I may have broken through to a Trump supporter on Facebook (maybe)

[IdaBriggs]

WARNING! This post contains graphic and offensive language.

I debated whether to share this exchange or not, because frankly, I know I will be seeing more than a few "don't sink to their level" replies, filled with self-righteous "we have to be better than they are" commentary, and who wants to deal with that? But I have decided to post it because I think it contains an important technique that may need to be employed with some people.

You see, there are different ways of learning things, and sometimes we all forget that. For people who are naturally empathetic, sympathetic or able to internalize that old trope of "there but for the grace of God go I", it can be hard to understand kindness, courtesy and respect are not the only ways to teach valuable life lessons.

This story begins with a public Facebook post shared by a friend. The post had the following quote: "I love the old days — you know what they used to do (to protesters) like that when they got out of line? They’d be carried out on a stretcher, folks." - Donald Trump and included an iconic photo of Kent State University.

My friend was sharing this in horror, but the thread was promptly joined by a Trump Supporter (henceforth known as TS) who began spewing "protesters deserve it/Trump is awesome/liberals are stupid" bile. Rather than engage in a fruitless dialogue, I decided to try something new...

ME: TS If you are a Trump supporter, let me tell you "like it is, as I toughen up, America, and am not political correct" that you are a worthless piece of shit and your Nazi loving ass deserves to be tarred and feathered - my grandfather fought in WWII against people who supported your master, and if you think we're going to let your cowardly racist bullshit ruin this country, just watch that scum sucking loser you worship get destroyed exactly like he deserves. I would have tried to be civil, but as a Trump supporter, I know you are incapable of understanding anything like rational, logical thought, and civility/respect are concepts you don't believe in so please do the rest of us a favor and take your worthless self out of the discussion, because losers like you should always just be left out on the side of the road to die after they get tortured. PS Did I hit enough of the Trump talking points to make the point? Probably not. All the men with little hands love Trump, and we all know TS needs to get out of his parents' basement and get a job, but can't. Phew! It isn't easy behaving like an asshole - now we can all be entertained by Big Baby TS whining about how mean the liberals are - wah! Wah! Take your crybaby self somewhere where people give a shit!

TS: Spoken like a true fear mongering race baiter.

ME: And there goes the crying - "liberals are so mean, just because I'm a worthless racist who worships the worst person ever -wah!" Take your tiny little hands and inability to satisfy a sexual partner elsewhere, scum boy. No one fears you - you just disgust us.

TS: No crying. Just Truth.

ME: Truthful people don't like liars, and since Trump seems to be pathological in his lies, we know all there is to know about you - you can't handle truth (like the fact you are a loser) so you want to blame everyone else for your complete lack of success in life. Yeah, we see you for what you are and it is pathetic. Ha ha ha!!!

TS: Sad part is that you really believe your lies. Your fear and hatred blinds you.

ME: TS I am fucking QUOTING TRUMP in every reply I am making to you.

TS: You are taking fragments of quotes and twisting them to your own agenda.

ME: Yes, I am. This used to be a great country, but we're going to make America great again. People like you don't belong in it. Back in the day, people like you were afraid to protest because there were consequences for protesting. And losers - take them out of here! If they get hurt on the way, I'll pay your legal fees. People who give the finger to other people, they deserve to get hit. And if you like this guy, TS, you are a Fucking Loser Asshole.

TS: There is the difference between you and me. I see people as the greatness they are, you see them less than.

ME: Again, TS, I AM QUOTING TRUMP. And the fact you DISAGREE WITH IT WHEN IT IS DIRECTED AT YOU might mean there is hope for you, or it might not. I hope this conversation has enlightened you a little bit on what Trump and his echo chamber looks like to the rest of us because decent people don't talk to others like this, let alone think it is acceptable behavior in leadership or as role models for behavior. Good luck. Ida Out

Channeling my inner Trump was NOT EASY; being that much of an abusive asshole (complete with some lies, because the earlier exchanges were in the "theme of" as opposed to some of the later actual "real" quotes) was work. Frankly, it felt completely AGAINST my own nature, and was both mentally and emotionally exhausting.

But here is the scary part: it seemed to work. By the end of the exchange, my victim was seeing "greatness in people" as opposed to "protesters deserve violence" because he didn't like being on the receiving end of the abuse.

Will it last? Maybe. Maybe not. But what I learned was that sometimes it is necessary to just SHOUT IT DOWN and the best medicine for Trump Supporters is simply his rhetoric returned until they choke on it.

Food for thought. I am still chewing. I assume it goes without saying this technique should be applied judiciously, and one should be cautious about becoming a full time abusive asshole, but when logic fails, keep "Trump quotes" available to bludgeon as needed.

It may feel icky, but if it can save them from the dark side by creating that one moment of "this sucks and I don't like it" maybe it will be worth it in the end.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. What you did is certainly worth a shot and I hope it succeeded!

Hang in there, IdaBriggs.

[DetlefK]

2. Hate to disappoint you, but you didn't break through to him. He's a believer.

People with the mindset of a believer take on a sentiment or notion or opinion and then keep it.
Arguments aren't judged on their merits but on their circumstances, like age and who made them.

Belief in Trump fullfills a desire in those people, just like a belief in a religion, a belief in a conspiracy-theory, a belief that a particular group of people is very good at playing ball...

The belief comes from within them. They believe because it makes them happy.

You cannot talk people into abandoning their belief and becoming unhappy. It has to come from within them: They need a motivation that is stronger than their desire to believe.



TS: Spoken like a true fear mongering race baiter.

The concept that he's part of a community and that this community is under attack.

TS: No crying. Just Truth.

The concept that an absolute truth exists and that he holds it.

TS: Sad part is that you really believe your lies. Your fear and hatred blinds you.

Again, he has the truth and you do not, therefore you are automatically false.

TS: You are taking fragments of quotes and twisting them to your own agenda.

Anger at you for pointing out errors in his holy text, for not reading it appropriately.

TS: There is the difference between you and me. I see people as the greatness they are, you see them less than.

Disconnect between the sanctioned version of his belief and his personal version of his belief: Typical mindset of a believer.




He seems like a believer to me, and the psychological mindset of "belief" does not operate on logic: It has its own set of rules (for example: do not doubt what the elders tell you) and its own philosophical roots and is philosophically incompatible with methods of revelation based on doubt (e.g. science).

[mercuryblues]

3. I once did the

same thing with a (fuck) rand paul supporter. they went on to an irrational screed, then blocked me.

[Mr Dixon]

4. sweet

That was awesome