Seriously, I get curious about Conservative (specifically American Conservative) communities. About why they’re so liked. About why my family praises them so much and wants me to be a Trump-worshipping Conservative. But all I find is nonsensical AI slop, insanity, and asshole behavior. Treating minorities like they’re non-humans without feelings. Acting like white straight able-bodied people are superior to those who are either not white, not straight, not able-bodied, or none of the above.
They have to be a certain way in order for them to be liked, and all I find is how they claim to be peaceful people, like how my ex said, that respect others, but a conservative teen group online literally raided a safe space for queer teens.
They mostly claim to be respectful, but act like everyone is out to get them. They also complain about queer people who aren’t even hurting them and whine about how trans and gay people are “mentally ill”, and “Trump is the Messiah”. I have yet to find a pro-gay, pro-trans, anti-racist Conservative who aligns with my values, yet I get all that from a left-leaning person.
And even some (SOME, not as much as the right-wingers/Conservatives) of the left-leaning people I know who aren’t fully left think people who try to be themselves are cringe, or are just anti-autistic/ableist. But this isn’t most leftists, especially the mostly left/“full” leftists.
It’s not religion. (Or, at least, not mainly religion.)
It’s social media, which is effectively constructing a different reality for every user: one where everything you believe is correct, and reinforced to you with sources that appear legitimate, while at the same time keeping you as angry and radicalized as possible. Algorithmically-elevated content is going to eventually be proven to be one of the most harmful innovations in human history.