https://kottke.org/25/02/extinction...-anger?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=other posted 5h ago by Jason Kottke Extinction Burst Explains MAGA Voters’ Racist Anger This fantastic two-minute video, from a guy named Rich, neatly explains why the anger and frustration of Trump’s supporters has been growing over time — why the pushback on things like diversity, equity, inclusion, trans rights, and LGBTQ+ issues seems to be increasing and the hate grows more overt. It has to do with an idea called an extinction burst. Here’s a transcript of the video: The Trump spike in racism, sexism, and hate — it’s the emotional foundation for the entire Make America Great Again movement, that nostalgia for when life in America was simpler and paler. But as soon as we began addressing it — boom! extinction burst. This term is why I love science so much. You can take an idea from one field, like psychology for example, and apply it to another field, like political science, and the principles still apply. Extinction burst is actually really simple. It’s when you have a behavior and a reward, and you withdraw the reward in order to change the behavior. When you do that, usually to change an undesirable behavior, the behavior itself increases in frequency and intensity for a short period of time until ultimately the subject changes the behavior and then that behavior goes extinct. This is like you’re at the store and you’re swiping your credit card, and it doesn’t work, and so then you swipe your credit card like 15 more times until you’re so angry you’re freaking out, and you’re about to scream an F-bomb in the middle of Toys R Us. And then you say, “I’ll just pay with cash”. Swiping is the behavior and the payment is the reward. So when the swiping doesn’t work and you don’t get the reward you need, you get madder and madder and you try it more and more until you change the behavior, which then results in the extinction of the original behavior. Now, extinction burst at the national level is much slower, but in this case we actually know very clearly what triggered it: it was Obama’s election in 2008. Sarah Palin, the Tea Party Movement, the birther movement, and ultimately MAGA. It is a 10-year tsunami of rage in the face of inevitable extinction. This is why Republicans are still so angry. They know they know Trump winning can’t stop it, and they know Trump in office can’t stop it — they can feel the inevitable extinction of their own terrible beliefs. At this point, the only thing that’ll stop it is if we let up. If you stop interfering with that undesirable behavior, it will go back to normal. So no, you’re not crazy; yes, you are doing the right thing; and yes, if you persevere, the extinction burst will end. Note that this isn’t an explanation of where the Tea Party & MAGA movements came from; many people have written about how MAGA can be understood as a reaction to Obama’s election — subsequent events like Black Lives Matter, the Me Too movement, the election of a Black woman as vice-president, the legalization of gay marriage, etc. have kept the indignities coming. Rather, the extinction burst concept explains why the reaction seems to be getting more extreme, from QAnon to an increased number of book bans to anti-trans laws to anti-abortion laws to Elon Musk doing Nazi salutes in public to openly expressed racism by many Republican politicians to January 6th to the 2025 Coup. We are seeing behavior that 15-20 years ago would have been almost unthinkable — now it’s daily. They are swiping the card and getting madder and madder. You can read more about extinction bursts, including some examples of extinction bursts in children: Tantrums: A child who has learned that tantrums result in attention from their parents may initially escalate their tantrum behavior when their tantrums are no longer reinforced. This escalation is an extinction burst, as the child is attempting to regain the attention they once received. Protesting: When a person has been reinforced by being excused from a task or activity, they may initially increase their protest behaviors, such as whining or arguing, when the reinforcement is no longer provided. This increase in protest behavior is an extinction burst. Persistence: In some cases, individuals may persistently engage in a behavior that previously led to reinforcement, even if the reinforcement is no longer present. For example, a child who used to receive a treat for asking repeatedly may continue to ask repeatedly, hoping for the treat, even when the treat is no longer given. This persistence is an extinction burst. And in adults: Cell Phone Addiction: If an individual is accustomed to receiving instant gratification through social media notifications on their cell phone, they may experience an extinction burst when they attempt to reduce their screen time. They may initially intensify their checking behavior, hoping to regain the previous level of reinforcement. Gambling: In the context of gambling, an individual who has previously experienced wins and rewards may exhibit an extinction burst if they suddenly stop winning. They may increase their gambling behavior, hoping to recreate the past reinforcement. Smoking Cessation: When someone tries to quit smoking, they may experience an extinction burst in the form of increased cravings and even heightened smoking behavior. This burst occurs because the expected reinforcement (nicotine) is no longer being received, leading to an initial escalation in smoking behavior.
