Hatred as a political strategy

[sun rise]

Seeing some news stories, I was reminded of this from Good Omens. Substitute hatred for evil and you have my view "Aziraphale: Evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. No matter how well-planned, how foolproof an evil plan, no matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, in the end it will founder on the rocks of iniquity and vanish."

Hatred and fear are linked together in a downward cycle. We now see how "there's no one left but thee and me and we're not sure of thee" operates as people get accused of being insufficiently pure and thus the enemy. We see it playing out in the House and elsewhere where hatred takes over and compromise becomes impossible.

The piece is about MAGA but this happes in the Middle-East, Africa and elsewhere. The MAGA example is true but the lesson is more universal.

The downside to selling hatred as a MAGA commodity​

​

Hatred consumes its host in the end​

​

Hatred becomes a powerful addiction, and Trump’s followers are hooked. Hatred affects dopamine receptor binding such that addiction to hatred is as strong as an addiction to cocaine, except it’s more destructive. A shared addiction to hatred forms a strong social bond because listening to someone spew hatred triggers the same gratifying chemical hit, whereas watching someone else snort cocaine does not.​

​

Extreme hatred also creates motivational bias, which means adherents can only see evidence that supports their beliefs. At the addictive stage, they are blind to any information that challenges their narrative. That’s why reasoning with a hate-infected person won’t work.​

​

Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle teaches that angry and violent people are addicted to their thoughts. They hear them on repeat, over and over, and can’t shut them off. Hatred and negativity are so consuming, they look for others to infect. Hatred, like all untreated addictions, consumes its host in the end. Until then, the addicted part of the country will keep marching toward rock bottom, from where, eventually, they will begin the ascent back toward sanity.​

 

[We Never Know]

Seeing some news stories, I was reminded of this from Good Omens. Substitute hatred for evil and you have my view "Aziraphale: Evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. No matter how well-planned, how foolproof an evil plan, no matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, in the end it will founder on the rocks of iniquity and vanish."

Hatred and fear are linked together in a downward cycle. We now see how "there's no one left but thee and me and we're not sure of thee" operates as people get accused of being insufficiently pure and thus the enemy. We see it playing out in the House and elsewhere where hatred takes over and compromise becomes impossible.

The piece is about MAGA but this happes in the Middle-East, Africa and elsewhere. The MAGA example is true but the lesson is more universal.

The downside to selling hatred as a MAGA commodity​

​

Hatred consumes its host in the end​

​

Hatred becomes a powerful addiction, and Trump’s followers are hooked. Hatred affects dopamine receptor binding such that addiction to hatred is as strong as an addiction to cocaine, except it’s more destructive. A shared addiction to hatred forms a strong social bond because listening to someone spew hatred triggers the same gratifying chemical hit, whereas watching someone else snort cocaine does not.​

​

Extreme hatred also creates motivational bias, which means adherents can only see evidence that supports their beliefs. At the addictive stage, they are blind to any information that challenges their narrative. That’s why reasoning with a hate-infected person won’t work.​

​

Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle teaches that angry and violent people are addicted to their thoughts. They hear them on repeat, over and over, and can’t shut them off. Hatred and negativity are so consuming, they look for others to infect. Hatred, like all untreated addictions, consumes its host in the end. Until then, the addicted part of the country will keep marching toward rock bottom, from where, eventually, they will begin the ascent back toward sanity.​

Hatred and personal attacks are the top two.

 

[Colt]

Seeing some news stories, I was reminded of this from Good Omens. Substitute hatred for evil and you have my view "Aziraphale: Evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. No matter how well-planned, how foolproof an evil plan, no matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, in the end it will founder on the rocks of iniquity and vanish."

Hatred and fear are linked together in a downward cycle. We now see how "there's no one left but thee and me and we're not sure of thee" operates as people get accused of being insufficiently pure and thus the enemy. We see it playing out in the House and elsewhere where hatred takes over and compromise becomes impossible.

The piece is about MAGA but this happes in the Middle-East, Africa and elsewhere. The MAGA example is true but the lesson is more universal.

