Joshe

I would love a good answer to this question. I can't pin it down. If I had to pick the top 3 traits to work on to develop it, they'd be: Integrity: commitment to align one's thoughts, beliefs, and actions with what is true Intellectual humility: ability to effortlessly revise existing judgements/conclusions in light of new information and then a desire to put your errors under the microscope and uproot the cause of error Intuition: develops with deep observation. I'm not sure but I think you mostly have to be born with a predisposition towards deep observation and contemplation. Not sure how feasible it is to develop if it doesn't come natural. These might also be necessary: Open-mindedness Comfortable with uncertainty, patient Curiosity fueled by need to understand what is not currently understood Self-awareness to see through your own lies Critical thinking / logical reasoning / observation skills Adaptability Confidence

They do appear but they usually only account for <1%. Unprecedented levels of Trump-only ballots in swing states: AZ: 123,000+ Trump bullet ballots (7.2% of total vote). NV: 43,000+ Trump bullet ballots (5.5% of total vote). NC: 350,000+ Trump bullet ballots (>11% of total vote). Contrasted with normal levels of bullet ballots (<1%) in neighboring non-swing states. This seems relevant to me but I don't have enough data. If we knew that bullet ballots almost never exceed 1%, that would most certainly be worth looking into. Yeah, I agree with you. Contests this big and the players having the resources they have, it seems more likely than not IMO. This is why integrity and character matters. I don't have any reason to believe the Dems would go so far as to actually hack into the machines, but it wouldn't blow my mind if they did. That said, Trump would obviously have no qualms rigging the election and he has access to Elon and Russia, who are more than capable of getting this set up. Putin is already saying he got Trump over the finish line and now it's time for Trump to pony up. 😂

Oh yeah, that's all AI. I rarely take the time to organize and assemble info like that. It's easy to tell the difference between me and an AI. 😂 My writing usually has many mistakes. I rarely use AI to write my original thoughts unless I'm struggling to articulate them or coherently weave them together. He does mention Starlink but I'm not sure if it gels with the existing theory. I haven't looked into them. I know many people are wishing for fraud/rigging, so I'm not interested in all that, but this dude supposedly has evidence to backup his theory. It relies on the idea that all 7 swing states were the only states with a flood of "bullet ballets", which are ballots where only Trump was selected and no other races/politicians were voted for. I'm not a data scientist so IDK how significant that is but according to this guy, it's an anomaly that doesn't typically occur in such high numbers. The interviewer acknowledges it could be explained by marketing, like Elon's million dollar giveaway, but the data guy isn't convinced for reasons he explains. IDK anything about him, so he could be a biased quack for all I know, but he claims to be an expert in data science and he gets paid to find exploits in secure systems. Apparently, he's built several successful businesses in the hardware and tech space. He claims to be a lifelong Republican.

Supporting Trump isn't so much about political knowledge/development as it is discernment. If you want to vote against the left because you think they're the greater evil, you don't have discernment. Discernment is a key trait among the top spiritual teachers. You can't even begin to discuss Trump's policies because he's a con artist. Only those lacking discernment would discuss the merits of and show support for a con artist. If you think a verified con artist, who has a long history of conning, and has been recorded lying 30,000+ times is better than a status-quo politician who was caught lying 20 times, you clearly lack discernment. There's no way around it. If you had discernment, 1 hour's worth of watching Trump speak would tell you everything you need to know. If you walk away thinking "I like this guy" or "others are treating this man badly", you lack discernment. This has much more to do with understanding discernment, self-deception, logical fallacy, emotional reasoning, etc, than it does with understanding politics.

Anyone not on the ground in America or who has not spent considerable time here does not really know Americans. The average American is not pissed at government. They’re caught up in the fantasies and drama of their own lives. For the ones who are pissed at the government, they’ve mostly been led to that position slowly, guided by memes that appeal to their egos, Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump, Christian Ideologues, etc. I watched it all happen in real time. Here’s the truth of it. Trump caused a lot of polarization, which created a lot of collective guilt, which created a big market to relieve that guilt. Anyone who could effectively relieve it was a hot commodity. This is where Fox News came in - specifically, Tucker Carlson. Carlson’s whole shtick was the dems are the establishment and the establishment is bad. He spent an hour every night on prime time TV, on the nation's most watched show on television, spinning his bullshit to capture those people and turn their guilt into self-righteous indignation towards the big bad establishment who enables the immigrants, blacks, gays, and trans. People ate it up, not because they were tuned into the evil ways of the establishment, but because they needed good reasons to justify their expanding embrace of Trump and their expanding disdain of blacks, gays, trans, etc. So, Tucker channeled their guilt into self-righteous indignation via anger and snake oil, which was directed towards the Democrats, AKA, the left, AKA, the establishment. Obviously, this isn't the whole story but it's an important chapter. I KNOW Americans. They’re the only people I’ve ever known, and I’ve watched them morph into something. The morphology can be traced back. You don’t know Americans just by seeing them on the internet or visiting once or twice.

