Love, Leftism, And The Tar Pit Of Physical Reality

dailywire.com·Andrew Klavan
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0out of 100
Elevated — multiple influence tactics active

This article uses strong language and dramatic comparisons to make 'left-wing thought leaders' seem ridiculous and dangerous concerning topics like love and gender. It relies heavily on making fun of these ideas and setting up a clear 'us vs. them' situation, but it doesn't offer any real understanding or evidence of what those 'left-wing' views actually are.

FATE Analysis

Four dimensions of psychological manipulation: how content captures Focus, exploits Authority, triggers Tribal identity, and engineers Emotion.

Focus4/10Authority2/10Tribe9/10Emotion9/10
FFocus
0/10
AAuthority
0/10
TTribe
0/10
EEmotion
0/10

Focus signals

novelty spike
"No. Leftists have now moved beyond restrictive, outdated categories like the essential nature of the human condition, and they’ve discovered all kinds of new wrinkles to human love that past generations never even conceived of without getting arrested."

This statement uses the framing of 'new wrinkles' and 'never even conceived of' to suggest novel and extraordinary developments in understanding love, aiming to capture ongoing attention.

unprecedented framing
"NOW, leftists tell us, you can change your gender by simply lopping off the relevant body parts, then bullying all the sane people into pretending that did the trick, until the gnawing suspicion that everyone is lying to you causes you to spray a crowded room with gunfire before blowing your head off."

The 'NOW' framing combined with the extreme and shocking consequences described is designed to command attention through a sense of unprecedented, disturbing claims.

Authority signals

expert appeal
"through the brilliant writings of leftist academics who have dedicated their lives to the selfless work of saying ridiculous crap that only some idiot like a journalist could possibly fall for"

This ironically references 'brilliant writings of leftist academics' and 'dedicated their lives' to set up a perceived, albeit then mocked, authority, implying that these are the sources of the discussed ideas.

Tribe signals

us vs them
"When I ponder the deeper aspects of love and intimacy, I sometimes like to consult the wisdom of our left-wing thought leaders, in the same way I sometimes like to stick a pencil in my ear to see if I can make it come out the other side of my head, then slam the ball-peen of a hammer down on my kneecap with full force before finally jamming a lit stick of dynamite between my buttocks and blowing my own ass off."

This immediately establishes an 'us vs. them' dynamic by severely mocking and disparaging 'left-wing thought leaders' and their 'wisdom,' positioning the author and reader as separate and superior.

us vs them
"But unlike the sluggish thought of conservatives, the wisdom of leftism never allows itself to become mired in the stagnant tar pit of moral and physical reality."

This directly contrasts 'conservatives' with 'leftism,' deriding conservative thought as 'sluggish' and 'mired in... reality' while sarcastically praising the 'wisdom of leftism,' creating clear tribal distinctions.

identity weaponization
"NOW, leftists tell us, you can change your gender by simply lopping off the relevant body parts, then bullying all the sane people into pretending that did the trick, until the gnawing suspicion that everyone is lying to you causes you to spray a crowded room with gunfire before blowing your head off."

This weaponizes the concept of 'leftists' and gender identity by associating it with extreme, violent, and self-destructive outcomes, framing it as a dangerous belief system that targets 'sane people' and society.

social outcasting
"bullying all the sane people into pretending that did the trick"

This implies that those who do not conform to the 'leftist' view are subject to 'bullying' and social pressure, creating a fear of outcasting for disagreeing with the portrayed 'leftist' stance.

Emotion signals

outrage manufacturing
"When I ponder the deeper aspects of love and intimacy, I sometimes like to consult the wisdom of our left-wing thought leaders, in the same way I sometimes like to stick a pencil in my ear to see if I can make it come out the other side of my head, then slam the ball-peen of a hammer down on my kneecap with full force before finally jamming a lit stick of dynamite between my buttocks and blowing my own ass off."

The extreme and graphic self-harm imagery is used to provoke disgust, revulsion, and outrage in the reader, associating 'left-wing thought leaders' with something abhorrent.

moral superiority
"Because no one ever makes that movie.* * *This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “The Andrew Klavan Show.”Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, After That, The Dark, is NOW AVAILABLE. Follow him on X: @andrewklavan.The views expressed in this satirical piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire."

