Quote:
Originally Posted by Osem
As for terminology, I can think of far worse insults than 'remoaner', including a good number of unpleasant adjectives routinely levelled at the likes of Nigel Farage by some of the very same people who're now complaining about name calling. That's OK though because someone who believes in the independence of the the UK is fair game for any amount of abuse eh?...  |
No it's not OK. It doesn't make personal abuse ok. What it doesn't do is justify turning that abuse against others. People are responsible for their
own actions.
I think one problem is that the obvious one in that the internet dehumanises people so it's easy to talk at people in a way you would
never do in person because basic empathy kicks in. The other problem is that once you put people into a 'group' then it makes that problem worse since you're not even referring to a specific person then. It allows you to concoct a caricature of the person you're arguing against in your mind and make you angry.
The 'left' is a pretty wide group of people for example, it's not one monolithic group. There is a bigger difference between people on the left than there probable is between most people in the country. The left shouldn't be defined by it's fringes anymore than the right should, less those on the right who do so are then in turn happy to be associated with the likes of Thomas Mair.
I doubt the country is as divided as it seems it's just the louder voices have hijacked the debate. Most Brexit voters probably voted with some concerns and most Remain voters probably voted with some reservations but we talk as if they're two diametrically opposed groups.
We can't stop other people doing it but we can stop ourselves doing it.