Position: progressives should spread optimism and positivity
From dKosopedia
"Our Earth is degenerate in these later days; there are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer obey their parents; every man wants to write a book and the end of the world is evidently approaching." - Assyrian clay tablet dating to around 2800 B.C. [1]
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Position: progressives should spread optimism and positivity
By "optimism" and "positivity" I mean the view that the human condition is better than in the past, is still getting better thanks to progressive ideas, and will continue to improve as long as progressive efforts continue.
Arguments for
- The perception that we live in a mean, dangerous world is the main driving force of conservatism: See the thrive/survive theory of the political spectrum "rightism is what happens when you’re optimizing for surviving an unsafe environment, leftism is what happens when you’re optimized for thriving in a safe environment."
- People like winners, and will switch sides to be on the winning side. Progressives have a long list of success that we rarely talk about [2] , because that would clash with the common "things are getting worse" narrative. If we don't take credit for the results of our work, others will.
- Evidence for optimism (see below). This is mostly easy for anyone to see for themselves, and using stats and data to disagree makes you look out of touch. It also makes people distrust stats and data.
- Optimism is good in itself. It's not really progress to make people's physical lives better while making their emotional lives worse.
- Negativity and an atmosphere of apocalyptic desperation lead to political polarization, which is not to the advantage of progressives.
Disadvantages of a pessimistic, negative culture
Conservative pseudopatriotic flag-waving is a perfect example of how negativity and nit-picking on the left results in conservatives taking credit for the work of progressives:
The United States of America has been the most exceptional thing ever to happen to humanity. I say this not out of reflex triumphalism or chauvinism, but as a simple matter of outcomes appraisal…. Alas, in a supreme irony, those who most fervently push this overall viewpoint in fevered generalities have also been the same folks responsible for severely damaging the American republic, far more than any enemy has in 150 years....Don't spurn American Exceptionalism, and thus leave the scoundrels with their last refuge unchallenged. Challenge them even over patriotism!'' [3]
Political Polarization
Negativity is a key part of political polarization. A polarized political environment is not a fertile one for progressive goals. See The Polarization Paradox. "Extreme polarization has served conservatives very well, driving moderate leaders from politics, promoting feelings of cynicism, inefficacy, and distrust among the public...disgust with politics, government, and "Washington." The resulting damage to our civic culture disproportionately harms liberals, whose core social and political objectives almost always entail government services, investments, and interventions in private markets.
Barack Obama wrote on DailyKos: I firmly believe that whenever we exaggerate or demonize, or oversimplify or overstate our case, we lose. Whenever we dumb down the political debate, we lose. A polarized electorate that is turned off of politics, and easily dismisses both parties because of the nasty, dishonest tone of the debate, works perfectly well for those who seek to chip away at the very idea of government because, in the end, a cynical electorate is a selfish electorate.
Evidence for Optimism
- World peace is closer than ever, the average person experiences far less violence today than at any time in history. [4]
- The average person is less likely to experience poverty today than any time in history. The global development movement is succeeding, despite conservative attacks on foreign aid, NGOs, and the UN. [5]
- Anti-reactionary FAQ: 1: Is everything getting worse? "Progressives, on the other hand, can point to some amazing victories over the last fifty years, including global poverty cut in half, world hunger cut in half, world illiteracy cut in half, war grinding almost to a halt, GDP quintuple-ing, violent crime collapsing, and self-reported happiness increasing in almost all countries."
- 31 charts that will restore your faith in humanity. You pet cause is probably here. Notice how it includes charts form the CATO institute, who are trying to take credit for the achievements of progressives.
- The Affluent Economy: "We live in larger houses and own more cars than previous generations. Our homes are cluttered with all manner of gadgets, electronics, and appliances. Air-conditioning and air travel, once considered luxuries, are now available to virtually all of us...scaring middle-class Americans is unlikely to make them more generous. The renowned economist Benjamin Friedman has argued that egalitarian appeals are most likely to succeed when people feel secure enough to share."
- What has made America exceptional: Those amazing accomplishments -- creating the world's longest best peace, along with the spectacular rise of billions out of poverty, plus the driving of racism and sexism and other ancient traditional obscenities into ill repute -- these weren't accomplishments of jingoist flag-waving but of relentless, day-to-day creativity, good-natured progress and lots of self-critique by every generation of new Americans.
Pessimistic and negative narratives to debunk
- Eurabia: Western Nations will never be overwhelmed with Muslims. Muslims are assimilating as fast as any population in history. Western Muslims are as secularized as the nations they inhabit, in the USA they are more peaceful and moderate than Christians. 10 myths about muslim immigrants in the West
- The teaching of evolution has not hurt morals. Position: Creationism is Bad Mythology
- Japan's lost decades - Japan is as successful as ever
Analytical Tools
- World Values Survey tracks "survival vs. self-expression values". Among the findings: a negative perception of the world promotes survival values, which are the main part of conservatism. "survival values involve a priority of security over liberty, non-acceptance of homosexuality, abstinence from political action, distrust in outsiders and a weak sense of happiness. Self-expression values imply the opposite on all these accounts...Generally speaking, groups whose living conditions provide people with a stronger sense of existential security and individual agency nurture a stronger emphasis on secular-rational values and self-expression values"
- Bitcher scale: Conservative bitching follows a cyclical pattern, by observing their current talking points we can measure progress on issues.
Links
- Government success stories Almost all created by progressives.
- Myth: society is going to hell in a hand-basket
- Charles Kenny - the global development movement is succeeding, despite conservative attacks on foreign aid, NGOs, and the UN.
- The Better Angels of our Nature: the average person experiences far less violence today than at any time in history.
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