It's always so easy to blame women, isn't it?

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@vashafer Yes, I agree.

[franklington@mastodon.world]

@wdlindsy The best article I’ve read about American society

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@chiraag I think that overlooking the key — and huge — role that disinformation and propaganda, much of it emanating from hostile groups intent on deceiving and dividind us, would be naive and unhelpful. If we really want to understand what's going on right now….

But some of us choose to misunderstand, dont' we, as we love taking pot shots against groups we imagine we have down — the "Dems," e.g.?

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@Franklington His commentary is always really powerful, I find.

[phaedral@mastodon.social]

@wdlindsy "They" don't "know who he is." "They" think Biden stole 2020, "they" think Trump is a successful business man (8 years of tv prove this.) "They" think and know all sorts of things you and I don't. He's not the face of any of these people, he's the mask and blindfold "they" have been seduced into wearing.

This probably won't correct itself during what is left of my life time. I cannot say I am undismayed. But I will not take my eye off of the basic goodness in us all.

[chiraag@mastodon.online]

@wdlindsy Again, I acknowledged that there is misinformation, absolutely! But the facts I just laid out are just that, facts. And refusing to address those things builds up resentment and anger. We can't just attribute everything to misinformation when there *is* real pain and anxiety.

Progressives and leftists have been screaming about this in the media for at least a decade (namely, the 2016 election cycle) and we've been ignored. Look how that turned out.

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@phaedral Yes, I'd agree that a lot of us who chose to vote for Trump will be in for a rude awakening. At the same time, I'd argue that we have an obligation — to ourselves, first and foremost — to seek the truth, to seek good sources of information, to consume media and news critically (and self-critically).

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@chiraag Where you're obviously interested in using the election results to mount attacks on people you see as centrist Democrats — and that term is far from describing me — I'm not interested at all in tearing apart the fragile alliances that bind those of us trying to push hard against a rapacious and powerful right.

I intend to keep my focus on that threat and to use my energy against it. If you want to make other choices, I wish you good luck with them.

[danetteb@mstdn.social]

@wdlindsy so. Much. This.

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@Danetteb I agree — good commentary.

[chiraag@mastodon.online]

@wdlindsy Look, I *want* the Dems to kick the GOP's butt because the GOP is a bunch of open fascists. But the strategy they've been using (they campaigned more with Liz Cheney than with *any other surrogate*) is failing. If you're not allowed to criticize your alliance when they keep fucking up, when *are* you allowed to criticize them?

Friends don't let friends lose to fascists.

[phaedral@mastodon.social]

@wdlindsy I agree about that obligation! I think the ability to fulfill it is somewhat a matter of privilege, that is, not everyone is blessed with the intellect and experience to learn crap detection. (https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/crap-detection-101-3227013.php)

[tcatinreality@mastodon.social]

@wdlindsy
x

I've got zero time for the Dem blame game. We need to understand how #CriminalGrandpa 's con works and why it's attracting so many, especially White men

[extra_special_carbon@mastodon.world]

@wdlindsy @AeonCypher They said, “left-leaning media can’t be trusted either.”

I agree. Left leaning media is often just a tool of right-leaning media.

That was not what you quoted. It wasn’t my statement, but I was agreeing with their statement.

[serendip1959@mastodon.social]

@wdlindsy

The one on the left is armoured safety glass, the one on the right is wax like they use in the movies. The point is the “glass ceiling” is not the same.

[vashafer@bookstodon.com]

@wdlindsy I think this is going to be worse than when Reagan was in office. A foreign-born éminence grise with his fingers in many defense and technological pies...why this isn't openly raising questions is beyond me.

[njwookie@mindly.social]

@wdlindsy

I don't think most know the potential harm of their vote for Trump. I speak to many Trump voters that have no idea how the government works & simply voted for him based on the promise of lower taxes & higher 401K returns.

The real problem isn't that power was handed to Trump, it's that government doesn't work for so many. They don't care if it blows up. hey don't want an authoritarian they want government that focuses on them or they just want their 401ks to last until they die.

[pagan_activist@beige.party]

@wdlindsy
Today is a CRAP day, William but I *will* make it through your thread. Those articles I haven’t read, I will.

Thank you for everything.

How are you?

My BFF of 50 years is gay and so, so angry.
He says he’ll remain untouched but is enraged by what will happen to others.

You don’t have to respond. I just wanted to let you know I’m thinking of you.

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@Pagan_Activist Thank you so much for reading and asking about us. My husband and I are depressed, to say the least. We know full well that when the boom begins falling, it will fall on people like us, along with other targeted minority communities. I very much appreciate your concern and hope you're doing at least tolerably well, as elders in my culture used to say when asked how they were: "I'm doing tol'able."

[wdlindsy@toad.social]

@NJWookie You're assessment of Trump voters is more generous than mine. I definitely think many of them are low-information voters and they may not fully comprehend how their votes will result in harm to others — and themselves. At the same time, it's clear to me that authoritarian movements rise by pitting group against group and that many Trump voters are moved by the desire to hurt others.