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When did Democrats become so socially uptight?
- Thread starter GameShrink
- Start date
I really don't see how that's a Democrat specific thing. That's more of a white suburban helicopter mom stereotype.
People unable to afford the day to day because social programs have been cut, struggling to survive makes it pretty hard to be chill.
I was aggressive, but it's hard not to be in the face of someone trying to lecture you about being it cool when everything is falling apart all around you. Got to remember to only find ways to sarcastically tell people that they lack empathy in the face of suffering.
people are freakin because there's stuff going on worth freaking about.
However, I do worry the left has lost some of it's George Carlin factor.
However, I do worry the left has lost some of it's George Carlin factor.
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Worth pointing out as well: I'm largely referring to white, middle/upper class democrats in my OP. All of my PoC friends and clients are far more pleasant to be around in social/work settings than other white folks.
It wasn't edited. I think a mod thought I was unkindly referring to current events about the prevalence of lockdown drills... for some reason.
It wasn't edited. I think a mod thought I was unkindly referring to current events about the prevalence of lockdown drills... for some reason.
So your real question here is, why are rich white people so stuffy
Why indeed
I don't see how that's a liberal thing lol.
That's more of a social class thing in my experience. I went to a HS that was pretty economically mixed, and the richer the parents were, the more uptight they were about shit, regardless of political affiliation.
Mods doing their job prove the Dems are too uptight? I mean ignoring that the mods represent an insignificant sample of Democrats in general, let alone on this website.
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I even said it in the OP: This was happening in the Obama years too. I've felt like this for well over a decade now.
Yeah, this is probably the real question. I guess I just didn't feel correct in making race-related assumptions, even positive ones, based solely on my personal experiences. Political generalizations are easier to justify for me, though clearly imperfect in their own way.
It's not, it's an anti-liberal thing. That's my problem with liberals adopting such attitudes.
Maybe if Republicans weren't constantly trying to screw over the interests of the average person, destroy the planet, and bare their fangs at the most vulnerable and destitute members of civilization, we could all afford to be as carefree as you.
As long as people like Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, Sean Hannity, Paul Ryan, and other pieces of shit weave their influence into the fabric of our country, I'm going to continue to be worried, speak out, and stand up for what's right.
You say this like I'm trying to discuss the liberal/conservative angle.
Yeah, and? Do you not know how much social downturn there was in that era, too?
Ok...
So let's see, they were able to do that, because Teddy Roosevelt beat the shit out of the robber barons with his huge stick, and put regulations in place preventing from turning people into wage slaves, and taking the massive piles of money they kept from not paying everybody livable wages, and using that money to buy laws so they could further exploit people for even more fucking money they'd never be able to spend in multiple lifetimes. He raised the taxes on those rich ass shitheads, so their wasn't a massive wealth gap, and normal people who weren't born rich could amass wealth, and we could pay for roads n shit.
Then the hippies were born, and decided they'd show the man, who wanted to make everybody wage slaves again, what's up by not fucking doing anything. And so the man responded to the bold act of fucking nothing by repealing all the safety legislation that was going to keep the next generations from being fucking corporate wage slaves again.
So thanks for nothing you stupid worthless shitty hippies.
And NO no it will never be able to go back.
It was a fucking miracle the shit ever got passed by TDR in the first place, so no, we can't fucking relax, because we are constantly being fucked.
Oh and uh Nazis are back and in positions of power. Fucking yay.
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I really don't know how many times I can emphasize that I'm not referring to this. I'm talking about lifestyle choices, how people interact with friends, professionals and colleagues, etc.
Political agitation and social/interpersonal agitation are different. You can protest atrocities and injustice without exhibiting any of the behaviors I'm critiquing.
Because I don't have any expectation for conservatives to be laid back, so it's not really worth examining their social skills.
I believe a lot of the answer lies with this sad truth.
It is actually the left that is economically anxious...not really the right.
The middle class intellectual left has massively indebted itself in trying to attain a better life through higher education. We've been played/exploited badly by educational and lending institutions we thought had our best interests in mind, who goaded us into attaining the highest level of credentialization at any cost.
And we are strung out because of it, many of us putting off starting a family until our 30s when we are already tired and feeling overwhelmed by life's mounting burdens.
Perhaps.
But generally speaking, society is becoming more isolated and socially inept unless you're behind a screen. That's a huge problem.
I'd love to be a laidback hippie who didn't have to worry about shit.
Unfortunately, I wasn't born white.
Unfortunately, I wasn't born white.
Really? You acknowledge how stupid the other side acts on a daily basis and don't understand the agitation of the other? Political tensions and social interactions are not decoupled. If anything that's a modern convenience.
There have been mass brawls over what type of hat you wore in earlier centuries.
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Can a mod/admin please rescind that warning? It makes absolutely no sense in the context of what I posted.
