Interesting political observation on Facebook I noticed.

[Chingylol]

Like most people that have FB, I have alot of locals news outlets in areas I've lived in "liked" so they show up in my feed. The three states I've lived in are blue states and I have all of their local news organizations liked as well just to keep up with things.

Even though these are heavily dem areas, the comments people leave in these local news articlesarticles are 80%+ right wing. In the current area I live in (heavily dem controlled), if you were to read thru the comments people leave on local news organizations posts, you would think it's a red state and that lefties and dems don't even exist here. Out of 100 political comments, 70-80 will be pro-right wing and only 20 or so left wing comment.

A good example is back during the past two presidential elections with Obama. Any article with Obama back then (including today), the top comments will be something very anti-Obama with hundreds of likes along with not even a dozen supporting him, but then when it comes to the polls Obama wins by a landslide and it's not even close.

Another good example is with immigration articles. In one county by me, it's probably 75-85% minority, yet all the top comments by a HUGE margin in the news articles of that region are very anti immigration and extremely right wing despite the reality of the population.

Would it be safe to assume that Republicans are more "vocal online" and feel more urgent to voice their opinion then Democrats? I'm sure I'm not the only other person who has noticed this thruout the years on FB articles.

[Independent voter]

Well, there's a certain demographic on the internet, whites mostly, probably fairly well off, etc.

[SL1200]

Since I don't want to piss off my co-workers and boss who constantly rant and rave their sickening right wing opinions. I just keep quiet. I very often just claim to be republican nod and smile, even when they say the dumbest things you could imagine.

[Deleted]

they're making Facebook great again

[arandomuser]

Trump trolls are the worst trolls, they say some really despicable stuff sometimes,

[Jayburner]

Why is american politics so complicated?

[McCulloch]

People only bother to comment if they feel strongly enough on a subject. There is a large portion of this country who despise him more than they rationally should, so it makes sense that you see those comments.

[Clone]

I noticed it too. The comments aren't necessarily from locals.

[Skaiz]

I see the opposite. I try as hard as I can to look up both parties and see whats new in their campaign so I can at least attempt to claim to be a informed voter, but seemingly the entire internet is left leaning.

[Nihilist74]

Why is american politics so complicated?

Elections seasons are too long, makes it more complicated. We should do like English do. Publically funded and only a month or two long.

[PC2]

I think most people are left leaners and that is mainstream, so I could see why right leaners might be more inclined to vocally dissent against popular opinion

[Zarc]

I see the opposite. I try as hard as I can to look up both parties and see whats new in their campaign so I can at least attempt to claim to be a informed voter, but seemingly the entire internet is left leaning.

Haha. Yeah right.

Reminds me of a few posters I see here on MMO-Champion who likes to repeat the supposed fact that MMO-Champion is filled with leftist posts. I laugh so hard. I mean do you guys really believe this shit or are you very aware of that you are just provocatively trying to spell out your worldview for truth by pushing it over and over and over again?

The internet's comment sections ans this forum has never been more filled with right-wing and far-right shit like anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, anti-Femenism, anti-Obama, anti-EU, anti-Black Stromtrooper, ...

The tail and trolls of the likes of Trump, Putin, UKIP, Front National, Sweden Democrats, etc is extremely vocal.

[PC2]

Haha. Yeah right.

Reminds me of a few posters I see here on MMO-Champion who likes to repeat the supposed fact that MMO-Champion is filled with leftist posts. I laugh so hard. I mean do you guys really believe this shit or are you very aware of that you are just provocatively trying to spell out your worldview for truth by pushing it over and over and over again?

The internet's comment sections ans this forum has never been more filled with right-wing and far-right shit like anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, anti-Femenism, anti-Obama, anti-EU, anti-Black Stromtrooper, ...

The tail and trolls of the likes of Trump, Putin, UKIP, Front National, Sweden Democrats, etc is extremely vocal.

Okay, but being vocal isn't a problem on the internet. More speech is good, better than the alternative of silencing all dissenters. Physical protesting is more of an issue, due to it having a bigger effect on logistics and transportation. It's all good though, as long as they aren't violent.

[Mihalik]

Lunatics and crazies generally have a lot more time and determination to argue than sane and sensible people.

Typical internet conversation with an internet lunatic.

-Obama Benghazi/EU is shit/Europe is becoming a Caliphate/Deport Mexicans/Benghazi.
-Articulate counter opinion.
-Nuh-uh! Obama Benghazi/EU is shit/Europe is becoming a Caliphate/Deport Mexicans/Benghazi.
-Articulate sarcastic reply.
-NUH-UUUUUUUUUUUUH! Obama Benghazi/EU is shit/Europe is becoming a Caliphate/Deport Mexicans/Benghazi. Link to Stormfront, NRA, FOX News.
-"I give up, this is a waste of time.
-NUH-UUUUUUUUUUUUH! Obama Benghazi/EU is shit/Europe is becoming a Caliphate/Deport Mexicans/Benghazi. Link to Stormfront, NRA, FOX News. DONALD TRUMP! VLADIMIR PUTIN! JESUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!
-....
-NUH-UUUUUUUUUUUUH! Obama Benghazi/EU is shit/Europe is becoming a Caliphate/Deport Mexicans/Benghazi. Link to Stormfront, NRA, FOX News. DONALD TRUMP! VLADIMIR PUTIN! JESUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!

And this is how sanity is drowned out in internet comment sections. Sane people just don't have the stamina for this nonsense.

[PC2]

Lunatics and crazies generally have a lot more time and determination to argue than sane and sensible people.

Sane people just don't have the stamina for this nonsense.

Which explains why most physical protesters are leftists, not right wingers.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Comment sections tend to be some of best /popcorn material, mostly because it's inflammatory people attacking common sense, logic, facts, and in general good judgment. So yes, right wing.

[PC2]

Comment sections tend to be some of best /popcorn material, mostly because it's inflammatory people attacking common sense, logic, facts, and in general good judgment. So yes, right wing.

I would agree right wingers are more inflammatory, but I would highly disagree on lacking "logic". Lefties are much more emotionally caring, but often bypass logic. Such as letting in millions of migrants with little concern for a vetting process or their cultural and ideological commitments.

[alexw]

Well, there's a certain demographic on the internet, whites mostly, probably fairly well off, etc.

What is happening is that the readers of online newspapers tend to be white older males, of which a large number are retired and so have a lot of spare time to be vocal with.

This is the demographic that leans most right-wing authoritarian.

Ergo you get comments that do not reflect the majority of society and which makes you think society is more right wing authoritarian than it actually is. So if you go by newspaper comments Obama would never have been elected nor won by the large landslides he did.

Thus the comments sections to a large extent are an echo chamber of similar people telling each other similar things.

[PC2]

What is happening is that the readers of online newspapers tend to be white older males, of which a large number are retired and so have a lot of spare time to be vocal with.

This is the demographic that leans most right-wing authoritarian.

Ergo you get comments that do not reflect the majority of society and which makes you think society is more right wing authoritarian than it actually is. Thus if you go by newspaper comments Obama would never have been elected nor won by the large landslides he did.

Thus the comments sections to a large extent are echo chamber of similar people telling each other similar things.

You really think its mainly an older demographic? Most of the old right wingers I know tend to not even like new technology, let alone the internet and its comment/forum areas.

[alexw]

You really think its mainly an older demographic? Most of the old right wingers I know tend to not even like technology, let alone the internet and its comment/forum areas.

Generally yes. Boomers have taken to the internet like a duck to water. Remember if you are retired you have a LOT of spare time.