Divided, We Stand?

[bripat9643]

Worse, it's a self-inflicted wound. No one is forcing us to behave this way.

Ego and tribalism.
.

So you believe Republicans should unit with Dims to destroy the country?

 

[Moonglow]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

I can remember when they sent you out of the room when you couldn't behave...Unfortunately now the peer group are the brats.

 

[Mac1958]

Worse, it's a self-inflicted wound. No one is forcing us to behave this way. Ego and tribalism.

So you believe Republicans should unit with Dims to destroy the country?

Absolutely. I think destroying the country would be really cool 'n stuff.
.

 

[Flopper]

You’re right, it is a sad state we are in. Politics is almost entirely about winning elections and dirty campaigning unfortunately has proven to be the most effective tactic. We the people have become drama hungry puppets being fed by trolls. Don’t know how it changes but I hope something can change our course

It begins in places just like this. We may post because we won't to change hearts and mind but what we really do is build walls between us such that the opposition hears only what confirms their position. What we should be doing is creating threads that are more neutral where ideas can be shared and agreements can be reached. And secondly, we should use techniques that actually work. Calling someone a stupid idiot will never change their opinion and will just derail the thread.

Do discussions on USMB of race, religion, abortion, climate change, illegal immigration, etc change the minds of the opposition? I think not and that's because posters are far more interesting in stating their own opinion than actually changing the opinions of others.

I read much, much more than I post. And I'm not looking for evidence of my opinion, I read both sides.

I don't think I've had any of my opinions or beliefs reversed, but you can gain a bit of understanding of the opposing viewpoints and that's important too.

That is typical of people who don't post that often. People that post often usually have very strong opinions and seek information that bolsters their opinion. Most of them aren't interested in changing the opinion of others because they use rhetoric that polarizes opinion.

 

[22lcidw]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

Pretty much correct.

The good news (if you want to call it that) is that the angry white men are dying off faster than ever thanks to the high fat/low fiber lifestyles of most in the South. With them, the bigotry, hatred, and (the worst part) the intellectual dishonesty and oneupmanship is dying off as well. So that is indeed good news. Not that people are dying but the basic bottom line result.

And the 2nd and 3rd world way of living will become much more dominant. Conveniences of life will become much more sparse. Conveniences will take much longer to restore after disasters. Growing food will be for the now and not for bad times also. Easy living even sparser. You win candycorn....You win! p.s...which country will you migrate to? There are no more to go to that has the stuff.

 

[edward37]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

Nice sentiment, but either Pelley is dense as hell, or simply does not understand the nature of those who covet power for its own sake.

One does not normally unite with an enemy striving to fundamentally change the country into a model that has failed wherever forced.

The Democratic Party is no longer American, and must be driven from political authority.

There are 34 other political parties out there. It's not as if they are not expendable.

You might not know it bk but Putin is the real head of your party

Putin is in all parts of your brain 24/7 and has become the lefties boogeyman, second only to Trump.

Putin is the republican parties leader Trump takes orders from him

 

[gipper]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

The reason the parties promote divisiveness is NOT because solving the nation’s problems is difficult. They along with the MSM outlets owned by the six billionaires, promote dividing Americans because it makes them and their bosses rich and powerful.

PS. Their bosses are the .1% transnational capitalist class.

 

[candycorn]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

Pretty much correct.

The good news (if you want to call it that) is that the angry white men are dying off faster than ever thanks to the high fat/low fiber lifestyles of most in the South. With them, the bigotry, hatred, and (the worst part) the intellectual dishonesty and oneupmanship is dying off as well. So that is indeed good news. Not that people are dying but the basic bottom line result.

And the 2nd and 3rd world way of living will become much more dominant. Conveniences of life will become much more sparse. Conveniences will take much longer to restore after disasters. Growing food will be for the now and not for bad times also. Easy living even sparser. You win candycorn....You win! p.s...which country will you migrate to? There are no more to go to that has the stuff.

Well, at least he’s not denying the dying off of his pathetic ilk.

 

[Papageorgio]

Are we so insecure in our opinions that we viciously attack those that differs than ours? Are we so insecure or so BS’d by media, party or views that we are intolerant of those opposing us?

 

[bripat9643]

Worse, it's a self-inflicted wound. No one is forcing us to behave this way. Ego and tribalism.

So you believe Republicans should unit with Dims to destroy the country?

Absolutely. I think destroying the country would be really cool 'n stuff.
.

You must if you believe we should unite with the people intent on doing it.

 

[sparky]

I've believed we've lived a failed system now for well over a generation

America is done

historically, most democratic republics are around the 2 century mark

but hey, we had a good run


~S~

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

Nice sentiment, but either Pelley is dense as hell, or simply does not understand the nature of those who covet power for its own sake.

One does not normally unite with an enemy striving to fundamentally change the country into a model that has failed wherever forced.

The Democratic Party is no longer American, and must be driven from political authority.

There are 34 other political parties out there. It's not as if they are not expendable.

You might not know it bk but Putin is the real head of your party

Putin is in all parts of your brain 24/7 and has become the lefties boogeyman, second only to Trump.

Putin is the republican parties leader Trump takes orders from him

Another glass of Jack, ed?

 

[bripat9643]

I've believed we've lived a failed system now for well over a generation

America is done

historically, most democratic republics are around the 2 century mark

but hey, we had a good run


~S~

The American system failed in 1861.

