Hm. Psychologically, I don´t know what to make of that.
Icky, and risky..
What is icky and risky, in American surroundings? I mean, every average middle-class American has 2 cars, 3 TVs, a house and a job. Where´s the icky and risky part when it comes to voting?
Is it that the neighborhood will talk bad of you? Is it that you fear the FBI who will check whether you´re a terrorist if you meet with friends to discuss politics every weekend? Is it that they are afraid of the extreme right, like the KKK? Is it that they have fear of not being respected at the church? Is it that they have fear of losing their face?
I really try to understand those people from a psychological point of view, because (sorry to say so, its not meant as a criticism, just as a fact) many Americans are really less open-minded than some Europeans.
Europeans will bark up every tree, no matter what. You see, we are used to protests, used to people having other opinions; we are used to clashing troops, to oppositions. We never were as afraid of communists as the Americans. Maybe because we had them right around the corner.
Americans generally buy what politicians and the media serve them (also this is not meant as criticism, but as a fact) - they have been watching more TV for decades; for example I doubt that a channel like Fox would have success in Europe, people just wouldn´t buy that high grade of manipulation. In Europe, the leaders rather tend to get critical people in all kinds of alternative movements as long as those don´t pose a real threat to the exisiting power system, so people can blow their steam off, rather than doing something useful.
But let´s get back to the point. I also think most Americans have more fear.
I will always remember when a guy from Vegas told me that everytime he sees a plane, he fears that it crashes into one of those superduper motels. I was like, what? That´s not a military target. Not an economical target. Who the fuck cares for the MGM Grand?
A European would never think so. If I think of the potential terrorist targets in my city, well ok, there´s the U.N., the airport, some governmental buildings - but that´s about it. No terrorist is interested in blowing up a skyscaper which is half as high as the average New York doghouse.
I will also remember an American woman this summer who told me that "the conservaties are right, no matter what". I have heard lots of opinions like that, not just one, without quoting them all here, I can surely agree that some Americans are stubborn (hey, we´re all stubborn, so take it easy).
I can also recall many threads here where fellow FYMers always feel personally attacked, when they weren´t attacked personally! It´s just like a crybaby mentality "oh yeah sure, we´re the bad ones, we´re all so stupid, myyyy".
Until the present day I have not been able to figure out if that´s tactics in order to get a psycho band-aid and to weaken potential criticizers, or if that´s what they really feel - because they often feel so without any real reason.
Generally, we can conclude that many Americans don´t deal with criticism like Europeans.
Some Europeans (arguably a bigger percentage than Americans, excluding young European Neo-Nazis who will rather smash your head, and many people who - also in Europe - don´t give a shit about politics) will be eager to discuss, to inform, to show you that their point is the right point. They always hope that you change your mind.
Typically the American, at some point, will just retreat because either you have hurt his holy life model, or because he is sick of the discussion and wants to turn on the telly, eat a BigMac and watch his children play basketball instead of dealing with a crook like you - but in the back of his mind he will think "Wait until I get the chance to show you my middle finger".
So, actually the question I pose is:
How can people, who are (just a little) stubborn, full of fear, proud of the social values they have inherited, who have no interest in changing their mind or even discussing about it, and who will follow most of what their leader says - how can those people be influenced, without making it too "icky and risky" to change their mind?
