Quote:
Originally Posted by wittynickname
These people are worried, and I get that they're worried. But by the same token, they refuse to see what is plainly in front of them. Progress moves forward. America is getting less and less white and no government can legislate against that diversity.
These people consistently vote against their own best interests, and attempting to persuade them with facts and logic and statistics just puts their guard up against the "elites." Insulting them just makes them even more rigid.
Calm reasoning doesn't work. Shaming doesn't work. Discussion doesn't work.
So what is the answer? How do you respond to people who will actively vote against their own best interests and flat out refuse any kind of dissension, no matter how valid and fact-based it is?
I'm not attempting to argue, this is an honest request, because I am absolutely surrounded by people exactly like this and I want to effect some kind of change, but I honestly have no idea how we're supposed to handle this.
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Witty, I feel your pain. I have people in my family that I care about that are extreme lefty fruit loops and others that are Trump-loving bigots. It's hard not to constantly correct and reprimand these people without always sounding like an elitist jerk.
I decided that I call people out on racism and intolerance. I'll engage in any issue-based argument they want and rigorously defend facts and truth but I'll remain kind and I won't damage relationships over it. But I can't stop them from being afraid of big pharma or the government or immigrants or the gays.
The thing that all these people seem to have in common is lack of education. They seem to be missing even the most basic reasoning skills so changing their mind is nearly impossible. Quality of education should be one of the main issues we fight for because if we're all dumb then it's hopeless. We'll all drown in a sea of mean, celebrity and gossip obsessed stupidity. We need to be kind and smart, spread love and truth, and fight for human rights. We need to raise our kids to do the same, influence their kids in a positive way, and just hope for the best.