Enlighten us

Long term, Trump has set a new precedent, which serves as the new playbook. The precedent is this: Open con artistry and debauchery is fine and even appealing if you can create a modicum of plausible deniability. Claim you're the best, then denounce the most popularly hated things while singing the tune of populism amongst a star-studded cast of iconoclastic influencers. That's how you win over the American people. What integrity our institutions had will mostly be lost. The degree to which he will wreck everything in the short term is uncertain, but the precedent is set and will remain the winning playbook until the people wise up to it. However long that takes is how long it will take before recovery begins.

Mods, the finest MAGA kool-aid is being handed out here. This video is full on adoration of Trump. It's similar to brainwashing type shit. A common sentiment among the video comments: "This is so awesome. I downloaded it on my phone, I’ve watched it hundreds of times. If I was a young man, and I’m looking at the LGBTQ progressive “toxic masculinity”, vs MAGA reality. I want slay dragons. I want to do great things. I want to storm castles, I want to take risks, I want to go fast, I want to be a man, I want to attract woman, I want greatness. That’s what you’ve shown here, it is so brilliant. Love it. This is MAGA."

Damn bro. You just outed yourself as someone who gets excited at Tucker Carlson speeches. Who knew that the actualized.org forum would have Tucker Carlson fans? For those who don't know, Tucker was giving a speech and crafted a story where the left was behaving like a bad little girl, but now, "Daddy's home and he's PISSED!" "You've been a bad little girl". "I'm going to spank you". The crowd went fucking WILD and started chanting "Daddy Trump". 😂😂😂

Imagine an AI trained on all politicians in each of the 3 branches. Set up a database that tracks their: History Conflicts of interest Worldview Ideology Personality Work ethic Intentions Motivations Integrity Dark triad traits Ego Subservience Obedience to party and donors Competitiveness Controversies Alliances Political enemies / in-party beefs Vote history Initiatives Historical timeline Donors Things like that. It could then be set up to observe and analyze current political happenings to make predictions. You'd think something like this would already exist. Even a website that didn't use AI and just showed each politician's information seems like a profitable idea. Would be a lot of work though.

Billionaire elites successfully posing as ordinary people before they eat their McDonalds order that was prepped by a butler wearing white gloves, served on a gold-plated table, while burning through more money in jet fuel than the average American will make all year, while discussing their schemes and tactics to acquire even more. Trump ain't gonna allow RFK to mess with the harmful chemicals in his beloved burgers.

@Hardkill A cruise company is offering a 4-year journey to escape Donald Trump's presidency https://ground.news/article/a-cruise-company-is-offering-a-4-year-journey-to-escape-donald-trumps-presidency_3353ee

