CDZ Duhumanization & Partisan Politics

[candycorn]

[

As for the Clean Debate Zone thread..it wasn’t about race either until you introduced race. Then of course comedy ensued from your fellow snowflakes.

I pointed out that most of us are shades of purple; true extremists are few and far between despite the OP’s rather hilarious and fanatical insistence otherwise.

You introduced race in post #8.

Don't let the truth get in the way of your hyper-partisan finger pointing though, k?

It was introduced in Post #6.

yeah, you are right about that. I didn't look back far enough.

I subsequently mis-attributed the post to another member of the board. I want to take this opportunity to again apologize to him/her.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

[

As for the Clean Debate Zone thread..it wasn’t about race either until you introduced race. Then of course comedy ensued from your fellow snowflakes.

I pointed out that most of us are shades of purple; true extremists are few and far between despite the OP’s rather hilarious and fanatical insistence otherwise.

You introduced race in post #8.

Don't let the truth get in the way of your hyper-partisan finger pointing though, k?

It was introduced in Post #6.

yeah, you are right about that. I didn't look back far enough.

I subsequently mis-attributed the post to another member of the board. I want to take this opportunity to again apologize to him/her.

We are precariously close to a Kumbaya moment.

Can a group hug be far behind?

 

[task0778]

"The thing is, there are already many "cooler heads" talking, but they are being shunned by the partisans here. That is the most dangerous part of this whole situation. I will never forgive Trump for this."

Not a lot of cooler heads on the Dem side, and there's no way any sane person can lay it all on Trump. It didn't just start when he got elected, and it won't be going away any time soon after he's gone. People have been doing this for centuries, here in the US and everywhere else. Did we not dehumanize blacks, Indians, orientals, you name it? It's how atrocities happen.

I sometimes wonder if the only way out of this mess is one big humongous catastrophe, as in a global depression that lasts for decades. Not sure that'll do it, cuz you got the one world-gov't globalists telling us that is the answer and the other side saying no it isn't. So even in the midst of calamity will we start to talk rationally, or continue to point fingers and accusations and dehumanize those who disagree?

 

[candycorn]

[

As for the Clean Debate Zone thread..it wasn’t about race either until you introduced race. Then of course comedy ensued from your fellow snowflakes.

I pointed out that most of us are shades of purple; true extremists are few and far between despite the OP’s rather hilarious and fanatical insistence otherwise.

You introduced race in post #8.

Don't let the truth get in the way of your hyper-partisan finger pointing though, k?

It was introduced in Post #6.

yeah, you are right about that. I didn't look back far enough.

I subsequently mis-attributed the post to another member of the board. I want to take this opportunity to again apologize to him/her.

We are precariously close to a Kumbaya moment.

Can a group hug be far behind?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The cartoon below to me illustrates exactly what is the key problem in America for the past 30 years plus.
There is a concerted, well organized, well funded and highly successful campaign in this country to turn the populace against each other so the REAL enemy remains hidden.
And that enemy is modern corporatism/globalism. And it has thoroughly corrupted BOTH sides.
So much so that President Obama, a globalist himself, one of the more liberal Presidents in modern history - did more to enrich the super wealthy, super corporations than any President in history. That is inarguable.
Today, there has never been a time in history where it is so good to be rich.
At the same time the middle class has been bombarded from all angles.
We make less, we lost sick days, healthcare insurance costs literally keeps many people in poverty..while covering less and less every year... and true pensions, one of the most valuable parts of employee compensations... is nearly extinct. 401ks are a very-very poor replacement for a real pension.
We are getting hosed.
And the well organized system of division keeps us hating on each other rather than pointing our frustrations at the real enemy......

 

[Crixus]

Old as the hills.... meaning, this is human behavior 101a.
What would be more interesting is how our nation, consisting mostly of people with like wants and needs, carry the same goals and primary beliefs, can so easily be convinced that we are not alike.
The media, our education system and politicians have done a masterful job indeed of dividing the people.
Works like a charm.

Sure, that's been a huge element in this. People with the ability to communicate to masses, who have a vested professional interest in dividing us, getting their way.

Another element is the last sentence in the OP, essentially momentum: Once this process is underway it may become self-reinforcing, as research indicates perceived dehumanization prompts dehumanization as a response
.

The personal interest being that they go to Washington poor and are millionaires in a year after getting there. Term limits would go a long way towards curbing this.

