The exodus of the blue avatars

[jamestroll]

As far as political violence, I used to have some respect for conservatives as they were far less likely to engage in political violence. 

But right wing political violence has been increasing in recent years.

While I understand January 6th was a one time major riot and pales in comparison to the number of riots from black lives matter, it still was extremely disappointing to see that occur. Devastating really. Especially in regards it was trying to over turn election results and not care about the will of the voters.

No longer can I assume the right wing is less violent. While I do not carry a gun, I do carry less lethal weapons when I venture out into the wilderness as I am deathly afraid a conservative will try to attack me.

[OSR stands with Israel]

None of the people being mentioned in this thread should be banned. If they hurt your sensitive feelings so badly just put them on ignore. I cannot stand self-victimization!

Well I was saying who should be banned on the criteria used against right winger's here. Atlas btw didnt always use to be like this as until a couple years ago, it was extremely reluctant to pretty much ban any posters at all unless they were socks/spammer.

[Sol]

- I think the belief that there's been a blue avi flight is dubious in general.

^this I think is also relevant. In some ways, it feels like this forum is a bit to the right of where it was when in I first signed up, back in 2012.

[OSR stands with Israel]

- I think the belief that there's been a blue avi flight is dubious in general.

^this I think is also relevant. In some ways, it feels like this forum is a bit to the right of where it was when in I first signed up, back in 2012.

How has the forum become more conservative the past year or so. Like yah it was pretty conservative on COVID restrictions by late 2021 for a forum that is compromised with posters on the left but other than that I don't see how it has gotten more conservative.

[Sol]

- I think the belief that there's been a blue avi flight is dubious in general.

^this I think is also relevant. In some ways, it feels like this forum is a bit to the right of where it was when in I first signed up, back in 2012.

How has the forum become more conservative the past year or so. Like yah it was pretty conservative on COVID restrictions by late 2021 for a forum that is compromised with posters on the left but other than that I don't see how it has gotten more conservative.

Your program is malfunctioning, I've been posting for 10 years

[OSR stands with Israel]

- I think the belief that there's been a blue avi flight is dubious in general.

^this I think is also relevant. In some ways, it feels like this forum is a bit to the right of where it was when in I first signed up, back in 2012.

Your program is malfunctioning, I've been posting for 10 years
How has the forum become more conservative the past year or so. Like yah it was pretty conservative on COVID restrictions by late 2021 for a forum that is compromised with posters on the left but other than that I don't see how it has gotten more conservative.

Well you are not the first poster to say this cause there are other posters who talk about how this forum have moved to the right since 2018/19 as well and that is pretty hard to see.

I will say the only way you could argue that it has moved right since say 2015 is that in 2015 there were many more socialists and outright communists posting on Atlas along with more outright liberal Republicans but that is more due to the forum getting way way more partisan in general and RL polarization effecting the forum.

That means though the forum is far more hackishly pro Dems than it was before and far more hostile to Republican posters than it was before

[jamestroll]

- I think the belief that there's been a blue avi flight is dubious in general.

^this I think is also relevant. In some ways, it feels like this forum is a bit to the right of where it was when in I first signed up, back in 2012.

How has the forum become more conservative the past year or so. Like yah it was pretty conservative on COVID restrictions by late 2021 for a forum that is compromised with posters on the left but other than that I don't see how it has gotten more conservative.

The two reasons I believe this forum became quite conservative on covid restrictions in late 2021?

1) By that time society moved, but a larger portion of this forum are college aged and education was the last part of society full of covid frantic moron leaders.

2) The 2021 elections were the first real electoral consequences for Democrats over covid restrictions. The loss of a state thought as solid (VA) and a close call in a safe state (NJ).

I can not think of any individual races in 2020 lost solely due to covid. 

[Horus]

The idea that Atlas has a left wing bias is laughable and pathetic. A center left bias? Maybe.

