Is your purpose to complain with me about humanities foibles or are you arguing against the point that stupid slogans and adverts on busses are more effective at manipulating people?

The latter would be an interesting conversation for sure, the former? Sure i agree it sucks but that’s the way the world works right now. If it wasnt effective they’re wouldn’t be billions of dollars spent doing it.

My point is that people can be easily manipulated, a point you agree with. Taking it one step further, getting mad at millions of morons is useless! Useless to you i mean. It’s very useful to the people doing the manipulating. It is such a useful thing, such a useful trick, for those whose jobs are to manipulate public opinion, that countless dollars are spent doing so. Of course, if they could, they would want to separate a large class of people whose only power is their numbers, right? Wouldn’t that make sense? How, if they could, would they go about it?

Indeed, are you sure you haven’t been manipulated into misplacing your anger? Regardless, focus your ire at the ones who stand to gain by ripping your country and people apart.

Dawg I’mma be real with you now. Take this as my honest opinion, offered without malice.

Those words are a bigot’s words. What you are showing me is an astonishing lack of empathetic intelligence. (I am stuggling to be straight with you while also keeping your mind open to critisism, but imma pull out the harsh words first). Can you accept this thing I’ve said? I know it’s only my opinion, but i want to share it with you for what, in my opinion, is to your benefit.

Does this really sound like you? Do you really believe that Rcitizens (im going with this term to distingush from Rpoliticians cuz fuck the Rpoliticians) are so much different from you even though they go through the same bullshit 9-5 crap, the soul sucking existence that us wage slaves live every fucking day, getting run roughshod in the same conditions as you, are so different? You walk past Rcitizens every day on the street, you buy your groceries from them, you work with them. You are fucking surrounded by these “irrational” people every day. Can you tell me without asking them their political opinions which ones they are?

Unless they’re the wildin’ type with the hat and the truck, no. No, of course you can’t.

So, where do these irrational people who only care about hurting you spawn from? It’s half the country right?

Here’s the way i see the world, unvarnished. There is a political group we haven’t spoken of itt, whose aspirations are different from yours and mine. You and i have already heard about them before. They like having power and money, their aim in life is to have more.

They own the news stations, the media companies, advertising. They have publicists and lobbyists. Professional opinion swayers. Golly if they wanted to they could use the power of news to manipulate public opinion away from policies that would help the public, and towards policies that help them instead.

So, do you think they are? doing this? You probably agree so far, right?

Now if they were smart they’d buy at least one station to do their dirty work. Let’s say it’s FOX as a hypothetical. We think probably FOX has an ever so slight bias towards Rpolicies and Rpoliticians, right? And having watched FOX news and witnessed them saying crazy things that (even more stunningly) the Rcitizens repeat, i know exactly where the Rcitizen’s misconception of Dcitizens comes from. A lie from FOX. More importantly from the owner of FOX.

Now, why would this political class be satisfied with only one station? Do you think that everyone in that political class has the exact same beliefs (beyond money and power)? So it stands to reason there are news stations that have all sorts of political stances (besides agreeing on more money and power).

Following this logic, and the verified fact that media and news companies are allowed to mix opinions and facts together, how much do you trust, really trust that what you have read/been told is rational, unbiased, and in your best interest?

In my worldview, your opinion that Rcitizens are irrational actors for you to fear is not rational at all. Im telling you, with love (i swear it) that you have been spoon-fed this opinion. That you have been played for a fool.

I don’t blame you at all, just like i don’t blame the Rcitizens. I don’t blame any of us citizens for trusting a source they shouldn’t have. You are frightened. I am frightened. The world is getting fucking scary, and scared people are easier to fool. We are all of us together fools if we don’t suspect someone with power is trying to manipulate us, to hurt us, and help themselves.

So they’re you have it. I don’t really know how this is gonna go over, but look. Really look at it. I don’t necessarily expect (or even want) you to agree with me, i just want you to suspect that maybe when you say and believe “the opponent is irrational” that someone bent on taking what you got left wants you to.

No, but you do need to take a deep breath, because you’re talking a lot more than you’re saying in anger.

Dont be angry at me for telling you this, that’s not why I’m saying it. I’m saying it because i believe that anger is causing you to lose your objectivity.

And please, take one more breath if you’re planning another diatribe… the whole point of my initial comment, to say we “shouldnt give in to the urge to dehumanize our opponents”. Isnt an invitation for you to demonstrate precisely what i just said not to do.