Post AY6Ju0ewdNCCfbYWDw by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
 (DIR) More posts by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
 (DIR) Post #AY6Jtvq6YS9TiljrQO by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
       2022-12-12T20:07:50Z
       
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       People on the left often attribute the actions of people on the right whom they otherwise want to admire as being due to mental issues or pretense.The reality is those people usually just believe things so antithetical our values that we can’t tolerate the cognitive dissonance.The right-wing information ecosphere is a problem, but people on the right “get the wrong answers” because they value and prioritize different things.1/
       
 (DIR) Post #AY6JtyVecwZm0DC4Su by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
       2022-12-12T20:09:06Z
       
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       Research on authoritarian personality traits shows differences in value systems:Stability vs changeObedience vs independenceConformity vs diversityEtc.ANDPeople with those traits tend to value aggression against people and groups viewed as challenging existing hierarchy.Regardless of the extent to which one views personality traits as innate versus a product of environment, the fact is possession of certain traits affects the environments one chooses—including media environment.2/
       
 (DIR) Post #AY6Ju0ewdNCCfbYWDw by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
       2022-12-12T20:13:45Z
       
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       We ALL self-select environments for confirmation of our own values.A 2021 study showed that a higher percentage of Americans—25.6%—possessed “right-wing authoritarian” traits than did people in the UK or Europe (more than double in most cases).[Source: https://morningconsult.com/2021/06/28/right-wing-authoritarianism-international-study-methodology/]3/
       
 (DIR) Post #AY6Ju2V5myVGNcxg92 by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
       2022-12-12T20:18:42Z
       
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       I’ve been immersed recently in the far-right online ecosphere and simultaneously watching smart people excusing away Musk’s and Ye’s actions.People expressing views antithetical to ours are not necessarily mentally ill or performing.I too believe the conclusions of those on the right are wrong, but it’s not because they are “crazy” or faking or—and we on the left love this one too—because they don’t understand They want a different future than I do because their values are different.4/4
       
 (DIR) Post #AY6Ju4E9Mw8hjf3B0y by leahmcelrath@mstdn.social
       2022-12-12T20:56:45Z
       
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       Addendum:I want to be clear that I’m not “both sides-ing” or otherwise minimizing the threat posed by people on the right. The threat is real.If anything, it is more real in large part because of the differing values held by those on the right.If an authority encourages people on the right to target a given entity, they’re more likely to do so precisely because they value obedience to authority AND because they value aggression against perceived disruptive people and groups.