General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: IF Hillary declares as a candidate for President of the United States, I will [View all]HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)Unity is always reduced as the base divides around emerging campaign issues and/or candidates.
This is the way primary season works...it's basic group behavior well known to even introductory students of sociology...division into subgroups creates an us vs them context for perspectives from each sub-group.
Group unity -seems- to be threatened, that's natural. The best that can be hoped for is respect between groups who divide along different perceptions, priorities and preferences and later reconciliation
But the anxiety gives rise to seemingly strange perceptions
This particular family of posts often seems preternatural and dysfunctional. It seems to follow from a perception that reverses consideration of reality. The subgroup pushing the boundaries blames it's anxiety about belongingness on the others who aren't pushing away from traditional beliefs at all.
If you will, imagine people who are in the boat that's departing, they seem to be most concerned that those on shore are somehow creating the gap between those doing the rowing and the shore. It's backwards.
Now, I know that risk-taking causes anxiety, and surely the risk-taking of pushing traditional democratic beliefs further and further toward the right (an inevitable outcome of seeking 'popularity' by triangulation) generates a desire not to be cut off.
But if you can't stand the anxiety of striking out toward the philosophical frontier, why do it????