If we keep doing "everyone with bad is no different than hitler" instead of working to bridge the gulf between us, we're only going to perpetuate the problem.
(That said, those who know better but cynically spread hateful ideas for their own benefit/agenda can fuck off of course.)
I do think that a more productive approach would be to tear apart transphobic *ideas* rather than *people* who may have developed a very warped view of trans people as a result of a targeted misinformation campaign that they don't understand and don't have any examples to the contrary in their life.
fuck if I know lol. But my *gut feeling* is that saying "all transphobes are basically hitler" probably ends up creating more division rather than changes people's views.
That doesn't mean that I think transphobia should be tolerated (thanks for defending trans people btw). But
if anyone did - thanks. This has been on my mind a lot and I appreciate if anyone might've cared enough to read this.
Thinking about solutions:
- Long-term: we need to invest in creating a better education system and more stable conditions for people in all states.
- Short term:
different from my own. In addition to all the ways in which our friendship has enriched my life, I'm also grateful for it helping me to understand a little better how media is being weaponized to push us apart on a societal level.
Anyway, I'm guessing no one will have read through this far, but
system and our government.
When I compare her formative experiences to my own, I feel insanely privileged to have grown up in circumstances that enabled the development of empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking skills.
I feel very lucky to have grown close with someone whose life has been so
developed the skills needed to critically evaluate the onslaught of algorithmically tailored information in the era of social media and AI.
She told me the other day that she's never read a *single* novel. Not *ONE*. That's not a failure that's on her, that's a massive indictment of the education
division between us.
It would be easy to write my friend off as simply being a hateful pos. But she's a multi-dimensional human being who grew up in hard dog-eat-dog circumstances, was failed by education system, and through her own resourcefulness, lifted herself out successfully but never
struggle to keep up. Still I'll continue to work for these little wins. She's my friend and we've been through a lot together -- and tbh, although I can certainly understand why so many people cut ties with people in their life who have bigoted opinions, I think that ends up amplifying the
She agreed again.
So I tried to connect it back to her views on immigrants. She shuts down, disengages, wants to change the subject - overload of cognitive dissonance imo.
I back off thinking, ok this is progress, we can build on this. But the algorithm works all day every day and I
like it could have been staged. (Hell yea!)
So I tried to tie it back together -- so if there's anti-trans content like this being seen by people who don't have any trans people in their lives, it would not be surprising if they developed a very warped view of trans people, right?
who looked like a man in a dress and makeup while engaging in this [xyz] act on video.
I asked her if it might be possible that the video could have been staged to create anti-trans content. Unusual silence while she thought it over...and then finally, conceding that yea that does seem
like that, they're all awesome. I asked if she could give any examples.
She said, well for example she saw a story about a trans woman who did something horrible (tbh I forget the details), and looked so creepy and unsettling. When I asked her to go into more detail, she described someone
don't have any actual trans people in their life right?
I was shocked to hear her say that while that might be partially true, the real problem is that there are so many trans people who are weirdos that make all the rest look bad.
I said, really? Of the trans people we know, I can't think of any
In one of our many arguments/discussions, I tried to point out the parallels between how right wing media portrays immigrants and trans people - surely, she can see how their portrayal of trans people isn't representative of reality, and that most viewers of Fox News buy into it because they simply
this arrogance has created a blindspot that is being exploited.
I feel like I'm the only person keeping her remotely teathered to reality. That's a tough role to have, but I feel that if I were to abandon her, it will push her even more into a bubble and I worry what that might lead to.
with. It is extremely effective at getting her attention and influencing her point of view. In many ways, she is very smart... but she is completely convinced that her views are her own and cannot be influenced by an algorithm or propaganda, and of course
irony, and when I try to point it out, cognitive dissonance kicks into high gear and puts her aggressively on the defensive.
I try different approaches in an attempt to open her eyes about it. Sometimes I make some headway, and it feels like a big win. But the algorithm is very hard to compete
views.
Almost all of her other left-leaning friends reached their tipping point and said see ya later. She feels betrayed by them and says that she would *never* abandon someone close to her like that, and that liberals are brainwashed by CNN to be hateful and intolerant...
...she doesn't see the
informed view of the world, but it is obvious that her perspective is shaped by the content her social media algorithm feeds her. It is reinforced by all the comments she sees - she thinks that not only is she very informed, but that the majority of people share her increasingly bigoted
Preach.
But also, I hope I can add a little nuance (in good faith) without being torn apart for it... (🧵/21)
I have a friend who has been mentally captured by right wing propaganda. She's trans, and I love her dearly and it sucks seeing her views becoming very bigoted. She believes she has a very
who is she?
We need to know how much energy data centers use – and if YOU are subsidizing the costs of Big Tech companies.
Making this data public is the bare minimum.
NEW: The corporate parent of Democratic consulting firms SKDK and Wavelength Strategy is partnering with ICE contractor Palantir on an AI-powered campaign targeting system. readsludge.com/2026/03/12/d...
NEW: DOGE Operative Behind Nuclear Safety Rollbacks Sat on Industry-Backed VC Board readsludge.com/2026/03/23/d...
Senate Republicans are spending their weekend lying about the SAVE Act and attacking the right to vote.
If you want to know where this bill came from, what is does and why the GOP is so desperate to pass it, read what I wrote. Then share it with others. www.democracydocket.com/opinion/the-...
- max possible net approval: +100
- min possible net approval: -100
(so the biggest possible change/swing is 200)
