It Makes No Sense That We Should Be This Divided Naturally

[Peacenik]

You know?

When you think about it, we all share this nation. We share a heritage. We have common needs, goals and desires. We are all alike. We are humans in a great country. We have it pretty good compared to the rest of the world. We've got it going on.

We have our Constitution. We have our flag. We have our anthem. We have our national spirit. Baseball. Football. Basketball. Apple Pie. Cheeseburgers.

National Parks. Fabulous natural resources, land, waters, attractions, music, movies, art. 50 States and more territories.

We've got it good in America.

And with all this, we are bitterly, bitterly divided. It makes no sense. No sense at all.

This division does not come naturally. People enjoy doing fun things together. People like opportunity and the chance to succeed, which many of us have done. We have succeeded in so many ways it is impossible to count. People don't naturally want to fight. People want to mesh with others and work together to produce more than can be done if we are all a bunch of loners working separately. It is more enjoyable to be part of a group, part of a society, than it is to be left out. People want to belong to something greater than themselves alone. People like being Americans. And America is made up of Americans.

Question: So why, if it is not natural, are we Americans this bitterly divided?

Answer: Because it is being done to us by rich and powerful people who fear having the common Americans unite against the rich and powerful.

Discuss?

 

[j brown's body]

MAGA's attack on practically everything is intended to divide us.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

Question: So why, if it is not natural, are we Americans this bitterly divided?

Answer: Because it is being done to us by rich and powerful people who fear having the common Americans unite against the rich and powerful.

Discuss?

I applaud your attempt. I really do.

However, it won't be long before the usual suspects come roaring on here with their usual attack lines against Democrats, liberals, DEIs, illegals, feminists, or anyone else that ticks them off.

I suspect a few Lefties might do the same but it is usually the Righties who love to derail a thread.

I sincerely hope I am wrong. Because you have a point. I know I will get grief for saying this, but one of the reasons I am so proud of being a Canadian, is that we have a lot less of this ideological divide. Even our Conservatives uphold civil liberties, universal healthcare, and basic respect for our opponents. We aren't perfect, far from it, but I still hope we will never devolve into such blind hatred of the other side as has happened in your country.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

MAGA's attack on practically everything is intended to divide us.

Just to play devil's advocate, how about the attacks on anyone you consider MAGA?

After all, THAT is the theme of the OP, American's blind intolerance of "the other side."

 

[Slavister]

Question: So why, if it is not natural, are we Americans this bitterly divided?

Answer: Because it is being done to us by rich and powerful people who fear having the common Americans unite against the rich and powerful.

Discuss?

Nah. We are bitterly divided simply because it's human nature. It seems people of practically ALL countries, regions, down to neighborhoods, schools, etc. have been bitterly divided, fighting, wearing chips on their shoulder, seeing injustices, fighting for what they think is "fair". That's why there are constant wars, fights, law suits, etc.

This theme ebbs and flows through world history.

 

[blur]

Divide and conquer. I think at times it’s more complicated when you get into things like race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Differences like that can organically result in conflict, but I do think that those in power add fuel to what might have otherwise been a small fire.

Obviously, the internet doesn’t help. We become 1 dimensional beings to each other. In the real world, I have conservative friends with nuanced views that can sometimes challenge my own views. Online (and sometimes here), it can often be just meme wars and over-generalizations.

There’s also this learned helpless that the left and the right can never join forces on anything, but it’s not true. Get involved in your local community, and you’ll see it happens everyday.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

Nah. We are bitterly divided simply because it's human nature. It seems people of practically ALL countries, regions, down to neighborhoods, schools, etc. have been bitterly divided, fighting, wearing chips on their shoulder, seeing injustices, fighting for what they think is "fair". That's why there are constant wars, fights, law suits, etc.

This theme ebbs and flows through world history.

Does it really? It's easy to say "they all do it." And yes, they all do it............. to some extent. But as per my comment on this topic, some are doing it much more severely than others. There isn't this kind of blind hate for the other side in Canada, I can assure you.

I also suspect that your rebuttal will become a common theme. Instead of addressing the topic head on, deflections like "they all do it" will become the standard. Why not face the question the OP posed head on?? Why the need to point elsewhere?

 

[Peacenik]

MAGA's attack on practically everything is intended to divide us.

Is it really maga? Or is it their rich, powerful and greedy overlords?