 

[Picaro]

Left and right wing ideological ' Purists',, Sexual deviants, people who are fine with murdering babies by the millions for the crime of 'Inconvenience', and other sociopaths are indeed sub-human; lacking in any genuine human empathy; it's just time to face up to that fact and deal with them accordingly, is all, and move on from the stupid doped addled Burb Brat mentality that the only point of human existence is mindless self-indulgence and robbing and cheating your neighbors is okay as long as you vote Democrat or Republican and have all the right memes memorized like good little robots.

Real change is easy; it's just that most voters love corruption and greed and mindless hedonism, and could care less about anything else, except destroying anything that even looks like it might interfere with their personal whims.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Found some fascinating, brand new research on behaviors in partisan politics. Obviously, partisans either consciously or subconsciously dehumanize their opponents so that their opponents are much easier to hate and attack. That's one of the many behaviors shared by partisans on both ends of the spectrum, and these studies suggest its negative effects. Here's research just published during the last month:

Partisan Dehumanization in American Politics

Understanding dehumanization in political contexts is important because the social psychology literature links dehumanization to a variety of negative outcomes, including moral disengagement, aggression, and even violence. In this manuscript, I discuss evidence of partisan dehumanization during the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign and demonstrate how a focus on dehumanization can expose new relationships between moral psychology and partisan identity. Using data from two surveys conducted in October of 2016, I show that partisans dehumanize their political opponents in both subtle and blatant ways. When I investigate the correlates of dehumanization, I find that partisans who blatantly dehumanize members of the opposing party prefer greater social distance from their political opponents, which is indicative of reduced interpersonal tolerance. I also find that blatant dehumanization is associated with perceptions of greater moral distance between the parties, which is indicative of moral disengagement. These results suggest that dehumanization can improve our understanding of negative partisanship and political polarization.

Partisan Dehumanization in American Politics - Heterodox Academy

Although the process of dehumanization has not received much attention in political science, it has received a good deal of attention within social psychology.

Nevertheless, research on dehumanization indicates that the process is associated with moral disengagement whereby a person or group are classified as less than human, and thus less deserving of moral consideration. In other words, when a rival person or group is dehumanized they are seen as undeserving of moral concern. When this occurs, unfair treatment, derogation, and even aggression are then easily justified and rationalized (see e.g., Ellemers 2017; Schwartz 2007). Once this process is underway it may become self-reinforcing, as research indicates perceived dehumanization prompts dehumanization as a response (Kteily, Hodson & Bruneau 2016).
.

Very interesting. Thanks.

 

[Picaro]

I sometimes wonder if the only way out of this mess is one big humongous catastrophe, as in a global depression that lasts for decades. Not sure that'll do it, cuz you got the one world-gov't globalists telling us that is the answer and the other side saying no it isn't. So even in the midst of calamity will we start to talk rationally, or continue to point fingers and accusations and dehumanize those who disagree?

If that sort of psychology actually worked, black people wouldn't be murdering each other and everybody else in record numbers every day, and the 'Hoods would be like permanent Woodstock festivals. There is no historical evidence that oppressed people become 'better'; in fact it appears they are worse and more vicious and petty than their oppressors when they manage to seize power.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

research indicates perceived dehumanization prompts dehumanization as a response
Well, yeah! It's difficult to empathize with someone who thinks you're evil.

The question here is, though, whether they really think you're evil, or if they're just using the notion as a crutch, an excuse, a utililty.
.

They're being told to think you're evil.

This all flows down from the top.

The water carriers pick it up and believe it.

We see it constantly here and out in the world. People believe the talking points people spin to manipulate them. I could point to several active threads here right now where people have picked up that type of ball and are running with it like they've won a prize.

Hilarious and pathetic at the same time that people have lost the inability to think for themselves and see through this tactic to see that they are being used, as well as to realize that just because someone disagrees with your viewpoint they are not stupid, evil, racist etc....

Yeah, it all feeds on itself. We're rewarded (both externally and internally) when we are obedient to our tribe and increase animosity and division.

High fives all around!
.

It's all about conformity.

Back in my hippie days in the early to mid seventies, i lived in communal housing and worked in a vegetarian restaurant. One time at the restaurant, when it was my turn to put on the music, I selected something by Terje Rypdal instead of the usual Joan Biaz, new riders, grateful death or leo Kotke that everybody else played . People let me know in no uncertain terms that this was NOT what a good, card carrying hippie was supposed to listen to.


