I have heard a theory, floating around reddit, that a primary strategy of the Turkish government is not to grab land so much as to bleed out the cream of the YPG forces in a long term conflict. The Kurds will then be more likely to agree to a political and military solution that is more bearable. Turkey can afford to do this for a couple of years as most of the casualties are not citizens. If this is true, then the gathering of other groups to help YPG is not a game changer
I would like to live in a country where lies do hurt politicians; however I am sad to report my conclusions that I don't think the lies will hurt Trump or his supporters at all. There are four reasons why I think this is so:
1) There is a complete separation of pro-Trump and anti-Trump crowds. While those that are in the middle mildly watch one of the news programs or pick up facts from others; those that passionately care one way or another simply do not talk to each other anymore. There is a complete split in social media, traditional media, and real life socially. What scandalizes one segment is simply a non issue in the other group. Both groups live in an echo chamber. Most people receive their news in such echo chambers
2) There is a lack of objective media. The trend from the last few decades has been a media that plays it safe, and most do not directly challenge the narrative of the most powerful groups in Washington. Main stream media has been responsible for propagating misinformation and bad narratives about the world, in particular the middle east, for a long time. And now this makes it easier to start propagating myths more at home. Even if some conglomerates wanted to change and be objective, and there are always those in each organization who wish to, there are very real market and political reasons why real change cannot be implemented
3) The scales have tipped too far and those that are lying have a lot more power than those that care about the lies. The majority of Americans have issues directly challenging and questioning those that are in power. At the same time, most Americans feel detached and distant from the federal government. The average person spends a few minutes each day getting news and they are more likely to believe official government sources, unless their echo chamber in social media (not trying to be mean, but see #1, most people of same political ideology only talk among themselves) has an issue about something specific. And as stated in #2 most main stream media are not going to go on a warpath against the most powerful forces in Washington. If the lies are consistent and everyday, they are going to wash over the mainstream media and most people without being challenged much.
4) Most of the county does not care. Simply put, most Americans elected someone they knew as not having full integrity, and an even greater number of people did not even bother to vote at all. Apathy wins and is the ultimate force today. For most people who did not care in the past six months (and they are a majority), as long as their own lives are not affected they will continue to not give much thought, energy or outrage to lies they recognize as lies.
To summarize all points in one sentence: when those who oppose Trump are outraged, they are the only ones listening to each other; it will take some life altering events to engage the rest of the population and by then what will have happened ? Those that are trying to fight Trump need to realize it is not enough to be outraged and talk among others of like minded beliefs, but there is not a current mechanism to engage the rest of the country in a mutually beneficial conversation.
After weeks of being upset about the Election, and despising Trump, I have put my feelings aside and looked at history. I see three reasons why this is happening.
1) People resist change, and this is a pushback to an extraordinary two decades of change
2) People, for all of social media (because of it), are living in information vacuums ( also called echo chambers) . Many Americans have abandoned mass news broadcasts as much as they abandoned print a few years ago. Its easy to not see some stuff that should be talked about if one deliberately gets into the "wrong" information bubble
3) My neighbors are not as nice as I wanted them to be
The three events have made a perfect social storm. I know there are many other contributing factors, and drivers, but this is the best way I can come up with to explain the inanity I am seeing
The next set of primaries mostly occur in states that are not heavily Catholic, and if he does well there ( and does not keep attacking the Pope), his numbers may not take much of a hit as he will be riding on the wins.
Great article, but I need to take issue with second paragraph, where it talks about western provocateurs fanning the flames in Ukraine. Such people had little impact.
I have heard a theory, floating around reddit, that a primary strategy of the Turkish government is not to grab land so much as to bleed out the cream of the YPG forces in a long term conflict. The Kurds will then be more likely to agree to a political and military solution that is more bearable. Turkey can afford to do this for a couple of years as most of the casualties are not citizens. If this is true, then the gathering of other groups to help YPG is not a game changer
I would like to live in a country where lies do hurt politicians; however I am sad to report my conclusions that I don't think the lies will hurt Trump or his supporters at all. There are four reasons why I think this is so:
1) There is a complete separation of pro-Trump and anti-Trump crowds. While those that are in the middle mildly watch one of the news programs or pick up facts from others; those that passionately care one way or another simply do not talk to each other anymore. There is a complete split in social media, traditional media, and real life socially. What scandalizes one segment is simply a non issue in the other group. Both groups live in an echo chamber. Most people receive their news in such echo chambers
2) There is a lack of objective media. The trend from the last few decades has been a media that plays it safe, and most do not directly challenge the narrative of the most powerful groups in Washington. Main stream media has been responsible for propagating misinformation and bad narratives about the world, in particular the middle east, for a long time. And now this makes it easier to start propagating myths more at home. Even if some conglomerates wanted to change and be objective, and there are always those in each organization who wish to, there are very real market and political reasons why real change cannot be implemented
3) The scales have tipped too far and those that are lying have a lot more power than those that care about the lies. The majority of Americans have issues directly challenging and questioning those that are in power. At the same time, most Americans feel detached and distant from the federal government. The average person spends a few minutes each day getting news and they are more likely to believe official government sources, unless their echo chamber in social media (not trying to be mean, but see #1, most people of same political ideology only talk among themselves) has an issue about something specific. And as stated in #2 most main stream media are not going to go on a warpath against the most powerful forces in Washington. If the lies are consistent and everyday, they are going to wash over the mainstream media and most people without being challenged much.
4) Most of the county does not care. Simply put, most Americans elected someone they knew as not having full integrity, and an even greater number of people did not even bother to vote at all. Apathy wins and is the ultimate force today. For most people who did not care in the past six months (and they are a majority), as long as their own lives are not affected they will continue to not give much thought, energy or outrage to lies they recognize as lies.
To summarize all points in one sentence: when those who oppose Trump are outraged, they are the only ones listening to each other; it will take some life altering events to engage the rest of the population and by then what will have happened ? Those that are trying to fight Trump need to realize it is not enough to be outraged and talk among others of like minded beliefs, but there is not a current mechanism to engage the rest of the country in a mutually beneficial conversation.
After weeks of being upset about the Election, and despising Trump, I have put my feelings aside and looked at history. I see three reasons why this is happening.
1) People resist change, and this is a pushback to an extraordinary two decades of change
2) People, for all of social media (because of it), are living in information vacuums ( also called echo chambers) . Many Americans have abandoned mass news broadcasts as much as they abandoned print a few years ago. Its easy to not see some stuff that should be talked about if one deliberately gets into the "wrong" information bubble
3) My neighbors are not as nice as I wanted them to be
The three events have made a perfect social storm. I know there are many other contributing factors, and drivers, but this is the best way I can come up with to explain the inanity I am seeing
Perhaps Trump is unelectable, but I would sleep easier if his opponent (Clinton) was not the second most reviled politician in recent memory
The next set of primaries mostly occur in states that are not heavily Catholic, and if he does well there ( and does not keep attacking the Pope), his numbers may not take much of a hit as he will be riding on the wins.
Great article, but I need to take issue with second paragraph, where it talks about western provocateurs fanning the flames in Ukraine. Such people had little impact.