The downside to selling hatred as a MAGA commodity​

​

Hatred consumes its host in the end​

​

Hatred becomes a powerful addiction, and Trump’s followers are hooked. Hatred affects dopamine receptor binding such that addiction to hatred is as strong as an addiction to cocaine, except it’s more destructive. A shared addiction to hatred forms a strong social bond because listening to someone spew hatred triggers the same gratifying chemical hit, whereas watching someone else snort cocaine does not.​

​

Extreme hatred also creates motivational bias, which means adherents can only see evidence that supports their beliefs. At the addictive stage, they are blind to any information that challenges their narrative. That’s why reasoning with a hate-infected person won’t work.​

​

Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle teaches that angry and violent people are addicted to their thoughts. They hear them on repeat, over and over, and can’t shut them off. Hatred and negativity are so consuming, they look for others to infect. Hatred, like all untreated addictions, consumes its host in the end. Until then, the addicted part of the country will keep marching toward rock bottom, from where, eventually, they will begin the ascent back toward sanity.​

Oh the irony! In my lifetime the Left hated Reagan, Bush 1, Bush 2, Trump 1 and now Trump again! Utterly out of touch with your own hatred and hypocrisy!

 

[Pogo]

Hatred and personal attacks are the top two.

Planks in Donald Trump's political strategy.

They do work all too well but are long term destructive.

 

[We Never Know]

Planks in Donald Trump's political strategy.

They do work all too well but are long term destructive.

Planks in your eye for not seeing its both sides.

 

[Pogo]

Planks in your eye for not seeing its both sides.

Which minority did Harris absurdly accuse of "eating our pets", Donald's strategy is to foment hatred of others so you don't actually look at what he is doing.

 

[Revoltingest]

Seeing some news stories, I was reminded of this from Good Omens. Substitute hatred for evil and you have my view "Aziraphale: Evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. No matter how well-planned, how foolproof an evil plan, no matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, in the end it will founder on the rocks of iniquity and vanish."

Hatred and fear are linked together in a downward cycle. We now see how "there's no one left but thee and me and we're not sure of thee" operates as people get accused of being insufficiently pure and thus the enemy. We see it playing out in the House and elsewhere where hatred takes over and compromise becomes impossible.

The piece is about MAGA but this happes in the Middle-East, Africa and elsewhere. The MAGA example is true but the lesson is more universal.

The downside to selling hatred as a MAGA commodity​

​

Hatred consumes its host in the end​

​

Hatred becomes a powerful addiction, and Trump’s followers are hooked. Hatred affects dopamine receptor binding such that addiction to hatred is as strong as an addiction to cocaine, except it’s more destructive. A shared addiction to hatred forms a strong social bond because listening to someone spew hatred triggers the same gratifying chemical hit, whereas watching someone else snort cocaine does not.​

​

Extreme hatred also creates motivational bias, which means adherents can only see evidence that supports their beliefs. At the addictive stage, they are blind to any information that challenges their narrative. That’s why reasoning with a hate-infected person won’t work.​

​

Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle teaches that angry and violent people are addicted to their thoughts. They hear them on repeat, over and over, and can’t shut them off. Hatred and negativity are so consuming, they look for others to infect. Hatred, like all untreated addictions, consumes its host in the end. Until then, the addicted part of the country will keep marching toward rock bottom, from where, eventually, they will begin the ascent back toward sanity.​

Interesting timing.
I've had to prohibit all discussions that could venture
into politics with my helper. As a true believer in
Trump's cult, he can't bear any criticism of Trump's
policies, actions, or promises without becoming livid,
& making it personal.

 

[sun rise]

Planks in your eye for not seeing its both sides.

Ignoring all the Trump insults I see as well as the MAGA-MAGA fighting in Congress and all the rest. You must watch Fox where all of that is not reported or glossed over.

 

[We Never Know]

Ignoring all the Trump insults I see as well as the MAGA-MAGA fighting in Congress and all the rest. You must watch Fox where all of that is not reported or glossed over.

Not ignoring nothing. Its both sides, you only see one because you ignore one to focus on the other.

 

[sun rise]

Not ignoring nothing. Its both sides, you only see one because you ignore one to focus on the other.

I can easily find 10 stories about MAGA insulting Republicans and them insulting each other and Trump insulting all sorts of people. So find 10 where the left did the same (I'll give you 1 - Hillary's stupid "deplorables" remark).

 

[We Never Know]

I can easily find 10 stories about MAGA insulting Republicans and them insulting each other and Trump insulting all sorts of people. So find 10 where the left did the same (I'll give you 1 - Hillary's stupid "deplorables" remark).

