How does political polarization manifest itself socially or in our daily lives?

[Daniel909012]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

[Kamala]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

Oh my god. I'm sorry, this is just the best thing I've ever seen. It needs to be recorded for generations to come.

Also, don't you live outside of the US? Where there are no Democrats?

[SingingAnalyst]

In 1960 about 5% of Americans said they would be upset if their child married someone of the opposite political party.

In 2010 that percentage was 40%.

Wow. Just wow.

I'd like the see the demographic breakdown of that 40%.

Certain institutional oddities suggest that part of the book "The Big Sort" is coming true. After the 2008 elections I recall reading that 89% of Whole Foods are in a county that voted for Obama, while 62% of Cracker Barrels are in a county that voted for McCain. I'll bet the gap is wider for 2016.

[Daniel909012]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

Oh my god. I'm sorry, this is just the best thing I've ever seen. It needs to be recorded for generations to come.

Also, don't you live outside of the US? Where there are no Democrats?

I actually live in usa about 3 months a year with my paternal family.

[Lord Admirale]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

You must slay so much p**** that you don't need women who have differing political views from you.

Such a cool person you are!

[_]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

It's safe to say this is the best post I've seen on Atlas yet.

[tallguy23]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

Wow. Just wow.

[PoliticalShelter]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

Oh come on, Russian women who support democracy cannot be that bad.

[Daniel909012]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

Wow. Just wow.

What is surprising?
That is totally normal especially in the south.

[Kamala]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

Wow. Just wow.

What is surprising?
That is totally normal especially in the south.

Oh, you're from the South. That explains it.

Everybody, feel free to replace "Democrat" with "black" in his post.

[Cory]

What is surprising?
That is totally normal especially in the south.

No it isn't.

[Mr. Reactionary]

What is surprising?
That is totally normal especially in the south.

No it isn't.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

What is surprising?
That is totally normal especially in the south.

No it isn't.

[Coraxion]

Getting filled with rage when I see someone wearing a MAGA hat.

[Dr. Arch]

Well, here comes a long vent.

How does it manifest itself? Well, when I meet Trump supporters, I think about whether they gave a crap or not about my culture, my ethnicity, and how they've enabled current events to unfold. I don't treat them any differently than I would any other strangers, but I don't think about letting them into my personal life either.

Following on that last note, I had a friend who professed to be a never Hillary and never Trump voter, who eventually ended up voting for Trump and giggling to me about it the day after election day. It's not so much that he voted for Trump, but rather that, for well over a year, he was completely dishonest with me and that instilled the doubt that affects me nowadays. It doesn't surprise me thinking back on it, given that he laughed at all of Trump's racist tirades while he was campaigning, but I honestly thought he was laughing at it to minimize discomfort. I soon found out it was an honest sentiment.

I distrust practically every new person I meet  (politically speaking) until they make me comfortable thinking otherwise. I think the fact that the last drop of the bucket fell on the wrong side in Wisconsin was enough to disproportionately shift my feelings about it. Then there's the fact that I am at the point that I would never willingly choose to live in a Trump state, simply because I don't want my view of the people there being constantly warped in the back of my head.

On more mundane interactions, I see a lot of racial and ethnic tensions in the air. It's always White this and White that. I just fail to see how this leads to any fruitful dialogue, or any way out of this hole we're in for that matter, but voicing this would make me a pariah. I've lost a lot of faith in this country and its people, and I think there's nothing sadder than that. It certainly is for me. I've lost friends over it, but I feel there's no real healing that could take place, only scarring.

[Statilius the Epicurean]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

How have you not been banned yet?

[krazen1211]

The Republican party has 26 state trifectas. So the Democratic plague is being cleansed from large portions of the country.

[Kamala]

The Republican party has 26 state trifectas. So the Democratic plague is being cleansed from large portions of the country.

Literally playbook Nazi rhetoric

[GoTfan]

A guy who listened to Limbaugh all day, called me a RINO, and once referred to my Mom and Dad (now deceased) who were lifelong Democrats as my "leftist parents".  This guy once hounded a guy who supported a large family on only his income for applying for Food Stamps, and referred to me as a moocher because my son, who I've adopted through the Foster Care system and is Medicaid eligible.

