Why We Hate

[carpedm9587]

That is the dividing line isn't it; hating or disliking the policies and actions of the left without personally hating them (who are God's image bearers). Not always easy...

There is no "the left" with actions. "The left" does not exist as a cohesive force acting. "The left" is a collective term that makes it possible to lump a group together, give them a label, and dismiss them. Likewise, there is no "the right" acting cohesively. This tendency we have to bond groups together and label them as "other" is the first step to speaking and acting in a discriminatory, and often hateful, fashion. It is hard to hate "Michel" when he is a person sitting on the other side of the table. It is a lot easier to hate when Michel is just one of "the left."

This reality of human psychology has been documented in study after study after study. I am increasingly devoted to the task of purging my vocabulary of such convenient masks and working to eliminate this tendency to define as "other" from my vocabulary. I think we all should.

[carpedm9587]

I got a kick out of the graphic they use...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]32600[/ATTACH]

It's like they're implying that the Republicans (red) are punching the Democrats (blue) but the Democrats are being incredibly patient and tolerant and peaceful.

For the sarcastically impaired the following is said in jest

Why, there's even the RIGHT hand of the aggressor, against the LEFT hand of the peaceful liberal!

Wow... I have to admit I had never even seen or interpreted any of that in that way. I have no idea if that was intentional, or simply a poorly thought through graphic. The fact that BOTH of those exist (color, left/right) and align suggests a bias (perhaps unconscious?) at least on the part of the artist. I dropped a note to the feed reflecting your comments. I will be interested to see if they change anything.

[carpedm9587]

I find that the line between hating the policy and not the person to be so thin as to be non-existent, when it's expressed so frequently in lines like the following: liberals are retarded, conservatives are bigots, etc. I find every side to be so hateful that it makes me think that there will be no possibility for constructive solutions. I'm sick of it. There used to be a center, but it has evaporated in the current climate. This is part of why I'm done with politics. By comparison, prostitution is just as righteous and twice as honest.

fwiw,
guacamole

I agree. "Love the sinner, hate the sin" is a hackneyed phrase that has come to mean very little. When we speak in a tone of ridicule and condescension, we cannot justifiably claim to be speaking in love. We can disagree without being disagreeable (I know, I know, another hackneyed phrase).

When our posts are peppered with and and and and and all of the rest that get used to ridicule people, I do not think we can claim to be speaking in love. Indeed, I have come to believe that the very existence of these emojis does not reflect well on this site and its owners/managers. When you give people the tools to denigrate one another, you are contributing to the denigration that results, IMO. I would advocate for their elimination.

[Mountain Man]

I got a kick out of the graphic they use...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]32600[/ATTACH]

It's like they're implying that the Republicans (red) are punching the Democrats (blue) but the Democrats are being incredibly patient and tolerant and peaceful.

For the sarcastically impaired the following is said in jest

Why, there's even the RIGHT hand of the aggressor, against the LEFT hand of the peaceful liberal!

Huh... and to me that image says they couldn't decide if they wanted to bro-fist or high-five

[Cow Poke]

Wow... I have to admit I had never even seen or interpreted any of that in that way. I have no idea if that was intentional, or simply a poorly thought through graphic. The fact that BOTH of those exist (color, left/right) and align suggests a bias (perhaps unconscious?) at least on the part of the artist. I dropped a note to the feed reflecting your comments. I will be interested to see if they change anything.

Yeah, I'm not pretending it was intended - but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

[Cow Poke]

Actually, CP, I haven't pointed the finger at anyone.

Calm yourself, friend - neither have I.


(now you can explain there is no need to calm down, cause you weren't.... )

[Cow Poke]

I find that the line between hating the policy and not the person to be so thin as to be non-existent, when it's expressed so frequently in lines like the following: liberals are retarded, conservatives are bigots, etc. I find every side to be so hateful that it makes me think that there will be no possibility for constructive solutions. I'm sick of it. There used to be a center, but it has evaporated in the current climate. This is part of why I'm done with politics. By comparison, prostitution is just as righteous and twice as honest.

fwiw,
guacamole

There are still liberal Republicans, but I don't think you can find many conservative Democrats.

[Mountain Man]

There are still liberal Republicans, but I don't think you can find many conservative Democrats.

There's a "Way Away" movement right now where Democrat voters are encouraging their fellow voters to "walk away" from the Democrat party and vote Republican. I don't know how widespread it is.

[carpedm9587]

Yeah, I'm not pretending it was intended - but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

I have no idea - but it certainly is suspicious. The audio does not (to me) have this bias. But if the graphic stops people from listening, then it does not serve the purpose very well.

[Mountain Man]

I don't find it a hard word to grasp. It refers to feelings of intense dislike or loathing for another person, group, or thing. It often expresses itself in anger, but anger does not always have to be associated with hate. Most of us "hate evil." Most of us "hate the enemy." So when someone labels another person or group as "evil" or "the enemy," I think it is fairly safe to interpret their message as a message of hate. We also more easily hate anyone that we have managed to objectify. So when a person is not a person - their just a "liberal" or a "conservative" or a "Democrat" or a "Republican," it is easier to hate them. I think we see too much of that all around us all the time.

I know I have been guilty of it. I know I'm going to work to try to change that mindset - and stop making sweeping statements about groups that encourage this kind of objectivizing.

The question is, if someone says something that you construe as hateful contrary to their intent then who is really in the wrong? I've increasingly seen accusations of "hate" used as a disingenuous attempt to silence an opponent, which is why I'm immediately suspicious whenever I see the term pop up in a criticism.

[carpedm9587]

Calm yourself, friend - neither have I.


(now you can explain there is no need to calm down, cause you weren't.... )

Thanks for saving me the effort.

Seriously - I am not finding myself "upset" or "anxious" about this. But I do think it is way past time for us to seriously consider how we speak to one another. My starting place is myself - but I am certainly not alone in needing to give this some thought.

[carpedm9587]

There's a "Way Away" movement right now where Democrat voters are encouraging their fellow voters to "walk away" from the Democrat party and vote Republican. I don't know how widespread it is.

There have been "walk away" movements for both sides for a long time, MM. There will always be people who become disaffected with their party of choice.

[carpedm9587]

There are still liberal Republicans, but I don't think you can find many conservative Democrats.

I think you might want to do a bit more exploring, CP. Your statement doesn't align with reality, and suggests a possible bias. While both parties have skewed badly to the right and left respectively, there are still some liberal Republicans, and there are still some conservative Democrats. The presents of so-called "blue-state" Republican office holders and "red-state" Democrat office holders attests to that, as do the distribution of votes. After all, in every election, there are crossover votes from both parties.

[Jedidiah]

This really gets old... I hate some of the things the left is doing, therefore, I obviously hate those who are doing those things.

No. Just no.

Amen, brother. I too have hatred for a lot liberal values and policies, but not for the misguided folks who hold them.

[Cow Poke]

I think you might want to do a bit more exploring, CP. Your statement doesn't align with reality, and suggests a possible bias. While both parties have skewed badly to the right and left respectively, there are still some liberal Republicans, and there are still some conservative democrats. The presents of so-called "blue-state" Republican office holders and "red-state" Democrat office holders attests to that, as do the distribution of votes. After all, in every election, there are crossover votes from both parties.

Name the conservative Democrats, please.

ETA: Clarification - you may be talking about the rank and file - I'm talking about those holding office or waving the party banner.