazi”).
This does not mean the “Big three” of both sides of these propaganda wars can necessarily be wrong. However, constant and near identical repetition by memorization, of the exact words your favorite newscaster says means you’re not thinking; i
My dad disappointed me. First, I’m an Aspie (or formerly was on the spectrum). Politics is my passion -- I was even a political science and history double-major. For years, we’ve had fun discussions of ideas and analysis, instead of “I’m right, you’re wrong.” This was civil discussion and it helped me learn a lot and formulate the ideas that I have in my adult life. It disappoints me that he has given into the temptation to act just like talking heads do on television and, in the process, treat me like partisans treat “the enemy” on television. So, if I don’t say the exact words he says, he believes it is his “job” to get me to submit (for lack of a better word) to his viewpoint.
The fact of the matter is, in this particular discussion, it was possible for both of us to be equally right (or wrong). But he was too busy talking over me and refusing to hear what I am saying for him to actually understand this.
Perhaps “playbook” is not the correct term for either one of us to use. Before I begin with this opinion, I want to draw up the definitions I am using (and if anyone comes up with better words for these, please let me know — it may help me discuss things better in the future):
Goebbel’s anti-Jewish/Trump’s anti-immigrant/Obama’s anti-Republican messages are messaging. This is not the playbook. This is the pep talk you give to your team when you’re up (or down) in the fourth quarter. This is how you bring your team to the victory and incentivize voters to get out there and vote (if they like your messages). Note that I am not equating Trump to Obama, Trump to Hitler, or Obama to Hitler, I am simply using an example. LBJ’s ads against Goldwater was his messaging, for another example. Using these examples, I agree with my dad that Trump used messaging in the Nazi’s style, or any other politician ever who’s run with a divisive message against any groups (be they gay, what have you). In this sense, it is an -element- of the playbook, but it is not -the playbook-.
The playbook is -where- and -how- you campaign. This is the playbook that all coaches review with their players when they’re on the field. This is how you run the field. You calculate where you campaign and, combined with messaging, where you run ads. This is where I felt Trump played Obama’s 2008 playbook. Trump went into heavily Republican towns and cities and drummed up his support. The result was an outsized turnout of Republicans, some of who had never voted before, and catapulted himself to victory. It showed that Hillary had learned nothing from her campaigning into 2008.
Therefore, we both can be right. Trump can use Goebbel’s messaging AND use Obama’s playbook. But when you're too busy shouting down the other person and having cognitive dissonance, nobody wins.
It used to be funny watching this on TV, when both people were seeing past each other. But when it happens to you in real life, it is depressing and disappointing. I will not talk politics with him nearly as much as a result: he’s too busy trying to be proven right.
I’ll just sit in the corner and go take my political toys elsewhere. Or perhaps I'll just give up on it.