The problem is religion
I feel like talking politics for a second, even though it is meaningless to do so. In part because there is so much confusion on the subject. The following is a detailed discussion between two of the voices I respect most, about what is going on in US politics, and where we go from here.
Jon's take is that we need more organization within left-leaning society. More structure, more cooperation, between media and politicians. More of a top-down approach like the right has, more, authoritarian if you will in terms of organization and movement. The purpose is to coalesce into a more organized and less fractured party. A party which cannot be easily divided on a few issues, and where people set aside their gripes and rally, because a cohesive voice from the left told them how and why they should do so. Jon accepts Trump's basic criticism, that government doesn't work well, but doesn't accept his solution. Jen doesn't seem to agree. Her take is that left-leaning politicians simply don't communicate well enough, often from a place of being too lofty or abstract. Not concrete enough, not every day enough. Not plain enough. I think
@GranTurNismo has espoused a view somewhere between these two.
There is another view, which I think is embodied by
@Joey D and
@dylansan, which accept the basic Trump argument that government is corrupt. This is similar to Jon's take above, but slightly different. Jon's talking about efficacy, not corruption. But the more cynical approach is that democrats in office are fundamentally corrupt. They are the swamp, and the swamp must be drained.
As much as appreciate all of these takes, and as I said, I'm talking about some of the voices I respect most on the subject, I disagree with all of the above. At one point Jon and Jen sit there almost dumbfounded, struggling to figure out exactly what the problem is. And I think that is the moment where they are closest to understanding it.
The problem, in my view, and I recognize that nobody is listening to anyone else right now, least of all me, is that the right has a closed loop mental trap, and the left does not. It is religion vs. atheism. It is a self-reinforcing circular loop of toxicity, and a lot of people have it. Many have it to a lesser degree, but those are just people who are ready to be pushed into full believers. If it seems like the right is not listening, it's true. But it's not because the words are wrong, or because there aren't enough people saying the same thing. It is because they are true believers in their religion and they go to church (fox, for example) often enough to know the talking points and maintain the loop. It does not take much to captivate these people, and it does not take that much to recruit them. There is a melancholy and lethargy to people from life experience that is entirely too easy to turn into a cynical circular mental trap.
The left does not have the equivalent. And it would not be a strength for the left to get one (as Jon advocates), and the ineffectual nature of the left is not due to corruption (which is part of that melancholy I mentioned above). The left (today) makes an attempt to contend with reality, to contend with outcomes, to contend with practicality, and this makes them less effective, and makes their zealots less committed. Fundamentally, at its core, it is atheism vs. organized religion. And organized religion is very effective, arguably more effective than atheism. Atheism's strength is that it's correct. Religion's strength is that it is resolute.
If you could get these people away from their church (fox, etc.) for long enough, you might be able to break the loop. But barring that (and it is an impossibility I'm afraid), the only way to get them to give up their faith is through hitting rock bottom. Unfortunately for all of us, by the time that happens it will likely be too late. In the past, when people hit rock bottom they revolt. It is messy and bloody, and something better typically comes from it. This time, I think the technology has outpaced human revolution.
It is fundamentally a mistake to think that politics, messaging, or even reason are going to get us out of this. The grip is too good. The only way forward I can see is big action, not calling your senator or politically opposing an appointment, big action, organized action. I thought we should have done it between november and january, I still think so. The only other thing to hope for is just pure incompetency of your opponent. And while that is certainly possible in this case, it is a massive gamble.
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