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Jeanette van Dijk's avatar

The Russian have this saying: European life is just too peaceful. It makes them afraid of all kind of nonsense.

I believe this is a solid response to your query about the phenomenon where people can suddenly change their minds collectively and assert the opposite viewpoint: fear. Fear can make individuals irrational and cloud their judgment. In my opinion, this is the only plausible explanation for the cognitive dissonance observed among many Democrats and liberals (it’s the same in Europe). They fear an imagined enemy who, if he gains power, will destroy their safe world and humanity. Thus, they feel compelled to do everything possible to prevent this enemy from winning the elections, even if it means compromising their own democratic principles and abandoning people they previously supported unconditionally. In their anxious minds, such actions can easily be rationalized and justified.

This irrational fear, rather than logical reasoning, reveals a lack of independent policy, vision, or program. Their only focus seems to be on defeating the perceived enemy. I do not believe that these individuals are following a higher power that directs their actions. Instead, their collective fear unites them and blinds them to the ethical implications of their behavior.

We observed a similar pattern with COVID: different fear, but the same mass irrational reactions.

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