My observation is that, in the US, support of the right structurally resembles evangelical Christianity. Or maybe a megachurch. There are exceptions, like single-issue Republican voters over taxes or business things, but a whole lot of it is structured as a communal belief: “are you in our tribe, or are you not?” There’s an imperative for unity and conformance that’s more important than individual issues, hence they tend to consolidate the platform over time.
The US Left, on the other hand, seems more issue focused, and less concerned with consolidation around personalities/beliefs like an evangelical church. But all that self-righteousness is still there. And it’s my belief that social media has brought out the worst of their tendency to swallow ragebait and issue performative purity tests.
Interesting perspective.
But I was getting to a point liberals hate being pointed out.
There is no “US Left.” It’s illegal.
So I can see liberals indeed taking a populist approach to solidifying action like evangelicals do, since they are not going to oppose Caesar. Their king is the most authoritarian figure in their belief system, and they will be blessed martyred.
How does the Right do purity tests?
At the moment, in the US, it’s:
“Do you support Donald Trump unconditionally?”
Yes _
No _
My observation is that, in the US, support of the right structurally resembles evangelical Christianity. Or maybe a megachurch. There are exceptions, like single-issue Republican voters over taxes or business things, but a whole lot of it is structured as a communal belief: “are you in our tribe, or are you not?” There’s an imperative for unity and conformance that’s more important than individual issues, hence they tend to consolidate the platform over time.
The US Left, on the other hand, seems more issue focused, and less concerned with consolidation around personalities/beliefs like an evangelical church. But all that self-righteousness is still there. And it’s my belief that social media has brought out the worst of their tendency to swallow ragebait and issue performative purity tests.
Interesting perspective.
But I was getting to a point liberals hate being pointed out.
There is no “US Left.” It’s illegal.
So I can see liberals indeed taking a populist approach to solidifying action like evangelicals do, since they are not going to oppose Caesar. Their king is the most authoritarian figure in their belief system, and they will be blessed martyred.