4 ms·

Yeah, feels we're screwed at the moment. I subscribe to both DNC and RNC mailing lists and it's typical to see things like "Trump Rally BACKFIRES" and "The Rad

Yeah, feels we're screwed at the moment. I subscribe to both DNC and RNC mailing lists and it's typical to see things like "Trump Rally BACKFIRES" and "The Radical Left is trying to destroy America". I try to laugh it off thinking people can't be dumb enough to buy into this, but then I'm gripped by the terrifying reality that actually yes, they are. Dunking on opponents really wouldn't be all that bad if there was some actual debate progressing, where ideas could be tested and improved, but that seems to have stagnated to a large degree.

lotsofpulp 5y ago
The use of slang like dunking, slamming, murdering, and so on by adults in a professional arena is embarrassing.
- nemo44x 5y ago
  We are not a serious country any more.
  - vkou 5y ago
    I don't think you would be able to find a single time period in the history of this country where yellow political journalism was not wildly popular.
- mizzack 5y ago
  Unless it's a literal arena.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
    I just had a vision of a dystopian(?) future where politicians unable to reach a compromise are forced to fight in the thunderdome, but they were still a bunch of old pasty white guys.
mistrial9 5y ago
I suspect that there are varying amounts of return on effort, and that their strategists have learned that in a two party ONLY system, with low voter turnout regularly, that just agitating those already on your side to do something, in any way that happens, is more return on effort than convincing people or other variations. There are feedback effects within their decision making that dampen and then eliminate new ideas, which reinforces "return to the party line" and opposite of "take our group in a new direction with this idea" ; anti-evolution basically..
- tablespoon 5y ago
  > and that their strategists have learned that in a two party ONLY system, with low voter turnout regularly, that just agitating those already on your side to do something, in any way that happens, is more return on effort than convincing people or other variations. That's totally the case. I've read article after article for the past few years about the "disappearing center" and how elections are now won by getting your side to show up at the polls.

lotsofpulp 5y ago

The use of slang like dunking, slamming, murdering, and so on by adults in a professional arena is embarrassing.

nemo44x 5y ago
We are not a serious country any more.
- vkou 5y ago
  I don't think you would be able to find a single time period in the history of this country where yellow political journalism was not wildly popular.
mizzack 5y ago
Unless it's a literal arena.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
  I just had a vision of a dystopian(?) future where politicians unable to reach a compromise are forced to fight in the thunderdome, but they were still a bunch of old pasty white guys.

mistrial9 5y ago

I suspect that there are varying amounts of return on effort, and that their strategists have learned that in a two party ONLY system, with low voter turnout regularly, that just agitating those already on your side to do something, in any way that happens, is more return on effort than convincing people or other variations. There are feedback effects within their decision making that dampen and then eliminate new ideas, which reinforces "return to the party line" and opposite of "take our group in a new direction with this idea" ; anti-evolution basically..

tablespoon 5y ago
> and that their strategists have learned that in a two party ONLY system, with low voter turnout regularly, that just agitating those already on your side to do something, in any way that happens, is more return on effort than convincing people or other variations. That's totally the case. I've read article after article for the past few years about the "disappearing center" and how elections are now won by getting your side to show up at the polls.