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Politics : The Castle
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To: TimF who wrote (3988)11/6/2004 3:27:29 PM
From: Lane3   of 7936
 
I had lunch yesterday with someone who was going on about how she couldn't understand how so many little guys voted for Bush. How could they vote against their self interests like that, she asked.

She comes at it from the mindset that the corporations and the bigwigs take advantage of the little people and the way to even the score is by using the political processes such as regulation and taxes. If you have that mindset, then you can only conclude that those Bush voters are either stupid or manipulated. There is probably no other reasonable conclusion given the starting point.

I tried as best I could to explain to her how they see their self interests differently, legitimately, IMO. Finally the cognitive dissonance was too much for her and she changed the subject.

I think we have to understand that people on both sides see things through different prisms. They acquired those prisms at some point in their lives, they believe in them, and nothing else resonates with them. It's easy to think the other guys stupid for not "getting it." And when the other guys threaten your beliefs, to demonize them. I don't think it's mean spirited so much as simply the inability to look at it a different way. And given the hostility and defensiveness of the parties, it's hard to find people who are willing to show you the other side and the mental dexterity to communicate their perspective in a way that you can understand. People are too polarized and too unreceptive. Neither side wants to revisit its memes to see if they actually make sense. They just kick at you when you don't genuflect.
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