Continuing this from the thread in !chapotraphouse@hexbear.net Have the Democrats finally hit on a good messaging strategy in calling Trump "weird?"

Original Post by @Philosoraptor@hexbear.net

Inspired by this post and the fact that I'm seeing a lot of regular libs start to coverage on "these guys are weird little freaks" as a messaging policy, which really seems to be bringing out the wojak-nooo in the far right. It's working much better for them than all of Biden's attempts to portray Trump as some kind of existential threat to amerikkka.

This is interesting, and only surprising in the sense that it is surprising to see the Democrats do something kind of effective for once. Fascists thrive on being seen as cool, powerful, and dangerous; those aesthetics are central to the brand. Every time Biden gave a big speech about how the future of democracy was on the line in the election, it played into that aesthetic. Every time CNN calls January 6 a "coup attempt," it plays into that aesthetic.

Calling these people weird little freaks with weird dumb ideas and weird creepy fixations does not play into that aesthetic. It breaks the illusion that all the freaks at the RNC wearing bandages on their ears are actually normal and represent normal people. They aren't, and they don't. This is yet another thing that the left has known for some time now, but that libs seem to maybe be catching on to: taking these idiots seriously empowers them. Actually realizing that and using it is one of the smarter things that the Dems have done in a while.

  • shitholeislander [none/use name]
    ·
    5 months ago

    they have discovered what the "dirtbag left" was saying in 2016 while they were all still doing "when they go low we go high!"

    • Des [she/her, they/them]
      ·
      5 months ago

      as someone that has stepped in both worlds i've come to realize something

      libertarians, aka the "dirtbag right" are like the underground counter-culture for the right and stuff they kick around in weird forums eventually peculates up to mainstream right wing strategy (i saw this pre-2015)

      meanwhile the dirtbag left may be the same thing for dems and libs.

      both sides hate these respective counter-cultures but simultaneously see them as the dangerous "cool kids" despite their burning hatred for them

      • RyanGosling [none/use name]
        ·
        edit-2
        5 months ago

        The thing is that terminally online fascist porn addled culture developed by 15-40 year olds on 4chan and similar sites and accounts eventually bleed into mainstream conservative culture too. Whereas “the dirtbag left” seems to only penetrate into other terminally online spaces.