"Although these videos represent only a small fraction of leftists, repeated exposure can mislead our lizard brains into believing that such extreme reactions are common."
I have one quibble with this... I think the population dealing with dysregulated emotions over the election are substantially higher than "a small fraction". Just read the comments on the left Subtacks and other sources... there is quite a bit of irrational and fantastic fatalism, depression, anger and fear being typed... from a large population of people that identify as liberal progressives, leftists or just Trump haters.
As a long-time observer of my liberal progressive friends, my assessment is that there is a percentage of the population that has biological/genetic struggles with emotional processing of thought that leads to cognitive behavior dysfunction, and our media and tech have shifted to inflaming rather than soothing those tendencies. These people tend to need more reassurance that Rome is not going to burn, but their media feeds are screaming at them that Rome is already on fire.
So it is the media... social media primarily. It is gaslighting the population. Some can handle it... but many cannot. Haidt is correct.
I agree. But what is one to do when the author of the Substack is hysterical himself? I had just subscribed the first post was an overwrought rant about the Handmaid’s Tale and Christian Nationalists. The Handmaid’s Tale is a bad book from the 80s about women being forced to become brood hens.
This is not going to happen. But this was the respected author Timothy Snyder not an upset 20-year old. I was stunned and now question his judgement.
I believe there is nothing to justify the mass hysteria and tribalist mental breakdowns, although consideration can be given to the shock that the bubble of lies they lived in was not gently popped but rather nuked by the truth and reality. I do not believe it will be doing anyone any good by being equanimous and coddling with people who seem to have little concept of the real world they live in. Particularly so if the proposed truth” is just a different version of their delusions and reality was having four more years of the leftist intentional destruction of America rather than at least afford a chance to a person who, not only obviously loves his country, but demonstrated in his first four years that he is capable of doing the job, and is nothing like what the corrupt, lying leftist political establishment and media falsely portray.
There's one problem with this, as I've discovered because I've tried it.
Many (certainly not all) people on the left are deeply attached to their terror and hysteria. It makes them feel virtuous and identified with the "marginalized"—the women who are already dying for lack of abortion access and especially the trans "folx" and nonwhite immigrants (including legal immigrants, naturalized and birthright citizens) that they are sure Trump's brownshirts are going to be "coming for." Victims are the new heroes, and "allies" of victim classes get to feel that they are warriors in a life-and-death battle between good and evil. They don't want to be less afraid, because then they would be less important.
One reason why the reaction of the left is so unhinged is that the polling did not predict the outcome.
Trump and conservatives always underpoll - because people are unwilling to state that they prefer the conservative result. When they get to the voting booth, and vote in private, the truth comes out.
There were hints that Trump was underpolling, and many comments of that sort were made. But I think that the strength of his victory (7 of 7 swing states) was unexpected.
"Because people are unwilling to state that they prefer the conservative result."
They didn't prefer it in 2020, or in 2016, for that matter, when Trump lost the popular vote. They didn't prefer it in 2008, when Republican losses were far, far greater than anything the Democrats suffered this year.
Election results should be very carefully interpreted so we're not simply justifying our priors.
This is not 2008, nor 2012, nor 2016, nor 2020. In 2024, the outcome is quite clearly resulting from developing conservatism. What's the difference between 2016 (lack of majority) and 2024 (majority)? The country has spent 4 years in Socialist Woke-land, and have rejected that utterly. The country does NOT support trannies, nor DEI, nor SJWs. The country does not support unlimited minimum wage increases. The country is disgusted by illegals scum criminals pouring over the border. They hate homeless scum destroying cities. They hate the crime that Dem policies have produced. I can go on and on.
They probably won't say it, but that's what's going on.
Ah...so your analysis excludes every election other than 2024? When you exclude nearly all of the data, you can come to any conclusion you like. As you have.
Let's be clear Donald Trump is a unique menace. Left unbridled, I truly have concern about his clearly articulated authoritarian impulses. I can't minimize this threat but at that same time I don't feel particularly threatened like some of my clients who have "melted down." The house is not on fire, so I am not panicking, but I cannot blame those who are taking the time to move the tinder away from the house-- just in case.
This is very good.
"Although these videos represent only a small fraction of leftists, repeated exposure can mislead our lizard brains into believing that such extreme reactions are common."
I have one quibble with this... I think the population dealing with dysregulated emotions over the election are substantially higher than "a small fraction". Just read the comments on the left Subtacks and other sources... there is quite a bit of irrational and fantastic fatalism, depression, anger and fear being typed... from a large population of people that identify as liberal progressives, leftists or just Trump haters.
