Political divisiveness, everything turned political; are we to far gone?

[Gumboy]

It seems like every single issue, no matter what, no matter what country it is in, now degrades into a political thing. It is becoming such a rabid fever pitch of insanity towards "Cheering" for "your side" that it is like people don't even care about anything anymore, except that their political side comes out looking better, or what their team would do better.

You can see it in threads here, when random topics are hijacked into "Democrats Vs. Republicans, round 1783938!". You can see it in real life if you turn on any of our "news" stations (Yes, even the non-fox news stations, if you can allow yourself to believe that)

Every single issue is now a territorial fight for the political sides of the united states, even from people not from the united states. Its like people can't get over the fact that their are not just "Red" and "Blue" sides, their are actually issues where people feel differently then what either of the "party lines" would say.

I see people, in real life, on here, on the news, that literally do nothing but spout of exactly what the party line is on about every single issue. Its like they have literally no thoughts of their own, only what their party says about something, and whatever that party says? Bam, that is what they believe. Its getting to the point with certain people in my life that I know exactly what they are going to say on an issue, just because I can think to myself: "Oh, dave. He is a staunch democrat, so he will believe X, might as well not even ask" or "Doris? Shes a republican, I don't need to ask what they think, it will be whatever the fox news says"

Does nobody think for themselves anymore? Its like you can say something, like myself for example, about gun control, and people instantly are like "YOU ARE A FOX NEWS WATCHING REPUBLICAN STOOGE, YOU ASSHOLE!" when its like "in all actuality, I have voted for democrats two out of the three presidential elections I've voted in, and I don't even know what channel number fox news is on my cable..." but nobody cares. Their opinion of you is already completely formed, because you disagree on one issue.



TL;DR: is their any turning back from the political divisiveness that we seemed to have backed ourselves into? Is this just a product of a two party system, where the two parties are now just essentially teams to root for? Only 54% of eligible voters voted in the last presidential election, and in my opinion, the "two sides" mentality is a big reason why.


As an aside, I realize that some of the answers are going to be "But its X parties fault for Y!", coming from people that do not realize that they are literally only playing into the "Cheering on the team" mentality, and are in fact the ones that are driving this to be a major issue.

[ellieg]

Its all the liberals fault!

Jk, but I do think we are too far gone. I see bad things happening in the future to our country. That's why im working out, running long distances, learning skills, and buying guns.

[Djuntas]

Whats wrong with beliving inn what party you like? Obviously no political party has all you're POVs, but some might get close.

We vote on politicians to reflect our opinions.

[Gumboy]

Its all the liberals fault!

Jk, but I do think we are too far gone. I see bad things happening in the future to our country. That's why im working out, running long distances, learning skills, and buying guns.

Well, I'm not to the point of thinking the country is going to collapse or anything like that :P Its just extremely aggravating how everyone is like dead set on party lines on every single issue. its like they literally hear about a story, look up what the party thinks about if (If they don't already know) And then say that.

- - - Updated - - -

We vote on politicians to reflect our opinions.

I realize that, and I realize no one party is going to reflect everything, but they are not teams. I am not ripping on someone for saying "I am a democrat" or "I am a republican" but more the people that take every single issue as a political fight.

[Independent voter]

Rush Limbaugh was broke and out of money, he couldn't even pay his mortgage. He had this radio call in show that wasn't doing well and was on the verge of being cancelled. He was watching TV, World Heavy Weight Wrestling which he liked when an idea hit him.

How do you make dull, boring politics interesting for the common man? You make enemies and good guys, you have Hulk Hogan. the Undertaker and the Sheik but of the political nature. Clinton was the big enemy while Newt Gingrich was the big hero.

And politics have never been the same.

[Gumboy]

Rush Limbaugh was broke and out of money, he couldn't even pay his mortgage. He had this radio call in show that wasn't doing well and was on the verge of being cancelled. He was watching TV, World Heavy Weight Wrestling which he liked when an idea hit him.

How do you make dull, boring politics interesting for the common man? You make enemies and good guys, you have Hulk Hogan. the Undertaker and the Sheik but of the political nature. Clinton was the big enemy while Newt Gingrich was the big hero.

And politics have never been the same.

I agree that Limbaugh is a complete asshole that has ridden one gimmick the entire successful part of his career, but their is no excuse for every other news organization and apparently every single person that follows politics to follow down his path.

[Kalis]

It's been like that for a long, long time. You only see it now because you live now.

For example, in Byzantium the chariot team you supported depended on your political affiliation - that was 1500 years ago.

[Gumboy]

It's been like that for a long, long time. You only see it now because you live now.

For example, in Byzantium the chariot team you supported depended on your political affiliation - that was 1500 years ago.

Great, I was all set to blame the internet or the insanity of cable "news", and now I find its just human nature to have a "Sports team" mentality towards who you think should run the country and how.

