I clearly take Twitter way too personally, when I engage with someone. I trust people. I am optimistic and hopeful about people’s potential. I have this suspicion always that irreconcilably different views are a matter of perspective or knowledge, not evil or hopelessness. (Cont)

On the one hand these online friendships (or maybe cordial intellectual relationships) have been surprisingly rewarding, even deep and intense at times. Didn’t expect that. It’s nice! (Cont.)

But on the other hand I feel... maybe it’s unfair... almost betrayed when the other person goes off the deep end with a... bad opinion?

See, that sounds so lame of me. People can disagree! Opinions are just opinions! Right? And yet... when it comes to politics, the Trump (Cont.)

Question just isn’t like that. It isn’t. I can talk to you about life, my kids, my past drug problem, your suicidal ideation or struggles with trolls... we can agree on an unpopular thing - enmity for excess-wokery, say - for years and truly form a bond. (Cont.)

...So then when in nov 2020 I see such a person go full-Trump; claim the election is being stolen; cite lying conspiracy idiots and Kayleigh McEnany as arbiters of truth; claim people are deranged about Trump; block allies who disagree *instantly* at the first (Cont.)

indication of moderation such as rejecting the StopTheSteal idiocy...

...it hurts. It really does. I’m supposed to be cool and accept disagreement, and I really really really do. With this, with Trump and democracy, I really can’t. It’s too sad, too disappointing. (Cont.)

It makes me want to be paranoid and see grifters around every corner. Am I being played? Is it some paid troll? The answer is probably no, but just the fact these things even enter my head is so f***ing sad.

It is crazy. It is beyond a cult - which would’ve been bad (Cont.)

enough, but at least we understand cults, and cult leaders fail eventually.

Trumpism is a malevolent alternate reality. There’s something seductive there. I don’t know what it is. It’s some kind of invitation to abandon conventional boundaries. Reality is no longer real. (Cont.)

I’m convinced it’s the most direct explicit application of Orwellian doublethink ever, in this country, at scale. I suspect that this reality, that even smart sincere friends are determined to engage in a dystopian behavior, is so unacceptable that we’d rather accuse ppl (Cont.)

of grift than face the terrifying reality that a brainwashing effect has been achieved without any 1984-like physical coercion.

People are taking intellectual/political poison on purpose, believing it’s the only path forward.

And I can’t help but take it personally.