I cut off all my hair the next day.


Partisan politics is much the same. Do or say anything outside the little box others want to restrict you to and it's adios .

 

[Olde Europe]

The cartoon below to me illustrates exactly what is the key problem in America for the past 30 years plus.
There is a concerted, well organized, well funded and highly successful campaign in this country to turn the populace against each other so the REAL enemy remains hidden.
And that enemy is modern corporatism/globalism. And it has thoroughly corrupted BOTH sides.
So much so that President Obama, a globalist himself, one of the more liberal Presidents in modern history - did more to enrich the super wealthy, super corporations than any President in history. That is inarguable.

Off topic, so keep this short: Other than preventing a re-occurrence of the Great Depression, raising the taxes on the rich, and raising them some more to contribute to the health care of the less fortunate, how exactly has President Obama done "more to enrich the super wealthy, super corporations than any President in history"?

...................................................................................

Other than that, I have to scold the OP, for he failed to name names. It is, of course, the authoritarian, illiberal left doing the dehumanizing. They are the ones who would dehumanize Republicans every which way. That isn't surprising: They are also known for dehumanizing gays, Blacks, immigrants, drug users, Muslims, journalists, women, trans people, the disabled, gun owners, and what have you. So, it's just standard MO for them, and they can't help it.

 

[Tumblin Tumbleweed]

Sure, that's been a huge element in this. People with the ability to communicate to masses, who have a vested professional interest in dividing us, getting their way.

Seems really the only element to me these days. With the slow death of analog media, digital has a distinct financial interest in keeping the masses divided. It keeps the lights on and them relevant. Today's journalism is doing the exact opposite of what they're supposed to do, which is inform the public. When networks started allowing local news givers to interject their own opinions rather than just objectively reporting, it was the beginning of the end of objectivity in news altogether. 24-hours news cycles made it worse, and they're all turning in some form of political bias just like Fox News. Today's news stories have an easily seen political slant to them. They set up dehumanization using narratives perceiving certain parties as good guys and villains. The instantaneous nature of social media makes this worse by a factor of 100. While they lie to and try to manipulate us, they covet and sell our personal data just to give insult to injury. Online media conglomerates have perfected a winning formula of division by presenting shorter, tabloid style news stories which are almost always accompanied by a video because reading is hard, I suppose. Politicians using these narratives to run campaigns make it worse times 1000.

 

[Mac1958]

Sure, that's been a huge element in this. People with the ability to communicate to masses, who have a vested professional interest in dividing us, getting their way.

Seems really the only element to me these days. With the slow death of analog media, digital has a distinct financial interest in keeping the masses divided. It keeps the lights on and them relevant. Today's journalism is doing the exact opposite of what they're supposed to do, which is inform the public. When networks started allowing local news givers to interject their own opinions rather than just objectively reporting, it was the beginning of the end of objectivity in news altogether. 24-hours news cycles made it worse, and they're all turning in some form of political bias just like Fox News. Today's news stories have an easily seen political slant to them. They set up dehumanization using narratives perceiving certain parties as good guys and villains. The instantaneous nature of social media makes this worse by a factor of 100. While they lie to and try to manipulate us, they covet and sell our personal data just to give insult to injury. Online media conglomerates have perfected a winning formula of division by presenting shorter, tabloid style news stories which are almost always accompanied by a video because reading is hard, I suppose. Politicians using these narratives to run campaigns make it worse times 1000.

.

 

[sartre play]

BUT when it comes to the people we elect to run the show, are we NOT suppose to say stop when they are working against gains we have made, & pitting us against each other.

 

[OldLady]

Found some fascinating, brand new research on behaviors in partisan politics. Obviously, partisans either consciously or subconsciously dehumanize their opponents so that their opponents are much easier to hate and attack. That's one of the many behaviors shared by partisans on both ends of the spectrum, and these studies suggest its negative effects. Here's research just published during the last month:

Partisan Dehumanization in American Politics

Understanding dehumanization in political contexts is important because the social psychology literature links dehumanization to a variety of negative outcomes, including moral disengagement, aggression, and even violence. In this manuscript, I discuss evidence of partisan dehumanization during the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign and demonstrate how a focus on dehumanization can expose new relationships between moral psychology and partisan identity. Using data from two surveys conducted in October of 2016, I show that partisans dehumanize their political opponents in both subtle and blatant ways. When I investigate the correlates of dehumanization, I find that partisans who blatantly dehumanize members of the opposing party prefer greater social distance from their political opponents, which is indicative of reduced interpersonal tolerance. I also find that blatant dehumanization is associated with perceptions of greater moral distance between the parties, which is indicative of moral disengagement. These results suggest that dehumanization can improve our understanding of negative partisanship and political polarization.

