What you are saying is something that a lot of us have been shouting and that is that this was never about economic insecurity it was always about being assholes.
About the only thing that I’ve been able to come up with is to maintain my sense of equanimity in the face of all the preposterousness, and to become more directly active in local politics rather than tossing money at it. So I’ve joined the League of Women Voters, am helping shape the questions local and state candidates are asked to respond to for the election voting guides, and to give testimony at the state congress hearings on issues important to me. It’s a tough situation, but taking rational action helps me deal. I agree with Jen about the futility of so many types of response. Right now we’re playing Plato’s game of “Does might make right?” and Might is having a good day.
As dismaying as this is, I guess it doesn't surprise me. I'm guilty of crying many of those delicious tears for them over the past few months. I continued to want to find some sort of logical reason for so many of that half of the country voting for this shitshow. Kept trying to imagine some important thing, no matter how misguided, driving them to commit this insanity. And when doing so, I've somehow thought of the folks you encountered at the rallies as not necessarily the same population segments as the ugly ogres and trolls in their basements, spewing their garbage in the forums and feverishly planning the end of our world in the flickering light of their laptop screens. Kind of sexist of me, really. Grandmas and Grandpas, families and children versus the incel-ish men I imagined. And that's not it. As you've so ably reported, the things they have in common far outweigh any demographic disparities.
I'm paying attention, Jen Golbeck. I'm soft hearted by nature but am also angry. Jen Coleslaw, you are so great. I'm often inspired by your righteous anger in your posts. This essay is my personal sign to not treat them to any more tears from me. The tears will still be there but not on display... only publicly-facing constructive anger instead. I have to.
You have opened my eyes. Over the past few days I have struggled with losing all hope. I needed your take on this to see things and MAGAs for what they really are. Instead of allowing joy and hope to slip away, I’ll look for something positive I can do every day. I like the idea of joining League of Women Voters. Thank you, Jen, for the moment of clarity.
What Jen often does, but doesn’t do here, is explore the reasons why. Also, the MAGA crowd may not have cared about eggs but the independents, the usually Democrat voters who didn’t turn up to vote, maybe it was about eggs for them, and that’s what got him over the line. He couldn’t have done it with the MAGAs on their own.
This is totally true. I'm really focused on the extreme MAGA crowd in this newsletter, and I think it's fascinating how much they are willing to both lie and sacrifice to achieve authoritarianism. There's also SO much to be said about the non-hardcore MAGAs and why they voted (or didn't vote). That's a critical group to understand.
What you are saying is something that a lot of us have been shouting and that is that this was never about economic insecurity it was always about being assholes.
What will you do, confronted by assholes?
Fist fights.
About the only thing that I’ve been able to come up with is to maintain my sense of equanimity in the face of all the preposterousness, and to become more directly active in local politics rather than tossing money at it. So I’ve joined the League of Women Voters, am helping shape the questions local and state candidates are asked to respond to for the election voting guides, and to give testimony at the state congress hearings on issues important to me. It’s a tough situation, but taking rational action helps me deal. I agree with Jen about the futility of so many types of response. Right now we’re playing Plato’s game of “Does might make right?” and Might is having a good day.
That's important work, and getting involved in something is helpful for one's sanity.im looking for something like that myself.
Thanks for this thoughtful reply. Much to think about.
As dismaying as this is, I guess it doesn't surprise me. I'm guilty of crying many of those delicious tears for them over the past few months. I continued to want to find some sort of logical reason for so many of that half of the country voting for this shitshow. Kept trying to imagine some important thing, no matter how misguided, driving them to commit this insanity. And when doing so, I've somehow thought of the folks you encountered at the rallies as not necessarily the same population segments as the ugly ogres and trolls in their basements, spewing their garbage in the forums and feverishly planning the end of our world in the flickering light of their laptop screens. Kind of sexist of me, really. Grandmas and Grandpas, families and children versus the incel-ish men I imagined. And that's not it. As you've so ably reported, the things they have in common far outweigh any demographic disparities.
I'm paying attention, Jen Golbeck. I'm soft hearted by nature but am also angry. Jen Coleslaw, you are so great. I'm often inspired by your righteous anger in your posts. This essay is my personal sign to not treat them to any more tears from me. The tears will still be there but not on display... only publicly-facing constructive anger instead. I have to.
You have opened my eyes. Over the past few days I have struggled with losing all hope. I needed your take on this to see things and MAGAs for what they really are. Instead of allowing joy and hope to slip away, I’ll look for something positive I can do every day. I like the idea of joining League of Women Voters. Thank you, Jen, for the moment of clarity.
MAG A mentality is very much “Cutting off one’s nose, just to spite the face”
What Jen often does, but doesn’t do here, is explore the reasons why. Also, the MAGA crowd may not have cared about eggs but the independents, the usually Democrat voters who didn’t turn up to vote, maybe it was about eggs for them, and that’s what got him over the line. He couldn’t have done it with the MAGAs on their own.
This is totally true. I'm really focused on the extreme MAGA crowd in this newsletter, and I think it's fascinating how much they are willing to both lie and sacrifice to achieve authoritarianism. There's also SO much to be said about the non-hardcore MAGAs and why they voted (or didn't vote). That's a critical group to understand.