The Mainstream

Published by

Clarissa

October 12, 2018

From a great article in The Atlantic:

According to the report, 25 percent of Americans are traditional or devoted conservatives, and their views are far outside the American mainstream. Some 8 percent of Americans are progressive activists, and their views are even less typical. By contrast, the two-thirds of Americans who don’t belong to either extreme constitute an “exhausted majority.” Their members “share a sense of fatigue with our polarized national conversation, a willingness to be flexible in their political viewpoints, and a lack of voice in the national conversation.” Most members of the “exhausted majority,” and then some, dislike political correctness. Among the general population, a full 80 percent believe that “political correctness is a problem in our country.”

Yep. The national news cycle, let alone the online space, is being controlled by a bunch of freaks nobody cares about or supports.

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8 responses to “The Mainstream”

Tal Hartsfeld

October 12, 2018

As a neutral, middle-of-the-road type I can vouch for that quote you just sampled in my own life (and mind).

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1. Clarissa
  
  October 12, 2018
  
  #MeToo. In a good sense, I mean. 🙂
  
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el

October 12, 2018

Loved the article, clicked on Ideas to search for more and immediately saw the following. Wanted to ask what you think about it.

Study-Abroad Programs Enter the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Two University of Michigan instructors refused to write recommendations for students headed to Tel Aviv.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/michigan-instructors-study-abroad-israel/572788/

I suppose since professors do not have to give anyone any letters of recommendation – they were within their right, even if I think they were mistaken.

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1. Clarissa
  
  October 12, 2018
  
  The unspoken convention is that you refuse to write a letter if you don’t know the student well enough or don’t have enough good things to say about them.
  
  I think it’s utterly unprofessional to impose your ideology on students. For instance, I don’t recognize the Russian Crimea and support the boycott of artists who visit it. But I would help students who wanted to go because it’s about their education and not my personal opinions.
  
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el

October 12, 2018

Saw this photo and thought about your post – will PC come to FSU countries? 🙂

https://scontent.fiev5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/43040007_758705014480280_7215073749043773440_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&oh=8e4b4a3a36a788569b318fdb2ade6912&oe=5C222EFC

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1. Clarissa
  
  October 12, 2018
  
  Not very likely. At least not this century. 🙂
  
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Demotrash

October 12, 2018

“Their members share a sense of fatigue with our polarized national conversation, a willingness to be flexible in their political viewpoints, and a lack of voice in the national conversation.” I’ve never been described so well.

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Vic Crain

October 12, 2018

There was a study back in the 70s that established that the leaders in both major parties were also outside the bounds of mainstream America — both either further to the left or right than what most citizens wanted. Unfortunately, that knowledge was of no consequence then; doubt that it will be now.

Further, the “flexibility” of the mainstream means they can be easily led. Couple that with ignorance, and it’s a dangerous mix.

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