5 ms·

I've noticed an interesting trend in various groups that I am in. People are generally anti-right-wing but tend to agree with them in areas that actually affect

I've noticed an interesting trend in various groups that I am in. People are generally anti-right-wing but tend to agree with them in areas that actually affect their lives. This story is an example of that - us in tech are plenty familiar with H1Bs, both in terms of the "talent" that it tends to bring in, and impact on the American workforce. So we know this is right. A different demographic is for example my black friends who are obviously not right-wing, except they are sick of migrants camping out in their parks and school gyms. Or my persian friends that don't love trump but are over the moon about what's going on right now. I don't know what to make of that, it's like we are left wing in theory but right wing in practice.

fred_is_fred 8mo ago
Hiring more H1Bs is actually a right-wing position, not a left-wing one. It helps reduce overall wages.
- brandonmenc 8mo ago
  It’s an elite position. I’ve never seen a MAGA hat arguing for more (or any) H1Bs - quite the opposite.
  - _DeadFred_ 8mo ago
    Many big tech CEOs financed Trump's inauguration. Many donated to his ball room. Those MAGA hat wearers paying millions for access/behind the scenes policy creation are. Adding to OPs point, Trump did a major immigration push, yet a major push to punish companies/employees who create the demand that immigrants were filling was not part of that. Imagine launching a 50+ billion dollar drug war, but only going after drug users.
- happytoexplain 8mo ago
  But in the rich-poor left-right quad, only one square is strongly against importing workers, and it's on the right side. Even just looking at the right side though - it really feels like the non-rich right's opinion on this is louder than the rich right's opinion (though, of course, it is money, not volume, that directs both parties in most cases).
- ozozozd 8mo ago
  It sure reduced salaries for tech workers where most H1Bs went to work, didn’t it? Are you arguing we didn’t bring enough H1Bs? Are we holding it wrong?
happytoexplain 8mo ago
You're observing the gradient between idealism and realism. It can look like hypocrisy, but people simply have multiple opinions. It says a lot that we are surprised when a person doesn't fall almost 100% on one side of the party line, because that crazy state is what we're used to. It's just plain human to support outcomes that benefit one's self, family, friends, or community (especially if they are suffering, or losing what they were once afforded by their country or ancestors); even if you might have voted the other way if you were observing from outside, where you have the luxury to make more neutral decisions based on the big picture and long timeline. As long as the delta isn't too gross, of course - there's where the subjectivity really comes in (How much benefit? How much harm? What does it mean to "deserve" something? Where is the line between simply deciding how your own country operates and harming others unnecessarily?)
asdff 8mo ago
A lot of right wing rhetoric plays into basic human tribalistic tendencies. That is what makes it so attractive to a subset of highly tribal people. And most all people do show some tribalism to a degree. That being said it isn’t like these people are necessarily aligned on any other issues. What might your Black or Persian friends think of gay people for example?
- decremental 8mo ago
  [dead]

fred_is_fred 8mo ago

Hiring more H1Bs is actually a right-wing position, not a left-wing one. It helps reduce overall wages.

brandonmenc 8mo ago
It’s an elite position. I’ve never seen a MAGA hat arguing for more (or any) H1Bs - quite the opposite.
- _DeadFred_ 8mo ago
  Many big tech CEOs financed Trump's inauguration. Many donated to his ball room. Those MAGA hat wearers paying millions for access/behind the scenes policy creation are. Adding to OPs point, Trump did a major immigration push, yet a major push to punish companies/employees who create the demand that immigrants were filling was not part of that. Imagine launching a 50+ billion dollar drug war, but only going after drug users.
happytoexplain 8mo ago
But in the rich-poor left-right quad, only one square is strongly against importing workers, and it's on the right side. Even just looking at the right side though - it really feels like the non-rich right's opinion on this is louder than the rich right's opinion (though, of course, it is money, not volume, that directs both parties in most cases).
ozozozd 8mo ago
It sure reduced salaries for tech workers where most H1Bs went to work, didn’t it? Are you arguing we didn’t bring enough H1Bs? Are we holding it wrong?

happytoexplain 8mo ago

You're observing the gradient between idealism and realism. It can look like hypocrisy, but people simply have multiple opinions. It says a lot that we are surprised when a person doesn't fall almost 100% on one side of the party line, because that crazy state is what we're used to. It's just plain human to support outcomes that benefit one's self, family, friends, or community (especially if they are suffering, or losing what they were once afforded by their country or ancestors); even if you might have voted the other way if you were observing from outside, where you have the luxury to make more neutral decisions based on the big picture and long timeline. As long as the delta isn't too gross, of course - there's where the subjectivity really comes in (How much benefit? How much harm? What does it mean to "deserve" something? Where is the line between simply deciding how your own country operates and harming others unnecessarily?)

asdff 8mo ago

A lot of right wing rhetoric plays into basic human tribalistic tendencies. That is what makes it so attractive to a subset of highly tribal people. And most all people do show some tribalism to a degree. That being said it isn’t like these people are necessarily aligned on any other issues. What might your Black or Persian friends think of gay people for example?

decremental 8mo ago
[dead]