What personality traits or psychological tendencies tend to cluster with reflexive contrarianism? ## Personality Traits and Psychological Tendencies Associated with Reflexive Contrarianism Reflexive contrarianism often clusters with certain personality traits and psychological tendencies that drive individuals to consistently oppose mainstream ideas. These traits may not guarantee reflexive contrarianism but are commonly associated with it. --- ### **1. Openness to Experience** - **High Openness**: People high in openness often enjoy exploring unconventional ideas and questioning norms. This can predispose them to contrarian thinking, though in reflexive contrarianism, this trait may manifest as an uncritical embrace of anything non-mainstream. - **Desire for Novelty**: A craving for unique or unconventional perspectives can lead to rejecting mainstream ideas simply because they are familiar or "common." --- ### **2. Need for Uniqueness** - **Individualism**: Reflexive contrarians may have a strong desire to stand out and be perceived as unique or different. - **Identity Building**: Contrarian views can become a way to construct or signal a distinct identity, often at the expense of open-mindedness. --- ### **3. Distrust of Authority** - **Skepticism or Cynicism**: A deep-seated mistrust of authority figures, institutions, or consensus can drive contrarianism. This tendency often assumes that the majority is wrong, incompetent, or corrupt. - **Conspiratorial Thinking**: This overlaps with contrarianism when individuals are predisposed to seeing hidden motives or agendas in widely accepted ideas. --- ### **4. Intellectual Overconfidence** - **Dunning-Kruger Effect**: Contrarians may overestimate their understanding of complex topics, leading to a belief that their dissenting opinion is more valid than expert consensus. - **Overemphasis on Intuition**: They might rely heavily on "gut feelings" or personal reasoning while dismissing evidence and data from experts. --- ### **5. Rebelliousness** - **Oppositional Defiance**: A tendency to resist being told what to think or do, sometimes stemming from a desire to assert independence or autonomy. - **Anti-Conformity**: A belief that going against the grain is inherently virtuous or courageous, often irrespective of the content of the mainstream view. --- ### **6. Low Agreeableness** - **Argumentative Nature**: Reflexive contrarians may enjoy debating or playing "devil's advocate," not necessarily to uncover truth but to challenge others or create friction. - **Low Empathy**: This can manifest as a lack of concern for how their constant opposition may affect social harmony or relationships. --- ### **7. Sensation Seeking** - **Provocation**: Contrarians often enjoy the thrill of shocking or provoking others by espousing unpopular opinions. - **Drama Seeking**: Contrarianism can also be fueled by a desire to create or participate in conflict and debate, as it provides stimulation and attention. --- ### **8. Rigidity or Black-and-White Thinking** - **Dogmatism**: Paradoxically, contrarians who pride themselves on rejecting mainstream ideas may become dogmatic in their alternative views. - **Binary Thinking**: The tendency to see mainstream ideas as inherently wrong and opposing views as inherently right. --- ### **9. Narcissistic Traits** - **Self-Perceived Intellectual Superiority**: Reflexive contrarians may believe their dissent makes them smarter or more insightful than the average person. - **Need for Validation**: They may seek attention or admiration by positioning themselves as the "voice of reason" in opposition to the majority. --- ### **10. Fear of Mediocrity** - **Insecurity**: Reflexive contrarians may reject mainstream ideas out of fear that agreeing with the majority makes them "average" or ordinary. - **Perfectionism**: They might believe that mainstream solutions are inadequate and only their unique perspective is "good enough." --- ### **11. Social or Emotional Alienation** - **Feeling of Outsider Status**: Reflexive contrarians may feel disconnected from or misunderstood by mainstream society, leading them to reject its ideas reflexively. - **Defensive Posture**: Contrarianism can serve as a shield against perceived judgment, allowing the person to position themselves as superior or misunderstood. --- ### **12. Low Tolerance for Ambiguity** - **Desire for Simplicity**: Contrarianism can be a way to impose order by categorizing mainstream ideas as "bad" and alternative views as "good." - **Certainty-Seeking**: They may prefer clear stances, rejecting nuance or complexity in favor of opposing the majority. --- ### **13. Emotional Reactivity** - **Reactance**: A strong emotional reaction to perceived restrictions on freedom or autonomy, leading to rejection of consensus views. - **Defensiveness**: Criticism of their contrarian views may reinforce their opposition, creating a feedback loop of defensiveness and rejection. --- ### Conclusion While reflexive contrarianism can emerge from intellectual curiosity or genuine skepticism, when combined with the above traits, it becomes less about critical thinking and more about identity, emotion, and reaction. Understanding these tendencies can help in fostering balanced, thoughtful skepticism rather than uncritical opposition.