As a long-time observer of my liberal progressive friends, my assessment is that there is a percentage of the population that has biological/genetic struggles with emotional processing of thought that leads to cognitive behavior dysfunction, and our media and tech have shifted to inflaming rather than soothing those tendencies. These people tend to need more reassurance that Rome is not going to burn, but their media feeds are screaming at them that Rome is already on fire.
So it is the media... social media primarily. It is gaslighting the population. Some can handle it... but many cannot. Haidt is correct.
I agree. But what is one to do when the author of the Substack is hysterical himself? I had just subscribed the first post was an overwrought rant about the Handmaid’s Tale and Christian Nationalists. The Handmaid’s Tale is a bad book from the 80s about women being forced to become brood hens.
This is not going to happen. But this was the respected author Timothy Snyder not an upset 20-year old. I was stunned and now question his judgement.
I can't help but comment on the fact that the above three authors have posted on this site the following articles in chronological order:
8/5/24 Hedonism is Ruining Our Country
9/10/24 A Spirit of Division is Killing Our Country
11/9/24 Why Our Country Isn't F*cked
11/20/24 Overcoming the Politics of Catastrophe
Looks to me like you guys might have become more resilient and upbeat since the election! Maybe Trump's victory is lifting your spirits. LOL!!
I believe there is nothing to justify the mass hysteria and tribalist mental breakdowns, although consideration can be given to the shock that the bubble of lies they lived in was not gently popped but rather nuked by the truth and reality. I do not believe it will be doing anyone any good by being equanimous and coddling with people who seem to have little concept of the real world they live in. Particularly so if the proposed truth” is just a different version of their delusions and reality was having four more years of the leftist intentional destruction of America rather than at least afford a chance to a person who, not only obviously loves his country, but demonstrated in his first four years that he is capable of doing the job, and is nothing like what the corrupt, lying leftist political establishment and media falsely portray.
There's one problem with this, as I've discovered because I've tried it.
Many (certainly not all) people on the left are deeply attached to their terror and hysteria. It makes them feel virtuous and identified with the "marginalized"—the women who are already dying for lack of abortion access and especially the trans "folx" and nonwhite immigrants (including legal immigrants, naturalized and birthright citizens) that they are sure Trump's brownshirts are going to be "coming for." Victims are the new heroes, and "allies" of victim classes get to feel that they are warriors in a life-and-death battle between good and evil. They don't want to be less afraid, because then they would be less important.
In other words, they have a stake in things going as badly as possible under President Trump. They've bet their lives on it.
One reason why the reaction of the left is so unhinged is that the polling did not predict the outcome.
Trump and conservatives always underpoll - because people are unwilling to state that they prefer the conservative result. When they get to the voting booth, and vote in private, the truth comes out.
There were hints that Trump was underpolling, and many comments of that sort were made. But I think that the strength of his victory (7 of 7 swing states) was unexpected.
"Because people are unwilling to state that they prefer the conservative result."
They didn't prefer it in 2020, or in 2016, for that matter, when Trump lost the popular vote. They didn't prefer it in 2008, when Republican losses were far, far greater than anything the Democrats suffered this year.
Election results should be very carefully interpreted so we're not simply justifying our priors.
This is not 2008, nor 2012, nor 2016, nor 2020. In 2024, the outcome is quite clearly resulting from developing conservatism. What's the difference between 2016 (lack of majority) and 2024 (majority)? The country has spent 4 years in Socialist Woke-land, and have rejected that utterly. The country does NOT support trannies, nor DEI, nor SJWs. The country does not support unlimited minimum wage increases. The country is disgusted by illegals scum criminals pouring over the border. They hate homeless scum destroying cities. They hate the crime that Dem policies have produced. I can go on and on.
They probably won't say it, but that's what's going on.
Ah...so your analysis excludes every election other than 2024? When you exclude nearly all of the data, you can come to any conclusion you like. As you have.
And when you have comprehension impairments, as you have, you don't follow what others write. Sad.
Let's be clear Donald Trump is a unique menace. Left unbridled, I truly have concern about his clearly articulated authoritarian impulses. I can't minimize this threat but at that same time I don't feel particularly threatened like some of my clients who have "melted down." The house is not on fire, so I am not panicking, but I cannot blame those who are taking the time to move the tinder away from the house-- just in case.