I never said they were even. I said its both sides.

 

[Pogo]

Not ignoring nothing. Its both sides, you only see one because you ignore one to focus on the other.

Who did Harris say was poisoning our blood?
What is the history of that expression?

 

[sun rise]

I never said they were even. I said its both sides.

There is certainly enough hatred among humans of every stripe.

The difference is that it's been encouraged and applauded in the MAGA party and those who would worth with Democrats in the House are attacked as traitors. And the infighting among far right Republicans is very strong. Of course Trump and Vance attack immigrants and others as less than whites. And the stark difference this time are all the very conservative and religious folk who are welcomed by Kamala Harris. Can you imagine MAGA making common cause with Bernie Sanders?

That's why this time it's all those who love America and our ideals supporting Kamala Harris from far right to far left versus those who would elevate a leader into a tyrant who ignores laws, praises criminals and promises to destroy everything that we stand for. And it's about those who use hatred and fear for political purposes to drive people apart and those who appeal to, as Lincoln put it, "the better angels of our nature"

 

[crossfire]

Seeing some news stories, I was reminded of this from Good Omens. Substitute hatred for evil and you have my view "Aziraphale: Evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. No matter how well-planned, how foolproof an evil plan, no matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, in the end it will founder on the rocks of iniquity and vanish."

Hatred and fear are linked together in a downward cycle. We now see how "there's no one left but thee and me and we're not sure of thee" operates as people get accused of being insufficiently pure and thus the enemy. We see it playing out in the House and elsewhere where hatred takes over and compromise becomes impossible.

The piece is about MAGA but this happes in the Middle-East, Africa and elsewhere. The MAGA example is true but the lesson is more universal.

The downside to selling hatred as a MAGA commodity​

​

Hatred consumes its host in the end​

​

Hatred becomes a powerful addiction, and Trump’s followers are hooked. Hatred affects dopamine receptor binding such that addiction to hatred is as strong as an addiction to cocaine, except it’s more destructive. A shared addiction to hatred forms a strong social bond because listening to someone spew hatred triggers the same gratifying chemical hit, whereas watching someone else snort cocaine does not.​

​

Extreme hatred also creates motivational bias, which means adherents can only see evidence that supports their beliefs. At the addictive stage, they are blind to any information that challenges their narrative. That’s why reasoning with a hate-infected person won’t work.​

​

Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle teaches that angry and violent people are addicted to their thoughts. They hear them on repeat, over and over, and can’t shut them off. Hatred and negativity are so consuming, they look for others to infect. Hatred, like all untreated addictions, consumes its host in the end. Until then, the addicted part of the country will keep marching toward rock bottom, from where, eventually, they will begin the ascent back toward sanity.​

Hatred as an addiction (attachment) is an excellent analogy. You can see the junkie-like behavior of those whose minds are overcome by hatred. Since you mentioned Buddhism, I'll put a couple of my favorite quotes from Buddha regarding hatred behind spoiler tags since this is the politics section.

Spoiler

Dhammapada 1:5-6

​

5. Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.​

​

6. There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.​

Kalama Sutta

​

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."​

Buddha says to reject doctrines that preach hatred as it leads to long term harm, and accept doctrines that lead to an end of hatred as leading to long term benefit:

​

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Bad, venerable sir" — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Censured, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."​

​

9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias toward a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'​

​

<...>​

12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."​

<...>​

14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Good, venerable sir." — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Not blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Praised, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."​

​

15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias toward a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'​

 

[Twilight Hue]

Hatred and personal attacks are the top two.

Mostly by the deranged left wing.

 

[We Never Know]

There is certainly enough hatred among humans of every stripe.

The difference is that it's been encouraged and applauded in the MAGA party and those who would worth with Democrats in the House are attacked as traitors. And the infighting among far right Republicans is very strong. Of course Trump and Vance attack immigrants and others as less than whites. And the stark difference this time are all the very conservative and religious folk who are welcomed by Kamala Harris. Can you imagine MAGA making common cause with Bernie Sanders?

That's why this time it's all those who love America and our ideals supporting Kamala Harris from far right to far left versus those who would elevate a leader into a tyrant who ignores laws, praises criminals and promises to destroy everything that we stand for. And it's about those who use hatred and fear for political purposes to drive people apart and those who appeal to, as Lincoln put it, "the better angels of our nature"

Do you think wishing some one dies, sad that the assassin missed, hoping they dont miss next time, etc. is not hate?