Partisan Dehumanization in American Politics - Heterodox Academy

Although the process of dehumanization has not received much attention in political science, it has received a good deal of attention within social psychology.

Nevertheless, research on dehumanization indicates that the process is associated with moral disengagement whereby a person or group are classified as less than human, and thus less deserving of moral consideration. In other words, when a rival person or group is dehumanized they are seen as undeserving of moral concern. When this occurs, unfair treatment, derogation, and even aggression are then easily justified and rationalized (see e.g., Ellemers 2017; Schwartz 2007). Once this process is underway it may become self-reinforcing, as research indicates perceived dehumanization prompts dehumanization as a response (Kteily, Hodson & Bruneau 2016).
.

Once again I agree with your post in spirit. In real world practice, however, I believe its timing is far too late. Normally I would ignore the grand relentless political theater as I've done in the past and chalk up most of the 24/7 partisan infighting hyperbole to the behavior described in your linked article. But we live in very unique times, historically speaking. Times which are perhaps unlike any other in human history for the attempts to regress the moral foundation of an entire civilization far back to an earlier age when public and political barbarism and savagery were hardly mentionable as they were the social norm. From this forced rebirth of Draconian Cultural Revolution has sprung, in my best estimate, a damn pressing need to oppose this would be end to modern Western Civilization at all costs. Attempts at sidelining or downplaying the pressing importance of that struggle is the last thing we need.

The bottom line, my concern is (a) whether there is a point of no return to all this, and (b) whether we have reached it.

My guess is that we have, and I'd sure love to be wrong. But this momentum is showing little indication of stopping. When any public voice of reason and moderation (and you'll still see a bit from both ends) appears, you'll see it either ignored, mocked or attacked.

Once those voices have been fully marginalized, this thing is over.
.

Absolutely agree with your words of wisdom on that and if Americans are genuinely good at anything, it's last second backing away from the brink. Although I myself tend to get caught up in the hyper-partisan rhetoric, I'd like to believe it is not too late to do just that, to look to cooler heads to prevail. Unfortunately, and while we Americans tend to pull off some historically stunning last minute saves, in order to do that we often need a diversion, otherwise known as something "shiny" to take our collective attention off the meltdown issue of the day and sort of reset our national mind. I hope that whatever diversion is coming will be the lesser of many contemporary "evils".

The thing is, there are already many "cooler heads" talking, but they are being shunned by the partisans here. That is the most dangerous part of this whole situation. I will never forgive Trump for this.

Do you forgive Don Lemon of CNN for saying white men are the biggest threat in the nation? How about the numerous college professors teaching classes on how to "dismantle whiteness"? Anything to say about the anti-white, anti-male, anti-tradition, anti-america rhetoric from the left that rose to a fevered pitch years before Trump even announced his run for the presidency?

I'm not sure what that has to do with my point. ?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The cartoon below to me illustrates exactly what is the key problem in America for the past 30 years plus.
There is a concerted, well organized, well funded and highly successful campaign in this country to turn the populace against each other so the REAL enemy remains hidden.
And that enemy is modern corporatism/globalism. And it has thoroughly corrupted BOTH sides.
So much so that President Obama, a globalist himself, one of the more liberal Presidents in modern history - did more to enrich the super wealthy, super corporations than any President in history. That is inarguable.

Off topic, so keep this short: Other than preventing a re-occurrence of the Great Depression, raising the taxes on the rich, and raising them some more to contribute to the health care of the less fortunate, how exactly has President Obama done "more to enrich the super wealthy, super corporations than any President in history"?

...................................................................................

Other than that, I have to scold the OP, for he failed to name names. It is, of course, the authoritarian, illiberal left doing the dehumanizing. They are the ones who would dehumanize Republicans every which way. That isn't surprising: They are also known for dehumanizing gays, Blacks, immigrants, drug users, Muslims, journalists, women, trans people, the disabled, gun owners, and what have you. So, it's just standard MO for them, and they can't help it.

