Conservatives: The Party Of Paranoia

Obviously, a sweeping generalization, but in totality I would argue Conservatives tend to be a paranoid bunch. The rest of the world is an enemy, a host of motivations comes from an "us vs them" mentality, it provides inspiration and resolve. Fundraising revolves around fighting phantom menaces, positions always seem to entail some sort of suspicion, nothing is to be trusted, everything conspires. Taken to the most absurd extreme, even science is bloodied into some left wing vehicle, using dubious methodology to support ruinous theories. 

In today’s The Hill Times, a story about the real opposition the Conservatives face, the MEDIA. This thrust comes on the heels of what is perhaps the most bizarre fundraising letter from the Conservatives in some time. Now, we can argue about whether a bias against the Liberals, NDP in our mainstream media, supported by empirical, objective facts. BUT, one is entirely hard pressed to support the notion that the Conservatives persevered in spite of the "maelstorm" of negativity they were subjected to during the election. Fact, the Conservatives received the most favorable coverage during the election. Fact, the Conservatives received the most telling of all "support", with a near complete SWEEP of endorsements. On issues, the Conservatives played dodge and weave to great success, even the most nonsensical of proposals were quickly adopted as though credible. In other words, to actually posit that the Conservatives won DESPITE the media is patently absurd and requires certain psychological diagnosis for said proponents. And YET, I guarantee donations will flood to the Conservative coffers, because there is no question this idea of a media out to get them is deeply held and widely understood.

The Conservatives don’t seem to understand journalism, or at least how it is supposed to act. Journalists aren’t supposed to blow sunshine up your ass, they are supposed to hold you to account, they are inclined to ask questions and demand verifications. Let’s take the evil Terry Milewski for example, a Liberal mole if I’ve ever seen one. Do Conservatives FORGET Milewski during the Liberals reign, the RELENTLESS pursuits, the dog on a bone mentality that haunted past governments? Did the world just start in 2006, or do we have the capacity to note that nothing has changed, the same zeal Conservatives claim conspire against them absolutely HAMMERED the Liberals in persistent fashion. Particularly in a majority situation, wherein the opposition is neutered and largely ineffective, the role of media becomes that much more pronounced to address and highlight slights that aren’t in the public interest.

The Conservative base isn’t mainstream, if the online manifestation is any template, it’s a truly unattractive concoction. Perhaps the mentality within this fringe existence provides the clue as to kneejerk paranoia. Because the rest of the world operates outside the margins, there is a friction with the mainstream, it doesn’t share the warped perspective so therefore it is the enemy. As well, this misfit manifestation forms an alternative collective, it feeds itself, insulates from outside assertions with mass denial. I submit the climate change debate again as a prime example, it’s simply amazing to watch how shared reassurance can create an alternate universe. Again, forces exist trying to trick us, THEY have some hostile agenda and we must resist it and not be co-opted by THEIR "religious" desires. 

You will notice on almost every issue, Conservatives have created an enemy, it begins with a negativism. The media perspective is nothing more than an extension of the core thrust which permeates almost everywhere. Even though evidence exists to support the exact opposite reality, Conservatives can still claim the press are out to get them- return their Liberal masters to their rightful domain- and find almost universal support amongst their hardcore base. So, when a reporter asks why you took money for a border fund and bought a gazebo, it isn’t a pursuit for truth, it’s an agenda showing itself. Seriously.

 

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