Platner and The Purity Trap:

[applegrove]

[RandySF]

1. Many people (not here) advancing this argument now

boycotted Joe Biden and/or Kamala Harris.

Again, I believe there are two equally better options on the primary ballot who don’t have Nazi tattoos to explain.

[applegrove]

3. I'm sure MAGA/Russia/GOP trolls do so all over the internet,

not just the people on the left on the DU who don't want to vote for a bad character. Myself I am really conflicted and searching and searching on where to land. Fortunately I am Canadian so don't have to vote.

[RandySF]

4. Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong and Hasan Piker are among them.

[rogue emissary]

6. Yet many on DU excused that behavior from Mamdani in their support of his Mayoral run.

[applegrove]

5. They say the purity trap could be false or based on some truth.

It is the jettisoning when the big picture will be destroyed that is the problem.

[rogue emissary]

7. your correct and I deleted my post.

[pat_k]

8. These smears are also structured to incite mob mentality.

Start with a drip drip, then pile on everything you can possibly dig up without looking past the surface. Release in rapid succession so there's no time for individual reports to be scrutinized. Cue outrage at "nothing 'disqualifying' in isolation, but look at the number of them!"

The goal is to incite a mob mentality. Cue the pitchforks and torches.

A mob doesn't stop and think. A mob doesn't take time to seek more information or put into context. A mob doesn't consider the human capacity for transformation. A mob doesn't call for deeper investigation of reports.

No. A mob grows on it's own momentum. Emotional contagion takes hold. As the mob forms people are thoughtlessly pulled in. As more join the mob, it's the classic snowball. If all these people are out there with pitchforks and torches, there MUST be a damn good reason. No need to stop, think, learn more, or evaluate.

Had the Senate not succumbed to mob mentality in December of 2017, who knows? We might have had President Franken in 2020. At 68 years old there wouldn't be much of a question about whether he should run again at 72. Biden was a very good president, but I suspect that if that alternate future had come to pass, Franken would have been a hell of a force.

[jmbar2]

9. The "Purity trap" framing seeks to shame people who would prefer someone with less baggage.

Suppose that you are an employer and have two candidates for possible promotion to an important and sensitive leadership position.

One is charismatic, a good speaker, and says all the right things But he doesn't have much experience relating to the job. The other is quiet, has a sterling resume, and is well qualified for the promotion. Then you learn that the charismatic guy has been sexting at work, and his women coworkers feel kind of skeeved out by him.

You decide to promote him and dismiss the women as "purity hags"? Why? What makes him so qualified for the job? Or do you take another look at the quiet, experienced guy with a solid reputation?

[EdmondDantes_]

13. There are far too often exceptions if someone is liked

It always involves diminishing victims in ways that people wouldn't do for someone they didn't like. Having consistent standards means sometimes you end up taking unpopular stands. Nobody here would believe someone running as a Republican who had that tattoo, but because Platner says stuff people like, he gets the benefit of the doubt. People frequently bring up Trump cheating on his wives, but Platner sexting is nobody's business. People call Trump fat as if there aren't plenty of Democrats who fit that description and as if there's some moral value in being skinny.

Blaming the media or anyone else for someone's actions is just weird. Anyone here objecting to negative stories about Trump?

But the need to dismiss says more about the ones doing it than those they dismiss. Consistency is hard, name calling is easy.

[Cha]

10. Oh Gawd, I wish Voters in 2024 were Aware

of the "Purity Trap" placed on VP Kamma Harris.

Maybe just maybe we wouldn't be in the Hell Scape Now.

Full disclosure: I've never wanted "pure".

I do want to win the Midterms. And, that means all Dems win, not just Planter.

[AloeVera]

11. The purity trap concept can't be applied to " truly awful" things.

Murder. Child abuse. Mass slaughter. Genocide.

There has to be recognition of universal morals on things that cross a red line.

In those cases, people generally don't need to be "entrapped".

[applegrove]

12. Yes. Don't know why Trump gets a pass on the horrible

things he has done. I will never understand MAGA. They know they are poorer for all their votes. Even the farmers know.

[AloeVera]

14. He gives them what they want.

He is their King, Strongman,, God's Instrument, Saviour of the White Man, Money Bags, Road to Riches - take your pick.

Say what you will about him, in spite of his congenital gobsmacking stupidity, he is an "evil genius of sorts. His superpowers are the ability to lie convincingly and persistently, never giving an inch, and exploit maga's prejudices, resentments and greed.
"
I guess for maga those things trump any sense of morality. That they don't see what that says about them as "Christians" is one of the many ironies of maga-world. Far from spiritual, they are just as transactional - and immoral - as he is.