Thread by @BrandonLBradfor

Stop treating conservatives as "people who want in their hearts to be liberals but are waiting on the right argument." The mistake is thinking we all believe in the same fundamental rights. If you are going to change minds, you have to understand their base assumptions first.

It's also why we automatically will sound condescending or completely confusing. We are often not talking about the same things. When we "say" equality for all, they hear the adder +"Within the natural hierarchy of things" and that's where their actions seems so contradictory

But our default, is not everyone's default, and that "natural" hierarchy is the filter with which they can justify the raging and rampant disparities our systems create. In their heads, it's because that's the way the world is *supposed* to work

That's why they get so angry about equality initiatives. You liberals are "cheating the natural order of things" and society's foundations will crumble. Putting people in places they don't deserve.

Is that a conveniently narrow understanding of the world? Absolutely

If you truly think about it, how could you justify how education, healthcare, finance, housing, or even food access works in their policies and the statement "all citizens are created equal"? That's because you're not actually supposed to believe that. *Equal* is softly defined

It's also why terms like "alpha male" and "virtue signaling" are so prevalent in their narratives/insults. They *believe* in inherent differences. They can't believe that you are sincere in pushing for equality, just that you are pivoting to take power in a way they would.

As you are looking for consistency in their views, one thing seems to flow true: The consolidation of power. If it's something that consolidates power into conservative hands- they are for it. If it distributes power(social, monetary, otherwise) they are against it.

This is the heart of pure capitalistic frameworks that don't have democratic frameworks driving them. For Ex:The world needs the super-rich because they are deserving of every penny, and they know what to do with it. Seems great-As long as you aren't at the bottom of the pyramid.

This is where a ton of the fearmongering around immigration comes from. They are coming to take your jobs has never been the worry- it's more clearly: they are coming to put you on the bottom rung of society's ladder and they are going to treat you like you treated them.

"Pull yourself up by your bootstraps" has always has a presumption of who starts with boots and who doesn't. It solidifies their view of what society should look like. When that doesn't match up, must be someone cheating. It's why you see outsized rage at diversity in movies

You'll never understand them without understanding that "This is the way it is because it's right and natural" is the starting point, and they justify everything else from there. It's also why Conservative thinking/movements are so easily co-opted by fascist leanings.

Fascism takes that same hierarchy and(generally) turns those anxieties against a single/few minorities. Where conservatism tries to balance out that pyramid with democracy, fascism picks away at ideological foundations to push toward more power.

This should also help explain why Conservatives seem completely okay with the idea and practice of charity and not systemic change, they believe Charity should be seen as a gift from those who earned their place to the poor, but those items should never be a fundamental right.

It *used* to be a little bit more well hidden, but look at people who are open with their disdain and riling up of society. The worst of the worst, Rufo and Matt Walsh types, who don't try to hide their worldview through euphemisms. Who are active in their demonization

The Federalists Society openly is putting out misinformation in waves, and judges on the courts have to basically face ideology tests. Long-game fascism is still fascism, their focus isn't to make the best argument but to have control of the levers of power