Posted on 08/22/2019 9:21:45 AM PDT by TexasGurl24
To many, those on the extreme left appear to be more politically radical, insular, vocal and politically active than their moderate or even extremely conservative counterparts. It turns out that this is entirely correct.
In addition to a host of new studies and reports showing that liberals live in a digital bubble and have less diverse social media networks than moderates or conservatives, new data from the AEI Survey on Community and Society adds another layer to the story: Extreme liberals are notably more active on social media generally and are far more politically engaged than their moderate and even very conservative counterparts.
The AEI data reveals that social media has helped created an echo chamber around extreme liberals at rates significantly greater than other ideological groups. While 25% of very liberal respondents stated that social media made them “a lot” more involved with like-minded others, just 13% of moderates and very conservative identifiers believed that the internet increased their connections to similar people to that degree.
In other words, extreme liberals are almost twice as likely to interact with those who share similar outlooks to themselves online compared to conservatives and centrists.
Going further, progressives are also far more dominant online when expressing their views. Forty-eight percent of very liberal Americans report posting online about their politics, such as publicly supporting causes and campaigns, compared to just 23% of moderates and 30% of very conservative Americans. Once again, very liberal Americans are twice as likely to engage digitally compared to moderates. Such behaviors can further radicalize those in these echo chambers.
Turning to offline activism and engagement, those who identify as very liberal are far more vigorous when it comes to promoting political views and messaging compared to the average American as well. While there is parity with reported voter turnout for extreme liberals and conservatives, extreme liberals are far more likely to engage in other forms of participation, from contacting elected officials to attending rallies and political events compared to any other ideological group.
Forty percent of very strong liberals state that they have asked their friends, neighbors, family, or coworkers to support a particular candidate or a political position. The number who have done this drops to 20% for moderates and jumps up a bit to 27% for those who are very conservative, but these are real disparities. As for contacting an elected official or a politician about an issue, those who are very liberal are twice as likely to do this compared to moderates and all conservative identifiers. The same ratio exists when one considers if someone worked or volunteered for a political party, candidate, or a group that tried to impact public policy.
When looking at very public political rallies, protests, speeches, or campaigns event, it is three times more likely that one who is extremely liberal will be at a pubic political event compared to both moderates and all forms of conservatives. As for talking about politics, 47% of Americans state that they discuss politics or current affairs at least once a week or more frequently. In contrast, 67% of very liberal Americans talk politics at the same frequency (a 20-point difference) and those who are very conservative talk more often than the average but at a lower 54%. Moderates talk politics just 34% of the time.
The ideology gap narrows a bit when asked about displaying a campaign poster, bumper sticker, lawn sign, or button. Thirty-five percent of extreme liberals report doing this compared to 24% of liberals, 19% of moderates and conservatives, and 25% of "very conservative" American. But the prevailing trend is absolutely clear: very liberal Americans are far more likely to participate in traditional forms of political expression and engagement than any other ideological group.
In short, the data makes it abundantly clear that a very small, extremely liberal group — less than 5% of the sample here — makes a lot of noise both online and on the ground. It is very insular and far more active in its political behaviors than even its "very conservative" counterparts.
Those who identify as very liberal in the United States are true outliers in terms of their narrow networks and activist political behaviors. Americans should take note and not give them more credence than they deserve. While small numbers of liberals are protesting on Twitter, Facebook, and on the streets, most Americans (even those who are very conservative) are simply living their lives and are not nearly as politically engaged or habitually outraged.
Guess the author hasn't been to a Trump rally. :-)
If any give you another chance, have some fun with it with the “agree and amplify” approach.
How does it work?
Leftist says: “I support Biden because he favors working people.”
You respond: “He is a straight white male. Black candidates, women candidates, and gay candidates need a chance.”
Leftist says: “We need to stop using materials like plastic that cause global climate change.”
You respond: “You are so right. Look at your car—mostly plastic. You should get one without plastic next time.”
etc etc etc
Have fun! Hit them over the head with their own stupidity!
“Insular” carries more with it than an emotional set. These are, especially as they get wealthier, people who are largely insulated legally and economically against the negative results of the policies they are advocating for others. Herein lie the hypocrites in private jets, yachts, and carbon-fiber sailboats who are thoroughly concerned about other people making sacrifices to save the planet; the city dwellers eager to preserve predator species by inflicting them on their rural counterparts are here as well, as are the strident advocates for illegal immigrants who screech if the same turn up in their own neighborhoods. It isn’t simply virtue signaling, it’s consequence-free virtue signaling. These live in digital enclaves just as they do in physical ones.
A moderate is someone with a fence post stuck up their backside.
My feelings exactly.
Self ping for "allodoxaphobia"
We do, but if we keep slacking, we’ll end up with more O’Bummers.
This story amplifies the significance of the President’s rallies. If Libtards are much more likely to go to a political rally, the sheer numbers of folks going to MAGA rallies should give everyone pause.
And families.
Aside from FR, where I spend far too much time, I am not on social media. When would I have the time?
Conservatives simply don’t engage online at the same rate as the ultra-left radicals,
******
In the culture war, conservatives wont fight. That makes them useless.
And that’s why the domestic enemy wins.
And if anyone doubts that the domestic enemy wins, take a real hard look at the s**thole situation we’re in and take a real good guess at how we got here. It didn’t happen by magic.
It took decades of moral cowardice and rationalized excuses.
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