@AesopFan > Like attracts like, perhaps.

That’s been true with me as well, but not with my wife. A number of her friends, both online and real life, have succumbed to TDS in a bad way. Some of them are reasonable enough to not bring it up, others can’t help themselves.

I’ve always thought a sign of a reasonable and intelligent person is not that they avoid politics, or even avoid discussing it, but that they don’t bring it up when it’s not relevant to the conversation. And yet, some of my wife’s friends are quite intelligent, or at least she says she always thought so, but can’t shut up about ORANGE MAN BAD.

On the other hand, I’ve never had people do that kind of thing at work, which has been a blessing, and a testament to professionalism.

Like attracts like, perhaps.

So sorry you’ve been through that – it’s very painful.

Just to clarify: I have indeed lost some friends, but fortunately not too many. And some relatives have cooled (one very much), which is hard. Other friends seem to have cooled but they haven’t told me why – I just don’t hear from them, so it’s hard to say what’s what. One relative stopped talking to me for a year after the 2024 election but then started again. So it’s a mixed bag. But most of my closest friends don’t seem to personalize politics in the way a lot of other people do, which is good.

There must be something like a dog whistle that only certain people can hear – only Ds – and it drives them mad.

Some of it is ignorance of basic facts. I really do think that a lot of older people on the left do not understand how radical in general and specifically deeply involved the left wing political / cultural / education class has been in the promotion of transgenderism among children. The mainstream media ignores the indoctrination aspect and generally acts as if it is just happening among kids. An older Democrat lady I was talking to a few years ago asked if ” conservatives” were promoting transgenderism. I really , really think there are a lot of low info people out there.

— Jon Baker

I used to get into debates with an older relative of mine, herself quite conservative on most issues. The thing is she would rebuke me for saying that the Democratic politicians hated America, or that they wanted gay marriage, or so on. When I pointed out after 911 that the PTB would use any surveillance powers against us, she thought I was being obtuse, of course they would never do that.

She didn’t like the Democratic leadership, she thought they were wrong about most things, but the idea that they actually hate their own country, or their fellow Americans, was just alien to her. They couldn’t possibly be that bad.

Later she apologized to me, watching Obama convinced her that I had been right, and she admitted she just couldn’t imagine them being that bad before.

One of the big strengths of the post 1968 Left is that so many people just couldn’t believe that they were serious, until it was almost too late.

It exists on both sides. I’ve heard liberals complain about Muslim-controlled city councils shutting down Pride month and being hostile to LGBT issues. They literally had no idea what Islam actually teaches.

If the Muslim vote keeps becoming more important to the Dems, I look for us to start seeing some Dem politicians telling gays and lesbians to ‘get back in the closet’ .

Fashion would be another example. Fashion spreads instantly these days, and we have whole industries dedicated to exploiting fashion. There are smart people who make a living out of manipulating fashion, David Axelrod for instance. For that matter, Trump is also establishing a sort of fashion, he has a foot in that world. Perhaps that accounts for the instant hostility of the opposing camp.

What Is Here Meant By Manners

By MANNERS, I mean not here, Decency of behaviour; as how one man should salute another, or how a man should wash his mouth, or pick his teeth before company, and such other points of the Small Morals; But those qualities of man-kind, that concern their living together in Peace, and Unity. To which end we are to consider, that the Felicity of this life, consisteth not in the repose of a mind satisfied. For there is no such Finis Ultimus, (utmost ayme,) nor Summum Bonum, (greatest good,) as is spoken of in the Books of the old Morall Philosophers. Nor can a man any more live, whose Desires are at an end, than he, whose Senses and Imaginations are at a stand. Felicity is a continuall progresse of the desire, from one object to another; the attaining of the former, being still but the way to the later. The cause whereof is, That the object of mans desire, is not to enjoy once onely, and for one instant of time; but to assure for ever, the way of his future desire. And therefore the voluntary actions, and inclinations of all men, tend, not only to the procuring, but also to the assuring of a contented life; and differ onely in the way: which ariseth partly from the diversity of passions, in divers men; and partly from the difference of the knowledge, or opinion each one has of the causes, which produce the effect desired.

A Restlesse Desire Of Power, In All Men

So that in the first place, I put for a generall inclination of all mankind, a perpetuall and restlesse desire of Power after power, that ceaseth onely in Death. And the cause of this, is not alwayes that a man hopes for a more intensive delight, than he has already attained to; or that he cannot be content with a moderate power: but because he cannot assure the power and means to live well, which he hath present, without the acquisition of more. And from hence it is, that Kings, whose power is greatest, turn their endeavours to the assuring it a home by Lawes, or abroad by Wars: and when that is done, there succeedeth a new desire; in some, of Fame from new Conquest; in others, of ease and sensuall pleasure; in others, of admiration, or being flattered for excellence in some art, or other ability of the mind.