FIFY. I guess we'll never get that investigation into their little rackets. The FBI will presumably be stood down on the criminal investigation they kept awfully quiet about.

Weird isn't it.
Pennsylvania - like Turkeys voting for Christmas

You're entirely right. The guy (Tristan Harris) did a very sobering interview with Joe Rogan recently and it's well worth a listen [Link] The political landscape is a symptom of this sickness rather than an accurate reflection of our differences. I don't mean that in a happy clappy way, instead that we're addicted to platforms that only care about engagement (which often centres around conflict based on caricatures of others, and group polarisation news feeds that reward extreme and unquestioning versions of an approved perspective).

Realistically society can't function like this (and governments - our own and others - pick at these divisions and dial them up at will). This mindset has little even to do with others really either, it's our own unfortunate contortion, and even when we get our way politically, we soon scan the horizon for others to become outraged by, so there are no real winners.

One point he made in the interview regarding Taiwan highlighted that alternative approaches exist though. He said that their main social network instead of pushing engagement though anger or echo chambers, actually analyses content in such a way that it finds aspects of commonality from people of typically different perspectives and highlights that. At least with such a platform I can see how it wouldn't create false adversaries and would instead reward common ground and consideration of others. We need to incentivise social platforms that are more fireside chat and less line of coke. The ones we have right now hollow us out for their own financial gain and damage society.

Edited by BlueJay (04 Nov 2020 12.07pm)

To be honest I'd have rather Trump or Biden won by a country mile. An election this close at such a polarised time could push people over the edge. In a situation like this, the country is saddled with that exact same problem whoever 'wins'! But the whole system is f***ed anyway. A lying grifter, and an addled grandpa who sounds like he's sucking on a Werthers Original when he talks. Americans best and brightest! I guess corporate interests make bank whatever Punch and Judy show they put on for us.

I think it goes beyond politics. I think it has now reached into every aspect of our lives. It needs to be somehow tempered but for the life of me, I do not have a clue about the how.

And apologies for derailing this thread a little. But with this result in the balance, and the stance many of us take on it, I do wonder if perhaps it could be a tipping point in terms of how we all have to cope with politics in the future.

I will argue on the grounds of policy until the cows come home that Trump is a better option than Biden. But, and for me this is the crux, how did we ever get to a stage where by either of them are the option?

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

I don't think it's either of those things. I am a member of several Trump-supporting FB groups so am well aware of their thinking. Much of it demonstrates a poor grasp of reality. They believe all the claims that Trump makes, distrust the media and circulate outragious conspiracy theories, the origin of which are obscure.

The Latinos have a strong dislike of anything that smells of socialism and that is milked until the cow is dry.

They are passionate and encouraged to mislead pollsters. They though are real victims of the attempt by Trump to treat his opinions and truth as equivalent.

Turnout is always key and my guess is that they have achieved a higher turnout.

Democracy itself is under threat. In the short term I worry hugely over what will now happen in the USA and the C19 crisis.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.