[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Both sides clashing on this are hypocrites. And, on some level below the semantics of whats being argued about, both are upset over a similar core issue/injustice.

Its unsurprising that the amount of empathy displayed is proportional to the degree to which a person aligns and resonates with the person upon which the harm was inflicted. That's just a human flaw. A symptom of our dispoprtional affection for celebrities and public figures that we resonate with. They're treated, for whatever stupid human reaon, as bigger than life. And pedestalized. Hence why Kirk is this big deal, while nondescript children people dont have a personal connection to are treated as not much more than another statistic (even though both experienced a similar, awful, tragic ending).

The left is correct in pointing out that, generally speaking, the right is way less outspoken around other instances of gun violence that dont involve a champion of their points of view on the receiving end.

The right is correct in pointing out that the left seem to make exceptions around where empathy should be offered according to a person's history and who/what they align with. Often times the degree to which they're treated as human depends upon who/what they supported in the past and whether that's regarded as morally correct. They're lumped in as being culpable of the wrongs committed by leaders by association. To the left, if you helped to elect a group through your vote and/or influence, then you share blame for all the atrocities committed after the fact. And you'll never be absolved of those past actions.

Dehumanizing someone because of their background is similarly gross as the right"s hypocrisy around what instances of gun violence they're willing to be outspoken about.

In both instances, a level disregard for human life is at the core of the issue.

Right now the right is occupying and relishing the victim's role because of who was the victim. But eventually, those roles will rotate. And whoever was on the receiving end last time will be framed as the perpetrators the next time around. Hence the hypocrisy.

If you can't recognize that humanity, regardless of background or political view, is a collection of groups taking turns doing or saying the ####y thing and that pretending you're of a morally better standing than other humans despite possessing and being susceptible to the same enotional triggers and flaws, then you're living in a modern day matrix, more or less.

Each side just has a different narrative to downplay and cope with the faults of their group and deflect those towards the other. But we're all capable of the same ugliness. Even if you religious. Even if you're a philanthropist. Even if you're a human rights activist. You aren't exempt. The shady and ignorant side of your human nature leaks through in other ways and other places.

At the end of the day, you thinking you've eliminated that shady part of your nature that you passionately point out in others because you identify with and support a particular group or institution (because they have what you deem to be a greater moral sensitivity and standing) is you playing yourself.



Basically, I just say #### politics.

Generally speaking, when people immerse themselves in groups they become dumber. That's because they lose their individual capability for discernment in the larger narrative of the group. And as a group increases its solidarity, there is less tolerance for opposing positions and debate within the group, and more pressure on those that dare to speak up. Enter group polarization. We're slaves to hedonic pleasure, especially today. So that rah-rah comradery is like a hit of good feelings. As is discussing another group or individual's distasteful behavior. It's dopamine. But low level dopamine. You're not talking about solutions (which feels a lot less good because it requires putting away the hatchet, but actually moves things in a meaningful direction). You're fixating on the problems and demonizing and essentially living off those little hits like a crack addict. In all this online quarreling this is what we're seeing. Nothing that corrects an issue. Just people in over their heads with their political posse getting their fix of low level dopamine. No solutions, no healthy and civilized debate on how to diffuse this violence. Just greater division.

So yeah, again, politics (at least what its devolved to today) sucks huge hairy nuts.