Re:Ask HN: How do we stop the polarization/toxicicity fillin...
by Domenic_S on Friday January 31, 2020 @02:29PM
(#22204736)
> our personal identities are now stacked in line with our political identities.
Even stronger than that, for many people their political identity IS their personal identity, and those folks can't see anybody else any other way.
I was a child when Clinton was elected. We lived in a conservative neighborhood, and I remember there being disappointment but as far as I can recall everyone resumed their normal lives after that.
Then when GWB was elected, I lived in a more liberal town and there was some angst, maybe a bit of protesting, but by and large everyone went back to their lives.
Trump has been interesting. For many people, if you voted for Trump, you are a Nazi. As far as they're concerned, your political identity IS your personal identity. And let's be fair to both sides, for a lot of Trump supporters, being a MAGA-hat wearer is their personal identity.
We're on the road to something, and it's not good.
Even stronger than that, for many people their political identity IS their personal identity, and those folks can't see anybody else any other way.
I was a child when Clinton was elected. We lived in a conservative neighborhood, and I remember there being disappointment but as far as I can recall everyone resumed their normal lives after that.
Then when GWB was elected, I lived in a more liberal town and there was some angst, maybe a bit of protesting, but by and large everyone went back to their lives.
Trump has been interesting. For many people, if you voted for Trump, you are a Nazi. As far as they're concerned, your political identity IS your personal identity. And let's be fair to both sides, for a lot of Trump supporters, being a MAGA-hat wearer is their personal identity.
We're on the road to something, and it's not good.