Davis

History of England is immensely oppressive of native peoples. Sun did not set. Exploitation on steroids. Fucked over the Irish to a degree that is shameful. Not much freedom of expression in the star chamber. Ya did beat the Americans in outlawing slavery first. USA gave the vote to women a bit sooner.

Regardless it is a woeful history. A…[Read more]

Enco writes, What Jake has copiously said addresses this as a human condition, not exclusive to the U.S.A. But I might add that the indigenous tribes here warred and enslaved each other for centuries before Europeans arrived and Africans were dragooned along for the ride. And these Europeans and Africans brought along their own tribalist wars and…[Read more]

The UK isn’t all that tribal.  We have a long tradition of civility together with freedom of expression.  We seem to value people being themselves.  The extremists (left, right) are the most tribal, but then, we know why.  They just love competition and dominance.

Strega,

“You’re much more tribal here in America. People really like labels and grouping terms. Maybe it’s because you had to invade the land you live in, and had to manage indigenous peoples, so it’s a Cowboys and Indians mentality. Or Us vs Them

It seems to me that when we feel besieged, frightened, angry or fearful, we seem to enter fight…[Read more]

@jake I am horrified at the way you grew up with such animosity. I’m full of admiration for the fact that you’ve turned out to be so decent.

You’re much more tribal here in America. People really like labels and grouping terms. Maybe it’s because you had to invade the land you live in, and had to manage indigenous peoples, so it’s a Cowboys a…[Read more]

@enco  There is no perfection, and arguably no equality in real life.  An example of equity might be the allocation of school bus costs on a headcount basis, even though some students live much further from school than others.

It is precisely because there is no such thing as equality, that equity steps into the breach.

Strega,

Also grew up in an atheist family. No hiding my ancestry because of my surname or half of my ancestry and the only half that matters. Obama is Black but half White so he is Black. I have been keenly aware of racist mofo all of my life. First really vivid recollection i was a little kid and my dad had a ‘friend’ who we were visiting. I…[Read more]

Although I am very aware that anti-semetic beliefs or Jew hatred exists, I have somehow managed to avoid encountering any, in all my years. It’s bewildering to me. It’s as if everyone else can physically see something and I can’t. Maybe it’s partly because I grew up in an atheist family. Maybe it’s because there were many different religions…[Read more]

Strega,

Our biases are always in play and that is part of the trap of confirmation bias. We are all human and to one degree or another vulnerable.

I agree labels can be misleading. I don’t consider you a lets say doctrinaire lefty. If one adopts some aspects of an ideology but rejects others that is commendable. The problem is Ideologies sweep…[Read more]

Just watched Trump and his cabinet of sycophants. What a stable genius! His cognitive decline is accelerating. When he goes on for a few minutes at a time the tangents and non sequiturs are launched and he simply can’t stay cogent. What a jaw dropping spectacle of the movie Idiocracy in real time.

We can get swallowed by our own prejudices on occasion without even being aware of that.

@Jake I disagree with your perception of ‘lefties’. Perhaps we have a different interpretation of the definition of ‘lefties’.

I am a leftie. In my world view, equity is better than equality, women should be in charge of their own fucking bodies, we should…[Read more]

“Extremists care about the one cause more than human welfare.”

Is it true?

Lets agree on a subset of extremists. Nazis? Obviously. Islamic suicide bombers? Obviously. White Christians out on a Sunday afternoon to take in some entertainment so they watch an innocent Black man being lynched. Asked AI for a famous incident. I have read about m…[Read more]

Strega wrote:
kakistocracy

That’s a great word, I’ve never heard it before.

@simon

”Extremists care about the one cause more than human welfare.”

I really like this point. It makes so much sense for today’s white river rafting kakistocracy.

jakelafort wrote:
“Pediatrician fired for vile post suggesting Texas flood victims were Trump supporters who got what they voted for. New York Post” In the comments the following appears. “Leftists, liberals and Democrats need to be rounded up and put into concentration camps for treason.”

Those are dreadful things for anyone to say, and extremi…[Read more]

“Pediatrician fired for vile post suggesting Texas flood victims were Trump supporters who got what they voted for. New York Post”

In the comments the following appears.

“Leftists, liberals and Democrats need to be rounded up and put into concentration camps for treason.”

Moving right along singing a song it won’t be long till Murica aint…[Read more]

jakelafort wrote:
If you were socked in a snow storm and without a shovel would a Maga-head be less likely than a lefty moron to help you dig out your car?

Yes, I guess I’m talking about the administration.  The actual Trump supporters I know personally are all very nice.

Are lefties different, or just as deluded?  I think they’re subject to a l…[Read more]

Simon,

Are you othering Maga-heads? Do you differentiate the far right from far left in those terms? Your terms that follow. If you were socked in a snow storm and without a shovel would a Maga-head be less likely than a lefty moron to help you dig out your car? Are lefties smarter than Magas? Do there political affiliations or ideologies…[Read more]