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I think this is spot on.

I feel like folks on both sides would stop talking past each other if they were willing to understand the other POV rather than dismissing it as crazy.

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Compromising and using empathy to understand the opposition's views so that you can negotiate for what you need does not satisfy the base, and does not satisfy social media. The (naive) game theory of negotiation says that it is better to stake out an extreme position so that you get more of what you want when you negotiate it away. And the dynamic of primary elections also allows traitors or traders to be punished if they defy the desires of the party too much.

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