General Discussion

wnylib

(25,033 posts)

91. Focus on their feelings. What makes them so angry?

Thu Nov 14, 2024, 04:42 PM

Nov 14

What makes them so fearful? Why?

A tip about some types of racists. Does not apply to all of them, but I've noticed that some who are really belligerent in their racism, especially men, had abusive fathers or father figures. They were constantly put down, ridiculed, even beaten. They build their self-esteem by finding people that they can look down on to feel superior.

When I run into those types, I don't try to discuss equality, or use any logic. I ask them point blank, "Who abused you as a child?" If caught off guard by the question, they will sometimes give an honest answer, usually along the lines of, "I had it rough so why should other people get all the breaks?"

One response to that is another question. "How does hating (insert race/ethnicity) erase your past? How does it make your life better?" Give them something to think about. Go straight to their emotional motives.

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MaineBlueBear

91 replies

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Highlight:

A challenge to illustrate the difficulites of breaking through the right-wing misinformation machine [View all] EarlG Nov 13 OP

I think the word limit is a little unrealistic. How about twice or 3 times the number of words? LAS14 Nov 13 #1

The word limit is, if anything, too generous. yardwork Nov 13 #3

OK, you're right. Let the word limit stand. nt LAS14 Nov 13 #5

Bumper sticker politics EarlG Nov 13 #7

I would add that bad actors actually created some of the problems. yardwork Nov 13 #19

True. Hugin Nov 13 #25

Then we must learn "the average person" better, and do what the democratic minded Dutch say: ancianita Nov 13 #49

Agreed! Hugin Nov 13 #81

"Flip side of Dunning-Krueger" -- accurate Tansy_Gold Nov 13 #52

I agree with you yardwork Nov 13 #56

He already said that. See reply #7. ancianita Nov 13 #53

Earl, thank you for this. I just filled out a questionnaire from AOC as well. This is what PatrickforB Nov 13 #55

Subscribing Ligyron Nov 13 #87

Keeping the word number down cuts to the core wnylib Nov 13 #43

Yup. I've changed my mind on this. nt LAS14 Nov 13 #68

Can the premise be rejected? intrepidity Nov 13 #2

I feel as if we tried that strategy and it didn't work. yardwork Nov 13 #4

It's the markodochartaigh Nov 13 #21

I'm struggling with the premise too MaineBlueBear Nov 13 #50

When they move on to the next grievance, wnylib Nov 13 #72

Thanks for this MaineBlueBear Nov 14 #90

Focus on their feelings. What makes them so angry? wnylib Nov 14 #91

No, we can't just say "Lies." The goal is to develop wnylib Nov 13 #71

Economy and tariffs bronxiteforever Nov 13 #6

I like it!!! Did you make up Trumpflation??? nt LAS14 Nov 13 #11

Agree. Trumpflation is a very good buzz word to stick on Trimp like white on rice. wnylib Nov 13 #75

On immigration wnylib Nov 13 #77

Bookmarking for sure. Drum Nov 13 #8

Excellent point! nt Phoenix61 Nov 13 #9

Too bad they didn't think of this a few years ago. ananda Nov 13 #10

No, not too late. We have to gear up for 2026 starting now. Then 2028. nt LAS14 Nov 13 #12

Well, it certainly won't hurt to give it a shot. However... ananda Nov 13 #61

This is F'ing brilliant. So clear. Biophilic Nov 13 #13

The response to most of them is... Hugin Nov 13 #14

For Immigration? LauraInLA Nov 13 #38

Sounds good to me. Moosepoop Nov 13 #44

Yes, "judge" is much better. Some Democrats probably won't like it because it means everyone LauraInLA Nov 13 #46

Sounds good. Instead of "test" you could say "vet" or "screen." wnylib Nov 13 #78

Oh crap! dickthegrouch Nov 13 #15

Americans have fallen for the great deceiver cynical_idealist Nov 13 #16

Well then, lets all vote for Hitler and see how that works out Johonny Nov 13 #17

