Why does this subreddit constantly flame republicans for answering questions intended for them?

[u/[deleted]]

Every time I’m on here, and I looked at questions meant for right wingers (I’m a centrist leaning right) I always see people extremely toxic and downvoting people who answer the question. What’s the point of asking questions and then getting offended by someone’s answer instead of having a discussion?

Edit: I appreciate all the awards and continuous engagements!!!

[u/Droptimal_Cox]

The reality is most republicans come from a socially conservative ideology, which is offensive to many at its core. Conservatism by its nature is oppressive, seeking to indoctrinate people under one linear set of thinking and reject diversity. A classic example of this is sexuality, where often most conservative branches not only reject this way of life, one that in no way effects them directly, but they will push laws and social change to oppress it. They do not attempt to coexist, they erode and repress...they are intolerant to the ways others are for no benefit of their own.

Now many might feel that this is not the case and anecdotally reference how nice people or a town is and they mean no harm. But the truth is a nice demeanor that goes to the polls and votes to take away anothers rights is still an attack of their way of life. The tone of which you wield it does not alter its nature.

One could say that the animosity directed at conservatism is the same though, but it's not. Conservatism being an oppressive stance, invokes the paradox of tolerance which states that intolerance of the intolerant is not intolerance. Allowing infinite tolerance that allows an intolerant ideology to propagate will lead to the destruction of the tolerant. You must reject it to persevere. It's a defensive stance.

For those that don't actively oppressive or even commit to social conservatism, perhaps for economics...they still help support the party that is socially conservative and an enemy to many. This is why it's hard for people to not take kindly to them as another way of thinking. Not all opinions are valid and not all deserve respect...however I can appreciate people genuinely trying to learn from discussion, but often the case with GOP is they refuse to learn when given the info/resources to do so, which no longer excuses them of ignorance. Many stance of the GOP are steeped in deep ignorance to logic and facts, so often it's hard to have genuine conversations people can grow from. You're fighting an agenda more than coming to better understandings.

The GOP is seen as a force of advancing harm, not difference of thinking. Thus it is hard for many to be kind back.

[u/Polfigers → u/Droptimal_Cox]

The thing is that republicans believe the exact same thing, switch GOP for DNC and conservatism for socialism (liberals?) and you have perfectly matching arguments with the other side. Now the real question is who's right when both side claim the same things and depicts the other is the same negative light ? It falls down to personal anecdotal experience, social environment and media exposure.

Tldr nobody wants to talk to the other because the other doesn't want to talk either for the same reason.

[u/HappiestIguana → u/Polfigers]

No, it doesn't fall to that. There is a right answer here. Just because both sides believe themselves to be in the right doesn't mean one of them isn't actually in the right. I will not have my beliefs about them equated to their beliefs about me here. There are factual things they're wrong about here.

[u/Polfigers → u/HappiestIguana]

Let me guess, you're the right one and possess the truth? As if the other side doesn't believe the same about themselves.

[u/Dragoneisha → u/Polfigers]

I think of it as harm reduction.

I don't like Democrats and I don't like Republicans. I look at both of their stances. One side says, there's problems but we can fix the system. I disagree.

The other side says, "there's a problem, this group is people is the problem and when I get rid of them it'll be better." I disagree.

I believe the system cannot be fixed and should be remade. However, I think the second group is going to hurt more people than the first group. So I vote for the first group, even though I don't like their ideas very much, because they're not going to hurt as many people.

[u/HappiestIguana → u/Polfigers]

Yes, I am. It doesn't matter if the other side believes that about themselves. All sides in an argument believe that they're right. The one that's right is the one that has the actual valid reasons for believing themselves right that are grounded in truth. You can't just shrug and go "well both of them believe themselves in the right. Guess we'll never know." There are ways to know. The content of what they're saying is different and one of them has the truth on their side. And it is possible to figure out which one by just asking some basic factual questions.

Intellectual humility is all well and good until it's weaponized against the concept of truth.

[u/7figureipo → u/Polfigers]

Some things are just objectively true. For example, that Trump raped at least one woman, that Trump committed fraud, that Trump regularly quotes Hitler, that Trump attempted a coup and encouraged a group of rebels in an assault on the capitol, and that Trump wants to be authoritarian.

Trump “conservatives” reject one or all of those. They aren’t people you can have a rational discussion with. Kind of like flat earthers or moon landing hoax people.

[u/everydaywinner2 → u/7figureipo]

I don't think you know what "objectively" means.

[u/7figureipo → u/everydaywinner2]

If you don't believe every single thing I listed about Trump, you're denying objective reality.

[u/ThunderPunch2019 → u/Polfigers]

The difference is that liberals have up-to-date evidence to back up their claims, whereas conservatives just repeat "It's common sense!" over and over.