The author, through their satirical tone, positions themselves as morally discerning, implying that their preference for traditional themes of love is superior to what they perceive as radical leftist interpretations. The direct contrast in movie preferences, and the final 'But they can’t. Because no one ever makes that movie' further asserts a moral judgment through perceived cultural preference. The author credit then positions Klavan as the source of this 'superior' perspective.

outrage manufacturing
"NOW, leftists tell us, you can change your gender by simply lopping off the relevant body parts, then bullying all the sane people into pretending that did the trick, until the gnawing suspicion that everyone is lying to you causes you to spray a crowded room with gunfire before blowing your head off."

This statement uses highly inflammatory and disturbing imagery of self-mutilation and mass violence to generate extreme outrage and fear regarding the actions and influence ascribed to 'leftists.'

outrage manufacturing
"But unlike the sluggish thought of conservatives, the wisdom of leftism never allows itself to become mired in the stagnant tar pit of moral and physical reality. Leftism is progressive, like emphysema or one of those horrible degenerative diseases that you don’t even want to think about because it’s so much like leftism, it makes you wonder how a good God could ever allow such a thing to exist."

Comparing 'leftism' to 'emphysema or one of those horrible degenerative diseases' and questioning 'how a good God could ever allow such a thing to exist' is designed to evoke strong feelings of disgust, fear, and moral revulsion.

Narrative Analysis (PCP)

How the article reshapes thinking: Perception (what beliefs are targeted), Context (what information is shifted or omitted), and Permission (what behavior is being encouraged).

What it wants you to believe

The article aims to instill the belief that "left-wing thought leaders" offer absurd, dangerous, and self-destructive ideas about love, intimacy, gender, and societal norms. It also seeks to reinforce the belief that traditional, conservative views on these topics are grounded in natural truth and common sense, while anything deviating from that is part of a destructive, illogical, and even violent ideology.

Context being shifted

The article shifts the context of discussing diverse perspectives on love, gender, and relationships from one of acceptance or exploration to one of stark ideological conflict, where one side (leftism) is depicted as utterly irrational and dangerous, while the other (conservatism) is presented as the only sane option. This shift is achieved through extreme hyperbole and satirical condemnation.

What it omits

The article omits any nuanced or genuine explanation of 'left-wing' perspectives on love, intimacy, or gender identity. It presents a caricatured and exaggerated version without acknowledging the underlying philosophies, personal experiences, or social science research that inform these perspectives, thus removing any basis for understanding or empathy.

Desired behavior

The article grants permission for the reader to dismiss, ridicule, and condemn 'left-wing' ideas and individuals who espouse them, particularly concerning gender, love, and intimacy. It implicitly encourages readers to align more strongly with traditional, conservative views, feeling justified in their intellectual and moral superiority over the 'absurdity' of the left.

SMRP Pattern

Four manipulation maintenance tactics: Socializing the idea as normal, Minimizing concerns, Rationalizing with logic, and Projecting blame.

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Socializing
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Minimizing
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Rationalizing
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Projecting

Red Flags

High-severity indicators: silencing dissent, coordinated messaging, or weaponizing identity to shut down debate.

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Silencing indicator
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Controlled release (spokesperson test)
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Identity weaponization

"If you believe X [traditional views], you are a sane, rational person grounded in reality. If you believe Y [leftist views], you are an 'idiot,' subscribing to 'ridiculous crap' that makes you 'wonder how a good God could ever allow such a thing to exist.'"

Techniques Found(9)

Specific propaganda techniques identified using the SemEval-2023 academic taxonomy of 23 techniques across 6 categories.

Exaggeration/MinimisationManipulative Wording
"When I ponder the deeper aspects of love and intimacy, I sometimes like to consult the wisdom of our left-wing thought leaders, in the same way I sometimes like to stick a pencil in my ear to see if I can make it come out the other side of my head, then slam the ball-peen of a hammer down on my kneecap with full force before finally jamming a lit stick of dynamite between my buttocks and blowing my own ass off."

The author uses extreme and absurd self-harm scenarios to hyperbolically equate consulting 'left-wing thought leaders' with something inherently painful and destructive, diminishing any potential value in their ideas through exaggeration.

