Political Theatre category archive
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
Steven Stosny, writing at Psychology Today Blogs, identifies several factors which he believes contribute to increasing belligerent state of what passes for dis coarse discourse. He suggests that two themes seem continual: entitlement and backlash. Here are two tiny little bits of what he has to say:
(snip)
When my clients express anger about politicians, they immediately recite a list of what they’re against. If I ask what the candidates they favor are for, they’re hard pressed to come up with anything. We tend to lose sight of what we stand for when focused on what we stand against.
Aside:
I have remarked upon the “parodox of social media” many times.
Baldly put, “social” media isn’t.
A Tune for the Times 0
At the Youtube page, Mangy comments:
It seems many modern Republicans, like Ted Cruz, believe in an extremely narrow definition of freedom. Freedom, to them, is no longer based on a philosophy or set of beliefs, but it is whatever Trump tells them it is, or whatever helps them get reelected. With new laws limiting who can vote and what teachers may say in school, Republican snowflakes are working to carve out their own little ‘safe space’ where they can operate, free of the constraints of having to engage with any fellow citizens who are ‘different’.
Both Sides Don’t 0
The writer of a letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun points out a common false equivalence.
A Picture Is Worth 0
PoliticalProf (screen-)captures the cycle of stupid.
“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.
The Litmus Test 0
Michael in Norfolk cuts to the chase.
Follow the link for his evidence.
“But There’s No Other Possible Explanation” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Arthur Dobrin points out that conspiracies are, in a legal context, real things; persons can be charged with and convicted of conspiracies in a court of law. He suggests that these real-life conspiracies differ wildly from the many false conspiracy theories that litter our discourse and pollute our polity.
He goes on to offer some pointers for distinguishing between the two. Here’s one; follow the link for the others.
Decoding De Code 0
Farron translates.
The Party of “Nasty, Brutish, and Short” 0
Paul Krugman makes a strong case that the Republican Party has abandoned the concept of the common good and social cooperation. A snippet; follow the link for his reasoning:
Freedom of Screech, Reprise 0
Liz Dye has a question for Donald Trump:
How are you going to argue that your speech is being chilled when you never shut up?
Gutting Out the Vote 0
Gordon Weil notes a trend.
Follow the link for his reasoning.
All That Was Old Is New Again, Reprise 0
The Arizona Republic’s Laurie Roberts celebrates an honest Republican. A nugget:
“We should have voting, in my opinion, in person, one day on paper, with no electronic means and hand counting that day,” he said, during a Wednesday hearing on an election bill. “We need to get back to 1958-style voting.”
Ah yes, 1958, the golden era for those of a certain hue. The good old days when we could use literacy tests and poll taxes to keep certain people (you know who you are) from having a vote.
More celebration at the link.
Credo 0
At the Idaho State Journal, Leonard Hitchcock posits what he believes to the underlying principles of the dominant faction within today’s Republican Party.
Follow the link to decide whether you think he’s onto something.
The Election Thief 0
Seth discusses Donald Trump’s plan to confiscate voting machines after he lost the 2020 election.