 

[Stevicus]

Seeing some news stories, I was reminded of this from Good Omens. Substitute hatred for evil and you have my view "Aziraphale: Evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. No matter how well-planned, how foolproof an evil plan, no matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, in the end it will founder on the rocks of iniquity and vanish."

Hatred and fear are linked together in a downward cycle. We now see how "there's no one left but thee and me and we're not sure of thee" operates as people get accused of being insufficiently pure and thus the enemy. We see it playing out in the House and elsewhere where hatred takes over and compromise becomes impossible.

The piece is about MAGA but this happes in the Middle-East, Africa and elsewhere. The MAGA example is true but the lesson is more universal.

The downside to selling hatred as a MAGA commodity​

​

Hatred consumes its host in the end​

​

Hatred becomes a powerful addiction, and Trump’s followers are hooked. Hatred affects dopamine receptor binding such that addiction to hatred is as strong as an addiction to cocaine, except it’s more destructive. A shared addiction to hatred forms a strong social bond because listening to someone spew hatred triggers the same gratifying chemical hit, whereas watching someone else snort cocaine does not.​

​

Extreme hatred also creates motivational bias, which means adherents can only see evidence that supports their beliefs. At the addictive stage, they are blind to any information that challenges their narrative. That’s why reasoning with a hate-infected person won’t work.​

​

Drawing from Zen Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle teaches that angry and violent people are addicted to their thoughts. They hear them on repeat, over and over, and can’t shut them off. Hatred and negativity are so consuming, they look for others to infect. Hatred, like all untreated addictions, consumes its host in the end. Until then, the addicted part of the country will keep marching toward rock bottom, from where, eventually, they will begin the ascent back toward sanity.​

I think our culture has allowed for such hateful attitudes to persist and flourish over the decades. A lot of people with predatory, selfish, and greedy attitudes which lead to hatred. There's also a great deal of fear, whether it's fear of the future or other fears, and this can also lead to an attitude of hatred. Over the past 80 years or so, our government has bent over backwards to convince the American public that there's so much to fear from this world, necessitating a global military posture, because the outside world is just too dangerous. We have a culture which extols the virtues of mobsters, gangbangers, and mean girls - and I think that has had some side effects over the decades.

Also, looking back over the entirety of U.S. history, it's not exactly as if we've been a paragon of virtue all this time and that hatred just suddenly descended on the nation like some kind of alien invasion. The hatred we're seeing now is the hatred that's always been here.

 

[PureX]

It seems to me that hatred of others is an expression of justification of the self. The obsession with the 'wrongness' of others is an obsession with the illusion of our own righteousness. And because none of us are all that righteous, this obsession can never be honestly fulfilled. Which is how it becomes an obsession.

Peddling hate is just peddling the drug of false self-righteousness. It feels good in the moment, But because it is a lie, a delusion, the addict has to keep fighting with reality to try and maintain feeling good about themselves at the expense of others. Which will only drive them crazy in the end, as all obsession/addictions do.

 

[Wirey]

Hatred as an addiction (attachment) is an excellent analogy. You can see the junkie-like behavior of those whose minds are overcome by hatred. Since you mentioned Buddhism, I'll put a couple of my favorite quotes from Buddha regarding hatred behind spoiler tags since this is the politics section.

Spoiler

Dhammapada 1:5-6

​

5. Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.​

​

6. There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.​

Kalama Sutta

​

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."​

Buddha says to reject doctrines that preach hatred as it leads to long term harm, and accept doctrines that lead to an end of hatred as leading to long term benefit:

​

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Bad, venerable sir" — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Censured, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."​

​

9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias toward a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'​

​

<...>​

12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."​

<...>​

14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Good, venerable sir." — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Not blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Praised, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."​

​

15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias toward a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'​

Aaahhh, get back to your bong, hippy!

 

[Revoltingest]

This is the old situation where each side believes the
other is wicked, hateful, & ready to destroy the country.
Take it from one who loathes both candidates.
Trump's campaign is based more in hatred & lies.
Sure, Harris uses hatred & lies too.
But the degree of Trump's using both is far greater.
This I observe.