Anger is a normal and basic human emotion. Depending on how it is managed and expressed, anger can have positive or negative consequences. Awareness of angry feelings can be helpful as it can signal when our rights are being violated or our needs are being ignored by others. Anger can also help to energize and motivate us to work to address problems with another person or to change our life situation.
Depression: A bleak outlook?nothing will ever get better and there?s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
Can we ever get beyond red and blue politics?
In a time of economic hardship and increasing uncertainty, Americans are ready for real answers, not sound bites, platitudes, and the politics of personality. In order to understand what has been going on in United States politics, it is necessary to understand the concept of escalation IMHO.
I feel escalation is a psychological process that causes the parties involved in a conflict to use more and more extreme measures to try to "beat" their opponents. Escalation begins when one party believes the other party has deliberately provoked them. They retaliate, setting off a vicious cycle. As a conflict escalates, the disputants begin to stereotype each other. They cut off communication with the other side and begin to associate only with their own side. The lack of communication contributes to increased misunderstandings and distrust of the other side.
Meanwhile, within each party, the group members become more and more homogenous. Individuals typically look to other members of the group to reinforce their beliefs. Leaders fear that if they appear weak or submissive, challengers will replace them. As a result, they will often refuse to admit that any past actions were mistaken and are likely to become more "hardline."
This can turn into a trap, when leaders and subjects realize they are wrong, but refuse to admit it, because too much has already been sacrificed. Leaders and subjects continue to demonize the other side, the attacks evantually becoming personal. They move from accusing the other side of doing evil things to accusing the other side of being evil. Such escalation can permanently damage the relationship between the conflicting parties.
Escalation is one of the most dangerous forces in the world. Although the issues that sparked the conflict may have been legitimate, escalation distorts thinking. Parties caught up in a cycle of escalation are unable to see clearly. They stop attempts at constructively addressing the issues that started the conflict. Instead, they focus on "winning" despite the costs or on hurting their opponents as much as possible.
The conflict in the United States has not escalated to the same level as conflicts that have divided societies in places like Rwanda and Northern Ireland. But, it does have some of the same dynamics
Today being a Democrat or a Republican is a cultural or even an emotional matter, rather than a political decision. As a Democrat, you are identifying yourself as more urbane, thoughtful, international and sophisticated than your perceived Republican opponents. On the other hand, being a Republican means identifying yourself as strong, self-reliant, capable and, as the Republican governor of California Arnie Schwarzenegger would say, not a "girlie man".
As I read what is said on this forum, people get angrier, their attacks on the other side become less about issues and more about personalities.
Both the red and blue sides in this forum have accused each other of being selfish, ignorant, stupid, greedy, and evil. These labels delegitimate the other side by implying that they are not simply misguided, but that there is something innately wrong with them. Many people on both the red and the blue sides of this forum have given up trying to reason with those who disagree with them. The same can be said of our congress. For the simple-minded, they base opinions from various media as well as politicians.
I live an a world where both sides need to stop associating only with people they agree with and reach out to the other side.
Will you join me in making the United States the best place to live? Some of the stuff I read here is un-American. Some words written on this forum are traitorous and even racist. Those who feel that way, I wish I could lock you up forever.
I saw a thread today about suggestions for making the USA better. My hat is off to you sir, we have a great country if we keep seeing purple and talking about how we can improve this country.
The USA is way to divided when we talk about wishing our president to fail. It makes me gasp and very saddened. What is wrong with people who thnik that way, lock them up! Nothing wrong with freedom of speech, but to be critical of our president 3 weeks into the job! I'm 56 years old and have never heard such harsh criticism.
Thanks for reading this, you are now a better person. Remember this writing before posting again. Lets start posting more positive things!
kcwolf
Depression: A bleak outlook?nothing will ever get better and there?s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
Can we ever get beyond red and blue politics?
In a time of economic hardship and increasing uncertainty, Americans are ready for real answers, not sound bites, platitudes, and the politics of personality. In order to understand what has been going on in United States politics, it is necessary to understand the concept of escalation IMHO.
I feel escalation is a psychological process that causes the parties involved in a conflict to use more and more extreme measures to try to "beat" their opponents. Escalation begins when one party believes the other party has deliberately provoked them. They retaliate, setting off a vicious cycle. As a conflict escalates, the disputants begin to stereotype each other. They cut off communication with the other side and begin to associate only with their own side. The lack of communication contributes to increased misunderstandings and distrust of the other side.
Meanwhile, within each party, the group members become more and more homogenous. Individuals typically look to other members of the group to reinforce their beliefs. Leaders fear that if they appear weak or submissive, challengers will replace them. As a result, they will often refuse to admit that any past actions were mistaken and are likely to become more "hardline."
This can turn into a trap, when leaders and subjects realize they are wrong, but refuse to admit it, because too much has already been sacrificed. Leaders and subjects continue to demonize the other side, the attacks evantually becoming personal. They move from accusing the other side of doing evil things to accusing the other side of being evil. Such escalation can permanently damage the relationship between the conflicting parties.
Escalation is one of the most dangerous forces in the world. Although the issues that sparked the conflict may have been legitimate, escalation distorts thinking. Parties caught up in a cycle of escalation are unable to see clearly. They stop attempts at constructively addressing the issues that started the conflict. Instead, they focus on "winning" despite the costs or on hurting their opponents as much as possible.
The conflict in the United States has not escalated to the same level as conflicts that have divided societies in places like Rwanda and Northern Ireland. But, it does have some of the same dynamics
Today being a Democrat or a Republican is a cultural or even an emotional matter, rather than a political decision. As a Democrat, you are identifying yourself as more urbane, thoughtful, international and sophisticated than your perceived Republican opponents. On the other hand, being a Republican means identifying yourself as strong, self-reliant, capable and, as the Republican governor of California Arnie Schwarzenegger would say, not a "girlie man".
As I read what is said on this forum, people get angrier, their attacks on the other side become less about issues and more about personalities.
Both the red and blue sides in this forum have accused each other of being selfish, ignorant, stupid, greedy, and evil. These labels delegitimate the other side by implying that they are not simply misguided, but that there is something innately wrong with them. Many people on both the red and the blue sides of this forum have given up trying to reason with those who disagree with them. The same can be said of our congress. For the simple-minded, they base opinions from various media as well as politicians.
I live an a world where both sides need to stop associating only with people they agree with and reach out to the other side.
Will you join me in making the United States the best place to live? Some of the stuff I read here is un-American. Some words written on this forum are traitorous and even racist. Those who feel that way, I wish I could lock you up forever.
I saw a thread today about suggestions for making the USA better. My hat is off to you sir, we have a great country if we keep seeing purple and talking about how we can improve this country.
The USA is way to divided when we talk about wishing our president to fail. It makes me gasp and very saddened. What is wrong with people who thnik that way, lock them up! Nothing wrong with freedom of speech, but to be critical of our president 3 weeks into the job! I'm 56 years old and have never heard such harsh criticism.
Thanks for reading this, you are now a better person. Remember this writing before posting again. Lets start posting more positive things!
kcwolf
