The words we’ve been using before – fascists, neonazis, dictators – oddly enough seem to make Republicans laugh at Democrats because we make them sound scary/we sound scared. Calling them weird trivializes them, and reduces them to barely under creepy uncle status. Calling them weird stings because they think themselves the epitome of normal – they think they’re the “real” Americans, not the aberrant ones.
Because it is simple and understandable.
Because it renders their grievances in the petty light they need to be seen in.
Because it hits a nerve for them.
Because it disempowers and dismisses them.
Because it’s not overtly combative.
But really really because it is true.
Weird works for some people as it allows them to express disdain without getting violent
I think the main reason the “weird” approach works is simply because it is true. They are weird.
And the reason why it hurts Trump so much is exactly that truth hurts.
Soooo, I kind of got déjà vu reading this article because … Six days ago I “foresaw” the relevance of “weird.” Comment thread here (I think) or just check out post my post history.
The author brings up a ton of specific points I called out, including using similar words like “flip” the script and referencing how “basket of deplorables” was too directed. Were we all thinking sbout “weird” in this context six days ago already? If not… I am weirded out, y’all.
“Deplorables” and alot of other seemingly insulting, derogatory things could be worn as a badge of honor by that group. For people who pride themselves on being conservative and the representatives of “normality”, “Weird” isn’t something you can easily call yourself, you’re not weird, you’re the normal one, it’s society that’s weird for being so permissive. And then just being called “weird” is hard to defend against because everyone has some weird thing about themselves, just existing as a human being is a weird experience.
Weird isn’t bad, weird is just normal, it’s just life, but in their eyes, weird IS bad, it’s probably a part of themselves that they themselves know is wrong. I think alot of the blatant lies they tell the world aren’t just for other people, part of it is for themselves too, to make the weirdness of fascism go down a bit easier, to make it seem like they’re supporting it for justifiable reasons.
