My only defense of Trump voters is not very flattering, but I do think this is fair: I think the world (And America) is changing in big ways, very rapidly. Whites are rapidly losing their majority status, and will not be the the majority in our lifetimes. As recently as 1900 non-hispanic whites were ~88% of the population: by 2010 they were 64%; just 6 years later in 2016, they were down another 3% to 61%. Christians, too, are rapidly losing their dominant status. Christians were the overwhelming majority, almost 95% of the population as recently as the mid 1950s, but that has been trending downward rapidly for decades. The percentages have slipped very rapidly since 2000, down to 80% in 2008 and then slipping a further five percent by 2015 to 75%. Particularly if you happen to be a white Christian, this rapidly changing landscape can be threatening. White, Christian males were the *automatic* winners of everything in 1960 (let alone 1810), but now have to actually compete for jobs and success and love against black men and asian women and jews and atheists. The playing field is gradually leveling (although we still have a ways to go). So in what way am I defending these white, Christian males? I think a lot of them feel threatened, and in that regard I can sympathize. I've felt threatened and scared before, too, and I can tell you that being threatened and scared does not bring out the best in me. I was really, truly awful to an ex-boyfriend once when we were in the process of breaking up, and I deeply regret it now, but at the time I was scared and hurt and I lashed out. I think being scared and threatened brings out the worst in most people. I'm not saying it makes the behavior of white male Trump supporters okay -- I'm just saying I can sympathize, I can see where they're coming from. I've done some mean, stupid things in my life too, and most of those stupid mean things have been done when I was threatened and frightened.
If you feel threatened imagine what we feel like. Go somewhere and sympathize with white "christian" males.
I don't feel threatened. I'm saying people who do feel threatened -- whether they should be or not -- act stupidly, and do cruel things. That's basically how I'd describe Trump supporters' behavior: they're acting stupidly and being cruel.
Lol. They are upset that they have to actually become adults and earn their place in life. Only a mediocre crybaby would feel threatened by that.
In a sense, he was isolated. He's a silver-spoon trust fund baby who was given every advantage in life and never had to do any actual work or actual thinking to get where he is. His family's name and wealth made him pretty much immune from most negative consequences of his actions. He has no idea what it's like for 99.99% of people living in America right now and it shows. It's also a major part of the reason that he has had so many failures in business and why his presidency is in a constant state of chaos and confusion. Unlike the rest of us, he never had to "grow up" and because of that he handles his conflicts with other people like a child.
Jeez guys, do you think I'm saying those poor, insecure white guys should be pitied and have it really tough in life? It's possible to try to understand someone's point of view without endorsing or approving of it. If I say "the suicide bombers on 9/11 were able to do what they did because they literally thought they were carrying out the will of God," that doesn't mean I think they're right. I'm just describing their point of view. White, Christian males feel threatened because their long standing privileges in America are gradually being eroded. Does that mean they're right, and that we should return to the 19th century when nobody but white men could vote to make them feel better? Of course not! These Trump-voting, insecure white men are wrong. All I'm trying to do is sympathize with them -- to try to understand what life looks like from their point of view. It doesn't mean I agree with them. Understanding those you disagree with -- empathizing and sympathizing with them -- is a valuable skill not just in politics, but in life.
I didn't say you were wrong being sympathetic toward them, simply said I'm not and gave reason. I can show sympathy when I feel its warranted, here I don't see reason. Your sympathy towards them is just sympathy. Its not some higher order of civility or anything we should take note of as a revelation of wisdom. In other words I'm going to be who I am unapologetically.
Their whiteness doesn't go as far as it used to...that's why they feel "threatened". Save your sympathy and understanding for those that have sympathy and understanding.
Understanding someone's point of view is perfectly fine and necessary, but it doesn't require sympathy or empathy to do so. Like for instance, I understand the mindset of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and why he killed and ate all those dudes. Doesn't mean I sympathize or have empathy for him.
It's one thing to understand the mindset and the dynamic. It's another to sympathize or empathize with someone. I think part of the problem is there has been way too much tolerance, sympathy, empathy and babying of those who don't deserve it and it certainly has not helped at all. Where's their sympathy and empathy? Hundreds of years of stomping all over others and now those others are to be sympathetic and understanding? It's not going to happen. They themselves are the ones who created the culture of fear and distrust. I'll tell you what...I'm someone who is considered an "empath" and some of the worst mistakes in my life have come because I empathized with people instead of making sure me and mine were taken care of first. It's important to understand.....maybe, but that doesn't mean validating. People go way too far. It's gone way past the idea of tolerating people's life choices and such. It used to be - live and let live, as long as they were not harming anyone else. That's great in theory, however, they were and are harming others. Given that's the case - NO PASS! When you place yourself in a position where it's a win/lose situation, someone is going to lose. It's their game, they created it and now that they are afraid they may lose, they want to change the game....and people should be understanding and sympathetic to their plight?! REALLY?! What plight? That's just more of the same old circular talk bullshit. It's psychopathic, arrogant bullshit. And there are actually people out there who still want to buy into it. Bottom line - it really doesn't matter WHY someone acts the way they do. Understanding the why isn't going to change the circumstances. If someone goes in and blows away a bunch of people in a building, does the fact that he has mental illness, was abused as a child, tortured, a vegan, didn't get to win the lotto, wasn't given his dream job, didn't get head from his wife on a nightly basis, or whatever other crap has gone on, change the fact that he killed a bunch of innocent people? NO. Still have to deal with the consequences of what happens and the impact on everyone else. Maybe once all that is dealt with down the road some time then the causes can be addressed. But you can't unring that bell.
Don't ever tolerate shitty dead weight people. If you have before don't ever do it again. You deserve better. Its not your responsibility to feel for a bunch of backward self-centered tards. Enjoy your life with the people that are at least striving to get to your level. When people wallow in their self inflicted misery, no fucks given. Got plenty of ice cream and whisky for the show.
Yah sometimes I have to remind myself of such things and that is NOT helpful to anyone to be tolerating bullshit. LOL - LOVE this "Got plenty of ice cream and whisky for the show."!! Just the other night, I was telling a friend about something and we were talking about how sometimes you just have to go for the entertainment value of the crap and figure it's the _____ shit show (fill in the blank with whoever's name)
Well I guess I'll just have to disagree with a lot of you guys (and disagreement is fine!) If someone were to ask me "Do you feel there is just too much empathy and tolerance in today's society?" my answer would unequivocally be no. I think we're heading in a dangerous direction, where two groups of Americans hate each other and view the other as "the enemy," with little interest in understanding or liking one another. This doesn't mean I'm endorsing the "law and order" approach -- where, as MLK said, white moderates valued order more than justice for their black brothers. Far from it. I'm saying we need to walk and chew gum at the same time: we need to disagree with white, male conservatives, and condemn their wrongness, while simultaneously reaching out and trying to understand their point of view. Or, as MLK also said, "We must love our white brothers, no matter what they do to us. We must make them know that we love them. Jesus still cries out in words that echo across the centuries: "Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; pray for them that despitefully use you." This is what we must live by. "
The problem isn't with people needing to show empathy, understanding and tolerance towards white male conservatives and other like minded individuals. The problem is that they don't believe that they need to do the same. Their whole approach is only to preserve and spread their narrow world view and values. They have no interest in empathy & tolerance for anything or anyone outside their bubble.