[Aurelius]

- I think the belief that there's been a blue avi flight is dubious in general.

^this I think is also relevant. In some ways, it feels like this forum is a bit to the right of where it was when in I first signed up, back in 2012.

I don't remember that far back, but it's also definitely a tad right of where it was in 2017-18.

(Btw, one of the first things I remember about this forum is beaver2.0's signature. Could've swore I saw it looking at presidential election polls back in 2012. But beaver2.0 didn't join until 2015. Was there a beaver1.0?)

[satsuma]

Thing is.. white people FEAR black people more than other minorities. Should they? Absolutely not. When I lived in St. Louis, did I avoid black areas? Absolutely not. But I know most whites fear blacks, which contributes to their lower economic success.

No longer can I assume the right wing is less violent. While I do not carry a gun, I do carry less lethal weapons when I venture out into the wilderness as I am deathly afraid a conservative will try to attack me.

Friendo...

[jamestroll]

Thing is.. white people FEAR black people more than other minorities. Should they? Absolutely not. When I lived in St. Louis, did I avoid black areas? Absolutely not. But I know most whites fear blacks, which contributes to their lower economic success.

No longer can I assume the right wing is less violent. While I do not carry a gun, I do carry less lethal weapons when I venture out into the wilderness as I am deathly afraid a conservative will try to attack me.

Friendo...

Black people need to be protected. I grew up in St. Louis as a young kid, but what became completely apparent when I lived there as a cameo appearance as an adult is that people are people.

Whites fear blacks which creates a mutual distrust.

I view blacks as a group that needs protection from oppression.

[satsuma]

Thing is.. white people FEAR black people more than other minorities. Should they? Absolutely not. When I lived in St. Louis, did I avoid black areas? Absolutely not. But I know most whites fear blacks, which contributes to their lower economic success.

No longer can I assume the right wing is less violent. While I do not carry a gun, I do carry less lethal weapons when I venture out into the wilderness as I am deathly afraid a conservative will try to attack me.

Friendo...

Black people need to be protected. I grew up in St. Louis as a young kid, but what became completely apparent when I lived there as a cameo appearance as an adult is that people are people.

Whites fear blacks which creates a mutual distrust.

I view blacks as a group that needs protection from oppression.

Hanging around bad neighborhoods is like driving my car. It can realistically risk my life if I did it all day non-stop my entire life, but of course I'm almost certain to survive any given attempt. I just saw it as ironic that you're stating almost simultaneously that you have a fear of being attacked by a conservative in the wilderness.

[Badger]

I think the fact we have lost so many downright horrible and bigoted posters to conserve a cord is a good thing. Echo chamber smeco chamber, most of the people who've Departed frankly never made a good post out of 100.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I think the fact we have lost so many downright horrible and bigoted posters to conserve a cord is a good thing. Echo chamber smeco chamber, most of the people who've Departed frankly never made a good post out of 100.

What’s your opinion on posters like :

SunriseAroundtheWorld
TJ in Oregon
Lfromnj

[BG-NY]

Frankly, a lot of this is that the GOP is Trump's party ideologically. Vocal support for Trump's rhetoric and policy positions is not permitted on USGD, the largest board on Atlas.

If someone believes the results from 2020 were questionable, a position which 40%+ of the country holds according to polling, a certain moderator will delete your posts (even if they're permitted within the TOS) and have you muted.

[T'Chenka]

If someone believes the results from 2020 were questionable, a position which 40%+ of the country holds according to polling, a certain moderator will delete your posts (even if they're permitted within the TOS) and have you muted.

This should not happen IMO. They should be free to post their nonsense, and get 50 posts in reply laughing at their tomfoolery. Maybe that's why posts get deleted? To prevent threads from being derailed by people dunking on Big Lie truthers?

[BG-NY]

If someone believes the results from 2020 were questionable, a position which 40%+ of the country holds according to polling, a certain moderator will delete your posts (even if they're permitted within the TOS) and have you muted.

