How would you approach persuading a far extreme conservative toward center? What would you set as a realistic goal for a productive discourse? Would it be better attempt to do so in person rather than online?
This is my go-to resource for living with conservatives.
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-deal-with-a-narcissist
I’m not joking.
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it’s funny that the other question about “how would you deprogram an extreme liberal” got so many down votes rather than this one
Because “extreme liberals” push things like equality, respect, social progress and accountability and “extreme conservatives” push bigotry, violence, greed and shit that fixes nothing.
I live in the Bible Belt so as you can imagine I interact with these types of people on a very regular basis.
I once went on a business trip with one of my [at that time] employees. We got along well although I knew he was very conservative politically and a staunch Trump supporter. I am neither of those things which he knew about me as well. We had a long car ride through the middle of nowhere and we talked for a good chunk of it to pass the time.
Eventually I asked him, “What do you like so much about Donald Trump?” I genuinely wanted to know. He told me. I thought his reasons were bullshit but I did ask and so I had an obligation to at least hear him out. He asked me why I didn’t like Trump. I gave him my reasons. We kind of politely acknowledged one another’s opinion and agreed to disagree. We chatted a little bit more and then he said something that I did not expect. “You know those people who go walking around with guns strapped on them all the time? Those guys are idiots. What kind of moron thinks he’s got to prove something so badly that he goes to the store carrying an AR strapped to his back?”
I was honestly shocked. I didn’t expect him to say that and I agreed with him. We talked a lot longer after that about politics and found that we had plenty of other things we agreed on, and plenty that we didn’t. When we finally got to our destination, I thanked him for answering my questions honestly because I genuinely wanted to understand his perspective. I could tell he appreciated that.
That’s a long way of saying that the only way to deal with extreme conservatives is to go talk to them. Its not always easy but you’ll find that you have more in common with them than you might think. Now, that’s easy for me to say. I’m a straight, white, boot wearing, bearded guy with a southern accent. I pretty much fit right in around here. If you’re a minorty, trans for instance, and you don’t want to go talk to people who think you’re some sort of abomination, I don’t blame you for a second. that’s why those of us who are not as “threatening” need to do a better job of being allies.
There’s a passage in the Bible that says “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” It’s true. A “divide and conquer” strategy is incredibly effective. It’s working very effectively in American politics today. And the only way to bridge the gap is to go find some common ground.
What did he like about Trump?
I don’t remember exactly because it’s been a few years but I think it had something to do with him “telling it like it is.”
I think that’s what a lot of people like about Trump. Basically the fact that he provides very “concise” answers to their problems. The fact that those answers are usually false, misdirections, or based on a poor or non-existent understanding of an issue doesn’t really enter into it.
I find that they have a lot of mistaken assumptions that are just lies repeated by Fox News. Sometimes they don’t even watch Fox, they’re just surrounded by people that do.
I like to focus on the economic issues, since there is hard math for the economy and I find it’s not productive to argue with someone who is terrified that a trans person might be in the same bathroom as their child. I find these people literally start foaming at the mouth over that stuff and I just don’t have the right math or words to cut through the rabies.
For example. I’ve heard Republican voters say that Republicans are better for the economy and reducing the national debt. Ask them which Republican presidents have left office with a reduced deficit?
Ask them if they know how much it added to the national debt when Reagan, Bush, and Trump passed tax cuts primarily for the rich and corporations.
Let them know that you’re also concerned about the economy and the deficits, and show them a chart of federal spending and ask them whether they want to cut Social Security, Medicare, or defense spending to pay for more tax cuts for the rich and corporations.
Then ask them why DON’T the Republicans cut ANY of those things to pay for their tax cuts? Why do those deficits just get passed on to the next Democrat and blamed on them? How are Republicans going to reduce the deficit when it’s not politically feasible with their base to cut ANY of those three things?
When it comes to immigration, ask them why they think immigrants are trying to get here in the first place. Show them Smedley Butler and talk about the war on drugs and ask them if they think the US is partially to blame for the violence in other countries that people are trying to escape from.
Also, show them the Maddox comic where he depicts immigrants “stealing our jobs”. Ask them who is hiring these illegal immigrants and why? Ask them who the managers and owners of those companies vote for and why those people might have an incentive to preserve the “illegal” status of those employees.
Force them to interact with queers and minorities. Treating them the same as they treat us.
Dad: I had a really neat experience at work today!
Me: Yeah?
Dad: S (Indian) came into work with food from home and he brought me some!
Me: Did you like it?
Dad: Yeah it was good, he was really great. Why can’t they all be like that?
Me: Who’s they?
Dad: All those people from other countries!
Me: Do you meet a lot of people from other countries?
Dad: Well, no, but you hear a lot about them
Me: From where?
Dad: You now, places, other people, tv.
Me: They’re not really any different than we are, there are open and friendly people and closed and private people. Some want to make friends and be nice, some just want to get along and work.
Dad: That’s not what I hear.
Me: Maybe what you hear is wrong. You know, stories told my people who stand to profit from keeps us angry at each other?
Dad: Bah, you can’t make money from that.
Me: …
Haha it’s true though, most people are just, you know… People. I haven’t been everywhere, but I’ve been to a few countries other than my own and all the differences are negligible except maybe not understanding the language. You see just as many differences in culture traveling to other states within the US; but a lot of these ignorant people haven’t even done that.
It’s also kinda true that food brings different cultures together like no other. How can you hate people who make hella good food?!
Just traveling between the different megaregions in the US often feels like traveling internationally, but without the hassle of passports and borders. They speak the same language and literally inhabit the same country, but everything just feels different. I can’t quite place it.
