Can anyone over 30 remember a time where society wasn’t so screwed up and divided on politics?

[Anonymous]

I went to college when the Iraq war was going on. Sure it was a serious issue and in my opinion 9/11 was the beginning of the major political divide in our country.

Except for a brief period 2007 to 2009 (i voted for Obama in 2008 and later regretted it) I lean to the right politically. But I recall having lots of friends and dating girls who had liberal views. Back then it was an issue but not THE issue. It was not something someone would immediately identify as. Politics were rarely if ever brought up in the first 5 minutes of a conversation (and almost never with complete strangers). I went to a VERY liberal university but even most college kids back then weren’t fixated on politics 24/7.

I am just wondering if the ole days are ever going to be possible again or if things will continue to get worse.

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

I think social media dialed it up to 100 then amplified it. Politics was always around such as pro life vs pro choice, stem cell research , foreign policy, etc. The social media evolution knew they can grab people in a rabbit hole of ideologies then proceed to drown them in it for business purposes despite the fact they were radicalizing their users.


It’s wild but I remember to acknowledge people with respect and honor even if we are different. We are all human sharing this Little Rock as we float through the cosmos as a species

[MCheetah]

Yes. Any time before 2015. 2015 is when everything turned to sh*t; first with colleges going woke.

[Asker]

I was experiencing a real life cancel culture incident at that time. I didn’t even know what the hell was going on.

[MCheetah]

I had a girl lie to the school about me "looking at her the wrong way" and was wrongfully expelled in 2015 and spent three years in a lawsuit with the university, so I remember all the woke insanity going on in 2015 for several reasons. ANTIFA invading campuses, people talking about it "being okay to punch a Nazi," and everything else.

Though woke culture as we know it today started back in 2011 when corporate interests intentionally had crazy people co-opt Occupy Wall Street in order to tank and destroy the movement, it didn't catch steam until 2015. 2013 is also when Treyvon Martin was shot by George Zimmerman, causing BLM to form.

9/11 wasn't the first thing to divide America, the 2000 US presidential election was, where Al Gore won, but George W. Bush was elected anyway (likely due to some shenanigans). 9/11 actually united the country for a bit and even those on the left were (mostly) united Americans after 9/11.

I have a better memory than most people, and politics becoming a lightning rod for hate and division (mainly from the intolerant left) didn't start until Obama's second term in office, and didn't reach the boiling point until 2015. Yes, it may seem like society has been sh*t forever now, but it's only been about seven years. Although 2020 and Orwellian COVID policies expedited the political hate and division that much more; possibly doubling or tripling it.

[Asker]

That’s crazy what happened to you the college campus. It’s like you violated a feminist “blasphemy law”. I also completely agree about Obama’s second term. That’s when he started to get very radical.

[goaded]

Yes, it was before 1994.

"“This place used to be very civil,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Republicans and Democrats often saw things differently, of course, but we respected one another. We could actually get something done. We respected the institution.”

“You see that changing?” I asked, naively.

“It’s becoming a different world up here. That’s a big part of why I’m getting out. There’s a new breed. They don’t care about getting anything done. All they want to do is tear things down. The right wing is gaining ground. It will be our undoing, eventually.”

“You mean Gingrich?”

“And his friends.” Michel’s voice grew softer. “They talk as if they’re interested in ideas, in what’s good for America. But don’t be fooled. They’re out to destroy. They’ll try to destroy anything that gets in their way, using whatever tactics are available. They don’t believe in bipartisanship. I don’t really know what they believe in.”"

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-origins-of-trumpism-part-4-gingrich

[Anonymous]

Things will continue to get worse. Much worse. Violence will become the norm. I won’t bother with any examples because the brainwashed cultist shitlibs will just start screeching about some nonexistent insurrection and why they have to imprison people and deplatform them to “protect democracy.”

[Curmudgeon]

The Baby Boomers had their "VietGate", and Reagan as the aftermath of that,

Generation X watched Clinton's foibles and Bush's counter foibles,

This is not new.

[In_Trance]

It's always been and always will be this way

[Asker]

No I remember a time it wasn’t this bad. If you were born a decade earlier you would know exactly what I am talking about.

There was a time in the 60s/70s were political division was at an all time high. But the late 70s and 80s saw America unite more under a common issue: the Cold War. Then the Cold War ended in the 90s and the division slowly started again. We had mostly peace and a good economy in the 90s. But 9/11 really changed everything.

[In_Trance]

I didn't realize you had an age bias. I suggest you do some research into political history