Wanted to mention that anything I didn’t specifically address in PG’s post is something I agree with. It was pretty long so I only skimmed but the most of the logic seems sound
Even the reality that one should never assume that someone who 100% agrees with their political party hasn’t been manipulated, and that this could truly occur, seems sound, probably to most people, but not to me
I personally think the chance is approaching zero that someone happens to have grown up with a worldview that perfectly aligns with every tactic, every belief, and every message of their political party. I think it is a near certainty that they were manipulated, at least in some small part, into that. Possibly manipulated somewhat by the opposing party’s vitriol, but mostly by their own party’s bullying, cancel culture, and more subtle manipulation tactics
And yes that is an unfalsifiable statement by me, because it’s not like someone who’s being manipulated recognizes they are. Anyone who has the gall to say “I could never be manipulated, all my beliefs will always be completely my own” is naive to the point they are probably easier to manipulate than most. It’s almost as bad as trying to claim “what I know is more than what I don’t know”
Anyone can be manipulated. What varies is how easily
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