"Why is the right at war with cyclists?... "

[plancashire]

A. Twiddler has hit the nail bang on the head, and if you think that the othering and hate that we see on the surface now in the UK is bad, just dip down into bottom half of the internet, and look at what flows out of a combination of the US far right, and European (including Russian and formerly Ukrainian) movements that are effectively nazi-revivalists.

There is some genuinely, deeply disturbing/chilling stuff out there.

...

I think a lot of it has to do with anonymity on the internet. It is similar to the anonymity inside a car but much more so. If your Mum, your spouse, your neighbours and the people you meet in real life don't know, you can be a raging loony and get away with it. In so many walks of life opening things up and shining a light makes things better. I never use social media, well other than this!

[Nearholmer]

You might think that anonymity is key, but it isn’t. People seem quite happy to engage in hate “in public”, using exactly the same identity (presumably real) as they use for exchanging recipes, posting pictures of their cute cat etc.

What social media does is create “crowd comfort”, where people are transacting in “echo chambers” within which everyone else broadly shares their views, so what might feel socially unacceptable if said in the real world where they might be challenged feels completely normal.

It’s worth considering that such echo chambers have always existed, well before the internet, the archetypical one being the bar of a pub, where people could sit in a huddle and exchange anything from the highest intellectual debate to deep hate. The internet gives it all greater reach and speed, of course. The KKK, Moseley’s Blackshirts, Jew Baiting, Queer Bashing, arch snobbery, sexual harassment, and a whole heap of other nastinesses existed pre-internet, so hate isn’t new, but the degree to which it can be provoked very deliberately at long range is.

If you want to understand how all this works, study the destabilisation techniques used around the Princess of Wales’ illness in recent weeks, find out about the history of psychological manipulation in advertising that was developed in the USA in the 1920s, and listen to the BBC podcasts about Sefton Delmer, Britain’s WW2 arch-exponent of black propaganda …… people can be played like puppets, and any of us might be played without even knowing it.

[Stradageek]

The most chilling interview with a troll that I've come across asked said troll why he did it, his answer was "because I can".

Which speaks to me of impotence, insecurity and powerlessness that is desperate for an outlet.

As mentioned above, it is much worse in the USA. I'd recommend "It's OK to be angry about capitalism" by Bernie Sanders who points out that the USA ranks 26th in the 'World Democracy Index' putting it in the 'flawed democracy' category and 42nd in the 'World Press Freedom Index' right behind Moldova and Burkina Faso. We're heading there. The USA is now an Oligarchy not a Democracy.

And great posting a.twiddler, spot on

[cycle tramp]

people can be played like puppets, and any of us might be played without even knowing it.

Indeed - I've always kept in mind the question 'why are they telling me this? What emotions are they hoping to stir'

It is important to be kept informed of the news and current debate - infact it was only through the environmental warnings, that I gave up my then passion for the combustion engine, and rekindled my love of cycling.

The confusion lies when a person's point of view is dressed as a news item. Some are easier to spot than others.

Does anyone know if you can still get the 'one less car' stickers for your cross bar?

[Nearholmer]

Some are easier to spot than others.

Some psychological manipulations are really, really, really hard, almost impossibly hard, to spot.

A lot of conversation around this sort of thing focuses on “fake news”, lies dressed up as truth, and that can be hard enough to spot if it is carefully served, but there are oodles of other tricks, nudges, manipulations etc that can be used to influence opinion, seed division, seed unity, make us buy stuff, feel happy, feel sad etc.

Your test question is a good one though, if maybe modified to “why is this being said?”, along with maybe “who benefits?”.

Back to the question in the thread heading: because hatred and othering suits their agenda, and cycling is a “wedge issue” (it drives polarisation) and cyclists are a soft target (identifiable, few in number, slightly outside mainstream culture, not got really big business interests behind them etc).

[cycle tramp]

Actually if we wanted to be divisive about this...its only those who are on the 'stupid right' who are against cycling...

