Has 2016 radicalized both the left and right?

[Jolthig]

Don't be mislead by the thread title. I am not saying all leftists and rightists, but certain elements of them.

2016 was a pretty sensitive year. Especially after Trump won. This stirred up a lot of anger on both sides. The left, for trump winning, and his supporters gaining ground, and right, hating on the left for supposedly holding the nation back. Also, fearing other cultures "invading" the US like Mexican and Muslim cultures.

I've seen it in various social media places like FB, Twitter, and even here on NSG. People seem to be getting more hostile and angry, and it seems to be only increasing. Please note, this post is not intended to offend anyone or stir up controversy, but to state my thoughts on this matter as I've been reflecting on this for a while.

We've seen this kind of stuff before in past nations like Germany, Italy, and Japan before World War II. Thus, perhaps history could be repeating itself again here in the US?

Then, there's also Brexit in the UK. Lots of British divided on that.

What do you think, NSG?

[Kowani]

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Fuck yes.

Take a look at social media, and you’ll see the ridiculous amount of hate being thrown around. It’s not just the traditionally political groups, but rather the youth that are being radicalized now, and the blame rests with a looot of people.

[The Black Forrest]

Radicalized? Possibly. I would say it's a by product of Trumpism.

Some people seem to be more relaxed about being a jackass these days. Out my way; there seems to be much more aggression on the roads. Much more use of the horn.

Some are surprised to catch flack for having "opinions" which are rather nasty.

It will hopefully decline when donnie is gone.

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

Yes. /thread

[Uiiop]

It's something that's both the chicken and the egg on this.

[Jolthig]

Radicalized? Possibly. I would say it's a by product of Trumpism.

Some people seem to be more relaxed about being a jackass these days. Out my way; there seems to be much more aggression on the roads. Much more use of the horn.

Some are surprised to catch flake for having "opinions" which are rather nasty.

It will hopefully decline when donnie is gone.

True. Especially with the expansion of the internet.

[Valrifell]

The Left got radicalized in the cool way, get dunked on, nerds

[Jolthig]

Yup.

We've been both radicalized a lot.

To dangerous levels. Civil war is a possibility that is realistic now, even if it's not probable.

Yes.

Before I took down my FB, I seen one conservative say he wouldn't mind fighting a civil war if the left tried to do anything with him. Whatever that means.

[Valrifell]

Yup.

We've been both radicalized a lot.

To dangerous levels. Civil war is a possibility that is realistic now, even if it's not probable.

Respectfully disagree, polarization hasn't reached levels where cities just start burning down every other week. Sure, angry words are flying but it has yet to come to mass-scale violence.

[Jolthig]

Yup.

We've been both radicalized a lot.

To dangerous levels. Civil war is a possibility that is realistic now, even if it's not probable.

Respectfully disagree, polarization hasn't reached levels where cities just start burning down every other week. Sure, angry words are flying but it has yet to come to mass-scale violence.

That may be so, but when you have news media broadcasting pretty much, almost everything, people are going to get pretty riled up.

[Valrifell]

Respectfully disagree, polarization hasn't reached levels where cities just start burning down every other week. Sure, angry words are flying but it has yet to come to mass-scale violence.

That may be so, but when you have news media broadcasting pretty much, almost everything, people are going to get pretty riled up.

You can't blame news media for the radicalization of a population, it's a chicken and egg thing.

[Tobleste]

Yes. Republicans have become right wing populists with far right economics and have enabled Trumps corruption and vindictiveness. Democrats have decided appealing to bipartisanship is pointless given the people they're dealing with and are moving left on economics. That said, Democrats aren't as radical as Republicans. Trump is the Republican president. All the democratic candidates are senators and politicians (afaik), not Lena Dunham or Samantha Bee so the extremism isn't symmetrical. The anger is.

Really I think 2016 just killed the illusion that both sides share the same morality. Republicans showed they're most concerned with immigrants and owning the libs and are more ruthless than Democrats thought. Democrats couldn't believe many people could support Trump but here we are. The sides were already radically different. Trumps just exposed it.

[Jolthig]

That may be so, but when you have news media broadcasting pretty much, almost everything, people are going to get pretty riled up.

You can't blame news media for the radicalization of a population, it's a chicken and egg thing.

I wasn't saying they're primarily responsible, but they are responsible for helping to stir up emotions.

[Valrifell]

You can't blame news media for the radicalization of a population, it's a chicken and egg thing.

I wasn't saying they're primarily responsible, but they are responsible for helping to stir up emotions.

The outlets most responsible for that have to be sought after, though, and rely mostly on word of mouth. Keep in mind that the Alt-Right radicalized themselves through non-traditional sources and online forums.

[Klorgia1]

Meh. 2016 was a year where moderate Democrats had to take on a more conservative role, Progressives emerged as a major power, and a reactionary right finished its takeover of the Republican party. That shakes things around alot, but fundamentally we're still the same, mainly kind humans. Politics has just shifted a lot.

