Why the left doesn't handle disagreement

Leftists are notorious for lashing out at any sort of disagreement. If you take issue with one of their positions, they’re convinced you’re among the very worst sort imaginable.

Of course, since many of them also support an ideology responsible for hundreds of millions of people, so it’s more than a little hilarious they’d think that, but they do.

But why?

There are tons of theories, but Glenn Greenwald had an interesting tweet earlier today that I thought warranted some discussion.

Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald

This is why you constantly see establishment liberals calling anyone who disagrees with them "contrarians" and "grifters." They've manufactured a happy world where their views are universally accepted Truths, so only corrupt motives could cause someone to reject their pieties.

Now, Glenn leans pretty far left himself, though he’s a free enough thinker that he routinely runs afoul of progressive orthodoxy.

He’s also right.

Covering the Second Amendment, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people claim the only reason Republicans oppose gun control is because of corruption, because the NRA pays them to oppose it.

It seems that in their minds, everyone really agrees that gun control works. We all secretly believe it will save lives, we simply do not care.

That’s how they see it.

This fits with a 2012 study that found that conservatives could pretend to be liberals far better than liberals could pretend to be conservative.

Conservatives and moderates make an effort to understand the issues and where the other side is coming from. We understand the thinking of at least the rank-and-file liberal.

They can’t do the same thing because they can’t imagine anyone possibly look at an issue from a different point of view.

Now, can this be utilized in some way to maybe get through to them?

Not really.

But it helps to remember that any debate you find yourself in isn’t about convincing that liberal to think differently. You’re arguing for the crowd. Fantasy author Larry Correia has said arguing on the internet is a spectator sport and he’s right.

You’re never going to convince them.

Yet there are people who may be watching that debate who have an open mind. They’re not the kind who think everyone is evil and are willing to listen. Those are the people you’re trying to reach.

For those who think you secretly agree with them were it not for your own internal vile nature, there’s nothing to be done.

Then again, do you really care at that point? I sure don’t.