 

[NoVote]

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct.

It seems to me that no one today knows any history at all. I mean DEEP history, the kind you only get by living it. I was born in 1946. I clearly remember living on an army air base where soldiers and their new boomer families were forced to live cause there just wasn't enough housing. Try and imagine this.... A United States with no leftards. Got that? I mean NO lefties like we got today. EVERYBODY in this country had just spent years of their lives, and the lives of their family and friends, literally, not virtually, but litterally, hundreds of thousands of your friends and family died in the fight for the freedom of the rest of the world.

This is very clear to me, even all these years later. A leftard of today would have been, and I'm sure the few that voiced their opinions, were beaten senseless or simply disappeared. People were never seen again, the story was, "Oh, he moved to texas, got a good job" or some such. How would anyone know? No one had a cell phone, no one searched very hard. No internet, e-mail, no nothing.

So, liberals, especially the mad rabid tards we see today, ARE hard communists who think they are good Americans, and they are so wrong. They don't know what an American is.

This is what I am and I will NEVER change

 

[sparky]

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct.

It seems to me that no one today knows any history at all. I mean DEEP history, the kind you only get by living it. I was born in 1946. I clearly remember living on an army air base where soldiers and their new boomer families were forced to live cause there just wasn't enough housing. Try and imagine this.... A United States with no leftards. Got that? I mean NO lefties like we got today. EVERYBODY in this country had just spent years of their lives, and the lives of their family and friends, literally, not virtually, but litterally, hundreds of thousands of your friends and family died in the fight for the freedom of the rest of the world.

This is very clear to me, even all these years later. A leftard of today would have been, and I'm sure the few that voiced their opinions, were beaten senseless or simply disappeared. People were never seen again, the story was, "Oh, he moved to texas, got a good job" or some such. How would anyone know? No one had a cell phone, no one searched very hard. No internet, e-mail, no nothing.

So, liberals, especially the mad rabid tards we see today, ARE hard communists who think they are good Americans, and they are so wrong. They don't know what an American is.

I can only imagine your idea of 'left' being something the real left is not

But then , partisans are all about denial, diversion, delinquency

why do i waste my time?

~S~

 

[NoVote]

I can only imagine your idea of 'left' being something the real left is not

Perfect. LOL, I know YOU don't, but others see exactly what you meant. LOLOL Slippery play on words. HAHAHA How tardly

 

[sparky]

Yeah , and i'm posting LIVE from tard central NV

~S~

 

[NoVote]

Do tell? LOL

 

[Flopper]

You’re right, it is a sad state we are in. Politics is almost entirely about winning elections and dirty campaigning unfortunately has proven to be the most effective tactic. We the people have become drama hungry puppets being fed by trolls. Don’t know how it changes but I hope something can change our course

It begins in places just like this. We may post because we won't to change hearts and mind but what we really do is build walls between us such that the opposition hears only what confirms their position. What we should be doing is creating threads that are more neutral where ideas can be shared and agreements can be reached. And secondly, we should use techniques that actually work. Calling someone a stupid idiot will never change their opinion and will just derail the thread.

Do discussions on USMB of race, religion, abortion, climate change, illegal immigration, etc change the minds of the opposition? I think not and that's because posters are far more interesting in stating their own opinion than actually changing the opinions of others.

You’re right, most of what goes on here is trolling and fighting. I’ve engaged in some good debates which have caused me to rethink my positions and/or learn events and history that I wasn’t aware of. I’ve also been guilty of engaging in ugly attacking ways. In the end, we are all responsible for how we engage and we all need to better

Insults never change anyone's opinion. In fact, they tend to do the opposite.

There has been much research by cognitive scientists funded by political campaigns, businesses, and various public service organization about changing public opinion. In short, what they found is that your best option is to do exactly the opposite of what you find on USMB.
Facts do not change opinions. They polarize audiences. They are ignored or they send the opposition searching for contradictory facts which are likewise ignored. Facts that do not match their beliefs are happily rationalized or dismissed. You see this clearly in climate change discussions in which each side presents screen after screen of graphs, formulas, and tables of data which are not well understood by the writer and is totally ignored by the opposition who replies with screens of more scientific gobbledygook. Nothing is ever resolved and both sides move further apart.

So if facts don't work what does? Focusing on things that both sides can agree on rather what they can't be agree on. For example in our climate change example, a group which does not share the belief that climate is changing were hit with data that climate change is far worst than we thought and drastic action must be taken. Instead of the group agreeing something must done, they went in the opposite direction declaring it's a total hoax and we should do nothing. Another group that did not believe in climate change were told climate change is not near as bad we thought and we need make changes but not as drastic as previously thought. The group then began talking about ways of making changes but not drastic changes in taxes and our daily lives. Thus a compromise is reached and the two sides were open to discuss the issue. Each side then harbors the hope that since the opposition has agreed to something, they can be moved in their direction.

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

How many stars in the American flag?

Fifty, you say? I'm not sure. If there were fifty, then citizens of liberal states and conservative states would join in common purpose on the blue field which is, after all, called, "the union."

Instead, it seems, we are recklessly tugging at the thread that holds us together. Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war.

Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union.

"Divided, we stand"? Scott Pelley on our American flag, and our common purpose - CBS News

most live and let live right wingers would be more inclined to go back to sleep .
theyre only awake and getting louder because of the left