Do you think it's easier these days to avoid people who disagree with you?

Question

I'm guilty of this. I grew up in the bluest city in the bluest state in the US. I went to the second most liberal college in America, no one in my line of work votes Republican, and I've had semi-meaningful conversations with no more than 20 conservatives in my lifetime. My girlfriend's parents are rabid Bush supporters, but I've never met them, and they have little interest in talking to me.

Is my story typical? I get the sense from Yahoo Answers that it's become too easy to demonize the other side--to just get into a big circle jerk with the people on your side.

I think Bush is a dangerously incompetent president, but I wouldn't dare compare him to Hitler like some folks on this site. But I'm also mystified at folks who characterize liberals like me as some sort of immoral, baby-murdering fifth column.

What the hell is wrong with us?

Answer 1

Dear Jacob,

Over the years I have seen this disease of cynicism and narcissism creep into our once good society.
We have become a " it's us or them " type of sick thinking for sure.

At one time I was a staunch Republican when President Regan was in office. The same President who is credited for bringing down the " Iron Curtain " and establishing much better relations with the once hated Russia.


I do believe that sooner rather than later we will have a third party in Congress made up of more " moderates " from both side of the isles in the now two party system.


With the right and the left at each other throats on a daily basis, nothing of the peoples business is getting done. Throw in a president who is always ready to pull the " veto trigger " and you have the makings of total ineptitude and dysfunction.

Then of course you have the constant lies and corruption that spew to over filling from all sides.

Add in of course the media spin and no wonder we have such a mess on our hands.

I am convinced that our U.S. government is in a tail spin and needs a total makeover from head to toe. We should demand term limits on all elected officials in the U.S. government.

Also, set monetary limits on all lobbyist to very low campain contributions. The muliti-national corporations and the Trilateral Commission are now runnig the show as they have been for many years.

As far as Mr. Bush is concerned... well, like many others that used to be republicans have totally left that party due to it's lies, corruption, and inaction for the betterment of the american people.

One more thing. I do hope that when Mrs. Clinton is elected. Which she will be. That we get a former and new U.S. President in the deal that will get us back to some kind od good government that we can all be proud of.

Best Wishes,

Wood

Answer 2

Democrats and Republicans have always been polarized from one another in their base philosophies.

But not until Bush took his religion to the office, using terms like 'evil empire', launching wars with equal idiocy on everything from science to other countries, lying to our own congress and in essence becoming 'king george' in no need of council, and using VETO as his magic wand to keep the gov't at a standstill in the business of this country, has there been such a Voice of Intolerance that echoes through our every day live. God help any who dare to dissent or disagree, ie., the Dixie Chicks who actually received death threats.

We aren't very pretty at all when we have a right wing or left wing President. Anybody else who supports that kind of hard line thinking becomes more empowered to crawl out of the corners and do the same and worse.

We are at our best, when we have leadership that is mainstream, (not severely leaning one way or the other) who can best serve the WHOLE country's best interests instead of their own damned agendas.

This intolerance will continue until the leadership that it reflects is done ravaging us.

Answer 3

Yes but why avoid them? In REAL life I have many friendly debates with conservatives. First it's useless to try to engage ideologues on the left or right. They take the party line on every issue and are normally boring people anyway. I always try to keep the conversation friendly and maintain an open mind. I've actually changed some positions over time. Never insult or demean your advesary.

Throw all of this out the window on Yahoo Answers. It's a jungle where the only rules are set by Yahoo's Terms of Service.

Answer 4

"We don't see things as they are we see things as we are"
Through our experiences--- The aged see the element of self
respect a vanished virture. In this era of self will run wild.
Old saying was, "Never discuss politics or religion if you want to make friends" There are times we must, "Agree to disagree." We live in such overwhelming changing times, the
stress in our world is on over load.
As for my self I see our now world our nation as the enemy
within, via corrupt politicans both Dem. & Rep. are run by
corporations. Bush certainly has his faults, especially Iraq. On
the other hand most of all congress were hand in hand with him in the begining. And if you think Bush is the worst, If the
corrupt lieing Clintons get it we will be in quick sand. They are
all about power and greed and world wide slave labor.
We the people have not fully awaken to that fact, we should not be in their political war. But in the war of the rich against
the poor via Corps. power and greed. May God have mercy on us all.

Answer 5

We just can't seem to get beyond the mean spirited, partisian bickering that always seems to degenrate into name calling. I must admit that I have a hard time discussing issues with Libs as they get so emotional so fast and then, WHAM! The name calling starts. "Bush is an idiot!" "Cheney eats dead babies!" And blah blah. Can't we all just get along?

Answer 6

Do not mix your political views with your personal affairs. Thus, avoid being anti-Republican so that you will remain closed with your relatives and friends.

Answer 7

we all become part of the mob and let our egos and irrational thinking take over. suddenly we are morally superior to every other group out there (every group feels like this by the way) and it becomes so easy to stereotype them all and criticize the way they live.