Where are we going with this?

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: angeldoll

Where are we going with this?

See...even in your discussion of seeking rational solutions....some can't wait to turn it into a hate fest of blame and partisanship.

Apparently that's where we are going....

And even here, some cannot wait to claim that moral superiority.

Two can play the game, and this is what has gotten us all into trouble. Don't you see?

I was in the pharmacy today getting a prescription filled. There was a line of maybe seven or eight people. We actually began TALKING to each other as we waited, about what happened this morning. Nobody mentioned a peep about a political affiliation.
It was mostly just pure horror. Fear at what we are becoming. We all felt the same. Everybody seemed to be freaking out, "we've got to get a handle on this madness". "This must stop".

There was something reassuring about it. Like minds, you know, that we can't do this anymore.

But you're right. All this is exactly what's gotten us into trouble. It's "who is the smartest". "Who is the most practical" "who is the more moral person". It's about superiority. But today, today in this one conversation, of old, young, black and white, we were all just people. People who want our country to okay.

It was nice.

My vote is abolish the two-party system and take party labels off ballots. That will force people to spend more time learning about candidates instead of just pulling the lever for a D or an R. The more they learn the less likely they are to be brainwashed by the over the top rhetoric of whichever side they "belong" to. The most extreme people I know from either side are typically very ill-informed.

I can think of one group of people who do NOT dislike the disgusting Islamic "civilisation " in the Middle East, they believe killing your own daughter because she kissed a Jew is an admirable way to express your love for your god.
The same group believe that Islam is a race, "illegal immigrant" means "Mexican" and to support a political party other than their own is somehow "racist".

But I digress

I'm MORE than guilty of feeding the hate and your little thread here has given me pause to reflect.

In ten years, will we be WORSE??? For the USA there is still hope (more than can be said for Europe, a future Islamic nation, so sad to see but that's reality I'm afraid).
Maybe people on "the left" share a LOT of values with those on "the right" and vice versa.
It's just a shame we all refuse to admit it.

a reply to: angeldoll

Don't worry. Kids can't let Adults talk. Always interrupting important conversations. I was kid. Still am from time to time. I am young enough to want to fight, but old enough to understand the wisdom not to. The one thing I believe that I know for certain, is that it is fun to fight sometimes, but there are times I need to shut up and listen to the other person.

originally posted by: angeldoll

originally posted by: thack
a reply to: angeldoll

The left feeds it's own hatred, they are mentally ill, unless they get their own way, they snap.

If you don't mind, I think we can do without your thoughts tonight. Peace.

In the spirit of free and open exchange of ideas, it is not cool to shout down a differing opinion like that.

Now is it?

Isn't that part of hat you are ranting about?

Or, is it only acceptable to speak an opinion that does not differ from yours?

a reply to: angeldoll

Thank you for creating this thread.

I don't know where We will end up but right now We are on a rocky road. Not the first time and probably not the last. We are great and together We are strong.

We need to be one country and stop referring to each other as them, they, those people. We are Americans.

I'm guilty but it starts with me. All I can do is be a better person.

Take Care.

You know what works for me?

Turn off the TV, (I rarely watch it anyway accept if I see a breaking story I want to check out from a thread here), then turn off the computer and phone.

95% of the BS evaporates.

When I have to go out most people are still decent enough, the sun is shining, and after some time away I notice I don't even think about the stuff I was being programmed to think and worry about.

Just walk away from the programming for a while, the world is still a beautiful place once you 'tune out'.

S&F for the thread Angela

a reply to: JinMI

Couldn't agree more JinMi.

originally posted by: thack
a reply to: angeldoll

The left feeds it's own hatred, they are mentally ill, unless they get their own way, they snap.

Really, new guy with the brand new account you just made today??

Tell me, is it even possible to look more like a sh*tposting troll than you are right now??? I mean really. Did you bother reading the OP at all or is it just impossible for you to comprehend anything outside your own agenda of hate at this point???

a reply to: angeldoll

That was a good OP and like you said it starts with us. It's the people that make the place, not the place that makes the people.

At the end of the day, we are all humans and the toxicity is not healthy at all and will only lead us down a destructive path.

originally posted by: stosh64
a reply to: JinMI

Couldn't agree more JinMi.

I'd even buy that Silly poster a beer. I would wager politics play a very small portion in most of our lives outside of ATS.

originally posted by: Krakatoa

originally posted by: angeldoll

originally posted by: thack
a reply to: angeldoll

The left feeds it's own hatred, they are mentally ill, unless they get their own way, they snap.

If you don't mind, I think we can do without your thoughts tonight. Peace.

In the spirit of free and open exchange of ideas, it is not cool to shout down a differing opinion like that.

Now is it?

Isn't that part of hat you are ranting about?

Or, is it only acceptable to speak an opinion that does not differ from yours?

I wanted to talk about hatred, and how we are becoming almost disabled from it. Not indulge in it in this thread please.
We need to talk. We need to see where all this is leading us, and if it's to a place we want to be once we get there.
And after today, I'm afraid we are well on our way. If there is a way to deal with it, we need to find it.

My vote is abolish the two-party system and take party labels off ballots. That will force people to spend more time learning about candidates instead of just pulling the lever for a D or an R. The more they learn the less likely they are to be brainwashed by the over the top rhetoric of whichever side they "belong" to. The most extreme people I know from either side are typically very ill-informed.

