Beats Head Against Wall (political-ish)

"Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)" (bman76-4) 10/18/2016 at 23:14 • Filed to: None

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Does no one understand the concept of sociological echo chambers? (I registered to vote in Kansas today, yay!)

America!

!!! UNKNOWN HEADER TYPE (MULTI-LINE BREAK?) !!!

I’ve seen this logic used more and more lately: “I don’t know any (insert candidate) supporters, how the **** are they leading in the polls?” (always a four letter word in there, lol)

This is usually followed by a call to “look at the candidates Facebook page and see how many of your friends like them, only 5% support (other candidate)“

Now, while I’m certain this goes both ways, I’m a no good filthy liberal who lives in the mid-west. I didn’t have a Facebook account until I got to college and, as such, the majority of my friends are people I met in Architecture School who are, for the most part, liberal too. However, I have a couple of “friends” from high school too who are Republicans, who are the ones making these posts. They can’t seem to fathom the concept that while only 5% of their friends actively support (Candidate X) that only 5% of my friends support (Candidate Y). The overlap between these two groups is small because we tend to befriend people with similar beliefs and values to those we hold.

(As sung by Jon Bon Jovi) Oooooooh, we’re half way there, woooooo-oooooooh it’s a long political post.

(More Partisan)

This is only amplified by the fact that, although I support Hillary Clinton, I haven’t liked her Facebook page because in my mind that’s a political statement that I prefer not to make. I don’t feel that that alone is a good descriptor of who I am as a person because, without context, it leads to stereotyping. In fact, most of my friends who also occasionally make political posts in support of Hillary Clinton who don’t like her page either. Hell, I registered as an Independent today even though I support the Democrats’ platform almost entirely.

Finally, there’s the third flaw in this rationale. There are a lot of people who either don’t care or choose not to engage. The see it all happening but have no desire to be a part of the political kerfuffle. They may vote, they may not, but they are more than likely a significant portion of your friend group. Not everybody chooses to weigh in on everything, I try to stay the heck away from political discussions unless they can be had in person (although I will talk politics all day long in person, ask the Wichitoppos).

You made it to the end! Have another Viper.

So, all in all, it’s about understanding your biases. Just because you (or I) don’t have a lot of direct contact with people of the opposite end of the political spectrum doesn’t mean they don’t exist or they aren’t important.

For Sweden > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/18/2016 at 23:18

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Why don’t more people buy the Dodge Viper? I don’t know ANYONE who doesn’t like the Dodge Viper!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > For Sweden 10/18/2016 at 23:20

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Exactly, almost everyone on Oppo likes the Viper, I can’t understand why they don’t sell a ton of them.

/s

yamahog > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/18/2016 at 23:25

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That’s why I’ve announced my new plan to make Vipers more affordable for young Oppos. You can find out more at my website!

THIS MESSAGE APPROVED BY THE YAMAHOG CAMPAIGN

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/18/2016 at 23:26

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Because oppo can’t afford a new viper.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > yamahog 10/18/2016 at 23:32

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I assume this involves a “magic trick” using mod powers :)

(disclaimer: mods don’t have the authority to use quantitative easing)

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 10/18/2016 at 23:33

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#thatsthejoke

shop-teacher > yamahog 10/18/2016 at 23:39

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You got my vote!

Now, can you do something about Suburbans too?

OPPOsaurus WRX > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/18/2016 at 23:41

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I forgot who said it, but it was something like how do we get these two from 200 million or whatever Americans as the theroetical best choices for president? How do you vote when even plan C and D should never be near a position of power?

Sam > yamahog 10/18/2016 at 23:47

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Free Vipers for everyone! Nobody should have to pay for a Viper!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/18/2016 at 23:50

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I don’t see it as plan C and D. I see it as “ that try-hard girl from high school who won everything partially because she knew how to play the system but mostly because she worked hard, and whom you despise for it ” vs. “ a bully who’s never had any accountability for his actions ”

It’s a clear decision for me.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > shop-teacher 10/18/2016 at 23:50

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I hardly know anyone who drives Suburban. I don’t know anybody who likes Suburbans. None of my friends vote Suburban. I don’t understand why Suburbans do so well in sales statistics: obviously the polls are rigged! It’s no co-incidence that Hillary was considering Mary Barra for VP...

I’m voting for any candidate who runs on a platform of Suburban control. The right to drive a big-ass SUV should not be extended to obvious nutjobs or we will all be in danger!!!

#livinginlandcruisercountry

phenotyp > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/18/2016 at 23:58

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So, at the risk of sounding old, here: does a candidate’s facebook page actually influence how people vote?

Lemme tell you something. I have lived many places on several continents. I’ve been a part of many different kinds of communities (speaking different native languages, with differing colors of skin, differing ideologies, and wildly differing upbringings). Everyone wants the same thing: to make sure they and their kids got theirs.

The difference comes down to: fuck you I got mine vs let’s all get this right.

That’s it.

OK. Old person done yelling at cloud.

yamahog > Sam 10/18/2016 at 23:59

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WOAH WOAH WOAH THERE. Not *free,* just “more affordable.” What kind of commie are you??

/s, miss u so much Bernie

Frenchlicker > yamahog 10/19/2016 at 00:00

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If you make a Viper affordable for me or my peers I will vote you into any office. Mainly because you may be a real freaking genie and or wizard.

shop-teacher > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 10/19/2016 at 00:00

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Well done. Very well done.

