Being in the South in the US, I utter the phrase “ what in the literal fuck is going on? “ at least once a day. Not every place is a sea of red here, but there are a lot of places. They had a drag show in Raleigh and these guys showed up fully armed because that will send the message that drag shows are harmful, am I right?
And I would like that apologize on behalf of the US for Ben Shapiro.
What is so disappointing and gut-wrenchingly sad for me in Aotearoa New Zealand is that we are going down the same path others have already gone down. We have watched the rise of Trumpism in the US, the fear-mongering in the UK, the rise of populism in Europe and instead of doing what we can to protect ourselves from that, as a society we have said, “let’s follow that path”. I am seeing in the increased delusions from conservatives around Māori seats on Auckland Council, co-governance, the 3 Waters, pronouns at schools and the toilet issues. With the likelihood of a right wing government forming in the next few weeks, I fear we will see more of this fear-mongering and regression to white supremacy & Christo-fascist nationalism from conservatives. Batten down the hatches and get ready to support our rainbow, Māori and minority communities, the next three years are going to be ugly.
This is so accurate. I, admittedly aided by a gin and tonic, almost lost it on a friend of a friend at a group lunch who was going on and on about how liberals are so mean (for arguing against "conservative values") and always bring politics into things. I ended up just smiling and arguing politely until we both gave up, but I was really seething.
It's these blinders of "if this topic doesn't align immediately with my values, I'm going directly to anger." It's pathetically sad that that is how a good chunk of people choose to live. I guess it's easier to scream than to actually consider someone's humanity or worth. 🤷🏻♀️
I've always said that conservatives are afraid. But they pick the least scary things to be afraid of - books, drag shows, trans people, contraception, et cetera. Like, why aren't they scared of guns and the almost-daily mass shootings we have in America? That's something to actually be afraid of but they're okay with that.
Completely agree with Hayden and am really glad he looked at scientific research on the brain as I have always suspected there was a concrete neurological reason for the way conservatives think. Honestly, when I deal with them (thankfully quite rarely), it's like talking to an another species. You just can't get through to them. My approach is to use compassion to teach compassion and it works on some - those are the ones who have just been brainwashed by their parents or some trash on the internet. But some people seem to live behind a wall of fear. Those are the ones who can't be convinced to be kind to those not born into white cis privilege. It's very sad, because their wall prevents them from seeing or feeling the negative consequences their personal fear has on so, SO many people, from non-white and LGTBQI people just trying to live their lives, to women who need abortions, to anyone working three jobs just to pay their rent. It's oppressive and exhausting and they are causing wounds that will take generations to heal. If we even still have a planet by then.
Defensive 'alpha males' (and the other people of any gender that they have infected with their unpleasant ideas) are incredibly dangerous beasts, with their refusal to accept any views other than their own and a nasty proclivity for blame, violence and punishment, along with an addiction to power that can only be preserved by maintaining a suffocating status quo. At a time when the world should be looking for new solutions to huge problems, these people focus only on bringing death and destruction. Sorry, rave over, but why can't the majority see this behaviour for what it is (evil) and stop giving it the power it craves by voting it into ofice.
Right wingers also seem incapable of empathy at a wider scale than their immediate family and friends group and have strong reluctance of acknowledging the world, and life in general for most people, is a complicated place with many ambiguities so the posit simply solutions to complex problems (eg gangs are bad, ban patches) which on the face of it sound vaguely logical — until you realise it’s so superficial.
I've been saying that forever, with all the public gun-toting (it's insane that people think they can't go on basic errands without packing heat). As for the politicians: back when Donald Trump was running for President the first time, I recall how often he loved to inflate (or completely fabricate) statistics about crime/immigrants/the fear du jour. And I don't think he feared those things at all, but if he could get OTHER people to fear them, he could convince people that he was the savior...and it worked. And it's still working for a lot of people, sadly.
Not my finest hour, but I recently got into an argument with someone online who claimed that trans women had to be banned from women's spaces because "some women have been assaulted by men and so feel fear at a penis being present in the bathroom they're using".
I pointed out that: a) it's not okay for anyone to be looking at other people's genitals in a public restroom, and b) there are women who are afraid of black people too, so should that mean they get to dictate that black women aren't allowed in the same restrooms as them.
I swear that these are exactly the type of "traditional values" that conservatives want to bring back. One of the main arguments for segregation was that it protected white women's virtue. There is a deep-set fear of anyone who doesn't look like them, which is why they feel justified in lashing out at those "dangerous" people.
Should clarify I'm drawing a distinction here between conservatism and just believing in the free market or whatever. Though in the US they seem to be pretty much always linked
I don't understand the nostalgia for the 1950s. We were a very repressed society with lots of family
anger and hidden violence and fear of what the neighbours would think. PTSD and trauma and grief from wars etc was common but not addressed.The Royal Commission on historic abuse has revealed how readily disabled kids or anyone different were locked away. It was not a healthy era.
We've all been telling ourselves a comfort story since WW2 that we'd never let anything like genocide or concentration camps or tyrants come to power again. We need to stop and acknowledge that we have and whilst individually we can't affect instant change, we do need to start unfollowing and voting out those who stand in the way of this and making our personal decisions based on humanity rather than any other factor.
Conservatives Are Scaredy Cats
Being in the South in the US, I utter the phrase “ what in the literal fuck is going on? “ at least once a day. Not every place is a sea of red here, but there are a lot of places. They had a drag show in Raleigh and these guys showed up fully armed because that will send the message that drag shows are harmful, am I right?