Not a bad idea. How would we be able to control the media so as they cover the truth is another question. The only way to fight democracy is with democracy. Start the new Party. Call it the Fed Up party. Get it, F U. But then another question arises. How do you keep the party from becoming corrupted?

originally posted by: stosh64
You know what works for me?

Turn off the TV, (I rarely watch it anyway accept if I see a breaking story I want to check out from a thread here), then turn off the computer and phone.

95% of the BS evaporates.

When I have to go out most people are still decent enough, the sun is shining, and after some time away I notice I don't even think about the stuff I was being programmed to think and worry about.

Just walk away from the programming for a while, the world is still a beautiful place once you 'tune out'.

S&F for the thread Angela

I've been such a politics junkie, since I can remember. I even say if I miss a day of politics, I might start seeing pink elephants! But I've thought about this a lot lately. I'm impotent to change anything, it seems. I would be better off poking around in my flowers. I'm going to have to put some limits on my intake. I will, I will , I will.

originally posted by: 3daysgone

My vote is abolish the two-party system and take party labels off ballots. That will force people to spend more time learning about candidates instead of just pulling the lever for a D or an R. The more they learn the less likely they are to be brainwashed by the over the top rhetoric of whichever side they "belong" to. The most extreme people I know from either side are typically very ill-informed.

Not a bad idea. How would we be able to control the media so as they cover the truth is another question. The only way to fight democracy is with democracy. Start the new Party. Call it the Fed Up party. Get it, F U. But then another question arises. How do you keep the party from becoming corrupted?

Or we just elect this guy

a reply to: olaru12

And.. what if the left has been the primary target/test group of new types of manipulation? Truly?

If that is the reality, it certainly doesn't make the other segments of the spectrum innocent angels, but how could a discussion ever take place without accusations of partisanship. Seems like it would be a pretty clever way to go about things.

For the past decade, I have watched people who were similarly minded to myself start to focus on silly talking points and state-sanctioned answers to everything.

I've always felt that the two sides of the spectrum were complementary. Progressives/liberals/etc. tended to push new ideas, new methods, and innovation while conservatives/etc. tended to keep things largely grounded and reality-based. Sure, that can be a frustrating dynamic, but I tend to think its a good one in the proper context.

We can salvage that, or even build it better, but not as long as either side thinks they are literally righteous purely by social group membership. Just because an "opposing" social group differs ideologically does not mean their words are totally and completely devoid of morals, logic, or even accuracy. Nor does it mean that disingenuously agreeing with such a sentiment, then acting and thinking to the contrary, will lead anywhere but down.

Poetically, this modern mind virus that has been unleashed on the left is just as infectious and insidious as any hemorrhagic fever. And, at a certain point, it no longer cares about political association or social group. Until then, and perhaps that day of fully breaking containment is sooner rather than later, it would seem prudent to focus on the affected demographic.

This madness has to stop Now! If we let this spiral out of control, we will all be at each other's throats. Most of us are more similiar than what those extreme left or right led us to believe. I consider myself a centrist and I beileve most of you here are too. We may lean left or right on certain issues but at the core we mostly want similiar things (Freedom, Happiness, and Peace). Atleast I hope so. TPTB want us to believe we are so different that we are enemies, but lets not be fooled.

a reply to: angeldoll

I wanted to talk about hatred, and how we are becoming almost disabled from it. Not indulge in it in this thread please. We need to talk. We need to see where all this is leading us, and if it's to a place we want to be once we get there. And after today, I'm afraid we are well on our way. If there is a way to deal with it, we need to find it.

Well the media is playing to the hatred on both sides. We should be able to agree on that. With that said, the rest depends on the individual. How well can the individual control themselves in the public. Online is one thing. Even though it is public people often act like it isn't.

More people are on social media today, than at any other point in history, because it is new. Since it is new, and it can be studied, it would be easy to reason that more and more people are becoming detached from civility in society because we witness society online more so than in real life.

I don't know. What is your take on it?

originally posted by: angeldoll

originally posted by: Krakatoa

originally posted by: angeldoll

originally posted by: thack
a reply to: angeldoll

The left feeds it's own hatred, they are mentally ill, unless they get their own way, they snap.

If you don't mind, I think we can do without your thoughts tonight. Peace.

In the spirit of free and open exchange of ideas, it is not cool to shout down a differing opinion like that.

Now is it?

Isn't that part of hat you are ranting about?

Or, is it only acceptable to speak an opinion that does not differ from yours?

I wanted to talk about hatred, and how we are becoming almost disabled from it. Not indulge in it in this thread please.
We need to talk. We need to see where all this is leading us, and if it's to a place we want to be once we get there.
And after today, I'm afraid we are well on our way. If there is a way to deal with it, we need to find it.

I understand. But, telling someone to sit and be quiet is not talking about the "why" behind that thought. It usually starts off with something small like that, which escalates. The root is the need to suppress other viewpoints. Isn't it?

Stop the rot where it starts.
Don't shut out anyone, but embrace their point and explain why you do not think it is appropriate without the need to suppress their viewpoint.

That is to which I was referring.

a reply to: olaru12

you beat me to it. I was going to say "give the thread about ten minutes and you'll see where we're headed."