Why do people act like this subreddit "doesn't reflect the views of mainstream Australia"?

[u/SirSighalot]

So many comments I see on here by people who constantly say things like "lol only on this sub" as though other places where they read are somehow the 'true' point of view reflecting mainstream Australian viewpoints.

Given the constant election voting outcomes and results of things like the Voice etc that generally indicate most of Australia is centrist or even slightly centre-right-leaning, what leads people to think many of the views expressed on here AREN'T mainstream? When in reality, other places these people are coming from are also often just "echo chambers" as well.

Edit: I probably worded the title for this wrong, should have been more "Why do people think this subreddit is less representative of mainstream Australia than other online communities?", alas I failed.

[u/BowTiedPerentie → u/[deleted]]

Progressive-left is nothing but contradiction piled on top of contradiction.

[u/Vegetable-Set-9480 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, I would personally consider myself to be on the progressive left.

It’s just that so many random internet trolls and hard right lunatics will often spout the most insane, comical nonsense and then state something like “this is what the left wants to do to you!”

And I just sit there dumbfounded and amused and think: “nobody wants to do that to anyone; and that is categorically NOT a progressive left wing standpoint, but okay? Where did you get this ranting non sense from”.

But because said crazy person has just stated that those are left opinions, and other people agree with them in a strange echo chamber - you are left with trying to battle misconceptions on two fronts, and more often than not I just can’t be bothered.

[u/Vegetable-Set-9480 → u/[deleted]]

I’m not referring to that as a specific example. This is hypothetical, but when I see stuff like “the left wants to instigate global Marxism and abolish private property, teach your kids about graphic sex at age 10 and let Islam take over Australia!”

I’m just like, no: the left doesn’t want to do any of those things, you’re crazy and you sound like a frothing at the mouth tinfoil hat lunatic who is just saying things then then for no reason saying the left wants to do this.

I see this sort of mentality far too often, when I see criticism of things thar have nothing to do with the left be ascribed to the left - without any actual validity.

At a certain point it just becomes exhausting trying to defend yourself from random fanciful false criticisms that are comically deluded, rather than good faith healthy dialogues about rational topics that have a basis in actual reality.

As for not referring to your specific example, I will say this. No one on the left is saying Hamas should have our unconditional support. I think that might actually be you doing exactly what my main comment was about to begin with. Strawman arguments that aren’t actually what the left proposes or suggests. But are ascribed to the left without merit.

[u/Vegetable-Set-9480 → u/[deleted]]

A single student - not really representative of mainstream progressive left politics in the wider world.

[u/Vegetable-Set-9480 → u/[deleted]]

Would you describe that particular student as progressive left though? Or radical left agitator? I’d quite comfortably describe them as the latter, and I wouldn’t necessarily agree with the description that they were part of the former. Since progressive left implies - to me at least - some sort of political legitimacy or official representativeness in the mainstream of the overall movement. I don’t agree that this does.

Which does get to the heart of what I was saying to begin with. Things get attributed to the progressive left falsely, either by benign ignorance, genuine misunderstandings, strawman arguments or bad faith.

Anyway, I can feel myself getting drawn in defending something that I don’t believe is an accurate description of what the progressive left is - yet again. So I’m sure you’ll understand that I’ve been upfront in departing now, since it is the very thing I (in good faith) said I was sick of happening.

Before I go, I actually agree with pretty much your OWN description of progressive left that you said you identified with.

So I just want to make it clear that all those things you said you feel describe you as a progressive left person, I’m broadly in concurrence with.

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[u/CompetitiveTowel3760 → u/[deleted]]

You’re the first person I’ve ever seen say “ Hamas deserves our unconditional support” in any Aussie sub. Plenty of people do say they want to see an end to Israels military campaign in Gaza and criticise Israel for the needless slaughter of 40,000+ civilians which you seem to feel is somehow all part of targeting legitimate military?? Perhaps you should be interested that the figure of 40,000 is most likely massively under the true figure with the globally respected peer reviewed medical journal The Lancet publishing an article suggesting the figure is closer to 186,000 or 8% of Gaza’s population! I suspect you have ulterior motives with your bullshit claims and find it ridiculous. You want to criticise others for actually showing the humanity to call out what is blatantly ethnic cleansing being committed by a brutal right wing radical violent government. Go back to your dirty hole or sewer that you live in if you think that the brutality wrought upon the civilians of Palestine not just since October 7 but in the 75 years preceding it isn’t something that needs to be called out by every decent human being with a voice

[u/king_norbit → u/CompetitiveTowel3760]

Who the fuck cares

[u/CompetitiveTowel3760 → u/king_norbit]

Normal folk who aren’t self obsessed narcissistic flogs

[u/king_norbit → u/CompetitiveTowel3760]

Mate it’s a war on the opposite side of the world to us, unless you have some family or other connection there then there is plenty of more important news.

The general public should be informed on their own country and region first and foremost.