And I would like that apologize on behalf of the US for Ben Shapiro.
I always love reading Hayden’s pieces on any topic: I come for the info, and stay for the delightful, humorous, and pointed asides. Very well done.
What is so disappointing and gut-wrenchingly sad for me in Aotearoa New Zealand is that we are going down the same path others have already gone down. We have watched the rise of Trumpism in the US, the fear-mongering in the UK, the rise of populism in Europe and instead of doing what we can to protect ourselves from that, as a society we have said, “let’s follow that path”. I am seeing in the increased delusions from conservatives around Māori seats on Auckland Council, co-governance, the 3 Waters, pronouns at schools and the toilet issues. With the likelihood of a right wing government forming in the next few weeks, I fear we will see more of this fear-mongering and regression to white supremacy & Christo-fascist nationalism from conservatives. Batten down the hatches and get ready to support our rainbow, Māori and minority communities, the next three years are going to be ugly.
This is so accurate. I, admittedly aided by a gin and tonic, almost lost it on a friend of a friend at a group lunch who was going on and on about how liberals are so mean (for arguing against "conservative values") and always bring politics into things. I ended up just smiling and arguing politely until we both gave up, but I was really seething.
It's these blinders of "if this topic doesn't align immediately with my values, I'm going directly to anger." It's pathetically sad that that is how a good chunk of people choose to live. I guess it's easier to scream than to actually consider someone's humanity or worth. 🤷🏻♀️
I've always said that conservatives are afraid. But they pick the least scary things to be afraid of - books, drag shows, trans people, contraception, et cetera. Like, why aren't they scared of guns and the almost-daily mass shootings we have in America? That's something to actually be afraid of but they're okay with that.
Completely agree with Hayden and am really glad he looked at scientific research on the brain as I have always suspected there was a concrete neurological reason for the way conservatives think. Honestly, when I deal with them (thankfully quite rarely), it's like talking to an another species. You just can't get through to them. My approach is to use compassion to teach compassion and it works on some - those are the ones who have just been brainwashed by their parents or some trash on the internet. But some people seem to live behind a wall of fear. Those are the ones who can't be convinced to be kind to those not born into white cis privilege. It's very sad, because their wall prevents them from seeing or feeling the negative consequences their personal fear has on so, SO many people, from non-white and LGTBQI people just trying to live their lives, to women who need abortions, to anyone working three jobs just to pay their rent. It's oppressive and exhausting and they are causing wounds that will take generations to heal. If we even still have a planet by then.
Defensive 'alpha males' (and the other people of any gender that they have infected with their unpleasant ideas) are incredibly dangerous beasts, with their refusal to accept any views other than their own and a nasty proclivity for blame, violence and punishment, along with an addiction to power that can only be preserved by maintaining a suffocating status quo. At a time when the world should be looking for new solutions to huge problems, these people focus only on bringing death and destruction. Sorry, rave over, but why can't the majority see this behaviour for what it is (evil) and stop giving it the power it craves by voting it into ofice.
‘Ben Shapiro. Unfortunately’. Perfection
Right wingers also seem incapable of empathy at a wider scale than their immediate family and friends group and have strong reluctance of acknowledging the world, and life in general for most people, is a complicated place with many ambiguities so the posit simply solutions to complex problems (eg gangs are bad, ban patches) which on the face of it sound vaguely logical — until you realise it’s so superficial.
I've been saying that forever, with all the public gun-toting (it's insane that people think they can't go on basic errands without packing heat). As for the politicians: back when Donald Trump was running for President the first time, I recall how often he loved to inflate (or completely fabricate) statistics about crime/immigrants/the fear du jour. And I don't think he feared those things at all, but if he could get OTHER people to fear them, he could convince people that he was the savior...and it worked. And it's still working for a lot of people, sadly.
Hi sorry is that the threshold attractiveness for heartthrob status in NZ?
I’m about to become a STAR
Not my finest hour, but I recently got into an argument with someone online who claimed that trans women had to be banned from women's spaces because "some women have been assaulted by men and so feel fear at a penis being present in the bathroom they're using".
I pointed out that: a) it's not okay for anyone to be looking at other people's genitals in a public restroom, and b) there are women who are afraid of black people too, so should that mean they get to dictate that black women aren't allowed in the same restrooms as them.
I swear that these are exactly the type of "traditional values" that conservatives want to bring back. One of the main arguments for segregation was that it protected white women's virtue. There is a deep-set fear of anyone who doesn't look like them, which is why they feel justified in lashing out at those "dangerous" people.
Should clarify I'm drawing a distinction here between conservatism and just believing in the free market or whatever. Though in the US they seem to be pretty much always linked
See also: Donald Trump storming out of court all breathless and red faced because he got told off.
I don't understand the nostalgia for the 1950s. We were a very repressed society with lots of family
anger and hidden violence and fear of what the neighbours would think. PTSD and trauma and grief from wars etc was common but not addressed.The Royal Commission on historic abuse has revealed how readily disabled kids or anyone different were locked away. It was not a healthy era.
We've all been telling ourselves a comfort story since WW2 that we'd never let anything like genocide or concentration camps or tyrants come to power again. We need to stop and acknowledge that we have and whilst individually we can't affect instant change, we do need to start unfollowing and voting out those who stand in the way of this and making our personal decisions based on humanity rather than any other factor.