Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy Bonus Edition #338 - SOLVED! Friends, Enemies, and Blood Chutes
Feb 23, 2025
The discussion dives into the influence of a Nazi propagandist on today's political landscape. It critiques the oversimplification of political views into friend-enemy binaries while advocating for empathy and understanding. The impact of social emotional intelligence on behavior is explored, alongside the cycle of trauma and its societal repercussions. The hosts analyze how fear shapes political rhetoric, particularly under Trump's leadership, and consider how collective trauma can lead to violence.
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Conservative Worldview
- Carl Schmitt, a Nazi-era theorist, believed the core of politics is the friend-enemy distinction.
- This resonates with the conservative worldview, which often emphasizes us-vs-them thinking.
Expansive Empathy
- The left often embraces a broader concept of "us," extending empathy to larger groups like humanity.
- They challenge the friend-enemy dichotomy, believing differences don't necessitate enmity.
Exploiting Social Vulnerability
- Carl Schmitt's theories aimed to justify Hitler's atrocities by framing them within a simplified human nature.
- This tactic exploits a social vulnerability, dividing people who share common ground.