Has RI gone MAGA?

[Karmamatterz]

To the new observer, it might reasonably appear so.

Could someone please provide specific quotes or a general context (at the very least) around this?

It's ridiculous to believe anybody on RI is a MAGA.

Perhaps it's because some of us strongly believe the media is full of shit.
Or maybe because we don't trust the extreme nut jobs in public office or the unelected bureaucrats?

Honest to God how people don't see that we're all in a fricking matrix and none of the political spectrum offerings are good for us boggles the mind.

The question is cartoonish.

[thrulookingglass]

THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE...

[Elvis]

THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE...

[Karmamatterz]

The echo is coming from inside your head. Unfortunately those who have echo issues are grossly unaware of it.

Sort of like Covidians who are under the spell of the mass hysteria. It's like taking a friend or loved one to an AA meeting and they keep asking, "why are we here?"

I suggest if those who lack the courage to point out with specifics continue with their trolling the mods lock this thread. Oh wait, didn't a mod start this?

[Elvis]

The echo is coming from inside your head. Unfortunately those who have echo issues are grossly unaware of it.

Sort of like Covidians who are under the spell of the mass hysteria. It's like taking a friend or loved one to an AA meeting and they keep asking, "why are we here?"

I suggest if those who lack the courage to point out with specifics continue with their trolling the mods lock this thread. Oh wait, didn't a mod start this?

The title is a question, not an accusation. Complaints contain no specifics, so I don't have any specifics for you.

[stickdog99]

In what year was the analysis of scientific data reduced to nothing but a BlueAnon vs. QAnon quarrel?

More specifically, in what year did unquestioning belief in the "self-evident, common sense" utility of mRNA vaccines, masks, and lockdowns become an inviolable creed of anyone who opposes Donald Trump? And in what year did irate and dismissive calls for censorship of any questions about the cost vs. benefit analysis mRNA vaccines, masks, and lockdowns become the mandated response to these questions for anyone who opposes Donald Trump?

Because that's exactly what people are talking about when they say that RI has become a "MAGA mouthpiece." Isn't it?

(edited to remove two extraneous words)

[Karmamatterz]

To the new observer, it might reasonably appear so.

@Elvis

Is that your comment? Or were you quoting those that complained?

What is reasonable?
Please demonstrate why it only applies to new observers?
Are those that complain also insinuating that Jeff Wells has gone MAGA?
If these people are so concerned why haven't they outlined specific things and actually created a real conversation?

This entire thread is malarky. It belongs in the Firepit if those that ask such a question can't outline details. Or we can just fill it full of memes found on Facebag.

[Laodicean]

Allow me to guess. These same members are imploring you to censor al the "MAGA mouthpieces" on RI. Right?

I am trying to find out what is wrong with this logic and sentiment, and I cannot come up with a goddamn thing.

[Iamwhomiam]

Allow me to guess. These same members are imploring you to censor al the "MAGA mouthpieces" on RI. Right?

I am trying to find out what is wrong with this logic and sentiment, and I cannot come up with a goddamn thing.

I would call it more than a bit ironic. This is a quote from an online posting to one of Jeff's several surveillance social media accounts, perhaps twitter. Anyone truly concerned with being surveilled would limit their online exposure and throw away their cellphones. Plus, it's not a 'right' or 'left' thing.



That was pretty funny, thrulookingglass:

THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE...

[nashvillebrook]

An accusation is implied in the question, along with an appeal to tribalism.

[Iamwhomiam]

It is clearly a question, nashvillebrook, not an accusation. Seems two members feel RI has become tribal, maybe because of all the insulting adolescent name calling, or the diversion to another topic rather than responding to questions when asked, often ignoring the questioner completely. Coulda been the Nazi shit, for all I know. I don't see it that way, but certainly agree with Elvis that a new observer might view RI that way. I see it more like a(n) (induced) libertarian shift to conservatism.

[BenDhyan]

Btw Elvis, would not the stats show if new membership has taken a hit due to the new observer being turned off, has it been dropping off?

[RocketMan]

This is an interesting question. I have been away for a while, but it seems to me that indeed more "conservative" or "rightist" points have been raised here. It's difficult to properly formulate what the phenomenon is about, as talk of just "left" and "right" is too crude in this instance, due to the extreme heterogeneity of thought here. But it's partly due to the nature of the beast/board, I guess. The status quo can be challenged from all sorts of directions.

Clearly basic issues like attitude towards the State are extremely hard to grapple with when one is anti-authoritarian to the extreme, as I suspect most of us identify themselves as being. There certainly has been a very strong "conservative/traditionalist" bent to discussions regarding identity/gender issues here for some time.

The fact remains, though, that Jeff Wells originally staked out a quite "traditional" leftist/socialist position on worldview/politics. No doubt he himself has undergone quite a transmogrification there.

[stickdog99]

This is an interesting question. I have been away for a while, but it seems to me that indeed more "conservative" or "rightist" points have been raised here. It's difficult to properly formulate what the phenomenon is about, as talk of just "left" and "right" is too crude in this instance, due to the extreme heterogeneity of thought here. But it's partly due to the nature of the beast/board, I guess. The status quo can be challenged from all sorts of directions.

Clearly basic issues like attitude towards the State are extremely hard to grapple with when one is anti-authoritarian to the extreme, as I suspect most of us identify themselves as being. There certainly has been a very strong "conservative/traditionalist" bent to discussions regarding identity/gender issues here for some time.

The fact remains, though, that Jeff Wells originally staked out a quite "traditional" leftist/socialist position on worldview/politics. No doubt he himself has undergone quite a transmogrification there.

LOL. It's the "left" that has transmogrified into a vile, infinitely smug and self-righteous, totally authoritarian, censor-happy, Big Tech, Big Pharma, military-intelligence, security state, and especially biosecurity state loving monstrosity, while Jeff and I have stayed exactly where we always have been since our days of righteous railing against the Reagan-Bush Evil Empire.

[drstrangelove]

I wouldn't call it the left stickdog, even though I have called it the left.

It's digital era corporate progressivism which panders to a few leftwing ideals to mobilise the larger populations of metropolitan cities against the lesser rural ones.

Plus, what used to be classical liberalism is considered conservatism these days, which it would be if it's trying to conserve itself. It's certainly not reactionary.

Edit, never mind just noticed you used quotation marks. My bad.