The unspoken divide in the U.S. is not Left vs. Right — but extremists vs. reasonable people.
By King Lars and Roland T. Flackfizer
Both the far left and the far right have a ‘hard on’ social unrest. This is what they have been romanticizing for years yet are just now able to actualize. Yet, they have no idea what lies on the other side of the revolution, boogaloo, social unrest, civil war, etc., but they are dragging the rest of us along with them — against our will. To be clear, the only thing that awaits us on the other side of system collapse is untold human suffering. Not to mention, every single clash caught on video is a golden gift to Donald Trump as it supports his metanarrative.
The unspoken truth about the current street confrontations is that people are finding meaning through it. People who otherwise feel powerless are feeling stronger than ever and receive an entourage effect fueled by adrenaline and righteousness. The psychology of why people engage in social unrest is more easily explained through a need to belong to a ‘tribe’ as opposed to an expectation for tangible societal change. Scientists have studied this phenomenon for decades, finding that mankind is driven by the animal instinct of camaraderie.
The hounds take to the streets, engaged in a war that exploits racial injustice for a second white civil war in the United States. To be clear, both of these groups have co-opted and piggy backed on the Black Lives Matter movement. This much has been said by E.D. Mondaine, the President of the Portland Chapter of the NAACP, who described the street fights as a “white spectacle.” He wrote in a Washington Post op-ed “As the demonstrations continue every night in Portland, many people with their own agendas are co-opting, and distracting attention from, what should be our central concern: the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Both sides have been agitated through an endless stream of pre-selected information, targeted by information sold to the highest bidder. This is how the social media algorithm works; if you have not yet watched ‘The Social Dilemma.’ On the moderate front, the argument is that these divisions are stoked by actions within politics. However, the reality is that hyper-factionalization has taken hold in the America public due to the inarguable might of the social media giants.
A 2013 study by the University of Amsterdam entitled ‘The Social Psychology of Protest’ reported that “… people generally strive for and benefit from positive social identities associated with their groups. The only way for participants in [these] studies to obtain a positive social identity is by identifying with the groups into which they are categorized…”
In essence, a hammer needs nails. Antifa/Ancom types NEED Proud Boys to justify their desire to ‘burn it down.’ Yet, the problem is that there are simply not enough white supremacist militias, proud boys, alt-right groups, etc. to substantiate their actions. Despite seeing record numbers of protests on the left, the boogieman of some mythical massive far-right movement of militiamen, armed to the teeth, has yet to materialize.
The proud boys and other militia types have now promised two massive displays in Portland this year where they called upon their nationwide followers to attend. They could barely muster 100 people each time. The far-right is either less in numbers than imagined, less organized, or being very well behaved — all things considered. However, this nightmare fuel is enough to stoke pre-existing social tensions and encourage demonization on all sides of the political spectrum.
The right-left paradigm is a false dichotomy. The hyper-politicization of everything has forced otherwise reasonable people onto the margins. People who have no real political differences or qualm are pitted against each other in a raw, political battlefield. Yet when real, tangible factional violence takes hold, hopefully, previously naive Americans will step off the brink.
The warring factions are getting what they want: the ultimate LARP. While those living ordinary lives, raising family, and trying to make their mortgage, the political revolutionaries are sparring in the streets, each accusing the other of playing instigator. Depending on where you turn for news and information, you are resolute in your convictions: an immovable rock. However, this irresolute stance is the canary in the cold mine signaling darker times ahead.
We have no real opinions in 2020. They are not our own convictions but rather ones imposed on us via the omniscient algorithm. Hyperbolic, hyperpartisan viewpoints are lifted up, whereas nuanced, complex takes on the world are suppressed. Chances are, 100% of those engaging in factional violence are avid consumers of social media. I doubt any are ‘off the grid’. Watch The Social Dilemma.
Show Comments
Cirpili
False equivalencies enable white racist imperialism. Way to suck.
EnlightenedCentrist
This enlightened centrist take is so dumb it hurts. I can’t believe it took two of you to write this garbage.
American Fascists want non-whites dead. Antifacists want fascists dead. You can choose to be a fascist, you can’t choose to be white. How hard is this to understand?
Katie
HHAHAHAHAHAHAH
“BoTh Sides SAmE sides. Doesn’t matter if one is actively killing more citizens and police officers than the other… Anything that makes me uncomfortable is not on my side. ”
This article is a joke. We’re too knee deep in facism for you to still not see that white supremacists are the actual threat. They are funded internationally. Antifa is literally just a bunch of college students. I know the sight of seeing people in conflict makes you cluth your pearls but one side is actively fighting against the threat of violence from the other. The FBI has already came to this conclusion. The department of homelamd security has had whistle blowers reveal they had to exaggerate left wing violence and suppress right wing violence. You should just either come out as a nazi sympathizer or shut the hell up cause you’re clearly not fit to handle fighting against white supremacists.
Klien
HHAHAHAHAHAHAH
“BoTh Sides SAmE sides. Doesn’t matter if one is actively killing more citizens and police officers than the other… Anything that makes me uncomfortable is not on my side. ”
This article is a joke. We’re too knee deep in facism for you to still not see that white supremacists are the actual threat. They are funded internationally. Antifa is literally just a bunch of college students. I know the sight of seeing people in conflict makes you cluth your pearls but one side is actively fighting against the threat of violence from the other. The FBI has already came to this conclusion. The department of homelamd security has had whistle blowers reveal they had to exaggerate left wing violence and suppress right wing violence. You should just either come out as a nazi sympathizer or shut the hell up cause you’re clearly not fit to handle fighting against
Mark B.
This was better off being a rant on a Trump supporter facebook group. Waste of journalism. Just the ramblings of a self important coward who has literally never done any research on anything but wants to feel important/heard.
Imagine hearing the phrases”
“Jews will not replace us” and ” Black lives matter” and thinking they’re the same thing. Such laziness.
Daniel
Braindead take.