Wigglytuff
mad @ redacted in redacted
I believe in the rehabilitation of people that previously held morally shit political beliefs (such as Trump and Ron Deathsantis being good for this country, we don't need to go over this one again do we?). I grew up in Shitfuck, Iowa. My family and I were quite possibly the first time a lot of those people, particularly the older ones, had ever seen an Asian person. Realistically speaking, how the hell do we expect them to hold anything other than regressive views or at the very best, "I don't see color" views on race? They've never known anything else. They'll never see the impacts of their beliefs and they're white; they'll certainly never feel it themselves. Until relatively recently, I myself held less extreme but still problematic and, considering my race, self sabotaging beliefs because that's the environment I grew up in. I don't think I should be retroactively punished/ostracized for just that and neither should they.You should either address how not engaging with other arguments is productive for changing people's minds or you should explain why trying to change other people's minds isn't important.
That, however, is not the same with actively changing those beliefs. We're not obligated to do that (though if MrHands et al want to, they are welcome to provide entertainment for the rest of us in their likely futile attempts). Most of Shitfuck Iowa was born in Shitfuck Iowa, went to school in Shitfuck Iowa, got married in Shitfuck Iowa, and will die in Shitfuck Iowa, with maybe the occasional trip to Des Moines (where they complain about the "libtards" the whole time). Realistically speaking they're gonna die long before they allow their beliefs to be changed. I know this because I'm not welcome there as a member of the community anymore. My views no longer tolerate theirs and, conversely, they no longer tolerate me.
Beyond whether we're obligated to change minds, I question if that's even what we should spend our limited effort and resources on. My views didn't change because some radlib on smogon dot com was talking my ear off, my views changed because my environment changed. Analytically speaking, I think this holds true too - in response to Roe v Wade being overturned, young people, particularly young women, have come out in the second highest turnout in 3 decades. On the older side of things, there was a significant switch in the 50+ voting demographic from Republican to Democrat between July this year and November, where abortion was the second highest voter concern.
I can't help feel like our efforts would be better spent trying to get younger voters (the 2nd highest turnout in 3 decades being 27% is pretty sad), who are by default more left leaning, to go vote, rather than trying to convert Florida Trumper who thinks mass shootings are just a normal part of life and are the price we should pay so he can fellate his gun.
"Change my mind" is a meme and it's no more apparent than now. This rhetoric is way overdue, if you want engagement with fake Mr.E, do it yourself.