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Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

economist.com

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Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#51
post #9

Racial essentialism is toxic. America and the Western Liberal ideology (which I cherish) will only survive if we ruthlessly destroy it and similar critical theories which derive from it. Otherwise we will quickly perish into a ward state, at best.

America spent more than half its life being "racially essentialist" and most of its policies went irrationally out of their way to specifically make sure that black people and Chinese immigrants had their neighborhoods destroyed. Unless you want to preserve post-Civil Rights America only.

> America spent more than half its life being "racially essentialist" and most of its policies went irrationally out of their way to specifically make sure that black people and Chinese immigrants had their neighborhoods destroyed.

Doesn’t that seem like a good reason to be rid of racial essentialism?

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#52

Had first hand experience of this. I maintain an opensource project which is popular on NPM. An issue was raised in our github about we should have a statement of support for BLM in our readme. I said no as politely and diplomatically as possible. I would rather the project remains non-political, they said that made me complicit. The thing is I am from Europe. I think BLM is a very worthy policial movement, as do I a…

This behavior looks like proselytizing. They want you to show that you accept and endorse their ideology. And if you don’t, then they have a reason to follow up and apply pressure. In a different time these people would have been missionaries and inquisitors.

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#55

In India we had black lives matter movement where they panned the use of 'fair and lovely' facecream.

Here in Canada we've had BLM protests, "defund the police" and "ACAB". I don't really understand. As far as I'm concerned Canada is about as close to a utopia as you can get on this planet. We have one of the lowest crime rates in the world. I'm pretty sure if we "defunded the police", things would only get worse. AFAIK, the "defund the police" chant was supposed to be in response to American police forces buying arm…

Yeah, some Americans organized BLM protests in Japan too.

They think the whole world is an extension of America, while also denouncing American imperialism and the American idea of looking down on the world, while also screaming at anyone who questioned the idea of dragging American problems into a country that didn’t exist.

People here, more than anything, were pissed that they had a gathering in the middle of a pandemic and called them irresponsible. Which they were.

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#56
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m sure the First Nations people would also agree.

Nice baiting there Jcowell, well played. No country in the world is perfect. Canada is still near the top of the list when it comes to safety and quality of life. It's true that many first nations people struggle. Canada is taking steps to help them (see accelerated vaccination of native communities) and I sincerely wish them all the best. However, dismantling the police probably isn't going to undo things that happe…

No, they're right. And it's not just first nations people. Being a person-of-color in Canada is definitely no picnic as soon as you get out of the larger towns. I've seen quite a bit of this first hand and up close while living there.

Consider that your viewport is small enough that the rougher parts of Canadian life for minorities are invisible to you.

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#57
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

America spent more than half its life being "racially essentialist" and most of its policies went irrationally out of their way to specifically make sure that black people and Chinese immigrants had their neighborhoods destroyed. Unless you want to preserve post-Civil Rights America only.

> America spent more than half its life being "racially essentialist" and most of its policies went irrationally out of their way to specifically make sure that black people and Chinese immigrants had their neighborhoods destroyed. Doesn’t that seem like a good reason to be rid of racial essentialism?

Perhaps, but the propaganda about “critical theories” comes from people who either don’t believe in the racist history of America or else think it’s good.

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, the American woke leftists are too far out for the French ? (But it sounds like the problem isn't their position , but their actions or method .)

Woke culture is heading towards the cultural revolution mindset of China from 50 years ago. Its been that way for awhile but was considered fringe until recently. Not it’s at a tipping point. Don’t agree with latest woke idea. Perhaps thousands of rabbis youth attacking you will change your mind.

I think you mean "rabid."

This may be a problem with personalized autocomplete.

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#59
post #14

What's a bit ironic to me is that this extension of US cultural hegemony used to be derided as cultural imperialism back a few decades ago before other cultural exports became vogue (Anime, K-Pop, etc.) when it was the US vs everyone else. But now, many of the people who would have decried this kind of hegemonic influence delight in it. They delight in the fact we can establish norms for communication and discourse n…

It is a very interesting case of perspective. It probably needs a bit of a perspective shift for the typical Twitter political influence to realise that they are, in fact, foreign political interference.

Not that there is anything wrong with American political thought being exported. Would that their methods of free political debate were a little bit more widespread. It is a pity that social media is such a biased sample of the US political world.

Re: Social media are turbocharging the export of America’s political culture

#60
post #3

No country is willingly importing this divisive rhetoric. Aspirational young citizens who repeat the same formula within their home countries and are quickly rewarded with status and power. So the scourge continues. Short-term, this toxic, zero-sum behaviour reaps havoc. Long-term, American culture capital will have been exhausted and the US will have signed its own death warrant.

It wreaks havoc. But people may reap what they sow.
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