Many of the replies in this thread really just prove the OPs point. Yes things are hairy right now, but people are hysterical. It's not a good look. It feels like a lack of historical perspective. Progressivism still pushes forward, we are on a minor (from a very macro view) curve in the road.
Also, it really feels like the Left is allowing the media to make them hysterical the way the Right always has.
Also, it really feels like the Left is allowing the media to make them hysterical the way the Right always has.
I don't know how you can say that when everyday we read about how Trump has done something unprecedented, torn down legal norms and traditions, played around with the constitution, made threats, targeted minorities, immigrants, spews racist rhetoric, bullied, threatended and really the list goes on. There has never been quite the same factor as Trump.
But you're not wrong about the larger point, historically we are making progress in some ways, and that's despite Trump and the Republican party. Not so sure systemic racism is getting much better though. When I hear people tone policing, it always seems to come from the kind of individuals that can easily sit back and not let things bother them because they are well enough off or privileged enough to be able to not care.
You always have this outlook on things but still don't seem to understand that not everyone has the luxury of not caring about what's happening that you as a relatively well off white man do.
I'm a White man too but maybe my perspective is different because I see a lot of people that look different than me that are dealing with this shit daily in Phoenix. One woman I work with in particular is a DREAMer, and she's always so sad. I should probably tell her the good news about the amazing progress we are making and how she really shouldn't make a big deals of things because it's not a good look and people may vote for Trump.
Fair. But:
I grew up dirt poor in the Reagan years. I've seen some shit. And granted, though I am in a privileged position today, I haven't always been (other than being white). And I view things through a lens of historical perspective far more than that of a relatively well off white Male.
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So, the conclusion I'm drawing from the responses so far is that this is primarily a middle/upper class white social phenomenon (which checks out with my personal experiences), likely resulting from economic insecurity (perhaps racial as well, as even white democrats are having to adjust to the very gradual loss of privilege). Thanks to those who helped illuminate this.
I rarely see PoC suffering from extreme social agitation over little, inconsequential things the way white people do, though. Being agitated because of injustice is one thing, panicking over the stuff I described in the OP feels uniquely white in a way I really regret not emphasizing initially.
I've been talking with my Sister a lot about politics and lately she has really been on my side. She seems to hate Republicans, hates Trump, seems more progressive minded. I thought maybe it was my influence but I figured out what it was. It was the teachers striking. She became more sympathetic because she felt she wasn't getting what she deserved.
The sad thing is, now that she is getting a 13% raise, her whole perspective has changed. She even recently told me "at least Trump tells it like it is".
It doesn't take much for some people. Once you feel like you have yours, that's it. Hell she doesn't even want to discuss politics anymore and gets annoyed if I try. She would probably say I'm too uptight now.
The sad thing is, now that she is getting a 13% raise, her whole perspective has changed. She even recently told me "at least Trump tells it like it is".
It doesn't take much for some people. Once you feel like you have yours, that's it. Hell she doesn't even want to discuss politics anymore and gets annoyed if I try. She would probably say I'm too uptight now.
Lmao at that first post edit. "Aha, my original hypothesis was correct! No, I don't have to show my work."
I feel like the most uptight demographic is all of the cake bakers fighting against gay marriage.
You were a child in the 80s (as was i) of course your childhood seems more chill than your adulthood. You're just noticing stuff because you're old. Nobody remembers the fear of nuclear attacks? Watching The Day After in the 2000s gave me chills and that movie is from 1980 something.
Anyway I do like the point that hippies sitting in their ass got them complacent and got us here.
Anyway I do like the point that hippies sitting in their ass got them complacent and got us here.
It was replaced with never-ending tension and fear, the right is afraid of minorities and progressives more than ever and the left is afraid of actual nazi's walking the streets stroking their guns.
Sure would be nice if things could chill out but that won't happen for a long, long time.
Also to lighten things up Simpsons nailed it years ago.
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I want to say that LGBT folks seem more laid back on average, but I've recently met a decent number of gay and lesbian couples who have been very socially uptight in a way that challenged this generalization. I think sexuality has less to do with all of this than class or race, but it may still contribute to some extent.
I'd really like to see a study on social anxiety in middle/upper class white families that aren't in danger financially. I'm still not totally sold on this being rooted in any rationality, it really feels like maladapted
behavior and control-freak ideology.
Meanwhile you have very real legislation passed after parkland declaring porn a public health crisis while blaming violent video games for the shooting. There's a nanny wing to the left that I dislike, yeah, but that's not the whole party like the right.
We've gone so far right, the only way to get to the center is to pull from the furthest point possible.
Boomer hippies could sell out- all they needed to do to walk into well-paying jobs was cut their hair and take a shower. Later generations haven't had that privilege so I don't see them getting as selfish with age. I hope.
If we can't look at the very much extreme position we are in now and not be alarmist, then all is lost. This is the time for alarm bells like never before.
Yeah, reeks a lot of him just wanting to push an agenda.