Loaded LanguageManipulative Wording
"For far too long, stodgy conservative influencers like Matt Walsh and God have defined human love as that relationship in which a man and a woman come to realize that the jigsaw complementarity of male and female bodies has become a fleshly symbol of the harmonic convergence of their individual souls, so that they seek to come together through the sacrament of an indissoluble lifelong marriage, in which she submits to the authority of a member of that gender with some semblance of a capacity for reason, while he includes within the circle of his own happiness the happiness of a member of that gender that can never be made happy or if they can it just costs an absolute fortune."

The words 'stodgy' and the subsequent sarcastic and demeaning description of the conservative view of marriage (e.g., 'some semblance of a capacity for reason,' 'can never be made happy or if they can it just costs an absolute fortune') are designed to evoke a negative emotional response and discredit conservative ideas without direct argumentation.

Name Calling/LabelingAttack on Reputation
"But unlike the sluggish thought of conservatives, the wisdom of leftism never allows itself to become mired in the stagnant tar pit of moral and physical reality. Leftism is progressive, like emphysema or one of those horrible degenerative diseases that you don’t even want to think about because it’s so much like leftism, it makes you wonder how a good God could ever allow such a thing to exist."

The author labels the thinking of conservatives as 'sluggish' and then compares 'leftism' to 'emphysema or one of those horrible degenerative diseases,' using negative and derogatory terms to create an unfavorable opinion of both groups.

Exaggeration/MinimisationManipulative Wording
"Leftism is progressive, like emphysema or one of those horrible degenerative diseases that you don’t even want to think about because it’s so much like leftism, it makes you wonder how a good God could ever allow such a thing to exist."

This extreme comparison of 'leftism' to a 'horrible degenerative disease' is a gross overstatement intended to demonize and diminish the perception of leftist ideology.

Loaded LanguageManipulative Wording
"For instance, through the brilliant writings of leftist academics who have dedicated their lives to the selfless work of saying ridiculous crap that only some idiot like a journalist could possibly fall for, we now know that your gender is not determined by what gender you are."

The phrases 'brilliant writings,' 'selfless work,' 'ridiculous crap,' and 'some idiot like a journalist' are all highly charged and sarcastic, intended to mock and discredit leftist academic thought by portraying it as idiotic and easily manipulated.

Straw ManDistraction
"And if you did ask to be born, you sure didn’t ask to be born with every cell of your body evolved over slow millennia to either create and nurture the next generation, or to drag your ass to work so the next generation and their mother don’t starve to death while they’re home playing Candy Land or whatever the hell they do all day when you’re slaving away to keep them in onesies with maybe a few bucks left over for a date night at the Olive Garden so you don’t go out of your freaking mind."

This quote misrepresents the arguments for gender fluidity by creating a caricature of biological determinism and then linking it to an exaggerated and comically bleak depiction of traditional gender roles and family life (e.g., 'playing Candy Land,' 'slaving away to keep them in onesies'), thus making the original argument for biological determinism seem absurd.

Consequential OversimplificationSimplification
"NOW, leftists tell us, you can change your gender by simply lopping off the relevant body parts, then bullying all the sane people into pretending that did the trick, until the gnawing suspicion that everyone is lying to you causes you to spray a crowded room with gunfire before blowing your head off."

This statement drastically oversimplifies the complex and often deeply personal process of gender transition, reducing it to 'simply lopping off relevant body parts' and then presenting an extreme and violent potential consequence ('spray a crowded room with gunfire before blowing your head off') as a direct and inevitable outcome, ignoring all other factors and nuances involved.

Straw ManDistraction
"And for those people who aren’t into meaningless self-mutilation — for some reason — leftists are also able to assist you in intimacy by recommending some fruitless sexual fetish that is sure to improve your love life if your love life currently consists of lowering baskets of lotion into an oubliette."

The author misrepresents leftist approaches to intimacy and sexuality. Instead of addressing actual arguments or practices, they frame it as promoting 'meaningless self-mutilation' or 'fruitless sexual fetish' and then use an obscure and grotesque metaphor ('lowering baskets of lotion into an oubliette') to mock it, making it easier to dismiss.

Exaggeration/MinimisationManipulative Wording
"The New York Times hasn’t reviewed it yet, because their reviewer is still in the theater watching it over and over again."

This is an exaggeration that implies the New York Times reviewer finds the movie so appealing that they are obsessively watching it multiple times, satirically diminishing the journalistic integrity or critical standards of the publication.

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