For Sweden > yamahog 10/19/2016 at 00:01

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Hillary is a dirty Trot!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > phenotyp 10/19/2016 at 00:10

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Haha! From my point of view, it can only dissuade me from voting for a person. In those places they are primarily “preaching to the choir” and as such the rhetoric becomes further and further removed from the greater reality.

I miss living in Prague with all the other international students, we just hung out and drank beer and didn’t fight over politics.

WilliamsSW > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 00:11

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Well said. The retreat into our own echo chambers makes it much easier to demonize the other side, which in turn makes it harder to have a civil discourse on politics- which then feeds on itself, and gets us where we are now.

I’m lucky enough to know people on both sides of the fence, and it makes for interesting conversation when people talk rationally. Opportunities for that seem to be shrinking lately though. I love following politics in general, and I truly can’t stomach the talking heads or the debates any more. I’ve tuned it out.

My mind is made up anyways though, and I WILL vote on 11/8.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > WilliamsSW 10/19/2016 at 00:21

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I think that’s the biggest thing to take away from this, this toxic environment didn’t happen overnight. It comes from years of isolation inside our respective echo chambers, then suddenly being brought out into the mainstream.

I too will vote, even if my state will almost assuredly end up red.

ViperGuy21 > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 00:27

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I like the pics:)

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > ViperGuy21 10/19/2016 at 00:28

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Oppo may technically be off-topic, but it’s still a car blog at heart.

Zip-McBump > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 00:28

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Very true, and I see no signs that the echo chambers created over the last thirty years are abating whatsoever.

Take it from someone whose state is so red his vote literally does not count... fantasizing about moving is normal.

TheJWT > yamahog 10/19/2016 at 00:29

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THIS JUST IN YAMAHOG WANTS TO MURDER YOUNG OPPOS

yamahog > TheJWT 10/19/2016 at 00:34

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THAT DAMN LIBERAL MEDIA AT IT AGAIN

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Zip-McBump 10/19/2016 at 00:35

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Absolutely, I’m quite fearful about what will happen in the aftermath of the election.

Also, haha. I just moved here, but I’m originally from here. I grew up in a conservative household too, so I’m used to keeping my opinions to myself :)

Zip-McBump > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 00:41

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I know about keeping quiet about politics all too well. I’m fairly certain I’d be murdered if my co-workers found out about my political leanings; it’s that kind of industry. Honestly, the more I think about that, the more depressed I get. It’s like I’m a closet communist or something.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Zip-McBump 10/19/2016 at 00:47

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I get that. Luckily, I work in a fairly progressive field (Architecture) which certainly helps me feel a little less isolated in such a red state, but it doesn’t help much when it comes to making new friends around here.

Zip-McBump > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 00:51

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It’s been so toxic lately that I really get the urge to take the “H” magnet off my wife’s car when I leave for work in the morning, for fear that she’ll be run off the road while on her way to Target or something.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Zip-McBump 10/19/2016 at 00:53

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Ugh...

(sings “Why Can’t We Be Friends” quietly to himself alone in the darkness)

JohnH3ASP > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 01:02

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Hot damn that Viper. Can I get ungreyed, and please find me some good Quattro pics :)

Zip-McBump > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 01:04

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“Why can’t we be friends? ‘Cuz you’se a muslin-lovin’ God-hatin’ librul, that’s why!”

Have a good one. If I don’t go to bed now, I’ll be too angry to sleep.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 01:07

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I saw a kerfuffle in there. I’ll drink to that usage.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > JohnH3ASP 10/19/2016 at 01:09

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Read this then go here . :)

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 10/19/2016 at 01:11

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It may be a fifty-cent word, but I love it.

for Michigan > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 01:33

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My Libertarian uncle ran a poll on Facebook to get an impression of who people were voting for. He got something like Clinton: 1, Trump: 2, and Johnson: 53. So obviously the media is biased and the Duopoly is just trying silence the third party threat to their power.



Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > for Michigan 10/19/2016 at 01:37

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I feel like statistics and sociology should be yearly classes, even in adulthood. It might help... maybe.

for Michigan > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 10/19/2016 at 01:49

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If it didn’t take the first time (or second for those with degrees), I’m not sure repeating it is going to do any good.

Alfalfa > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 02:13

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In answer to your first question, not really. I see the same thing on the other end of the spectrum here in the red state of Utah. Also quite a few comical interviews of Trump supporters have them stating that they don’t know anyone voting for Clinton (that’s how they know the media is rigging the election).

Similar to this phenomena is something called “false consensus bias” where an individual believes all people on the “other side” of a topic to be stupid, because all their friends are same and they don’t understand the other side.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 06:23

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My best friend from college is at the other end of the spectrum. We usually don’t discuss it, and stick to the topics we mutually enjoy: rc everything, hiking, whisky, and cars. We know each other believes something different, and each respects the other’s beliefs. It works out just fine.

punkgoose17 > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 06:23

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As an Independent can you vote in your states primaries? In Pennsylvania only those registered for a party can vote in its primaries. My political views are mostly party Z, but I am registered for party X because X is the mainstream party my views overlap with the most, that way I have more say voting in the primaries.

JohnH3ASP > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/19/2016 at 07:35

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Oh, thanks :)

Roundbadge > yamahog 10/19/2016 at 09:06

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This is a campaign I can get behind.

Wait...I’m not a young Oppo....dammit.