In hindsight, it was the most predictable thing in the world, yet it still somehow caught me by surprise.
No, I don’t support the guy. I don’t even live in the U.S., and I wouldn’t have voted for him if I did. But I do think the average person who identifies as “on the left,” particularly here on Lemmy, doesn’t realize how incredibly toxic the atmosphere becomes for true independents. We’re stuck enduring a firehose of insanity and hatred from both sides.
In my view, one of the main reasons we got Trump in the first place was the identity politics and wokeism on the left. For a while, I thought the pendulum was swinging back toward reason and balance, but now it feels like we’re back where we started. Honestly, I can’t even blame people for voting for him - it’s just a shame that the silent majority has to suffer because of the vocal minority.
Why is it that political discussions seem incapable of being conducted dispassionately? I can’t shake the feeling that this polarization is driving more people to the right, only worsening the issue. Hell, I’m probably going to be labeled a right-winger just for making this post. And then people wonder why the right is gaining popularity. Where else can centrists even go anymore when the left eats its own?
Something that really helped me understand is Innuendo Studios’ The Alt Right Playbook, especially if you, like me, have a more literal mindset and communication style.
Basically, there is a lot more going on than shows on the surface, and it helps explain how people who don’t oppose a fascist movement will ultimately end up bringing it about, bc of the insidious nature of how those types of movements come about. You’ve heard the saying “First they came for…”, but this helps explain when and where and how that applies.
Even so, I’m not advocating here for the trans movement, which as you say has caused such pushback among centrists and basically along with the economy is one of the major tenants that propelled Trump to win - and more importantly also conservatives all across the nation and thereby into controlling the House of Representatives and the Senate - I’m just trying to keep my reply brief enough to be readable. i.e. there are most definitely counterarguments that could be raised to the precepts explained in that video series, but on the other hand it does such an enormously stupendous job at explaining the basics that I think it would behoove you to start there, then see how it applies to irl. Aka, it is worth watching all of it even if you find yourself disagreeing with some of the points along the way.
And one reason for that is that Lemmy skews more towards a European audience, which represents a much more heavily liberal viewpoint, whereas the USA skews more towards conservative. Hence a “centrist” from the USA is treated by Europeans as a “conservative” would be inside of the USA, which is exactly what you are seeing happen to your communications. And this video series will help explain why. Right or wrong (and I think the series is pretty spot on, note that it barely mentions the trans issue per SE as it is more about general concepts than specific applications of them, and each one of the latter will ofc have its own unique challenges - e.g. what “right” does anyone have to demand usage of any particular words to describe them, or to regulate thoughts inside of my head!? but again, save such thoughts for later, after getting up to speed on the general concepts), that series will help you to understand the European POV and thereby to communicate more effectively with this audience.
Also you may want to start your own centrist community if instead of wanting to learn how to converse more with people on Lemmy overall you are looking more for people who already share your particular views. I think especially after the election people inside the USA may be more reluctant to talk about such but who knows. I see a !centrist@lemm.ee that you could post to and try to revive.