@seanbala LOL can you imagine how they'd be during election season in Malaysia, where minorities get threatened with bloodshed each time??? lol. I guess compared to what I go through every electoral season theirs seem mild. I know I know I am not downplaying what they're going through but they need to get out more and realise they are quite lucky as well.
@liztai How was it? A neighbor of mine is fron Kuala Lumpur. She was afraid I was one of those trumpers. It is wonderful to converse with her and find that we agree on so much and disagree very little.
She has found it difficult over here in Alabama, she's been here with her family since 2017. Her garden is amazing!
@ruralbbqdude It's not as bad as I thought but you can never know with US Politics conversations. It tends to attract a lot of negativity. I think I'm pretty nervous talking about politics to Americans like your neighbour too, only because we often feel like we're being "evaluated" for "right thinking". And you don't know where you stand unless said American is clear about where he stands, so you navigate accordingly once you know if he is on the right or left. We r often told to take sides too
@liztai As someone who lives in the USA I'm sorry to hear about your experience. But I've found that many times people outside the US often have less distorted perceptions because they haven't been brainwashed by US media and government propaganda.
@karatekid it's okay, just the usual condescending "you don't know anything" remarks. I blame my impulse typing for this - I should NOT engage ever lol. They just don't explore other viewpoints and think anything outside theirs is not valid so I shall not bother anymore but sometimes I forget lol. I think most are quite knee-jerk reactive, like your neighbour, probably a protective thing. Once they talk to us they will understand .. but not all do, I have to say.
You said it exactly. It is absolutely a protective thing, and not a real well-adjusted one. We are so used to propaganda and bad-faith nonsense and just idiots that the idea the someone might just not know is way far down our list of guesses about what's happening when someone asks a question. And then we are under so much pressure to guess what the scam is that we shoot our mouths off way before we work our way down the list.
@dogfox What a stressful way to be. My sympathies. Twitterjaya (what we call Malaysian Twitter) is no different and is more toxic imho. Outright racist, vile things. THat's why I avoid electoral season in Malaysia because my race is often used as fodder for the bad actors.
@dogfox yea last election they paid tik tickers to post threatening content on tiktok. Basically threatening to recreate a sensitive racial riot in the past where many many people were killed. Honestly, next to this it US folks are luckier. @karatekid
@dogfox It's okay really. Malaysians have endured a lot and are a pretty resilient lot. One thing I find interesting is we actually have a sense of humor about it all which may seem bizzare to outsiders lol. I mean, what else can we do? But lots of things have improved over the years, but due to social media our society has become dangerously polarised. It's sad but it's happening worldwide :/
I'm glad to hear that. Being in a group who shares jokes like that as a real sign of trust can make up for a whole lot.
That's the thing I find about American stress. Because it is so constant and so personal it becomes very corrosive and dissolves the kinds of bonds and good humor that would make up for most of our...eccentricities.
@dogfox I think, and this is an observation, the cancel culture makes things worse and just stifles any healthy discussion. No way out really except to avoid all kinds of discourse about this.
@dogfox it's my personal observation, so I don't know what other Malaysians think lol. But I'm pretty contrary by nature as I like to listen and talk to both sides.
It's also that, as a lefty American, I am obliged to never think it's cancel culture. So it's interesting to entertain the notion, especially with an outside perspective.
@dogfox I can only gauge from social media interactions, but I think there are plenty of centrist-ish Americans who are more reasonable. It's the loud extreme ones that are getting amplified so I think my assumptions maybe exaggerated too. I have friends from both side of the spectrum but they're often more centrist than far left or right.
@dogfox So the reasonable ones, or the bridge between both sides have chosen to remain silent to get some peace. As a result, we only see extremes. Sad but I'm like that too. I avoid all political discussions except today lol XD
By American standards I am hard left, but I'm not crazy and I don't like fighting about it.
That also makes me a total alien to the American media landscape (social or otherwise) who only has time for people who are simple and loud. So yeah, you get tons of people like all your friends who think whatever they think for whatever reason and mostly keep their heads down.
@karatekid Though judging from the rather polite responses so far it's not bad. I understand the ID issue better now. Different countries, different strokes I guess.
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