This should not happen IMO. They should be free to post their nonsense, and get 50 posts in reply laughing at their tomfoolery. Maybe that's why posts get deleted? To prevent threads from being derailed by people dunking on Big Lie truthers?

Nah. This cowardly moderator just has a god complex.

[Calthrina950]

I'll make another comment, and say that this thread certainly does demonstrate why nothing will change with regards to the current situation on this forum. Blue and red avatars have fundamentally different views of what this forum is and what it should be. It is unlikely that they will find any sort of common ground on this. Red avatars do not believe that this forum is inherently exclusive of opposing political viewpoints and believe that blue avatars are simply incapable of debating properly or defending their beliefs. Blue avatars think it is a waste of time to contribute in a space which, they feel, is hostile to them.

[T'Chenka]

I'll make another comment, and say that this thread certainly does demonstrate why nothing will change with regards to the current situation on this forum. Blue and red avatars have fundamentally different views of what this forum is and what it should be. It is unlikely that they will find any sort of common ground on this. Red avatars do not believe that this forum is inherently exclusive of opposing political viewpoints and believe that blue avatars are simply incapable of debating properly or defending their beliefs. Blue avatars think it is a waste of time to contribute in a space which, they feel, is hostile to them.

This sounds like a microcosm of American politics.

Democrats tell Republicans that GOP modern policies are illogical and/or immoral, and try to debate with Republicans in order to show that the GOP position doesn't hold up to logic and/or morality when scrutinized. Republicans USUALLY either refuse to debate altogether or they argue in bad faith so they can "win / stalemate" debates, even though the entire reason the Dems wanted to debate in the first place was to have a good faith discussion and show conservatives that the Dem position is more logical and/or more moral.

One MIGHT deduce from this that the Republicans don't really have superior ideas these days, otherwise they would be more willing (and maybe even eager) to debate in good faith and show the Dems why their left wing ideas make less sense than GOP ideas.

[Calthrina950]

I'll make another comment, and say that this thread certainly does demonstrate why nothing will change with regards to the current situation on this forum. Blue and red avatars have fundamentally different views of what this forum is and what it should be. It is unlikely that they will find any sort of common ground on this. Red avatars do not believe that this forum is inherently exclusive of opposing political viewpoints and believe that blue avatars are simply incapable of debating properly or defending their beliefs. Blue avatars think it is a waste of time to contribute in a space which, they feel, is hostile to them.

This sounds like a microcosm of American politics.

Democrats tell Republicans that GOP modern policies are illogical and/or immoral, and try to debate with Republicans in order to show that the GOP position doesn't hold up to logic and/or morality when scrutinized. Republicans USUALLY either refuse to debate altogether or they argue in bad faith so they can "win / stalemate" debates, even though the entire reason the Dems wanted to debate in the first place was to have a good faith discussion and show conservatives that the Dem position is more logical and/or more moral.

One MIGHT deduce from this that the Republicans don't really have superior ideas these days, otherwise they would be more willing (and maybe even eager) to debate in good faith and show the Dems why their left wing ideas make less sense than GOP ideas.

One major problem I see here is that you are assuming that Democratic positions on public policy are the only justifiable and morally correct ones, and that Republicans need to be "enlightened" and given a clear path out of their ignorance. If only they are able to see the light and repent for the evil of their ways, then can they thrive. That would imply that a one-party system ought to prevail. Of course, there is the argument that our Founding Fathers never envisioned a system of political parties such as the one we have. But they also didn't envision a society in which everyone would share the same viewpoints. I tend to believe that a society where there is only one worldview and where dissenting opinions are ruled illegitimate or are discouraged, is not a society that will thrive.

