Why does “weird” work? Republicans love to appeal to a supposed silent majority. The new insult helps intervene.

jeffw@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 517 points –
Why does “weird” work?
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Silent? They never shut the fuck up.

The silent majority is neither of those things.

Yells. Screams. Smashes plate on the floor. Smashes plate against the wall. Flings boogers at everyone. Pulls out a gun and literally shoots somebody in the face. "Nobody is paying attention to me. I am the silent majority."

I think pretending there are A LOT of people like you that want this specific thing that is kind of weird is an attempt to appeal to authority of slightly more invested in politics "masses". If someone tells a conservative and disconnected corn farmer that ALL conservatives care about that trans thing and that it's a danger to your style of life, and that they mutilate children, then they might not check if any of that is true. Just assume that someone did, since apparently all their conservative friends are in on it. And you might just make a fool out of yourself if you ask any questions, since you know you don't really belong with "silent conservative majority" because unlike them you're not invested in politics and didn't do your research... So you better keep your mouth shut and go along with the flow. Same thing with facism. Also preys on embarassed ignorance of the "silent majority" ...imo