@Rafael Thundercat That looks like a good book. You should have Claude write it. Reflexive contrarianism is a great term. ChatGPT: Reflexive contrarianism is the tendency to oppose or reject popular or mainstream views, ideas, or norms automatically and without critical evaluation, simply because they are widely accepted. This behavior is often driven by a desire to appear independent, intellectual, or unconventional, rather than by genuine disagreement or reasoned analysis. Characteristics of Reflexive Contrarianism Automatic Opposition: A reflexive contrarian tends to dismiss mainstream opinions as wrong or uninformed, often without investigating the evidence or arguments that support those views. Superficial Rebellion: While it can seem like deep critical thinking, reflexive contrarianism is often reactionary and lacks substantive reasoning. It values being different over being correct. Signal of Identity: Being contrarian can serve as a way for individuals to distinguish themselves, signal intellectual independence, or feel superior to the "herd." Cynicism: It often includes a mistrust of authority, institutions, or consensus, assuming these are inherently flawed or corrupt. Overestimation of Own Insight: Reflexive contrarians may believe their perspective is unique or revolutionary, even when it stems from a knee-jerk rejection rather than a well-thought-out stance. Examples Rejecting scientific consensus (e.g., climate change or vaccinations) not because of specific evidence but because it's a mainstream belief. Insisting that a critically acclaimed movie or book is "overrated" without engaging with the work itself. Opposing a popular political policy or social trend simply because it is widely supported, without considering its merits. Dangers of Reflexive Contrarianism Stifles Growth: Rejecting mainstream ideas without examination can lead to intellectual stagnation, as valuable insights may be dismissed out of hand. Undermines Credibility: Constant opposition without clear reasoning can make others view the contrarian as untrustworthy or overly cynical. Polarization: Reflexive contrarianism contributes to echo chambers by rejecting consensus and embracing fringe ideas, potentially fostering extremism. How to Avoid Reflexive Contrarianism Engage Critically: Evaluate ideas on their own merits, regardless of whether they align with popular opinion. Be Open-Minded: Accept that mainstream views can sometimes be correct and that consensus often arises from rigorous testing and evidence. Separate Ego from Beliefs: Avoid defining your identity by opposition; focus on truth-seeking rather than distinguishing yourself. Practice Humility: Acknowledge that being contrarian doesn't automatically make an idea valuable or insightful. While questioning consensus is an important part of critical thinking, reflexive contrarianism undermines genuine inquiry by prioritizing dissent over understanding. True critical thinkers question ideas, mainstream or not, based on evidence and reasoned analysis.

In the unlikely event it would ever come to this, I think it would be many years down the road. You have time. It doesn't make sense to succumb to negativity of the things that are out of our control. It doesn't make sense to keep feeding the negative emotions when there's a lot of work to do. My plan is to continue as planned, but with more vigor. With Trump and AGI potentially showing up in a 2-3 years, I've got a lot of fucking work to do. If anything, this should light a fire under your ass.

Yeah, good point. That makes sense. I was probably focusing too narrowly on the ones at the very top.

You said it yourself. They tried to appear as if they cared about something. Companies are always trying to act like they're on the side of the people and virtuous, and they end up coming across like fake ass kissers with no integrity. "The customer is always right". I never thought the companies went "woke". They were obviously trying to capitalize on a trend, and apparently, it backfired. I remember when gays started appearing in a ton of ads several years ago. Not once did I think those companies truly cared about gay rights or were trying to force gaydom upon me. I was perplexed by it though because it seemed very risky, but I figured they had some data that I didn't. Either way, I assumed they were doing it because they thought it was good for profit, not because they cared about the cause.

He signals virtue in every tweet, including this one. "Just be kind to people". What he's saying is "I care about kindness and I want everyone to be kind". He does this in nearly every tweet. He's the biggest virtue signaler I ever seen in my life. 😂 There's nothing inherently wrong with expressing you care about virtue, but when you build a brand on it while simultaneously embracing that which is diametrically opposed to it, that is what gives it away that he is just signaling it. He's full of shit. Whether he knows it or not is another question. Also, the subtext of his tweet is: I'm with the right. Virtuous???

He's always struck me as an opportunist climbing the ladder of fame and success, using charm to subtly signal virtue in nearly every expression. If the popular kids were on the left, he'd have struck you as left wing.

Of course.

I think this community could benefit from contemplating/integrating the truths and wisdom Leo laid out in this blog post: https://actualized.org/insights/some-political-lessons @Leo Gura If there was ever a video worth doing, it would be on this topic. Obviously, many people are stuck here. Personally, many years ago when I realized the things you highlighted, it was extremely demoralizing and it made me feel isolated and alone. However, accepting this reality is probably the largest factor in my growth. I eventually became less needy and I acclimated to being alone, spiritually. The reward for accepting this reality is strength and self-reliance and even a sense of pride in knowing that you put virtue above your petty human desires. Our largest collective problems can't be solved without properly accounting for this persistent and pervasive ignorance, which births falsehood and delusion. Aside from bias, I sometimes think a big barrier preventing spiritual people from accepting this aspect of reality is that many are afraid they won't be able to hold the truths without being crushed by cynicism and loneliness. Vernon Howard often talked about how life is a one-man boat and seeing the truth of humanity will isolate you. Many of his students would bring up this problem of loneliness. So maybe that has to be worked out.

Much nonsense occurs on that floor. For example, Christians speaking in tongues and praying that their laws to restrict women's rights to choose are successful.

It sounds like some are already positioning.