Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Deliberately Divided

Speculative fiction has a long history of taking the issues of the day and reframing them in a new context with the hope that people will look at them in a new way. Our "unprecedented" times are bringing all sorts of old ways and old thinking back to the forefront. On Tuesdays, I present "what if?" questions. Previously, the intent was as an idea generator. It still is. But now, I ask that you really think about all the repercussions that these ideas will have. If only these were just thought exercises. 

What if the current polarization of opinions (we're all feeling this, right?) has been deliberately cultivated?

17 comments:

  1. I think it has been cultivated by those who seek power by any means. History is full of similar examples.

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  2. It would not surprise me one bit. And cultivated by the extremes on both sides. Most people are middle and can agree on things.

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  3. Replies
    1. (My questions have been influenced by the world at large of late.)

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  4. People need to act civil
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  5. I am convinced we've been manipulated, and I am not sure if it is too late to reverse it without paying a heavy price in violence. We've had two civil wars in our history. What we now call the Revolutionary War was the first one, as families were pulled apart by members either supporting the rebels or the King. I strongly fear we are heading to war #3.

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    1. Oh yes, we're definitely being manipulated. Hopefully we can wake up to it so we don't have to end up in violence.

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  6. All of it is deliberate and I don't care which side you're on.

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  7. It is being deliberately cultivated to weaken democracy.

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  8. Divide and conquer, no doubt, on a whole bunch of levels.

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  9. We are all individuals....I'm not. Sorry, I couldn’t help but think of Monty Python. We are being manipulated especially by one orange Julius.

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    1. I didn't get the reference. I mean the Monty Python, not the other.

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  10. My brother feels (or "felt", since we haven't talked in a while) that the US is headed for another civil war. There is money in war. And political gain to be had. It's not entirely inconceivable. It's not hard to see manipulation from both sides, if you look for it.

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    1. I've heard the civil war talk too, and I want to find who's doing it and throttle them. This divisiveness is a choice, and those that talk war seem to relish the idea.

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.