Using the science of group conflict to understand Trump's campaign

Well, where one is based doesn’t necessarily mean anything now, with the internet. I think boingboing would still be boingboing, you would have to change the entire life stories of the editors to effect some kind of sea change in tone or worldview. Case in point: Xeni grew up in West Virginia, doesn’t mean she’s a Republican.

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A lot of us (left and right) increasingly live in echo chambers where all we ever hear is a chorus of assenting voices. Post here in favor of Trump, or on Breitbart in favor of Clinton, and the response will be much the same.

I try very hard not to live in an echo chamber. And the fact that I live in an area where there I talk daily with conservatives, liberals, blacks, whites, Christians, and atheists really helps.

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Despite being on Cracked’s site, that is a far more readable, meaningful and insightful exposition than either Dr. Ransom’s article or the one from American Psychologist that inspired it.

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Damn straight, and it isn’t just the advent of the Internet. I really, really dislike any narrative that assumes where you live and its dominant politics automatically defines who you are and what you believe.

Cases in point: I worked for a tiny, weekly newspaper in Indianola, Mississippi, the darkest heart of the Delta, and the editor of that paper was one of the most liberal people I’ve ever known. I worked for a small press in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and the editor-in-chief was conservative and self-righteous in ways I’ve not experienced in the workplace since. When I first moved to work in Estes Park, Colorado, I noticed something was amiss. After a couple of days, I finally realized: There’s no African-Americans here! I was used to interacting on a daily basis with an entire population that was almost non-existent (Colorado demographics: ~4% black.)

I understand these are anecdotal evidence based on my personal experiences, but it isn’t where you live. It’s what you seek to find while there.

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I read this article yesterday as well. Very insightful.

@Nobby_Stiles posted this incredibly insightful article the other day to try to explain the mindset of the typical Trump supporter:

While not in listicle format for easy consumption it made a lot of sense to me.

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“It ain’t where you from, it’s where you at.” --Rakim

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Hey, that’s not only a really excellent article, it’s a freakin’ giant link farm leading to others.

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