Quote:
Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield
You're misreading me. I did not say these were not white people's issues. I said a lot of the white people who protest most loudly against Trump are signalling. This is, I believe, a phenomenon related to the issues the author of that book raises regarding progressives. ETA: I doubt very much the sincerity of a whole lot of people both for and against Trump. I think, channeling Alain de Botton here a bit, the really strong affinity for social causes these days is a form of a new religion replacing the old ones. Movements have a very tribal element to them. People want to belong to something bigger than themselves. (You've read True Believer, I'm sure.) And very fashionable ones of today are polarizing political movements, call out culture, "take back America" extremists, MAGA, social justice enthusiasts.
That you would contort those words so bizarrely shows an extreme bias toward finding nefarious intent where none exists.
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I really think you believe everything you just wrote, which makes it kind of sad. The fact that you cannot see that you have put people into groups based on who is signaling and who is not (and the only ones who are not are minorities or MAGA lunatics)
combined with the fact that those who are not are really just trying to signal to others that they are part of their tribe is beyond troubling. These are your words, not mine.
"If one wishes to demonstrate that he is cultured and smart, he must offer his anti-Trump bona fides early and loudly. Most of my upper middle class friends who wish to ensure you know they're well thought on issues offer that signal to each other and bond over it."
"If one wishes to demonstrate he is well-off, he lets you know he's turned off by Trump, but thinks Trump's policies are decent. This same person may have voted for Hillary out of concern that his portfolio would get killed by Trump's election, but is now happily surprised to the upside."
"The only people I see who aren't signalling are those falling into minority groups that are targeted by Trump and the Trumpkins in their #Maga hats."
- If you are white and want to show you're cultured or smart, you signal by saying you're against Trump.
- If you are rich and white and want to show that you have money, you signal by saying you're turned off by Trump.
- If you are a minority and you're scared of what he wants to do to you, you aren't signaling.
- If you are a MAGA looney, you embrace the substance--the bigotry--and, strangely, aren't signaling to other MAGA loonies that you are in their tribe.
Those of us who aren't minorities who express a distaste for Trump's policies and behavior are only doing so because they want to show they belong.
How the fuck else can what you wrote be read?
TM