 

[Peacenik]

I applaud your attempt. I really do.

However, it won't be long before the usual suspects come roaring on here with their usual attack lines against Democrats, liberals, DEIs, illegals, feminists, or anyone else that ticks them off.

I suspect a few Lefties might do the same but it is usually the Righties who love to derail a thread.

I sincerely hope I am wrong. Because you have a point. I know I will get grief for saying this, but one of the reasons I am so proud of being a Canadian, is that we have a lot less of this ideological divide. Even our Conservatives uphold civil liberties, universal healthcare, and basic respect for our opponents. We aren't perfect, far from it, but I still hope we will never devolve into such blind hatred of the other side as has happened in your country.

Great reply. I hope you're right about Canada. May you never go down the serious rabbit hole we can't seem to back out of.

We are so stuck in this division and hatred that people have lost the ability to see the big picture.

Or to stop and realize this is not natural; it is being done to us.

 

[Luce]

It is important to would-be oligarchs that we square off against one another.

 

[Helix]

Decades of faux and AM radio right wing extremists caused a lot of it.

 

[element94]

You know?

When you think about it, we all share this nation. We share a heritage. We have common needs, goals and desires. We are all alike. We are humans in a great country. We have it pretty good compared to the rest of the world. We've got it going on.

We have our Constitution. We have our flag. We have our anthem. We have our national spirit. Baseball. Football. Basketball. Apple Pie. Cheeseburgers.

National Parks. Fabulous natural resources, land, waters, attractions, music, movies, art. 50 States and more territories.

We've got it good in America.

And with all this, we are bitterly, bitterly divided. It makes no sense. No sense at all.

This division does not come naturally. People enjoy doing fun things together. People like opportunity and the chance to succeed, which many of us have done. We have succeeded in so many ways it is impossible to count. People don't naturally want to fight. People want to mesh with others and work together to produce more than can be done if we are all a bunch of loners working separately. It is more enjoyable to be part of a group, part of a society, than it is to be left out. People want to belong to something greater than themselves alone. People like being Americans. And America is made up of Americans.

Question: So why, if it is not natural, are we Americans this bitterly divided?

Answer: Because it is being done to us by rich and powerful people who fear having the common Americans unite against the rich and powerful.

Discuss?

So why, if it is not natural, are we Americans this bitterly divided?

Because the billionaires paid top-dollar for it.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

Great reply. I hope you're right about Canada. May you never go down the serious rabbit hole we can't seem to back out of.

We are so stuck in this division and hatred that people have lost the ability to see the big picture.

Or to stop and realize this is not natural; it is being done to us.

I hear that families are breaking up over political division. JAYSUS, that used to only happen when one in the family married into the wrong religion and got excommunicated.

 

[Peacenik]

Nah. We are bitterly divided simply because it's human nature. It seems people of practically ALL countries, regions, down to neighborhoods, schools, etc. have been bitterly divided, fighting, wearing chips on their shoulder, seeing injustices, fighting for what they think is "fair". That's why there are constant wars, fights, law suits, etc.

This theme ebbs and flows through world history.

So you don't think the rich greedy and powerful are paying massive dark money organizations to divide public opinion as the reap the benefits of increased power and influence over our government, secure in the knowledge that the voting public will not get wise and unite against them?

 

[Peacenik]

Nah. We are bitterly divided simply because it's human nature. It seems people of practically ALL countries, regions, down to neighborhoods, schools, etc. have been bitterly divided, fighting, wearing chips on their shoulder, seeing injustices, fighting for what they think is "fair". That's why there are constant wars, fights, law suits, etc.

This theme ebbs and flows through world history.

Nope. I disagree.

Sure, there are always differences. America has had differences from the beginning. That is natural.

The bitter hatred part?

Nope. Not natural.

It is being amplified on purpose.

 

[element94]

So you don't think the rich greedy and powerful are paying massive dark money organizations to divide public opinion as the reap the benefits of increased power and influence over our government, secure in the knowledge that the voting public will not get wise and unite against them?

The voting public better step it up because we still have almost four more years of massive damage being done to the government and its citizens. One good thing stands out, collectively we have the most guns.

 

[The AntiDonald]

You know?

When you think about it, we all share this nation. We share a heritage. We have common needs, goals and desires. We are all alike. We are humans in a great country. We have it pretty good compared to the rest of the world. We've got it going on.

