- American political camps after Bernie Sanders' loss : After Bernie Sanders' defeat in securing the Democratic nomination, political camps that emerged include Pro-Trump supporters, Never Trump conservatives with independent minds who stand against Trump, the criticized Establishment Democrats, and the True Progressives represented by Bernie-themed YouTube channels. Each group presents its unique issues, and identifying too strongly with a single camp is a naive simplification of the complex political landscape.
- Progressive reaction to Bernie's primary loss : Progressive response to Bernie Sanders' loss in the Democratic primaries has often involved blaming the Establishment for allegedly undermining him. This reaction overlooks the broad democratic nature of the primaries, which saw an array of candidates from various ideological spectrums participating. The overarching criticism points out that mainstream media biases and the limited attention span of average Americans influence political coverage, but it fails to account for deeper systemic factors shaping political engagement.
- The role of mainstream media in politics : Mainstream media organizations, highly corporatized, aim to maximize viewership and profits, not out of malice towards figures like Bernie Sanders but due to their operational model that reflects the average American's views and consciousness. Their coverage is limited not by a deliberate scheme but by catering to the population's generally low attention span and demand for digestible segments.
- Meta politics and conscious understanding : A call for "meta politics" highlights a need to transcend typical political classifications and understand government functions, human survival, and collective ego intricacies without scapegoating or simplistic narratives. This higher-order political analysis recognizes the limitations of progressive ideologies and strives for a broader, more inclusive understanding beyond mere ideological battles.
- Bernie Sanders' electoral struggles : In 2016, Bernie Sanders was relatively unknown, lacked name recognition, and was considered a long shot, which influenced voters looking to support an electable candidate. Despite his spirited campaign against Hillary Clinton, his loss was partly due to being seen as an outsider with limited chances of winning. In 2020, despite no intentional silencing, extensive media coverage, and ample opportunities, Sanders faced biases but lost because he didn't resonate with the average voter's consciousness level and preference for a traditional Democratic candidate.
- Perception versus electability : Bernie Sanders' self-identification as a socialist, despite aiming to appeal to moderate and democratic voters, likely alienated potential supporters who associated the term with negative connotations from the Cold War era. This, combined with voters' desire for familiar and trusted leaders rather than ideologically labeled candidates, significantly contributed to his defeats.
- Progressive assumptions about voter alignment : Progressives often overestimate how forward-thinking or aligned with their agenda the general population is. Although polls might show support for progressive policies, voting behavior is governed by a complex blend of factors, including cultural issues, emotional resonance, and candidates' perceived trustworthiness and familiarity, rather than deep policy understanding or alignment.
- Misinterpretation of the 2020 Democratic primary : The mainstream media reflected the consciousness level and desires of its audience. Bernie Sanders' loss was attributed by some progressives to media bias or lack of fairness, but this overlooks the reality that most American voters-and consequently the media-operate at a different level of consciousness that is not aligned with progressive positions, leading to his lack of broad electoral support.
- Herd mentalities in voting : Political choices often occur in a herd mentality rather than through independent analysis. People make decisions based on social interactions and shared perceptions within their communities, leading to collective support for candidates like Joe Biden due to his association with familiar and comforting leadership figures like Obama.
- Conservatives' election victories : Progressives are puzzled by conservatives winning elections despite seemingly advocating policies against the majority's interests. The victories can be attributed to conservative appeals to deep-rooted cultural values such as tradition, ideology, and nationalism, which resonate with a significant proportion of the population.
- Progressives' misunderstanding of voter behavior : Progressives often misjudge voter behavior by assuming people vote solely based on policy. In reality, voters, especially those with a lower level of consciousness and development, cast their ballots based on emotional responses to candidates' personas, shared cultural values, and ideologies aligned with their current stage in Spiral Dynamics.
- Simplicity of determining election outcomes : Winning elections is fundamentally about aligning with the majority's value system, which is a straightforward concept, but one that progressives find hard to grasp. Democracy reflects the people's will, and the winning candidate embodies the prevalent values, regardless of whether those values align with progressive ideals.
- Fox News and viewer alignment : Fox News is popular not because it disseminates propaganda, but because it caters to the values and consciousness level of its viewers. The anchors are at the same consciousness level as their audience and genuinely believe in what they report, representing the fears and concerns of a large part of the American populace, rather than deliberately spreading misinformation.
- Democracy's reflection of societal values : Democracy ensures that elected leaders mirror the people's values, even if these are not aligned with progressive ideals. The election of leaders like Trump indicates a level of popular support matching his values, and democracy operates correctly when it represents the collective consciousness, not when it elects the most progressive candidates.
- Progressive responsibility in political reality : Progressives need to recognize that not all Americans share their worldviews or are ready for radical change. Many live simple lives with traditional values and are not concerned with global or progressive issues. By expecting others to adopt progressive ideals when they are not ready can lead to backlash.
- Authoritarian rule and democracy : Authoritarian leaders often come to power not by usurping it against the people's will, but as a reflection of the people's desires at a specific time. It suggests a collective responsibility and willingness to be ruled in such a way because it aligns with their current worldview and psychological needs.
- Survival beyond material interests : Survival concerns are more about preserving one's worldview and the survival of the ego than just material well-being. This explains why certain groups, like evangelicals, support leaders like Trump, even when it seems against their own material self-interest-it aligns more with their ideological and cultural values.
- Voting aligned with consciousness and values : People tend to vote for leaders who resonate with their own level of development and shared values, which may not always be based on concrete policy or rational analysis but more on emotive and cultural connections. This dynamic can make high consciousness leaders less electable due to a mismatch with the broader societal consciousness level.
- Progressive Ideological Projection : Progressives often project their own values and overestimate the progressiveness of the country or the world. This miscalculation leads to electoral surprises and the realization that a significant portion of Democrats actually prefer culturally traditional and moderate candidates like Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden, despite liberal policy inclinations.
- Democratic Strategy and Progressivism : The progressive strategy to push for the most liberal candidates may backfire, especially when imposed upon those not ready for such changes. True democracy means aligning with the will of the majority, which may or may not resonate with progressive ideals. Recognizing that effective political change involves meeting people where they are in their development is crucial.
- Global Political Development : The critique of non-progressive policies and leaders in less developed countries like China, Russia, or Saudi Arabia often misses that these countries are at different stages of social evolution. Judging them by standards of highly developed nations ignores the hundreds of years of development yet to occur and their unique cultural and societal contexts.
- Understanding Political Complexity : Politics is complex, and simple ideological models fail to grasp the full picture. Progressives are encouraged to broaden their view beyond their worldview, realizing that reality encompasses a diverse range of perspectives, levels of consciousness, and worldviews that must be considered in political discourse. This meta political approach transcends simplifications and blames to foster a deeper understanding and acceptance of varying political motivations and outcomes.