When the smallest doubt is treated as support of the other side

[Anonymous]

I’ll try to make it as general as possible. What if there is a hot topic, A vs B. Say most people around you support A. You do, too, but you have questions or doubts about A, or you can understand (but not support) B’s reasoning. you don’t perceive A as something flawless.
However if you ask those questions, or even don’t support A with all your heart, you are labeled as (insert whatever insult du jour you can think of).
How to deal with it?
I find that in the most recent conflicts I can’t support one side without reservation, yet it seems like I am expected to. I am genuinely scared of all the silence is violence type tropes.

[Anonymous]

We don’t debate ideas anymore, we debate loyalties.

[Anonymous]

This has happened to me. It's maddening, it's alienating, and I don't know what to do about it.

[Anonymous]

The issue is that it sounds like weak support.

[Anonymous]

Because we live in a world where one side is right and if you don’t agree then you are wrong. Fielty above all else.

[Anonymous]

OP, the art of nuance has been totally lost. I blame a few things, but it is mostly tribalism and how media "explain" issues or topics as binary. Add to that the erosion of our public education system and critical thinking that has been destroyed and you get the hot mess we have today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t debate ideas anymore, we debate loyalties.

Whew. This says it all. Whoever you are, you’ve nailed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t debate ideas anymore, we debate loyalties.

Whew. This says it all. Whoever you are, you’ve nailed it.

+100000

[Anonymous]

I hold the media largely to blame. It doesn’t engage in journalism anymore. No more: who, what, when, where.

It’s all opinion pieces with maybe some facts weaved in. If opinion is authoritative, then each opinion is equally valid. It just devolves into whose opinion has more adherents and is therefore correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll try to make it as general as possible. What if there is a hot topic, A vs B. Say most people around you support A. You do, too, but you have questions or doubts about A, or you can understand (but not support) B’s reasoning. you don’t perceive A as something flawless.
However if you ask those questions, or even don’t support A with all your heart, you are labeled as (insert whatever insult du jour you can think of).
How to deal with it?
I find that in the most recent conflicts I can’t support one side without reservation, yet it seems like I am expected to. I am genuinely scared of all the silence is violence type tropes.

What I have notified in regards to this kind of thing is that when people don’t voice “appropriate” support for something (trans rights, Israel/Palestine, immigration seem to be the biggies) it’s not the lack of support that I comment on; you can have your own beliefs. It’s the fact that people use the exact same wording as right wingers when talking about it.

Let’s take immigration. Yes, I can agree that there has been a large influx of immigrants, perhaps more than what we can absorb/assimilate/educate the children etc. Should there be some limits? Absolutely, and let’s legislate that rather than just moaning and wailing about it, right? Wrong, according to some. The moment anyone frames their opposition to immigration as “the Democrats support OpEnBoRdErS,” I’m not thinking that they have real reservations with immigration, I’m thinking, huh. it’s weird that they’re verbatim repeating Republican talking points that manage to let Republicans off the hook for governance failure.

Furthermore, as in so many things, only Democrats get dinged for this. Republicans just march in lockstep and demand the same from their followers and no one seems to blink. I accept that I might be wrong about that, but I’m gonna guess that OP means at least one of the three biggies I mentioned and is only upset with Democratic response to her Republican talking point doubts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the art of nuance has been totally lost. I blame a few things, but it is mostly tribalism and how media "explain" issues or topics as binary. Add to that the erosion of our public education system and critical thinking that has been destroyed and you get the hot mess we have today.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll try to make it as general as possible. What if there is a hot topic, A vs B. Say most people around you support A. You do, too, but you have questions or doubts about A, or you can understand (but not support) B’s reasoning. you don’t perceive A as something flawless.
However if you ask those questions, or even don’t support A with all your heart, you are labeled as (insert whatever insult du jour you can think of).
How to deal with it?
I find that in the most recent conflicts I can’t support one side without reservation, yet it seems like I am expected to. I am genuinely scared of all the silence is violence type tropes.

What I have notified in regards to this kind of thing is that when people don’t voice “appropriate” support for something (trans rights, Israel/Palestine, immigration seem to be the biggies) it’s not the lack of support that I comment on; you can have your own beliefs. It’s the fact that people use the exact same wording as right wingers when talking about it.

Let’s take immigration. Yes, I can agree that there has been a large influx of immigrants, perhaps more than what we can absorb/assimilate/educate the children etc. Should there be some limits? Absolutely, and let’s legislate that rather than just moaning and wailing about it, right? Wrong, according to some. The moment anyone frames their opposition to immigration as “the Democrats support OpEnBoRdErS,” I’m not thinking that they have real reservations with immigration, I’m thinking, huh. it’s weird that they’re verbatim repeating Republican talking points that manage to let Republicans off the hook for governance failure.

Furthermore, as in so many things, only Democrats get dinged for this. Republicans just march in lockstep and demand the same from their followers and no one seems to blink. I accept that I might be wrong about that, but I’m gonna guess that OP means at least one of the three biggies I mentioned and is only upset with Democratic response to her Republican talking point doubts.

You are one example of the problem, leaving people feel politically abandoned. Shame on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hold the media largely to blame. It doesn’t engage in journalism anymore. No more: who, what, when, where.

It’s all opinion pieces with maybe some facts weaved in. If opinion is authoritative, then each opinion is equally valid. It just devolves into whose opinion has more adherents and is therefore correct.

Ate you suggesting that Fox News and MSNBC doesn't report the news, the whole news, and nothing but the news in a straightforward and truthful manner? Get out of here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hold the media largely to blame. It doesn’t engage in journalism anymore. No more: who, what, when, where.

It’s all opinion pieces with maybe some facts weaved in. If opinion is authoritative, then each opinion is equally valid. It just devolves into whose opinion has more adherents and is therefore correct.

Ate you suggesting that Fox News and MSNBC doesn't report the news, the whole news, and nothing but the news in a straightforward and truthful manner? Get out of here!

DP...the main problem is that both networks are predicated on talking heads more than reporters and journalism. It is a very different style than Walter Cronkite or Peter Jennings with reporters around the country and world. So instead of information, it is just blather.

[Anonymous]

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.