Sadly, you can't enlighten the wilfully ignorant Blue_Tires Nov 13 #18

You can lead a Trumper to knowledge, markodochartaigh Nov 13 #20

Good one! yowzayowzayowza Nov 13 #28

The goal is to win them over, not to insult them. wnylib Nov 13 #76

Point taken. markodochartaigh Nov 13 #86

There is no "once and for all" in human society 0rganism Nov 13 #62

Sounds awfully defeatist to me. wnylib Nov 13 #79

Forgot one, don't use any highfalutin words. Blue Full Moon Nov 13 #22

Harris campaign raised 1 billion dollars. I believe Jaime Harrison says DNC are now in debt. Passages Nov 13 #23

In an autocracy, truth must be revealed painfully. NNadir Nov 13 #24

We cannot break thru. As has been pointed over and over, when they fail, and they will let them fail. DO NOT rescue PortTack Nov 13 #26

Complex problems always have simple, wrong, solutions. CaptainTruth Nov 13 #27

We still need to come up with simple answers, even if they don't tell the whole story. Elessar Zappa Nov 13 #30

Yes, absolutely. "Bite-sized messaging" as I call it. CaptainTruth Nov 13 #35

Exactly. And another problem they pose is that when we point out a real problem, they blame the problem on us. ancianita Nov 13 #69

Don't try to go after each invented problem. wnylib Nov 13 #82

Oh, I have solutions that fit. Problem is - People don't like them. ck4829 Nov 13 #29

I like these. erronis Nov 13 #33

Well said! charliea Nov 13 #51

Abortion - between the pregnant female, her Doctor, and her God. haele Nov 13 #67

I hate to short circuit this survey, but I will answer oldmanlynn Nov 13 #31

Also make sure you do it repetitively all the time 24 seven every day oldmanlynn Nov 13 #32

Yes. Reaching them with strong, repeated messages is very important. wnylib Nov 13 #83

"THEY ARE LYING TO YOU" for all 10 answers. "They give solutions to imaginary problems." Jack Valentino Nov 13 #34

You forgot "litter boxes for students identifying as furries" in the issue of education NotASurfer Nov 13 #36

I was in that poll. Butterflylady Nov 13 #37

Let's try this (yup, it's hard) LearnedHand Nov 13 #39

I say we double down on the Rights lies steelyboo Nov 13 #40

Defining the problem is the solution. talking-liberally Nov 13 #41

Some Bumper Sticker Answers... orwell Nov 13 #42

Pretty good!!! But what does "cons" mean in this: "Stop the Cons Attack on Women's Health!" LAS14 Nov 13 #80

I stopped calling Republicans... orwell Nov 13 #85

GOP propaganda has defined the problems and gets to set the narrative. Artistree22 Nov 13 #45

Great exercise. It's way overdue. live love laugh Nov 13 #47

"Ukraine even though they started the war with Russia!" Dave Bowman Nov 13 #48

How do you reach through the false premise and solve the deeper problems? mahina Nov 13 #54

Its not about solutions. It never was. Scrivener7 Nov 13 #57

Fine in theory, but we have no machine to counter theirs. No independent media and no real left-wing media. Native Nov 13 #58

KNR niyad Nov 13 #59

Inflation and Immigration EarthAbides Nov 13 #60

Appreciate the effort but the problem isn't primarly a messaging problem it's a trust problem mathematic Nov 13 #63

I think we're mostly in agreement EarlG Nov 13 #64

Sure, TheKentuckian Nov 13 #65

Off the top of my head. Buzz cook Nov 13 #66

That's how Monty Montgomery became the horse whisperer. Qutzupalotl Nov 13 #70

starting now, we need to set the agenda of problems that need to be addressed. ecstatic Nov 13 #73

Any of our solutions are pointless ibegurpard Nov 13 #74

Keeping with the idea of keeping it short: dgauss Nov 13 #84

alright I'll give it a go proud patriot Nov 14 #88

Strength, strength is what is needed ThePartyThatListens Nov 14 #89