[Conserative Morality]

Yes. About time too! Let the opposition show their true colors.

[Jolthig]

I wasn't saying they're primarily responsible, but they are responsible for helping to stir up emotions.

The outlets most responsible for that have to be sought after, though, and rely mostly on word of mouth. Keep in mind that the Alt-Right radicalized themselves through non-traditional sources and online forums.

That too. Like InfoWars, and several other sources.

[Ostroeuropa]

Both sides radicalized in the 80s and the effects are making themselves known after the long march through the institutions of both groups.

The right wing radicalized economically and provoked a reaction in the left with them becoming more anti-capitalist.
The left wing radicalized socially and provoked a reaction in the right with them becoming more anti-feminist, anti-progressive, and so on.

Blame the neocons/neolibs and the radical feminist movement.

[Jolthig]

Both sides radicalized in the 80s and the effects are making themselves known after the long march through the institutions of both groups.

The right wing radicalized economically and provoked a reaction in the left with them becoming more anti-capitalist.
The left wing radicalized socially and provoked a reaction in the right with them becoming more anti-feminist, anti-progressive, and so on.

Blame the neocons/neolibs and the radical feminist movement.

As as some of the economic circumstances in some areas of the US.

[Valrifell]

If only there was a major upheaval that could explain the radicalization of an entire generation... hm... something like a traumatic terrorist attack, war, or economic collapse...

Nope, it's a mystery. No idea why younger people might be more open to radical ideas. But it's probably not their fault and the opposition made them do it!

[Ostroeuropa]

Both sides radicalized in the 80s and the effects are making themselves known after the long march through the institutions of both groups.

The right wing radicalized economically and provoked a reaction in the left with them becoming more anti-capitalist.
The left wing radicalized socially and provoked a reaction in the right with them becoming more anti-feminist, anti-progressive, and so on.

Blame the neocons/neolibs and the radical feminist movement.

As as some of the economic circumstances in some areas of the US.

The economic circumstances are a result of the lurch in favor of Raegan/Clinton style economics and how their ideas are nonsensical bullshit based on ignoring the masses of evidence that their model doesn't work.

Much like the social circumstances are a result of the lurch in favor of feminism/progressive style "equality" and how their ideas are nonsensical bullshit based on ignoring the masses of evidence that their model doesn't work.

People failed by both systems are radicalizing against those systems.

This is why there is now a rise of the far-right among white males, who have been failed by both of these ideologies and so are turning away from both globalist capitalism AND progressive social policy, while other groups turn away from globalist capitalism OR progressive social policy.

[Jolthig]

If only there was a major upheaval that could explain the radicalization of an entire generation... hm... something like a traumatic terrorist attack, war, or economic collapse...

Nope, it's a mystery. No idea why younger people might be more open to radical ideas. But it's probably not their fault and the opposition made them do it!

And there are other ways to deal with an opposition.

As as some of the economic circumstances in some areas of the US.

The economic circumstances are a result of the lurch in favor of Raegan/Clinton style economics and how their ideas are nonsensical bullshit based on ignoring the masses of evidence that their model doesn't work.

Much like the social circumstances are a result of the lurch in favor of feminism/progressive style "equality" and how their ideas are nonsensical bullshit based on ignoring the masses of evidence that their model doesn't work.

People failed by both systems are radicalizing against those systems.

This is why there is now a rise of the far-right among white males, who have been failed by both of these ideologies and so are turning away from both globalist capitalism AND progressive social policy, while other groups turn away from globalist capitalism OR progressive social policy.

Yeah

[VoVoDoCo]

Of course it has. Both sides of radicalized want. It's not even really a debate topic.

This article claims the left has radicalized more.
https://www.investors.com/politics/edit ... reme-left/

This article claims the right has radicalized more.
https://www.wgbh.org/news/2017/03/15/po ... ?_amp=true

Scroll till you see the graphs and both of them. Both sides have radicalized a ton.

[Big Jim P]

It goes back further than that.

[Kombinita Socialisma Demokratio]

Yes.

A few months before the election, I listened to a one-sided debate titled "Why Democracy is Bad" (by the "debater"), and basically they claimed that democracy should not be tolerated and that they electoral college should get more power, so as to "protect minorities" and prevent Hilary from being elected. The day before the election, I was asked who I thought should be President, and trying to avoid another argument and command to return to Canada, I simply said that whoever got the most votes should become President. I was told angrily "But that wouldn't be fair, because then Hilary would win". The months following it, I was repeatedly told to return to Canada, despite never being north of Lake Erie.
Several people blamed the other side for "rigging" it, and I asked how their side still won despite the "rigging", and was told that it simply proved how much their side deserved to win.

AntiFa and protesters for monuments to the Confederacy both are to blame for violence. Violent actions, however well-intentioned they may be, will ultimately to more harm than good to the cause they are intended to promote (examples from history include the Crusades, Inquisition, and witch trials).