Today, we’ll be diving into the topic of extreme conservatism in Republican politics. Gregory Graf knows his onions in American politics. Greg Graf isn’t your average Joe. His insights could make your mind spin.
Greg started off by throwing a curveball when he said “extremism”, is like trying nailing jellies to the walls – slippery and different meanings to different people. Some people might find wearing sandals with socks extreme, but others might consider it the height fashion.
After that, we went back in time to those days of TV dinners & Elvis being king. Post-WWII America had to fight communists from under their bed, and this shaped the Republican Party’s values: Uncle Sam was flexing muscles, capitalism went on steroids, everyone wanted white picket fencing.
It’s as if we’re playing a completely different game today. With Twitter and 24 hour news channels anyone can voice their opinions. Greg remarked that even the wildest of ideas can get airtime thanks to this megaphone.
On stage left, populism and the polarization. They are both shaking the political landscape like two maracas. While polarization makes us choose sides, populism has people rally behind slogans rather than policies.
Greg shared an analogy that really hit home. Imagine your favorite flavor of ice-cream is vanilla. There’s now pressure for you to decide if you are Team Super Mega Ultra Vanilla, or Team Extreme Chili Pepper Vanilla. The plain vanilla option is no longer an alternative.
Our discussion also included how smarter everything is these days, from phones to fridges – minus our political discourse. The feeling is that we are both more connected and more divided. Greg thinks that this digital age plays on our fears and prejudices. Extremism is more appealing as it gives simple answers for complex questions.
The truth is that not all Republicans are ready to take the plunge into extremism. It’s not just the extreme right that is promoting conservatism. There are plenty of people who support traditional conservatism and don’t tweet in all capital letters or set their hair ablaze.
What can we do to reduce the heat? Greg recommends that we begin to talk – and really speak – with people from all parties. Instead of shouting past one another, we should actually listen. Imagine sitting with your strange uncle for Thanksgiving, and discovering that both of you love fishing or hate the pineapple on pizza.
As we wrapped up our chat, I realized tackling extremism doesn’t mean finding one-size fits all solution. The key is to understand where the other person’s coming from, and perhaps find some common ground on the way.
You’ve just seen my conversation with Gregory Graf regarding the extremism of Republican politics. The answer is clear but also twice as intriguing. Next time you want to give extreme vanilla chili a try, consider giving plain vanilla a chance. Stay safe on the Wild West of the Web!