I know this might be hard to understand:
But a lot of us Republicans (or ex-Republican in my case) were lied to, and are still being lied to, by our leaders.
If anything, Republicans are way way way too trusting of their own. Republicans trust Republicans without question. We didn't question our own. We didn't critique our own.
It's still happening.
My Republican family believes babies are aborted after being born, they are told so by Republican leaders. That's why they want abortion bans.
@quinnsentialOne OK, but at some point they need to be willing to think critically and look at data. Nobody is aborting healthy late-term fetuses and late term abortions are exceedingly rare and only for heartbreaking reasons. It’s an insult to women and the medical community to say so and their is NO data to support it. It is mind boggling that they have so little trust in women and doctors. They CHOOSE to be ignorant and think the worst.
@RunningResister Yup.
But how are they going to "think critically" when everything they are presented with tells them they are correct?
They do a Google search, they will get 1000 articles that align perfectly with their views because that's how the social media algorithms work.
That was my experience in the MAGA Republican bubble. There was no dissenting opinion to be seen to let me think critically about it.
@quinnsentialOne The problem is, no matter how nicely you try to talk with them, no matter how much evidence or data you show, they don’t want to hear it. I have tried many times.
@RunningResister Like I said, Republicans trust Republicans.
I got out of MAGA with the help of some very persistent friends who were there to reach out when my bubble cracked.
I'm now a traitor to my family.
I can't talk to them either. But when the first cracks appear, I will be the one there reaching out to them. Like I said many times. If it won't be me, it'll be someone else who will keep them in the bubble.
@quinnsentialOne I’m glad you’ve escaped the bubble. I’m sorry about your family. You’re not the only one experiencing this. I hope it gets easier.
@RunningResister I'm terrified that unless we, as a people, can pass laws to ban these algorithms across the globe, it will only get much worse.
That doesn't mean I stop trying though.
@quinnsentialOne I agree. Social media algorithms and the decline of mainstream shared news sources and factual standards have made us much more vulnerable to propaganda.
@quinnsentialOne There are many good sources of objective research and data-based information. Social media is not a reliable source unless it references reliable, objective, peer-reviewed or government data. And where are all these satanic and demonic people? Have they ever met any? Why do Q’s predictions never come true? Why is their NO evidence of any substantial voter fraud that stands up in court? At some point it defies credibility to not question it. They don’t WANT to question it.
@RunningResister Here's the problem, it's just not social media.
All of these networks are datamining and sharing with each other.
You can't find all that reliable, objective, peer-reviewed data if Google and other search engines aren't letting you find it.
You don't know what it's like to be bombarded, reinforced, and lied to from every direction as if it's truth..... and then expected to find information otherwise in a system that creates information prisons.
@RunningResister More so, why would they consider other people's opinions and information when they're called crazy or stupid for what they believe..... when the person calling them crazy or stupid and arguing with them doesn't understand why they believe the crazy in the first place.
Understanding the problem is the important part.
You can't solve the problem without really knowing what it is.