Hate Sells category archive
The Perpetual Prejudice 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Allison Abrams takes a deep dive into the roots and fruits of antisemitism over the ages. She notes that
While antisemitism has worn many faces throughout history, its underlying characteristics of scapegoating, conspiracy, and dehumanization remain. Each era may bring new rhetoric and justifications, but the core narrative remains unchanged.
Now, it’s not my area of scholarship, but, I must say, I’m not sure that I agree with everything she says. Nevertheless, given events both domestic and foreign, I think the entire article is very much worth a read.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
At the Hartford Courant, Robert Helfand argues forcefully that the coverage of J. D. Vance’s and Donald Trump’s lies about Haitian immigrants is missing the point. Here’s how he opens his article (emphasis added); follow the link to read the rest.
The Parody Party 0
Cliif Schecter argues that the Republicans no longer have a party.
They have a parody.
Via C&L, which has commentary.
“One Ring To Bind Them All . . . .” 0
Calvin McNeill, in a letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun, offers a theory as to the common denominator of Trumpism.
Methinks he’s onto something.
Suffer the Children 0
Apparently, that’s a Republican Family Value.
The Playbook 0
Writing at Psychology Today Blogs, Mark D. White looks to the Marvel Universe, particularly to a recent Captain America series, to draw lessons about how fascism works. He identifies three steps in the process; follow the link to see whether they remind you in any way of dis coarse discourse.
1. Inventing a “Mythic Past”
2. Setting “Us” Against “Them”
3. Presenting a “Strongman”
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
PoliticalProf decodes de code.
Republican Thought Police, Reprise 0
Thom argues that the Republican Thought Police fear ideas, fear history, fear truth.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
The Des Moines Register’s Rekha Basu highlights the hypocrisy of Donald Trump’s fear mongering about those from foreign shores. Here’s a tiny bit:
Follow the link for a link to the Esquire story and more Trumpian hypocrisy (of which there seems an unending supply).
Who’s Next? 0
C&L’s John Amato wants to know.
Fatal Attraction 0
Michael in Norfolk wonders just what keeps Donald Trump’s dupes, symps, and fellow travelers from seeing the reality of Trump and Trumpism.
It’s Bubblelicious 0
Michael in Norfolk gets to the heart of why persons are willing to believe falsehoods, half-truths, and misdirection plays peddled by Fox News,its imitatros, and their dupes, symps, and fellow travelers in the right-wing media bubble. Here’s a tiny bit from his article:
“But It’s the Only Possible Explanation” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Joe Pierre notes that “For politicians–especially those with authoritarian tendencies–conspiracy theories can serve as propaganda that exploits the psychological needs of a voting populace.” He goes on to list six of the ways that conspiracy theories can sway dis coarse discourse:
- To malign opponents
- To sow mistrust in authoritative sources of information
- To deflect blame
- To create “us and them” narratives
- To portray oneself as a victim or an anti-establishment candidate
- To incite or justify violence
Follow the link for a detailed discussion of each of these items and ask yourself if any of them sound something in today’s news.
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
At Psychology Today blogs, Tahir Rahman takes a deep dive into how “social” media can lead persons to believe stuff that isn’t. A snippet:
Given the flood of falsehoods polluting our polity, I commend his article to your attention.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
At AL.com, Roy S. Johnson decodes de code.
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
Grung_e_Gene notes that coarse discoursers dislike it when others remind them of the coarseness of their discourse.