viatroy Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 My peoples are from NJ. Who knew Indiana and Michigan were part of the northeast! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 My peoples are from NJ. Who knew Indiana and Michigan were part of the northeast!Only the lower peninsula of Michigan, evidently... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 How much effect do you think the internet has had on the polarization of the U.S. citizenry? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
owl Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I was actually thinking about that yesterday. I'd say a pretty sizable amount. However, I think that it might just be the first stages of a much larger awakening when it comes to information, collaboration, and politics. We're seeing a pushback among citizens now- many fights start this way, with extremes- but I think that we will eventually see more collaboration, and more ability to relate to others, especially strangers in places like this, which will ultimately help the political process. People will soon see that Red and Blue really don't apply, and they will realize that they even have commonalities with their "mortal enemies." You will see a greater spread of information- especially sad facts and interesting, undeniable soundbytes (that you won't get on the news)- and you will see that Americans will be much more in tune with what's really happening in their gov't. It's sure frustrating to read someone else's extreme political views, but I also think that the Internet has a much larger potential to facilitate compromise as its usefulness develops. I think that, out of this, we will see much more balance between political ideologies, as people realize they're not as different as the politicians and news folks say they are. It's not on the immediate horizon, but it is there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Well put, loper. I was thinking back to my grandparents' generation, when there certainly was a greater respect for our government leaders in general (not saying it was necessarily deserved, I think it was more a matter of manners), but I also think that people might have been even more entrenched in their party affiliations because of family, church or work affiliation (back when every word and vote of every politician wasn't instantly available on the net and the local paper and three networks were "the news"). I agree with your points about the potential for the internet to break down some of the broad "red" and "blue" stereotypes through recognition that many folks may have more in common than they thought, but it also seems to have fostered a platform for the radicals on all sides of seemingly every issue. I guess in the end these two competing forces will battle it out. Just something to ponder... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
owl Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I agree, although I'm thinking that because few people can really stand heated argument for too long, they'll eventually take on calmer tones, refer less to the abundant unsubstantiated opinion, and grasp for reality, whatever it is. Even if people drop out for a while because they're too frustrated, it could be seen as "sleeping on it," and they'll come back as calmer people. Anyway, obviously, I'm just using my imagination, here. I do think, however, that the abundance of video clips online even this year has changed the way people see things here in America. There's room for every gaffe, now, on the Internet. In truth, though, I think that most Americans have one thing in common: extreme frustration at our gov't. Eventually, maybe we'll learn to join forces instead of fight amongst ourselves, and create a more useful consensus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Interestingly enough, on my way back from court just now I was listening to a local talk radio host, who also happens to be on the Houston City Council. He was taking callers and asking them who they're going to vote for in the Texas governor's race. The one caveat he gave everyone is that they needed to state a reason why they are voting FOR their candidate, rather than an explanation along the lines of "anyone but X..." I listened to about 8 different callers, each of whom were cut off by the host in the first 10 seconds, because they couldn't adhere to his caveat. So many of them were only talking about who they wouldn't vote for, rather than offering a substantive reason for the candidate they want to vote for. Finally the audience started getting the point and offering reasons for voting for the various candidates, but I thought the host made an interesting point. We see so many soundbites and video clips designed to draw attention to a politician's negative qualities that sometimes it's hard to scrape through the muck and get some data on the candidate's actual stances on issues... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
owl Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I think that the Internet might help there too- because there is no time limit or competition with lame human interest stories, like on the teevee. Of course, it will always be easier to find negative (and false) info on the Internets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedling Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Fuck the South. Fuck 'em. We should have let them go when they wanted to leave. But no, we had to kill half a million people so they'd stay part of our special Union. Fighting for the right to keep slaves - yeah, those are states we want to keep. And now what do we get? We're the fucking Arrogant Northeast Liberal Elite? How about this for arrogant: the South is the Real America? The Authentic America. Really? Cause we fucking founded this country, assholes. Those Founding Fathers you keep going on and on about? All that bullshit about what you think they meant by the Second Amendment giving you the right to keep your assault weapons in the glove compartment because you didn't bother to read the first half of the fucking sentence? Who do you think those wig-wearing lacy-shirt sporting revolutionaries were? They were fucking blue-staters, dickhead. Boston? Philadelphia? New York? Hello? Think there might be a reason all the fucking monuments are up here in our backyard? No, No. Get the fuck out. We're not letting you visit the Liberty Bell and fucking Plymouth Rock anymore until you get over your real American selves and start respecting those other nine amendments. Who do you think those fucking stripes on the flag are for? Nine are for fucking blue states. And it would be 10 if those Vermonters had gotten their fucking Subarus together and broken off from New York a little earlier. Get it? We started this shit, so don't get all uppity about how real you are you Johnny-come-lately "Oooooh I've been a state for almost a hundred years" dickheads. Fuck off. Arrogant? You wanna talk about us Northeasterners being fucking arrogant? What's more American than arrogance? Hmmm? Maybe horsies? I don't think so. Arrogance is the fucking cornerstone of what it means to be American. And I wouldn't be so fucking arrogant if I wasn't paying for your fucking bridges, bitch. All those Federal taxes you love to hate? It all comes from us and goes to you, so shut up and enjoy your fucking Tennessee Valley Authority electricity and your fancy highways that we paid for. And the next time Florida gets hit by a hurricane you can come crying to us if you want to, but you're the ones who built on a fucking swamp. "Let the Spanish keep it, it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 CLASSY! That was said of the above when Pat Moynihan delivered it on the Senate floor. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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