We have our Constitution. We have our flag. We have our anthem. We have our national spirit. Baseball. Football. Basketball. Apple Pie. Cheeseburgers.

National Parks. Fabulous natural resources, land, waters, attractions, music, movies, art. 50 States and more territories.

We've got it good in America.

And with all this, we are bitterly, bitterly divided. It makes no sense. No sense at all.

This division does not come naturally. People enjoy doing fun things together. People like opportunity and the chance to succeed, which many of us have done. We have succeeded in so many ways it is impossible to count. People don't naturally want to fight. People want to mesh with others and work together to produce more than can be done if we are all a bunch of loners working separately. It is more enjoyable to be part of a group, part of a society, than it is to be left out. People want to belong to something greater than themselves alone. People like being Americans. And America is made up of Americans.

Question: So why, if it is not natural, are we Americans this bitterly divided?

Answer: Because it is being done to us by rich and powerful people who fear having the common Americans unite against the rich and powerful.

Discuss?

Authoritarians cannot succeed with a unified population. Division is on the first page of the authoritarian playbook. On that same page is mis/disinformation.

Trump and his tech-bro billionaires desire total control and they have somehow convinced MAGAs that this is best for the nation. I'm sorry to say this, but it may be working. If America in general doesn't wake up quickly, it'll be too late.

 

[Luce]

Well, on the bright side, we get to test the old biblical saying "A house divided cannot stand."

 

[Peacenik]

Divide and conquer. I think at times it’s more complicated when you get into things like race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Differences like that can organically result in conflict, but I do think that those in power add fuel to what might have otherwise been a small fire.

Obviously, the internet doesn’t help. We become 1 dimensional beings to each other. In the real world, I have conservative friends with nuanced views that can sometimes challenge my own views. Online (and sometimes here), it can often be just meme wars and over-generalizations.

There’s also this learned helpless that the left and the right can never join forces on anything, but it’s not true. Get involved in your local community, and you’ll see it happens everyday.

This is one of those posts that makes me wish I could use the like button more than once. A thousand times would work here...

Spot on!

Local action is how We, The People, (left and right) can exercise our power to take the reigns of power back away from the rich and greedy.

 

[element94]

Well, on the bright side, we get to test the old biblical saying "A house divided cannot stand."

I've been wondering how bad it would have to get to spark another civil war. It happens easily in other countries that are being repressed by the whims of political criminals (literally convicted in Trump's case). Now it's the U.S. in that position.

 

[Peacenik]

Does it really? It's easy to say "they all do it." And yes, they all do it............. to some extent. But as per my comment on this topic, some are doing it much more severely than others. There isn't this kind of blind hate for the other side in Canada, I can assure you.

And there didn't used to be in the USA, either. Back before the Powell Memo and Fox Noose.

I also suspect that your rebuttal will become a common theme. Instead of addressing the topic head on, deflections like "they all do it" will become the standard. Why not face the question the OP posed head on?? Why the need to point elsewhere?

Thank you! And I do believe you are correct. When people immersed in the hatred are possibly lured away from it into a respectful and rational discussion, they tend to retract into the hatred and make excuses for why they can't genuinely discuss things they are uncomfortable with.

 

[Peacenik]

It is important to would-be oligarchs that we square off against one another.

I don't think there is much "would be" about our oligarchs.

 

[Peacenik]

Decades of faux and AM radio right wing extremists caused a lot of it.

That happened after the Powell Memo described how effective it could be to do it that way.

All of this bitter resentment can be traced back to a disgruntled lawyer who tried to win the case for Big Tobacco to keep advertising on TV in cartoons to children, and lost. He essentially decide there was far too much faith in government to properly regulate commerce, so he suggested the rich and greedy need to spend to shape public opinion against government. It worked.

Faith in government before the Powell Memo: A majority of Americans had a positive view of government.

Faith in government after the Powell Memo: Fewer than 10% of Americans have a positive view of our government.

It worked! And hey, bonus, we got Fox Noose out of it. (Whoopee-the-freak-do.) /s

 

[Luce]

I don't think there is much "would be" about our oligarchs.

We're not quite there. Give it another 6 months.

 

[Peacenik]

I hear that families are breaking up over political division. JAYSUS, that used to only happen when one in the family married into the wrong religion and got excommunicated.

I wonder if the oligarchs care? They don't seem to have hearts.