That's exactly what makes it funny, because "intelligent, reasonable conversations" and "individuals with open minds" is NOT what we are finding in members of the Trump/MAGA cult.

@Flyingsaucesir Agree, it is quite ironic.

Amazingly enough she also claims to be a sapiophile. Yeah I told her she wouldn't recognize intelligence if it hit her in the face.

You mean the woman who's judging and reacting?

@lerlo Yes! She says she is "not hard core into politics but I prefer intelligent, reasonable conversations that explore what’s happening in the world. I like grounded individuals with open minds that don’t judge or react. Therefore, I no longer date liberals." That describes almost every conservative that I know. Maybe it is coincidence, but I doubt it. But then again, I don't know many conservatives... I don't find conservatives with most of the groups I hang out with. The disadvantage (?) of retirement, I am not exposed to random people as I was in the office environment.

@HippieChick58 You could move to Arizona and be surrounded by them

@lerlo No, thank you. I am quite fine here in Omaha with two of my kids nearby. I don't care how much snow, sleet, ice, blizzards, tornadoes, and drought we get, moving to Arizona will never be an option. There are enough of the brain dead all around me, I mean Pricketts (Pete Ricketts) was our governor and now he is a senator. I expect him to make a run for president one day. I am a blue dot in a red state, sometimes I wonder why I ever moved back here...

I'm watching a Netflix video on the war years history of Churchill. A lot of shots are of NAZI Germany and Hitler who is surrounded by tens of thousands, cheering fans all with their arms raised. Years later I moved to Germany and met numerous people from that era (one woman's husband was a pilot and her husband was shot down over England). Almost to a person, they all said they simply got caught up in the massive adulation of this madman and did not want to stand out. Often for fear of being sent to a camp. Fascism is a disease and few are able to avoid it's clutches. One goes along to simply live.

@pedigojr I do think that "joiner" personality is common, and they get swept along for fear of any kind of disapproval of their group. I watched a documentary once (Shoah) which wasn't sensationalized but offered interesting aspects of what had happened 40-50 years prior, so many of the people had lived it. It's never simple, but the undertone of not being able to admit how misguided their views/actions were seemed a common theme.

One of the most impactful incidents for me to watch was an interview with an engineer who was so clearly proud of his innovations to excelerate the extermination of the victims in his camp.

@pedigojr Well said!

@Lauren I think back then, they called that sort of thing, the banality of evil...

@Lauren I think most of us never really know how much morality or courage we really have, until we actually put to the test, as I think most of us will be, during the reign of Trump, assuming he goes ahead with what I expect from him, and he gets no resistance from the Repubs in congress, nor the authorities in law enforcement and the military. We will find out within less than a year, I think..

@Lauren On this island there is a strong sense of community (much bigger than the other, larger, islands. Because of this we have superlative the others don't (one of the best small libraries in the state, a Family Resource Center that puts all the others to shame and we have started building the only public pool in the county to name a few). However, to me a downside is the common theme, go along to get along. No one questions another politics or personal issues. To read the police blotter is often funny. The pandemic brought this issue to light in that there were a few that refused to get vaccinated, practice social distancing or wear a mask and they spread conspiracy theories. I think this caused some to question the go along idea.

I remember a speech at one of the FFRF conventions in 2018. That speech was amazing and the speaker was an actor, John Delance. Go to 9:00 for the start of his speech. For a bit of understanding of your query go to 14:30. Later, at our group dinner, I had the honor of having him come sit at my table (there were some 700+ in attendance.

@nowhereman55 Thank you. You may want to see the video I posted above. It would be nice to post this on the site but we all know where that goes.

@TomMcGiverin Yes, I think it will be that quickly as well. I'm my head I've already been categorizing people around me as far as which ones I can trust, and how much of my thinking they can be trusted with.

@pedigojr I am sorry, Jack, I keep meaning to watch the video and just haven't been at the right place at the right time. But I will.

@Lauren It says a lot about human frailties and could speak to why many are as they are.

@pedigojr And that (entrenched fascism) is where the USA is headed now.