Hate Sells category archive
“Hey! I’m the Victim Here!” 0
Using the Canadian COVID truck convoys as a starting point, Matthew Legge explores the psychology of victimhood. In his opening paragraph, he explains what attracted him to the topic:
Follow the link for the rest.
Facebook Frolics, Omicronvoy Dept. 0
Thom traces the Canadian trucker protests back to a somewhat surprising source.
“But There’s No Other Possible Explanation,” Reprise 0
Psychologist Richard Lettieri explores factors that may predispose persons to fall for embrace conspiracy theories. He identifies five specific characteristics:
- Strong group identity.
- An authoritarian disposition.
- A narrow definition of masculinity.
- Low level of epistemic rationality.
- Insecure attachment.
Follow the link for a detailed discussion of each one.
Why Is the Elephant Afraid of the Maus? 0
At Boston.com. Northeastern professor Hillary Chute tries to answer that question. A nugget:
“I was surprised because it’s so ridiculous and the reasons given were so specious,” she says, “but in some ways I wasn’t surprised, because ‘Maus’ has always been a lightning rod.
(snip)
“So I can see why that would be an argument that is terrifying to people who want to deny that history happened, the way it happened, and so, in some ways I wasn’t surprised,” she says.
The Politics of Moral (Pseudo) Panics 0
Thom wonders, “Who are they going after next?”
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
The Des Moines Register’s Rekha Basu notes a trend.
She speaks specifically about Iowa, but it ain’t just in Iowa folks. Here’s the beginning of her column; follow the link for her evidence that bigoted, racist, hate-full behavior is trending.
Two days earlier, an online meeting of Black Democrats in the Legislature was Zoom-bombed with yelling, racial slurs, threats of violence, swastikas, monkey imagery and profanities, making some members fear for their lives.
It sounds like a coincidence, but reading more about recent vicious threats is enough to make you wonder about a trend.
Those Who Ignore History . . . . 0
At AL.com, Auburn professor Elena Aydarova, descendant of emigrants from soviet Russia, writes of the hazards of pretending that what happened didn’t happen. Here’s bit of her article (emphasis added); follow the link for the rest.
My family bears the memory of what happens when states weaponize such types of teachings. My great grandfather was executed in the Soviet purges of the 1930s – a time when anyone who disagreed with the state dictums paid the ultimate price. Among those who lost their lives were teachers, educators, academics, and researchers. My family rarely discussed his story, but I learned one important lesson to share with the world – when governments decide to ban academic theories and concepts because they are deemed as “divisive” and “dangerous,” they undermine democracy and pave the way for authoritarianism.
Gutting Out the Vote 0
Gordon Weil notes a trend.
Follow the link for his reasoning.
Thought Police, Redux 0
Heaven forbid that students should be exposed to ideas and facts while at school.
We are a society of stupid.
Freedom of Screech 0
At Above the Law, Joe Patrice explains that one thing is not like the other thing. An excerpt; follow the link for more.