The dems lost and deserved to lose. The truth is that their "message" just isn't resonating with the American people. It amounts to gaslighting when you put all that sh1t ahead of the real issues that are affecting people. Here are things they would rather you address. Political corruption, media corruption, out of control spending (and spending that is not making the lower class any better off), major global conflict escalations (very high profile), regressive taxation and tax code abuses, the complete and total mismanagement of the countries finances, and on and on... The bottom line is that "times up" and the people have spoken. Putting labels on people, attempting to silence, "cancel culture" and ESG, DEI, "woke" politics, etc. etc. Nobody gives a #@$% about a party that chooses not to represent their constituency because of special interests. Keep pushing these wedge issues and see where it gets you.
Dei or merit based, which is better for the company and country? When you are in the hospital for surgery, do you wish to have a doctor who is not qualified but got into medical school based on dei ? Democrats govern based on ideology instead of common sense who deserve to fail in the election.
Next time around, maybe the dems could just try getting a better candidate so that they do not have to flap their gums with ridiculous extinction theories about why voters were angry and the dems took it up the arse. If you want to spin ridiculous extinction theories then I will point out that nothings spells "Death Wish" more than having Joe Biden as the nominee and then rolling him out and replacing him with Kamala Biden. Now, thanks to extinction theories, we are being told that the dems are actually geniuses playing three dimensional chess. ie. they are just letting the pubs win so that they will eventually change their behavior. Heh, whatevah.
The extinction burst if for anyone is for the Dems. You got the whole storyline wrong. The Dems are trying to hang on. This is an attempt to use science in cognitive psychology to answer what went wrong for the Dems. And to explain why all the massive changes are happening with more to come. They are hanging onto the last knot in the rope. They thought they were going to drive MAGA and conservative views extinct. Instead, their ideas have been weighed and found wanting. Not because they are Dems but because too many of their ideas and concepts are wrong ideas about reality, culture, truth and such beliefs clash with too many people thus, they are found wanting. Lasting behavior change can only come through Worldview Change. Worldview is based upon beliefs whether they are true or erroneous. For too long the liberals have tried to force W.V. change through movies...ads...propaganda...etc. They created this mess America is in. MAGA is sort of a nativistic movement as a push back and reaction to the liberals imposing and pressing W.V. change through the use of media, economics, corruption, and other means to change people's belief thus hoping for W.V. change. A liberal W.V. that is. In short, they have attempted brainwashing. MAGA is a kickback to that push as folks are waking up and seeing what is really happening through liberal thinking and liberal posturing that destroys America. MAGA is determined to take America back again. Hence MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN is a sort of return to the more conservative values in times of yesteryear when America was great. Granted not all conservative beliefs were good or true beliefs but overall, they are a lot better that the liberal stuff that is pushed on us daily nowadays and those more conservative beliefs of yesteryear created the environment for a Great America to emerge. The liberals have attempted in the last 75 years to change all that to fit their beliefs and mold America into the country they want. Now it is back firing. MAGA will push forward, and many more changes and policies are down the highway. Best make haste and get with the momentum.
+100. Explains why so many failed traders here have embraced the orange retard; failed at trading -> reloaded -> failed in a historic bull mkt -> went MAGA. You can see a pattern in their posting always after market hours as they picked up gig jobs, rideshare, etc. A lot of these dudes flipped from Obama to Trump as well. I know it's not what's proposed but you see it here.
LOL. Fuck both sides with a congressional gavel. MAGA (and GOP in general) are racist, misogynist snowflakes who elected a kleptocratic dictator wannabe because of their feels. This has been the best economy in the recent decades and some morons can't find a job, so they blame Mexicans and DEI. True loser central. Democrats are bumbling idiots who could not figure the messaging on the issues, could not find a candidate who does not drool and could not find unity even in the face of true adversity. You're faced with a guy who literally says that he's gonna destroy everything you worked for over the last fifty years and you protest-vote because of Israel. True moron club.
Really? Completely opposite for me. Under the Democrats all I want to do is trade SPX synthetics on sim. But now I want to contribute to real GDP and Make America Great Again!
Right, these loser MAGAs make up sim-trading shit to reconcile their cognitive dissonance. SPX synthetics on TOS sim. I see it had an impact on you, but no, it was wasted effort and you're still BAF.