I'm sorry, but you need to do some reading off the compound.
I will start and end with this...
1) While millions lost their homes, and lost $billions - the investment banks that owned the loans were bailed out 100% including their profits. Including their profits. Why?
Did you know there are more empty homes in America right now than there are homeless?
2) Did you know that the Obama administration continued to provide $70 billion PER MONTH in FREE loans to investment banks and Wall Street firms despite they were enjoying record profits? ALl the way to 2016? I am betting you don't know that.
3) Can you imagine what benefits that $70 billion PER MONTH could have done if provided to small business start ups instead of the super elite?
4) Did you know the rich got richer during his Presidency at a faster and higher rate than anytime in our history...guessing you didn't know that

 

[Tumblin Tumbleweed]

It is, of course, the authoritarian, illiberal left doing the dehumanizing. They are the ones who would dehumanize Republicans every which way.

You're too partisan to see both parties do it. There's no objective value in your remark.

 

[Olde Europe]

I'm sorry, but you need to do some reading off the compound.
I will start and end with this...
1) While millions lost their homes, and lost $billions - the investment banks that owned the loans were bailed out 100% including their profits. Including their profits. Why?
Did you know there are more empty homes in America right now than there are homeless?
2) Did you know that the Obama administration continued to provide $70 billion PER MONTH in FREE loans to investment banks and Wall Street firms despite they were enjoying record profits? ALl the way to 2016? I am betting you don't know that.
3) Can you imagine what benefits that $70 billion PER MONTH could have done if provided to small business start ups instead of the super elite?
4) Did you know the rich got richer during his Presidency at a faster and higher rate than anytime in our history...guessing you didn't know that

Yeah.

Bush / Paulson bailed out the banks. Look up "Troubled Asset Relief Program".

The Federal Reserve pumped money into the system. Look up "Quantitative Easing", and the status of the Federal Reserve.

So, that's two out of two. Misses, that is.

Still waiting for an answer as to what President Obama has done. But then...

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I'm sorry, but you need to do some reading off the compound.
I will start and end with this...
1) While millions lost their homes, and lost $billions - the investment banks that owned the loans were bailed out 100% including their profits. Including their profits. Why?
Did you know there are more empty homes in America right now than there are homeless?
2) Did you know that the Obama administration continued to provide $70 billion PER MONTH in FREE loans to investment banks and Wall Street firms despite they were enjoying record profits? ALl the way to 2016? I am betting you don't know that.
3) Can you imagine what benefits that $70 billion PER MONTH could have done if provided to small business start ups instead of the super elite?
4) Did you know the rich got richer during his Presidency at a faster and higher rate than anytime in our history...guessing you didn't know that

Yeah.

Bush / Paulson bailed out the banks. Look up "Troubled Asset Relief Program".

The Federal Reserve pumped money into the system. Look up "Quantitative Easing", and the status of the Federal Reserve.

So, that's two out of two. Misses, that is.

Still waiting for an answer as to what President Obama has done. But then...

Forget it, you're lost. Obviously.

 

[Olde Europe]

It is, of course, the authoritarian, illiberal left doing the dehumanizing. They are the ones who would dehumanize Republicans every which way.

You're too partisan to see both parties do it. There's no objective value in your remark.

Parties don't do anything. Saying otherwise is just lazy, stereotyping talk. Persons act, on their own volition or following a partisan agenda or shared resentments.

Among every sizeable group of people, you invariably find the good, the bad, and the ugly. Whether or not a certain behavior is becoming (more or less) prevalent among a group is due to group dynamics, often fueled by a certain partisan agenda. That is to say, every behavior you find in one sizeable group, is invariably also found on the other. So, we're not talking binary choices, but matters of degree, even allowing for large differences between groups.

That said, I find predominantly members of one party who delight in dividing up the country in "real America / real Americans" and the less worthy, often enough sub-human rest - the group made to represent the unenviable latter group varies. I see members of one party engaged in a concerted effort to gerrymander some groups out of electoral relevance, and to prevent as many of these groups from voting as possible, assigning a second-rate citizen status to them. I see members of one party standing in the way of gender / LGTB equality wherever and whenever they can, assigning a lesser legal status to them as much as possible.

Again, there's nefarious and dehumanizing behavior to be found in both parties. Only in one of them is denigration, dehumanization, exclusion of "lesser humans", not-real Ameircans at the core of the party, and a pretty much a standard element of their electoral tactics. If pointing out that fact is "too partisan", so be it.