..those who have truely understood the concept of national socialism could be supporting cycle use -

It makes you stronger and fitter, and hardens you to the elements
It reduces your reliance on the state
It reduces state expenditure
It reduces the state's reliance on foreign energy resources
It's transportation which continues to work even during periods of conflict, and natural disasters
It's transport which can be easily repaired
It's transportation which can mobilise a large percentage of the population at once.
It's transportation which keeps you mobile even through personal financial hardship
It's transportation which can be accessed by those on a limited wage, but equally can still become a status symbol
It's transportation which is supported by a wide range of companies and industries, and the investment rate to start a company is much small than that of any other transport.

..having written this I'm kinda surprised that an organisation like the national front hasn't dropped leaflets with 'cyclists are super persons heralding the new generation of hardened, stronger, and fitter Britishers. Join them or be forever enfeebled by your crutch - the combustion engine cowering behind your windscreen scared of a few drops of rain. Remember cyclists are super strong, enduring both weather and physical endurance. Be a hero to your children. Ride a bike. The fate of British people depend on it. You will not let them down'.

..er.. might just ask to the shops now...

[Carlton green]

The confusion lies when a person's point of view is dressed as a news item. Some are easier to spot than others.

Interestingly enough that could apply quite well to the original article …

It seems that all of the news media is to a greater or lesser extent biased and a source of partial information.

[Nearholmer]

The thing is, that article doesn’t purport to be news. It says “opinion” in clear red lettering at the very top. Whatever complaints can fairly be levelled at the Guardian, deliberately, or even neglectfully, blurring news with opinion isn’t one of them.

[Carlton green]

The thing is, that article doesn’t purport to be news. It says “opinion” in clear red lettering at the very top. Whatever complaints can fairly be levelled at the Guardian, deliberately, or even neglectfully, blurring news with opinion isn’t one of them.

Fair point, yet the article is in a news paper.

[Nearholmer]

Hmmmm ….. have newspapers ever, in the entire history of printing, confined themselves purely to news? I don’t think they have, so probably the best you can expect is that they will have clear delineation between news, opinion, adverts, and the dreaded ‘lifestyle content’. The former broadsheets tend to be reasonably good on that, and the tabloids atrocious.

[cycle tramp]

..apart from the ctc and other organisations does there have to be an opposition to it?

To the seemingly inexorable rise of hatred and othering across society, yes, because if it continues unchecked, there will be a repeat of the horrors perpetrated by the nazis, on a much larger scale.

And, it needs something a lot more influential than a touring cycling lobby body to achieve that.

Well...perhaps the ctc could do something like this https://theradavist.com/mid-south-2024/
Whilst it's about riding bikes, the photographs show that it's pretty much inclusive and nicely devoid of alot of the er.. macho/masochism which road racing brings:-)

[Nearholmer]

^^

[atoz]

Because there's votes in it. Simples.

I remember the hoo ha about Corbyn's bike.

Rule of thumb to remember. Do not, on general election day, go cycling in a red jersey. Not a good idea.

The other rule of thumb though is- don't go cycling on the day of a major football match, esp one involving England. Even less of a good idea.

[TrevA]

The other rule of thumb though is- don't go cycling on the day of a major football match, esp one involving England. Even less of a good idea.

Alternatively, do go cycling whilst the football match is actually being played, as the roads will be deserted. Make sure you are back before the end of the game though, especially if the favoured team lose.

[Stevek76]

Rule of thumb to remember. Do not, on general election day, go cycling in a red jersey. Not a good idea.

The other rule of thumb though is- don't go cycling on the day of a major football match, esp one involving England. Even less of a good idea.

Not sure how either of those work?

Particularly the second, I've found Euros/World cup kickball England games to be excellent times to have a cycle ride!


At any rate, the reality is, beyond some angry internet keyboard warriors, there largely aren't any votes in it which is why taking up anti cycling positions very rarely bear any fruit for the candidates.