Why is the internet more right wing than real life?

[Anonymous]

Some examples I can list: Everyone I know is vaccinated, I’ve never heard someone state an anti abortion opinion in real life, I’ve never met anyone who said they wanted to wait till marriage to have sex, I’ve never met someone who openly disagreed with same sex marriage. The most conservative opinions I’ve heard in real life are “drugs are bad” or “having sex with more than 50 people is excessive”. Why is this?

[Shizunk]

You may have social bubbles in real life and online. In real life you could select friends based on their similarity to you. In places like facebook, an echo-chamber forms naturally around you. Here on GAG though, you will have no real filter. I see crazy lefties everywhere, while in real life everyone is reasonable, even if a bit socialist. And I find higher than normal numbers of libertarians in my vincinity. Guess what my political position is :-D Yes, that's right. A libertarian. Though admittedly, socially conservative people are still rare. I don't think I know anyone as radical as me. Political conservatives on the other hand, that's half my facebook friends.

[NamerOfStars]

It isn't. It just seems that way because you don't interact with a lot of conservatives on a regular basis- or you do and the conversations don't get political. Most likely both; people are afraid to express ideas that go against the political zeitgeist in person, and if you live in an area even relatively leaning to one side, you're much less likely to ideas expressed that defy it. These days, with things being so polarized, it's even MORE unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Because right wingers (especially when it comes to social issues), know that they will sound really stupid and sound bad if they express their hatred for minorities in real life.

[Jessica405]

People can hide behind anonimity. They can say what they want, even if it isn't true.

[Asker]

A lot of times they don’t and they show faces.

[Jessica405]

They are still reasonably safe. So many people can say things they would never do face to face.

[Celtero]

Because you probably live in a lefty bubble.
Portland? Hahaha.

https://www.bestplaces.net/voting/city/oregon/portland

[Asker]

Portland is more liberal than the US average? Wow!

[Celtero]

It's actually known as being radically far-left.

[normalice]

The right wing funds a lot of paid trolls, bots, bloggers, influencers, and other sources of misinformation. This is because the right wing has no merits of their own to talk about so their only real hope is to make it look "whimpy" or "lame" or otherwise uncool to support the merits of the left.

[NewgodX]

I think you already know that internet cannot be right or left wing it's the people who are on internet who are right or left, and pretty much everyone has their reason to be right wing or left wing
I don't want to speculate anything I mean let the people say why they follow the ideals they follow
I think it's their choice

[VDrago14]

Depends on what part of the country and parts of the internet you're on. You live in Portland so naturally most people you would see in your day to day life are liberal. I live in Texas and so there are a lot more people I see that are more conservative. That said I see a lot more liberal posts and comments on various social media platforms down here because it's not as common.

[Asker]

Do people in Texas state their political views? What are some you have heard?

[VDrago14]

Sure, there are those I've talked to who openly support Law Enforcement (you see a lot of support the blue in areas), very pro-life, and that Covid was blown out of proportion and that the Vaccine is more damaging than helpful. There is also quite a bit of discussions on border control because especially further south it is a very real issue that many communities deal with. This is all stuff I see and hear discussed with people, many of whom I've conversed myself.

[VDrago14]

You also see a lot of people thanking law enforcement and the military for their work and showing respect.

[AntiChrist66666]

people more polite in real life
they r like morbid obesity is fine
but actually in reality they dont want their friends 2 die
chain smoking no problem

i am not one of doze
i say 2 ppls face
u are fat! u will die! dont eat so much donut! dont smoke!
dont be incel! dont be feminist!

but i am in minority of extremely courageous people

[Asker]

Plenty of rude people here in Oregon and Washington.

[AntiChrist66666]

rude should be different from luv
when i tell person with pre-diabetes not 2 put giant donut in their face
that is luv
i am not trying 2 hurt dem
am trying 2 help

but i can understand why sum people r reluctant even 2 help in person
because they need internet veil 2 be brave and true

[AntiChrist66666]

i am natural born badass so dont need dat
i am right wing all da time
in person on internet
everywhere

[AntiChrist66666]

if fat girl ask if she fat
i say she is fat
i say this in person
i dont change 4 internet

[hahahmm]

Because you live in a very liberal area. I bet you also don't know any legal gun owners or people who would kick a criminal's azz instead of begging the police for help.

[Asker]

My cousins in Montana have a rifle but they are very libertarian socially.

[hahahmm]

Some parts of the internet are 90% liberal because big tech companies suppress conservative opinions. Or you can go to a well known liberal website and the opinions there will be 99% liberal. Other places like GAG don't have restrictions. So it depends where you look.

[Asker]

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, are some type in vaccines or abortion on Twitter and see yourself.

[hahahmm]

For any conservative message you see on those sites, they hid/deleted 100 more. It's documented.

