I've been seeing politics in terms of emotions for years now. I think at base there are two emotions: attraction and avoidance, which can be called love and fear, or when it comes to people, trust and distrust. Conservatives lean more toward the fear/avoidance end, which explains their support for guns, prisons, and strong borders. Liberals are more empathic, though that has a free-rider problem.
George Lakoff is another person who looks at politics through an emotional lens.
Yes, what to do is a challenge. It's easier for me to sit in So.Cal La La Land and theorize on the problems than to come up with actions to take. I do know that we need to talk to the right and the DNC (I'm still pissed at them for pushing Bernie to one side) in a voice with no hint of hostility or superiority. Where those conversations take place, I'm not sure. My attempts on FOX news comments and Reddit have not gone very far. I did work with Better Angels (now Braver Angels https://braverangels.org/ ) and their experience was that it is harder to enlist read than blue.
I've been seeing politics in terms of emotions for years now. I think at base there are two emotions: attraction and avoidance, which can be called love and fear, or when it comes to people, trust and distrust. Conservatives lean more toward the fear/avoidance end, which explains their support for guns, prisons, and strong borders. Liberals are more empathic, though that has a free-rider problem.
George Lakoff is another person who looks at politics through an emotional lens.
So what's the implication for what to do?
Yes, what to do is a challenge. It's easier for me to sit in So.Cal La La Land and theorize on the problems than to come up with actions to take. I do know that we need to talk to the right and the DNC (I'm still pissed at them for pushing Bernie to one side) in a voice with no hint of hostility or superiority. Where those conversations take place, I'm not sure. My attempts on FOX news comments and Reddit have not gone very far. I did work with Better Angels (now Braver Angels https://braverangels.org/ ) and their experience was that it is harder to enlist read than blue.