Why the horseshoe theory works

[Blackleaf]

I always thought it was the other way around.  That villains cause heroes to emerge.

Which came first, Spider-Man or the Green Goblin? Batman or the Joker? Superheroes usually start off handling non-super criminals in the beginning, and then the real challenges rise to meet them. In the Joker's own words, he is nothing without Batman. Batman gives him a purpose, someone to struggle against.

[Mr.Obvious]

I appreciate the concept of the horseshoe theory, and I think in a more educated and moderate world it is actually a very valid theory, but at least in America we are far too far from that "utopia" balance for the horseshoe to make any sense. For example, I would probably be considered "far left" by American standards; I ask, do you really think I am morally equivalent to Neo-Nazis, the KKK, and theocrats?

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't think I'd even concider calling you as 'Far left' as I would call a Neo-nazi or clanmember 'Far Right'.
What I mean is that, while (and I think you'll agree) I'd concider your 'further left' than myself, you're still closer to the center of the horseshoe  than one of those guys is, relatively, on the right side.
If you started saying stuff like: White people should be denied certain basic rights so that they might understand the struggle of others or that there should be an active discrimination against majorities in certain professions so that the minorities can 'get to equal footing', than I would equate those points to the corresponding location on the horseshoe.
I'm not saying you do, of course. But a stereotypical neo-nazi or kkk-member is about as far far right as one can get. That doesn't mean we think you are as far, far left as one can get. And in both left and right, i think those we could see as Neo-nazi's or kkk-members on the one end and those we could see as the equivalent Ultra-left on the other, are a very vocal minority.

[Hydra009]

I'd concider your 'further left' than myself, you're still closer to the center of the horseshoe  than one of those guys is, relatively, on the right side

Same.  I'm actually on the same page with Shir on most stuff, especially on specific policies.  It's only really with the identity politics stuff that I start edging my seat away.

I think the furthest far left person we've ever talked to over here was an unabashed Tankie.  (With considerable disgust, I might add)  That's the real far left end of the horseshoe.  But how many of those people truly exist in the US?  How many members of Congress subscribe to anything remotely like that?

On the opposite side, we have people in the US who seriously think there's some sort of Jewish globalist cabal, emphatic racists, Christian dominionists, people who said AIDS is "God's judgment for perversion", people who want to axe every amendment after the 10th, pizzagaters, birthers, etc.  You name it, one of these dolts has said it.  These are the sorts of people who seriously suggest that there are "good" nazis.

And these aren't nobodies.  These are big-name televangelists, AM radio hosts, extremely influential businessmen, and even congressmen.  These are the sorts of people who got weekly phone calls from Bush W and get endorsements from Trump.

The difference is YUGE!

[Baruch]

I always thought it was the other way around.  That villains cause heroes to emerge.

Projection, particularly when it is the FBI creating false flag events (encouraging infiltrated criminal groups to commit more crimes).

[Baruch]

Same.  I'm actually on the same page with Shir on most stuff, especially on specific policies.  It's only really with the identity politics stuff that I start edging my seat away.

I think the furthest far left person we've ever talked to over here was an unabashed Tankie.  (With considerable disgust, I might add)  That's the real far left end of the horseshoe.  But how many of those people truly exist in the US?  How many members of Congress subscribe to anything remotely like that?

On the opposite site, we have people in the US who seriously think there's some sort of Jewish globalist cabal, emphatic racists, Christian dominionists, people who said AIDS is "God's judgment for perversion", people who want to axe every amendment after the 10th, pizzagaters, birthers, etc.  You name it, one of these dolts has said it.  These are the sorts of people who seriously suggest that there are "good" nazis.

And these aren't nobodies.  These are big-name televangelists, AM radio hosts, extremely influential businessmen, and even congressmen.  These are the sorts of people who got weekly phone calls from Bush W and get endorsements from Trump.

The difference is YUGE!

Shiranu is a very vocal SJW Bernie-bro.  Etienne we had a while back, was the real Marxist deal.  Quite happy identifying class enemies and liquidating them.  Discriminating against privileged people is socialism ... and that isn't hard Left.  Robespierre was hard Left.