Perception Gap. What is that? Is it the problem of polarization?

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   tsmogposted 4 months ago

   Perception is Reality ~ Lee Atwater
   
   Sitting at my PC this morning sipping coffee I sought something to poke my silly nose into about politics and social issues. I came upon a site by More in Common. It was an interesting read with graphics highlighting the points they made. It also offers a quiz to discover your own perception gap with both the Democrats and Republicans. Mine turned out to be I don't have a large perception gap.
   
   The quiz asks you "What percentage of Democrats think that:"
   Also, "What percentage of Republicans think that:"
   
   For me:
   Democrat perception Gap = 7%
   Republican perception Gap = 12%
   
   I am not advocating sharing your score!!!
   
   The Perception Gap
   
   Do you have a yawning Perception Gap, or are you in sync with the American public? Our study explores how Americans tend to have a distorted understanding of people on the other side of the aisle, what causes it, and why it matters.
   
   https://perceptiongap.us/
   
   The estimated proportion of Republicans and Democrats holding Extreme views = 55%
   
   The actual proportion that hold extreme views = 30%
   
   The introduction is next. Skim down to the conclusion for a quick understanding. If curious give some time with the reading material with that morning cup of coffee or tea then ponder Polarization.
   
   Almost two-thirds of Americans describe themselves as either Democrats or Republicans, and with every passing year each side seems to dislike the other more and more. We trust each other less, we fear each other more, and we struggle to understand how those on the other side of the political fence could possibly hold so many wrong-headed views.
   
   But with today’s personalized social media feeds and our tendency to live in bubbles of like-minded friends, are we getting each other wrong?  As part of its ongoing investigation into the root causes of political polarization, More in Common wanted to find out whether Republicans and Democrats could separate perception from reality.
   
   To learn how well Americans understand each other, we partnered with global research firm YouGov to survey 2,100 Americans. On issues including climate change, patriotism, sexual assault, police conduct and more, we asked Americans what they themselves believed and what they estimated people on the other side believed. We were then able to calculate the difference between the predictions and reality.
   
   The conclusion? Americans have a deeply distorted understanding of each other. We call this America’s “Perception Gap”. Overall, Democrats and Republicans imagine almost twice as many of their political opponents as reality hold views they consider “extreme”. Even on the most controversial issues in our national debates, Americans are less divided than most of us think. This is good news for those worried about the character of this country. The majority of Americans hold views that may not be so different from your own.

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      gmwilliamsposted 4 months agoin reply to this

      I think that the problem is with those who hold EXTREME views whether they are of the leftist or rightist persuasion.   Most centrist or traditionalist Democrats &/or Republicans don't have the other ideology.  They have so many socioeconomic issues that they are past the party ideology.  In fact, many of them view BOTH parties as corrupt, greedy, & power hungry.

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         Ken Burgessposted 4 months agoin reply to this

         The problem is the Democrat Party... they force people to choose between the extremes, strengthening the extremes, removing the middle-of-the-road find compromise political alternatives.
         
         Why Are Democrats Funding The Far Right?
         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqgP9Ft_1CY
         
         Even though that piece is made by a Socialist group it is pretty factual, take the information it presents and then consider what type of corrupt and power hungry people would be willing to do this.
         
         Then consider, these are the people in control of the country today.

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            tsmogposted 4 months agoin reply to this

            Along that line of thought, going back to the OP. The article/report uses a graphic titled, The Hidden Tribes of America. With a glance one notices there are three categories for the left and only two for conservatives. That is considering moderates don't have to be conservative, at least in my book.
            
            Progressive Activists = 8%
            Traditional Liberals = 11%
            Passive Liberals = 15%
            Politically Disengaged = 26%
            Moderates = 15%
            Traditional Conservatives = 19%
            Devoted Conservatives = 6%
            
            As the OP said, it is worth just peeking at the graphics.
            
            I said where you posted the link to the video I did watch finding it revealing, yet not surprising at all. What I consider is not that they are doing it, but what result is gained from it. At the same time, I wouldn't put that strategy out of reach for the Republican party. It is like most things these days.
            
            A new product hits the streets then is reverse-engineered and, waa-laa a similar product is on the street to compete with it. Politics is based on capitalism. Invest in the product, market it, put on the selling shoes, and reap the rewards. The capital is the voters. The more you get the more profit you have. Then reinvest.

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               Ken Burgessposted 4 months agoin reply to this

               The Hidden tribes are less hidden and more created and agitated.
               
               My longest running argument in these forums is with credence, who defends his tribe with immense deference... I cannot fault for him for it, had I been a black man who lived through the sixties I may very well have the same mindset.
               
               That is not to say I agree with it.
               
               I think there is far greater difference between the person worth 50 billion dollars who thinks his wealth gives him the right to play god, and a black man that makes 50 thousand dollars a year.
               
               My struggles and my dreams have far more in common with that black man than with that white billionaire.
               
               But I cannot convince that black man that we are not enemies, because that billionaire makes sure the sins of our forefathers are brought up to divide us. That billionaire funds professors who write about white fragility and critical race theory to divide us. That billionaire gets his news agencies to flame everything with racism, every tragedy that can be exploited, will be.
               
               So tribalism is fueled, celebrated, vindicated while the billionaires get richer, get ignored, and get to do whatever they want at our expense.
               
               And the politicians play the game and get rich for it... Or they try to fight it and get destroyed, by the very people they are fighting for.

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                  tsmogposted 4 months agoin reply to this

                  True to some degree, from my viewpoint. My last job of 24 years, the last 14 years of it, was working directly for the owner of the company, a self-made millionaire. He definitely reached that status when he sold the company, making in the tens of millions, as they say, a Return on Investment. 
                  
                  Anyway, he did, in some respects, fuel division with the propensity to be a store manager, giving rise to the competitive spirit. In other words, if a store manager was not hitting objectives consistently enough, there was a large, eager sales force with an ambition to be a store manager to choose from.
                  
                  That kept the stores in the bottom half of the pack on their toes. At the same time, those eager salespersons were seeking to be at the top so as to be one to be considered as a replacement. Thus, tribalism of its own sort forms as like grouping takes place.

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                  gmwilliamsposted 4 months agoin reply to this

                  Thunderous applause to you Ken.

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                  Credence2posted 4 months agoin reply to this

                  No, it is a debate, not an argument. I am blunt and candid in my correspondence to put people on the spot, always preferring honest answers to platitudes.
                  
                  I would probably say that I couldn't understand the reasoning of younger white people who blame blacks for not being willing to dispense with the truth and its accuracy so that "we can get along".
                  
                  People who wish to silence my voice, through tampeering with the electoral process or illegal gerrymandering in Alabama and Louisiana for example are not my friends.
                  
                  Those that support Trump and MAGA has been shown to either hostile toward or indifferent to civil rights and civil liberties. People that adhere to these faults are not my friends.
                  
                  While controlling the excesses of wealth and power and its effects on social mobility for so many is fundamental, the hydra beast has more than one head and I can't focus on one and ignore the other.
                  
                  The sins of your forefathers were most grave from any and every study I have ever reviewed. Embracing Trump and Trumpism reinforces the fact that there is no remorse or serious ongoing effort to make sure the sins are eradicated without ever backsliding from American life.
                  
                  As I say, this is not personal but the big picture as it appears to me.

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         Castlepalomaposted 4 months agoin reply to this

         Xxx
         
         There is only perspective,  no one reality. As far as political truth, as soon as  mulipulators open their mouths, I most often I don't believe them. Good sense and experience makes a truer leadership and perspective.

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