These types are the worst. They typically bring politics up all the time and are very aggressive in presenting their (almost always delusional) views. Then they turn around and get extremely defensive/angry when anyone disagrees with them. You almost have to walk on eggshells just to avoid some kind of meltdown from them.

He's one of those folks that view all Democrats as scum. 

I grew up a Democrat and was a Democratic activist as a young man.  I've moved to the right on social issues, but I'm a labor union man and I support single payer healthcare, so I'm not a down-the-line conservative.  I don't think all Democrats hate America, but this guy does. 

This guy is really a classic Social Darwinist.  He believes he'll win any dog-eat-dog contest by sheer will and conditioning. 

Oh, you're a classic populist then?

[Beet]

It hasn't, as I live in D.C. and everyone here who is vocal about their views is a Democrat. I work with five college educated white men who are vocal about politics all the time and each one is a strong Democrat. That's D.C. for you. Besides that, my casual friends are all on the left as well.

That being said, I am online daily and in the past few years it has shocked me how viciously self-destructive the left-wing discourse has become. When I was growing up, social liberalism was about a moral view of the world which eschewed identity, how it has become all about identity politics. The leftists I know have become increasingly confrontational, and eager to pick battles they either can't win or don't care about winning, while having nothing but disdain for centrist progressivism. More basic than even political positioning however, progressives have become vicious and mean-spirited, fanatically dedicated to the personal persecution of other progressives and center-leftists. When I was growing up, people on the liberal side were like a team, and we argued about ideas. Now we seemingly exist only to tear each other down.

Sometime around 2014, there was a sudden revolution all across the Internet when the right-wing suddenly seized power. GamerGate was a big part of it, but not all of it. It seemed to come out of nowhere, suddenly a huge, huge, huge number of people joined the center-right and within three or four months from September to the end of the year, online momentum shifted to the right. It frightens me because I don't see where it stops, and the Internet has more influence over the real world than ever before. All of our institutions will eventually be overwhelmed by it. And progressives are essentially defenseless because of the toxicity and factionalism on the progressive side, that I mentioned above. I just don't see where it stops.

[JA]

In my county/metro, something like 75%+ of White people voted Republican, so party polarization here is mostly racial and, to an extent, generational. Being a straight White guy born and raised here who's left-wing (not just Democrat) is incredibly rare; can't say I've met anyone else like that. But, thankfully, there are quite a lot of young women here who're anti-Trump, so that makes dating a bit easier, especially since I'd never date a Republican (even wrote "swipe left if you like Trump" in my tinder bio). I don't hold it against them so much if we're acquaintances or even friends, so long as they don't try to talk politics with me.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Just today, somebody ripped the Trump sticker off my car. This kinda behavior is brand new to me. I had rocks thrown at my old apartment's window over a Trump sign too.

[Devout Centrist]

I live in a conservative zone and honestly here we treat the Democrat as a plague, I would never have a relationship with a Democrat woman, her views and debauchery would be unacceptable to me.

This is art

The Republican party has 26 state trifectas. So the Democratic plague is being cleansed from large portions of the country.

Thanks moderation! Great job

(Except TG)

[Green Line]

I saw it affecting people in the academic world.  People in the "real" world have to act like adults and get along with everyone, or at least treat them with respect.  That weeds out the nutty ones.

[JA]

But, thankfully, there are quite a lot of young women here who're anti-Trump, so that makes dating a bit easier, especially since I'd never date a Republican (even wrote "swipe left if you like Trump" in my tinder bio). I don't hold it against them so much if we're acquaintances or even friends, so long as they don't try to talk politics with me.

You should come to socal. It feels like every other girl's Tinder bio I stumble on states that they have no interest in Trump supporters.

I'd love to move to California, if only it wasn't so insanely expensive There are a lot of "country girls" where I live; it's all about fishing, shooting guns, the military, trucks, camo clothes, and "mudding." About half of the girls on Tinder have pictures like that - and I live just outside of Jacksonville, so it's not the boonies. I know to avoid them because it's an inevitable culture clash. Really paying attention to the people that live around here made me realize how much I belong in those liberal, coastal urban areas.