How Do I Discuss Politics With Zombies?

On another website I made the mistake of replying to a pretty obtuse comment with what I thought was a level-headed approach.

Them: "I think it is perfectly reasonable to hate Pres Trump's behavior and him, for that matter."
Me: "I find it pretty disingenuous to say I hate (or love) someone I have never met. Everything I know about them is via the media and their bias one way or another."
Them: "The media does not edit the man's behavior."

OK... How does one debate with this? I did not jump on the hate/love train one way or another. I simply questioned how can you hate/love someone you have never met be it Trump, Obama, or the Queen of England? Those are pretty strong emotions. You do not know anything about them other than what they themselves present to the public and the media's spin on it.

But it get's better. Another poster immediately "heart emoji"-ed that original comment about hating Trump. Then went on:

2nd Them: "My voting is between me and Jesus and I want to face Him and have him know I voted on His promptings and not earthly platforms."

Jesus? Really? Jesus was all about hating, huh? After learning my lesson the first time I did not respond to either of these two posters. This was good because the discussion diverged further from what might be considered rational thought. Call it Karma or pack mentality or delusions of the Crusader or whatever.

2nd Them: "...we need candidates that are Christ centered and more middle of the road. I pray that He sends some our way!"
3rd Them: "Are you serious? Mike Pence is just awful! Jesus!"
2nd Them: "He’s better than our current option."
3rd Them: "Hell no he is not. Not with his abortion views. Can’t stand him"

What do I take away from this? Those on the hate train will eat each other alive. They do not think, but simply respond. It's like Zombies. Dispatch one and there is another right behind it. They have zero problem about stomping on one another for a chance to projectile vomit their sophistry on anyone in the way. It's a compulsion, a need.

Still, here I am. Unable to connect and deeply concerned. Maybe there really should be some kind of test to pass in order to vote. A psychological screening. Who knows?

a reply to: ABNARTY

Zombies can physically and mentally eat your brain. Blind Zombies are the worst.

Ask them to discuss policy instead of feelings then they usually go away because they don’t know any .

Don't discuss politics with zombies? Zombies need brains. Stop giving them your brains.

Maybe there really should be some kind of test to pass in order to vote. A psychological screening.

Good idea! Now let´s take a second to remind ourselfes who did something very similar? Hint: It´s Adolf.

a reply to: ABNARTY

Perhaps you should start out by calling them zombies . That way they will understand the depth of your reason and maturity.

originally posted by: Fallingdown
Ask them to discuss policy instead of feelings then they usually go away because they don’t know any .

Perfect summary.

I just had a pub lunch in some quite village near Shaftsbury (England) with my brother who was passing through. He lives in the States. He says that the politics in the US at the moment are so obsessed with personalities that the issues are not really being discussed. It's all negative advertising and character assassination, rather than positivity.

I guess, what I am trying to say is that in that type of environment any debate is baselined around confrontation and negativity, rather than issues. People "hating" Trump is because they are being taught to hate him as an individual rather than his policies - whatever they are. I am sure the reverse is true.

Good luck. I am sure common sense will prevail at some point in the future. But the people to blame for this are the politicians because they are setting the tone.

Typical low education. Plenty of them, you gotta balance life, knowledge and realistic expectations.

I just think that some people become willfully dense when on online forums.

originally posted by: TREESNAKE1111
a reply to: ABNARTY

Perhaps you should start out by calling them zombies . That way they will understand the depth of your reason and maturity.

NPC is preferable.

a reply to: ABNARTY

Just bring up the point that every one of their qualms begin with the statement “Trump said...”, and remind them they are angry about words and not any real evil or injustice.

“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”
-Mark Twain

a reply to: Fallingdown

Well... one stated she votes character, not policies.

Not sure where to go from there.

a reply to: TREESNAKE1111

Gosh...thanks for the input. Sorry the analogy went by you. I will try harder next time.

originally posted by: ABNARTY
a reply to: TREESNAKE1111

Gosh...thanks for the input. Sorry the analogy went by you. I will try harder next time.

See that you do . I will let it slide this one time .

You take apart your own argument in your own post, so the example is already in it. I won't use Jesus though, but a few other examples.

Why do we hate Hitler or Stalin, we have never met them and the victor writes the history right? How do we know what they actually did or were like?
Why do we adore MLK or Ghandi, or Columbus? We've never met any of them, only what the media says. Do we even know they did ALL the things attributed to them?

You present a self-defeating argument.

Anyways, in this day and age we can actually hear and see the people in the spotlight. We know what Trump sounds like, we know his accent, we know his articulations and word choices, we know his quiet voice and his angry voice. We know when he lies and when he tells the truth, we can check and double check all that. We have so much information about it that is verifiable, we know exactly who he wants us to know.

Is that really him?

Who knows, but that is what he wants us to think that he is. If we get it wrong it's nobody's fault but his own for misrepresenting himself.

a reply to: ABNARTY

Not sure if that one was a "religious feelings voter," but if it was, the Bible has got a number of show-stoppers for its adherents:

"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outside of a person. But the Lord looks at what is in the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

"Every way of a person seems right in his or her own eyes; but only the Lord judges the heart." -Proverbs 21:2

How do they know what they want is what Jesus wants, and not what is already in their own heart:


"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it?" -Jeremiah 17:9

originally posted by: ABNARTY
a reply to: Fallingdown

Well... one stated she votes character, not policies.

Not sure where to go from there.

Tell her you understand now. Her entire political position is “Trump says mean things “

a reply to: ABNARTY

I just troll with pointing out logical errors. After 2 or 3 of those I usually get blocked and things quieten down.

"I mean, i hear what you are saying...and its a circular logic argument" or "anyone who'd use ad hom's admits defeat without even meaning to".

You don't.

Everyone that votes does so of their own free accord. Live and let live. The world keeps spinning my friend. Don't let it get you down....Ain't nothing but peanuts.

A2D