[Asker]

Still wouldn’t be popular opinion in Portland I can tell you that already.

[hahahmm]

Of course Portland is super liberal... that isn't breaking news. So you live there, I guess.. and you're shocked that conservatives actually do exist elsewhere. You really need to think deeper about it.

[Asker]

Is Portland that liberal compared to like small town Texas?

[hahahmm]

Sure. That's why the local government policies reflect that. It's not that it's all liberal.. but liberals dominate things there. Probably a place where if you say the wrong thing you get fired or treated like scum so of course even if your friend does have a conservative opinion they have reasons to keep it to themselves I'd say.

[Asker]

No actually Portland is very pro union so harder to get fired.

[Cathy7734]

I always thought the internet has more far-left liberals. I'm constantly reading about how corrupt Capitalism is and how we should distribute the wealth among the poor.

[Asker]

It shows both sides but in real life I don’t see one side.

[FakeName123]

Because one side has to face consequences nowadays for standing up to their beliefs. And that isn't the political left.

[HighValue]

Because liberals in real life try to sabotage conservatives at their jobs once they know their views. I have experiences this at two different jobs and witnessed people doing it to other co workers as well.

[ShadezMcgee]

That's called perception. You only are fixed on things you want to see, not everything going on. More than likely surrounded by like minded people as well.

[888theGreat]

The internet is as far left as you can go. Get your head out of your ass. Only a troll would say this. Conservatives are being banned from it every day for telling the truth about what is really going on.

[Anonymous]

You're from Portland, it's literally one of the most left-wing places on the planet

If you're vaguely right-wing it's a death sentence to even visit like attempting to cross the Berlin wall or the DMZ

[anylolone]

It isn't, it's just as right wing as the real life, but lefties tend to lose their heads over any disagreement, see "reign of terror", and in real life people rather not go through the hassle.

[chc0009]

Because those right wingers are cowards. They hate that they can't do things like they used to, so they show it on the internet.

[joeldalton]

Because you surround yourself with like-minded people.

[Asker]

I live in downtown Portland Oregon it is relatively homogeneous. I have a lot of friends in Eugene Oregon and Seattle and Canada. Might not be known as liberal places but they are more liberal than you think.

[joeldalton]

Lmao, Portland is a lefty shithole.

[Asker]

I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else maybe Seattle but Portland is very fun it has it’s own vibe.

[joeldalton]

Whatever floats your boat, but don’t pretend it’s filled with a variety of political views.

[Asker]

Everyone believes the same thing here.

[hahahmm]

@asker Yeah, it's great till you actually start thinking for yourself and then you'll find out what happens to people who think even one tiny thing that doesn't go along with the approved 'correct' way of thinking.

[joeldalton]

So maybe your question is incorrect and you're just in some extreme-leftist bubble.

[Recurrence]

I live in South Dakota and I see all that shit. Wyoming is the same way.

[Anonymous]

It's not. People don't change their political views on the internet; they are just more likely to express them opening.

[noohair]

The "internet" is controlled by powerful "progressive", woke authoritarians.

[ManHater]

because in real life you loose your job for being right wing.

[Anonymous]

Because people are afraid of being ostracized #silentmajority

[Asker]

If they are the majority that makes no sense.

[Opinion Owner]

It does. It’s called effective propaganda. We are the majority but we don’t feel like it because everyone is pretending

[Asker]

I don’t think so, maybe in rural America?

[Opinion Owner]

How did Trump get elected?

[Asker]

Other states voted for him like Texas.

[Opinion Owner]

A MAJORITY of America voted for him

[Asker]

The majority of the land is rural and very isolated. I live in a big city.

[Opinion Owner]

So big city people are smart and rural people are dumb ya?

[Asker]

Obviously.

[Opinion Owner]

LOL you’re actually so stupid. I live in a big city by the way so don’t even try it

[Asker]

I’ve spent time in Montana and Idaho while still pretty liberal they aren’t as educated as here.

[Opinion Owner]

To correlate liberal with educated is the most pretentious bullshit I ever hear

[Opinion Owner]

Your idea of education is when people agree with you politically. So fucked

[Anonymous]

I agree I only experience it on the internet. In real life nobody says the same stupid shit they do online.

[MCheetah]

You probably just live in a very left-wing area.

[BigAFRO]

Where do you live? Maybe that's why

[Asker]

Portland Oregon.

[BigAFRO]

Lol that's why you live in liberal Oregon. Everybody or 80% of the people around you thinks the same.

[Mofunfour20]

Because people love to believe in their delusions

[disgustingweebtrash]

Do you live in a city?

[SmokinAces2000]

Because there are a lot of trolls on the internet

[Guardian45]

Wow. Are you lucky!

[Asker]

Move to Portland.

[Guardian45]

Funny. I thought you lived in the Great White Moist North like me!