They are NOT mentally ill. But what are they? What do you call them?

[Sympthsical]

57. Empathy to people we like is low effort

It's easy to like someone who agrees with you, thinks like you, or is useful to you in some way.

Empathy towards people you dislike, really don't agree with, and generally have a low opinion of takes a bit of doing. It requires challenging yourself to step outside your own biases, assumptions, pride, and righteousness.

Most people don't do it.

It reminds me of that good dating advice. Don't take note if your date is nice, kind, attentive, and generous with you. Watch how they treat the help. Watch how they treat people who mean nothing to them. That's where you'll see their true character.

People speak prolifically to their flaws and general insular rottenness every single day. They just have zero idea they're doing it. And people who are doing similar will never point it out. Peril of the spaces we inhabit, be it a family, religion, community, or online environment. It's something that needs to be actively worked against because support of it is so widespread.

The people on the Right aren't crazy. They're not mentally ill. They're operating out of a very, very different foundational frame than people of our political persuasion and ideology. They simply see the world much differently. It all starts with confirmation bias. Every news article they see and read is geared towards telling them what the world is like. We're really not very different in this. Every day, I can pull maybe a dozen articles from right here, go through them, and realize that objective reality is not close to what is being claimed to be true. The "narrative" comports.

We're basically two sides telling radically different stories. Obviously, I think our side is right on more things or I wouldn't be on it.

But if you can't empathize, you can't argue. Then it's just talking at each other, shouting at each other, then running back to one's own group for validation and approval.

Not super useful.

There's no need for a pejorative to describe them. They can simply be "the other side" or "the opposition" or just "the Right." Sometimes I'll just call them assholes if they're doing something egregious.

But, I'm in my early 40s. I outgrew childish name calling and cutesy online nicknames ages ago. It's not cute nor particularly clever.