Shhhhhh.
Nobody make any sudden moves or jiggle the elbows of Reforms Conservatives.
They are trying to sloooooowly tease the "Crazy" out of "Crazy Party".
With a teeny, tiny pair of tweezers.
It is a vewy, vewy delicate operation. From David Frum, who stands roughly in the middle of my list of people who are inexplicably hired over and over again to write silly thing like this in national publications:
Got that Liberals?...The reform conservatives seem more open to the new. This is progress. If the policy agenda that follows remains cautious, remember: These conservative reformers aren’t trying to change the world. They’re trying to change a political party.You don’t change people’s minds by telling them they are wrong, even—or especially—if they are wrong. You change their minds first by establishing an emotional connection with them. Next you ratify their existing beliefs. When it comes time to introduce a new idea, you emphasize its consistency with things they already believe. This is what the reform conservatives are doing, or have begun to do. If they seem to be moving slowly, well, take it from me: It’s no good being even 10 minutes ahead of the times.
The real problem in American politics is that the Teabaggers haven't been coddled and flattered and fawned over enough. Because according to Mr. Frum -- who is indeed an expert at fawning and flattering -- that is the only way to lead some benighted soul out of the darkness and into the light of True Conservatism.
And you know, come to think of it, who is further from the Light of True Conservatism that filthy, America-hating Liberals like us!
So the next time Crazy Uncle Liberty jabs you in the chest, and loudly repeats for the umpteenth time what an America-hating, terr'ist-lovin', Commie stooge you Libruls are based on whatever Kenyan Usurper wingnut conspiracy turd Limbaugh shat into his skull that morning, instead of "arguing" about "facts", give David Frum's advice a shot instead: try telling Crazy Uncle Liberty very calmly that, before you can make space in your Big Book of Important Ideas for his rustic views on science and Negroes, he must first create a properly safe emotional context for you.
And then he must ratify your existing beliefs.
And they he should emphasize the consistency of rustic views on science and Negroes with things you already believe.
And then drop me a line and tell me how it went.
3 comments:
Good stuff DG. Good stuff. It's a puzzlement.
The old aphorism is that "a bore is someone who doesn't realize he's a bore" [i.e., lacks any self awareness of just how bad he is].
There's something similar with the Frums (and Brooks and the rest of them) of this world who don't realize or won't admit how transparently stupid [i.e. divorced from facts and reality] their stuff is. Worse still, they are swollen with pride in their sagacity and (in Brooks case) the Procrustean fit of their analogies and metaphors. I suppose the money is nice too as long as they continue to be such responsively compliant courtiers.
First, Frum is admitting that conservatives don't even live in objective reality. He bases it on his own experience of being honest about where the Republican party was heading and getting RINO'd out of favor for a few months ("take it from me: It’s no good being even 10 minutes ahead of the times").
He also admits that libruuls, who are often 30 or more years ahead of their time, are outright despised since even 10 minutes ahead of your time is enough to draw consternation from your own tribe's rabble.
Yeah, and? Liberals are better than you because they're even ahead of you. We know. Thanks.
Getting into the brainwashing, I'd have to agree with the following statement.
You change their minds first by establishing an emotional connection with them.
I agree with this, when dealing with someone who has been indoctrinated. If you want to get past the opening stages of a debate, you have to coax empathy out of them by first appealing to their emotions, rather than logic. They have to identify with you and your subject.
You're getting them to switch tribes. At least in their mind, temporarily. This is actually key. Once you're able to get them to go neutral, their minds are just begging for a directive. The problem is that unless you're very friendly already (long-time friend, family) this stage will never happen.
It's akin to de-programming someone who has literally been brainwashed. First you get them away from the source of indoctrination, and then you start laying down actual facts. Authoritarians can be reprogrammed to the point of dropping one ideology...and they can even exchange it for another. I don't consider liberalism (or whatever phrase you may want to use) as an indoctrination or brainwashing as I do conservatism, as liberalism requires someone to develop empathy for others and recognize societal goods. But I'm also biased (brainwashed)
Ultimately, the best thing about liberalism (in my mind) is that it advocates that humanity see itself as a species so that we can improve everyone's standard of living/happiness/etc. You want society to work for everyone, not just to the benefit of one group while a detriment to another.
Which is why I also agree with this:
When it comes time to introduce a new idea, you emphasize its consistency with things they already believe.
Liberalism is tribalism that includes everyone. An authoritarian can latch onto that concept. You just need the right terminology and cognitive understanding to describe as many different people as possible as tribe members. It isn't easy, and it doesn't work for everyone, as some people are too far gone and are just not salvageable. It takes effort, but it's possible.
Frum is saying though that conservatives are brainwashed and need to be de-programmed. I just wanted to be clear on that.
Finally, you see Frum's own cognitive dissonance.
In his own mind, Frum believes that he is the forefather of the Reformicans. He believes that he has the authority to declare that being even 10 minutes ahead of time is valuable, while also dismissing the libruuuls who are way ahead of their time.
If libruuuls are way ahead of their time...why doesn't Frum listen and then act accordingly? Is it because he'd then just be a libruuul saying libruuly things, and not being handsomely rewarded for it?
Frum's message: Conservatives are brainwashed. We need to de-program them, but because I enjoy being paid, we need to go as slowly as possible. Our country may be falling apart, but have a little patience, and a little empathy.
Tolerate the intolerant!
Empathize with sociopaths!
Fucking brilliant.
DG, you need to start penning conservative pornography like Frum and get paid. Grifting the grifters is one of the easy ways to hit 'em where it hurts. It's all about wealth and power for them. Grab some and throw it in their face.
If the teeny, tiny pair of tweezers touches the sides, does a buzzer sound and the elephant's trunk light up red?
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