Emotionally manipulative rhetoric has consequences

Grossly oversimplified political narratives trigger grossly inappropriate reactions.

The past few weeks have felt like a long episode of political déjà vu. Watching Democrats and professional lefties whine about “faaaashizm!” while doing little more than throwing tantrums on social media and cable news reminds me of the frustration I felt five years ago. If we’re experiencing multiple dire threats to our health and our democracy, why aren’t we acting like it?

But because I had enough awareness of how our political and economic systems work to imagine powerful yet nonviolent ways to disrupt them, seeing my political peers refuse to use them caused me to start questioning what was really going on. I ultimately came to recognize that much of our rhetoric was built on lies and exaggerations, which allowed me to reset my expectations and realign my political stances.

Unfortunately, for a lot of people — particularly political hobbyists who have more interest than knowledge about our political and economic realities — this rhetorical disconnect hasn’t yet caused them to rethink their beliefs. Instead, it’s causing them unnecessary anxiety. It’s causing them to feel helpless and hopelessly depressed. Some have cut off friends, disowned family members, and ended marriages over political disputes, further damaging their social and emotional health.

More disturbingly, this extreme rhetoric is causing some folks to feel justified in committing or condoning acts of violence. Unstable partisans have started swatting conservative media figures, doxxing Tesla owners, and committing armed attacks on Tesla dealerships and charging stations. There is zero justification for this, and it’s gross to see people laughing at it and minimizing it. (More 2020 déjà vu, courtesy of “mostly peaceful protests” involving fire and gunshots…) Like the husband and father killed protecting his family during a failed assassination attempt on President Trump, this kind of political violence mostly hurts ordinary citizens and bystanders. People who believe anyone who disagrees with them deserves violence should reconsider who, exactly, deserves the “authoritarian” label they throw around so freely.

There's plenty not to like about President Trump or Elon Musk. But they’re also not the boogeymen the Left have made them out to be. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a democratically-elected President defending our borders, particularly removing violent criminals who have no right to be here. Our federal bureaucracy has swelled well beyond our Constitutional design, and if good government types in either major party had taken meaningful action to stop wasteful spending and self-dealing over the last few decades, there would be no need or appetite for DOGE’s interventions. And it’s downright sad that it is even necessary to issue executive orders acknowledging basic biological facts and ensuring laws enacted to protect sex-based rights aren’t perverted to do the exact opposite.

Yet opponents have every right to disagree with their actions. And it’s entirely possible to do so by making reasoned arguments without all the hysterics. By choosing instead to reflexively demonize their every move, they’re setting themselves up to look ridiculous when they eventually go along with their decisions, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer recently found out. Worse, they’re further inflaming political tensions among those who still believe their rhetoric.

Sadly, it’s probably going to take a while for political operatives and organizations entrenched in this kind of distorted groupthink to break free of it. Their entire fundraising and power-building model rests on scaring people into donating and volunteering, which means they likely won’t stop until supporters stop rewarding those tactics. (That’s a major reason why Leaving Groupthink, Inc. exists: to expose these dynamics so supporters stop propping up irresponsible politicians and organizations.)

Every public official and influential public figure deserves our scrutiny and skepticism. We absolutely should pay attention and check them when they overstep their proper authority. But beware of people, parties, and organizations adopting a knee-jerk "rEs1sTaNcE!" posture right now. Take the time to consider each issue on its merits versus getting sucked in by emotionally manipulative rhetoric, much of which is oversimplified and overstated by people who stand to lose money and power if and when the federal government is cut down to Constitutional size. And speak up when people around you parrot distorted rhetoric or condone political violence. Friends don’t let friends talk themselves into despair or destructive behavior.