[StayTuned]

Your OP is the reason why I don't vote. I see all possible groups available for voting and decide for myself that they are all shit and that I would be better off, feeling better, by not giving my vote to anybody.

I stopped discussing politics altogether since I became aware of the corporate influence on politics, not just in the USA. As if Chancellor Merkel doesn't have any rich friends with big companies behind them.

I further quit watching those TV discussions, like "Hard but Fair" on German TV, where they discuss political and hot up-to-date issues like Terrorism, Religion or violence in video games - just because I realized how fucking wrong and biased they are on topics which I know better then them. Gotta question yourself how well they are informed about those issues in which I am not fluent myself. Why would I believe them anything about politics, when I know they are talking straight BS for the masses in terms of religion and video games?

And this is also the reason why I quit discussing catchy topics here at GenOT. Be it about rape, Russia, guns or police violence. The same people perpetuating the same shit all over again in every thread ignoring posts, disregarding facts, linking to random blogs, RT or FOX as if they are the epitome of unbiased reporting. The same people think 911 was an inside job.

So yea, I don't buy politics anymore. It's being sold by corporations anyway, so it doesn't really matter what politicians say. It matters who the sponsors are, what big money has projected and where they want to invest.

Basically, I don't follow anyone's team anymore. I just like watching good football and if none is on, my TV is off.

[Gumboy]

And this is also the reason why I quit discussing catchy topics here at GenOT. Be it about rape, Russia, guns or police violence. The same people perpetuating the same shit all over again in every thread ignoring posts, disregarding facts, linking to random blogs, RT or FOX as if they are the epitome of unbiased reporting. The same people think 911 was an inside job.

That is a legit concern for me now as well. It amazes me how someone can turn a thread about a current non-political event into a political story just by using certain phrases, or linking to the "wrong" news site; even if the story is sourced to something else.

[StayTuned]

That is a legit concern for me now as well. It amazes me how someone can turn a thread about a current non-political event into a political story just by using certain phrases, or linking to the "wrong" news site; even if the story is sourced to something else.

Did you know that there are real professionals who are being paid to join websites like these, only to spout their propaganda? They are searching through Google to find threads which are discussing their ideals, political parties or religious beliefs and join those discussions with brutal bias, trying to convince you of their position.

[Gumboy]

Did you know that there are real professionals who are being paid to join websites like these, only to spout their propaganda? They are searching through Google to find threads which are discussing their ideals, political parties or religious beliefs and join those discussions with brutal bias, trying to convince you of their position.

I have literally no doubt that that is true. I know for a fact of at least two different entities that do that, and its kind of funny because they are completely unrelated. I'm sure that their are more.

[Deleted]

Gumboy you're absolutely right.
I can't think of many things as damaging to society as this ridiculous left vs right split.
EVERYONE belonging to one side agrees with EVERYTHING that side says and vice versa. There can be no discussion. Nothing evolves from this scenario.
there's a few political groups in Europe that try to go beyond definitions.
you recognize them because they're attacked from both sides
It's ridiculous.
We have a head for a reason and it's not just to keep ears apart.

[Daelak]

TL;DR: is their any turning back from the political divisiveness that we seemed to have backed ourselves into? Is this just a product of a two party system, where the two parties are now just essentially teams to root for? Only 54% of eligible voters voted in the last presidential election, and in my opinion, the "two sides" mentality is a big reason why.



As an aside, I realize that some of the answers are going to be "But its X parties fault for Y!", coming from people that do not realize that they are literally only playing into the "Cheering on the team" mentality, and are in fact the ones that are driving this to be a major issue.

There are incompetent and ignorant people in both of the two major parties, but one party does not publicly denounce and de-cry science as fraud, a point that makes me supporting republicans untenable.

[ellieg]

There are incompetent and ignorant people in both of the two major parties, but one party does not publicly denounce and de-cry science as fraud, a point that makes me supporting republicans untenable.

So every republican denies science? This is what hes talking about. Someone in X party does something stupid or "wrong" = everyone person in that party is guilty of these things.

[Rukentuts]

So every republican denies science? This is what hes talking about. Someone in X party does something stupid or "wrong" = everyone person in that party is guilty of these things.

He's most likely alluding to state platforms against critical thinking and the like.

[Reg]

The US political system is two sides of the same coin, and we don't even get to flip it.

[ellieg]

He's most likely alluding to state platforms against critical thinking and the like.

Gotcha. I'm pretty neutral about most things but I side with republicans more often. The media has portrayed me as a crazy religious redneck and that's what I don't like. I work hard to improve myself and to be tolerant of most people but ive already been branded by society.

[Daelak]

So every republican denies science? This is what hes talking about. Someone in X party does something stupid or "wrong" = everyone person in that party is guilty of these things.

Republican representatives in the federal and state chambers of government deny modern science and some go to great lengths to misinform their own constituencies.

[GennGreymane]

very far gone

Its gonna take one hell of a guy/gal/both/neither to bring us together.