And this gets to the root of why blue and red avatars can't "just get along" on this forum, and why the situation won't change. You're unlikely to win over converts or to persuade people if you tell them that they are ignorant and that their way of thinking and believing is completely out of place in the modern world. In fact, telling people such things makes it more likely that they will double down on their preexisting beliefs. Obviously, Republicans or the "right" have a nasty habit of painting Democrats and the left with one brush, and considering them to be enemies of society and of common decency. That is clearly not the correct or appropriate approach either.

[Santander]

Blue avatars should learn to be more like yellow avatars.

[Spectator]

This place is a bit of an echo chamber to an extent (see PA-Sen thread as a prime example), but what do you expect? You get people are more likely to be online, and consequently far more likely to be liberal than the typical population. It’s a lot like Reddit in that regard.

[OSR stands with Israel]

This place is a bit of an echo chamber to an extent (see PA-Sen thread as a prime example), but what do you expect? You get people are more likely to be online, and consequently far more likely to be liberal than the typical population. It’s a lot like Reddit in that regard.

Except this is not really a case when you look at Atlas related discords where you would see the parity between red and blue avatars is no where near as stark as it is on here. It kinda shows more or less the problem is RL polarization has hit this site hard and red and blue avatars no longer can discuss politics with each other without everything becoming a mess.

[Spectator]

This place is a bit of an echo chamber to an extent (see PA-Sen thread as a prime example), but what do you expect? You get people are more likely to be online, and consequently far more likely to be liberal than the typical population. It’s a lot like Reddit in that regard.

Except this is not really a case when you look at Atlas related discords where you would see the parity between red and blue avatars is no where near as stark as it is on here. It kinda shows more or less the problem is RL polarization has hit this site hard and red and blue avatars no longer can discuss politics with each other without everything becoming a mess.

You know what’s a mess? You not accepting my buddy request

[Vosem]

I'll make another comment, and say that this thread certainly does demonstrate why nothing will change with regards to the current situation on this forum. Blue and red avatars have fundamentally different views of what this forum is and what it should be. It is unlikely that they will find any sort of common ground on this. Red avatars do not believe that this forum is inherently exclusive of opposing political viewpoints and believe that blue avatars are simply incapable of debating properly or defending their beliefs. Blue avatars think it is a waste of time to contribute in a space which, they feel, is hostile to them.

This sounds like a microcosm of American politics.

Democrats tell Republicans that GOP modern policies are illogical and/or immoral, and try to debate with Republicans in order to show that the GOP position doesn't hold up to logic and/or morality when scrutinized. Republicans USUALLY either refuse to debate altogether or they argue in bad faith so they can "win / stalemate" debates, even though the entire reason the Dems wanted to debate in the first place was to have a good faith discussion and show conservatives that the Dem position is more logical and/or more moral.

I don't think this is true in a general sense; in general elections neither party is particularly likelier to duck out of debates than the other. I think the parties are actually starting from such different principles -- which are themselves informed by different life patterns -- that arguments from both sides come off as "bad-faith" to the other. (To a fiscal conservative, the argument that "redistribution improves outcomes in the long run" seems to be obviously in bad-faith; to a social conservative this is true of a number of positions on trans issues. Neither of these people are being insincere.)

One MIGHT deduce from this that the Republicans don't really have superior ideas these days, otherwise they would be more willing (and maybe even eager) to debate in good faith and show the Dems why their left wing ideas make less sense than GOP ideas.

I don't think it is generally true, in the public sphere, that Republicans are less likely to debate. (I'd be interested in seeing statistics on that point, actually: the stereotype I've always seen is that fairly unintellectual conservatives, a la Steven Crowder or Ben Shapiro, are still strongly influenced by a Hazlitt-ism and love challenging people to debates in any and every setting, and Republican candidates for office are likelier to challenge their Democratic opponents to debates than vice versa. But I could be out of date here.)

It is true that Republicans are less likely to debate on forums comprised of lots of young American intellectuals, just because they're likelier to be subjected to pile-ons. But this is a natural consequence of being a minority opinion.