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Kathryn Elkins is one of the In Her Presence English language instructors and was part of the original team to help set up the English Acquisition Language Program. In Her Presence is a nonprofit organization serving immigrants in Maine.
Navigating today’s polarized political environment requires an understanding of persuasion and reframing of “truth” based on personal values and beliefs. Robb Willer and colleagues from the Polarization and Social Change Lab at Stanford, found “liberals typically prioritize equality, fairness and caring for others; conservatives reportedly prioritize loyalty, patriotism, moral purity and respect for authority.” These values impact the political culture on both sides. We must reflect on influences that may bias our thinking and recognize the philosophical persuasion strategies used by political leaders on both sides.
According to therapist and author Rob Kornoelje, “Culture of Fear … refers to inciting fear in the public at large. There are many ways … that the Culture of Fear can exert an influence on our life.”
He cites the example of a political candidate releasing an ad claiming their opponent is soft on crime, showing images of violent or scary people. “The political candidate uses fear of lawlessness … to get votes,” he writes.
Nazi leader Hermann Goering said: “The people don’t want war, … but they can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and for exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.”
As psychologist John Jost and colleagues noted in a recent article, “populations experiencing economic distress or external threat have often turned to authoritarian, hierarchicalist leaders promising security and stability,” according to The Conversation.
Donald Trump is pushing a dark picture of gloom. Trump sees fear as the primary motivator — fear of illegal immigration, crime, inflation, and a declining America. He believes swing voters will embrace his dark view and demand protection. Vice President Kamala Harris sees hope as the primary motivator — hope to move beyond Trump, hope in a rising and rebounding America. She believes voters are tired of doom-and-gloom.
Mark Twain wrote, “An injurious truth has no merit over an injurious lie. Neither should ever be uttered.” Changing liberals or conservatives strongly held beliefs is difficult, even with fact-checking. Since “humans are hardwired to dismiss facts that don’t fit their worldview,” as philosophy professor Adrian Bardon wrote in The Conversation, denial of expertise often results.
According to the Washington Post, “In four years, President Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims.” Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary, said Trump taught her his method of lying: “It doesn’t matter what you say … say it enough and people will believe you,” she said he told her.
Trump’s vice presidential running mate JD Vance said on a recent CNN’s State of the Union, that he felt the need “to create stories so that the … media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people.” But Vance’s stories caused the suffering of Springfield, Ohio’s population with bomb threats, school shutdowns after baseless accusations of immigrants eating pets.
These are examples of injurious lies and injurious truths or misleading claims.
Using trustful sources helps differentiate lies from truths. The New Republic would classify these 2020-24 accomplishments as “Democratic truths”: reduction of child poverty rate to a historic low of 5.2 percent; more businesses were created in the first three years of the Biden administration than during four years under Trump ( backed up by U.S. Chamber of Commerce); current unemployment is 4.2 percent versus 6.3 percent when Trump left office; the budget deficit for fiscal year 2024 is $1.9 trillion verses $3.1 trillion for FY2020.
In rural Maine, individuals may not “feel” they are better off since their poverty is higher, less healthcare providers are available, and grocery costs are higher. These issues must be considered as part of the overall data in considering the truth.
What culture are you most comfortable supporting — a culture of fear or a culture of hope? Find your truths before voting; reflect on your facts, political affiliations and personal values. Avoid denying ideas that don’t fit with your worldview and consider political persuasion techniques that may have biased your thinking. After careful analysis, vote proudly.
Election notice: The BDN will stop accepting letters and columns related to the Nov. 5 election on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Not all submissions can be published.
