If there was a "VIX" tracking hatred between left wing and right wing people would this be close to the high, that we have experienced in the last 50 years? I spend as much time listening to the left as i do to the right in terms of the news and it seems the whole thing has completely degenerated even on news channels into who is more racist who is more of a scumbag, etc. Basically the news sources are starting to look like what goes on in an internet forum like ET, I wonder if this is the peak, or close to it, or if this is going to continue to get even uglier. I honestly dont think that right, and left wing media have always been this ugly towards each other, i think that it is reaching a boiling point. How much worse can this get in the mainstream before it results in extreme violence between liberals and conservatives? (Before someone points out my faults i know i am guilty as well)
You're absolutely correct in your perception, imho. Some factors at work: Rising stratification (read resentment). Aging boomers (read mortality salience, aka fear). Rise of the blogosphere, and the complete ability to only read things you agree with (read polarized thinking). Rise of resource competition worldwide (again, fear). Relative decline of American power (fear, shame). Reaching of the limits of materialism to find... no salvation (hopelessness). Edit: and one more (very important)... a really shitty economy. We always tear at each other when it's like this.
Besides the economy which is the biggest thing, I think the next thing you pointed out is the ability to choose your media, along with that problem it seems like every single politician we have running the show right now is just hopelessly incompetent. You look at the leaders right now that we have on either side and its Boehner, McConnell, and the republican field running for president, vs. Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and Wasserman Schultz. So what we have is an entire political system that is hopelessly incompetent, and both sides realize that their own side isnt anyone who is worth standing up for, so i think that the dialogue has changed to simply pointing out how much worse/racist/stupid the other side is, because there is nothing good anyone can really say about their own politicians. The problem is that no matter how incompetent either side looks there really is no alternative, i have yet to hear anyone on this site ( besides Range Rover) who would gladly come out and cheerlead for the current crop of politicians on their own side, the dialogue has simply changed to "my side is bad but yours is worse" Is that really what America has devolved into? I:f we keep playing the game of "well he is worse" eventually we will end up with a one legged hobo running the country. We need to boot every single one of these assholes, as they clearly are not getting the job done.
The ultimate "High" will probably be OWS protesters and Tea Partiers going at each other in a rally. I think you are right that we have not seen the "HIGH" but i think the ultimate "High" is coming before 2012. Eventually there si going to be violence between the 2 sides.
violence, who needs violence? I can get exhausted just reading posts from either side of the aisle... Basically, the food supply in the US has been devoid of a few very essential nutrients for the brain for a few decades. Our meat and eggs don't have Omega3.. it's essential to the nervous system and the entire body really. That might be the single biggest nutrition problem with regard to the brain.. brains can't develop properly without it... we don't cook brains and guts of animals we slaughter nor make broth out of everything that is left over so phosphatidylserine is gone from our diets, it is also very good for the brain... Americans are brainless sheep on both sides of the aisle really.. There are twenty other herbs and substances that are good for the brain and very readily available in supplements from Ray Sahelian, Purity Products, Northstar Nutritionals, etc... I'd really recommend that people invest in a lot of that stuff, educate themselves for a year, then see how these forums look....
Even if Obama and the Dems lose(which i want) there is no competent group of republicans to replace them, so again it comes back to my point, you want to see Obama and the dems lose, as do I, but who is going to be the replacement? We are stuck with saying "yeah well we are going to be better than Obama," But as a conservative it is tough to make the claim that the replacements are going to actually do a good job, even though they might be better. I mean republicans dont exactly have a good history, based on the people left to run the ship, who are all lifelong politicians that watched all this shit go down. Thats why i hate republicans as much as democrats, but i try to make the distinction between liberals and conservatives. Looks like once again we are fucked either way. Christie was our shot, hes gone, now its a choice between establishment neo-cons, and establishment dems.(2 sides of the same coin)