The problem with...

Hi All,

The problem with today's  political , social and religious discourse is that it is besieged by people who  base their view and their view of others  upon absolutist assumption of what they think and what they think  the  other thinks  and a absolutism  into any and every sphere that makes everything tribal, whether it's something mundane or something vitally important .

For example in respect to politics I voted for Brexit. This in a British context puts me , in the eyes of the" liberal left" ,  before I'm even explaining my view point , as automatic racist, xenophobic,  uneducated, easily deceived, poor , but even worse , hypocritical (as my grandparents were immigrants ,although  I never based my Brexit vote on immigration) , a sort of  creature from the blue lagoon,   on a par with Genghis Khan. As a collary to this and in an  American context  , I'm  automatically and magically assumed to be  a "Trump supporter" (of which I'm not).

In addition , there's an underlying assumption based upon an archetype of a person with a particular view , which morphs into further assumptions about my other political / social  views. 

If one identities as left or right , you  must be further  "yoked"    to the entirety of the package, which has been decided by someone else for you. Having an independent or otherwise view isn't having the capacity to make your own mind up but an insincere  "cherry picking" person who isn't a true believer . If you agree with Trump on just one policy you are a "neo Nazi". If you agree with democrats on one policy you are a "lib tard"

In respect of my absolutism  comment, I mean that  you cannot seem to escape politics  or at least the worst kind of poisonous politics that goes beyond policy or philosophy into something primordial and tribe like. It drips like fat on a bbq onto non political forums.

So if I want to chill and take time out from politics and discuss my favourite pastime of science fiction ; true, it  does cover a certain amount of politics and social commentary, but in which cleverly done sci-fi, will allow the reader to make their minds up . But instead we get a social-  politics discussion by proxy. So instead of discussion on whether or not star wars is any good , it's replaced by mountains of rantings about "SJWs" and "political correctness", which then is countered by accusations of bigotry, sexism," you're obviously a Trump /Brexit supporter".  That's before I log onto a Dr Who forum and its all about the fact the character has changed into a woman and not about the quality of the  plot or acting.

This is probably why I don't bother with a lot of forums.