I’ll say: it really seems like that call is coming from inside the house. Lots of former conservatives can get by in leftist spaces by just not being a conservative when asked about their opinions. If you can laugh at who you used to be you can absolutely be a reformed conservative. Maybe you have to be a few years removed from who you used to be but I’ve seen it, I know people who have gone through exactly that and they’re as left as anyone now. Mostly because being a leftist means engaging with and being in the normal world.
But if you’re in a conservative environment even the smallest dissent can be seen as fully treasonous. It spirals into hysteria and we see how conservatives have to live in an alternate reality to stay in the in-group.
I’ll say: it really seems like that call is coming from inside the house. Lots of former conservatives can get by in leftist spaces by just not being a conservative when asked about their opinions. If you can laugh at who you used to be you can absolutely be a reformed conservative. Maybe you have to be a few years removed from who you used to be but I’ve seen it, I know people who have gone through exactly that and they’re as left as anyone now. Mostly because being a leftist means engaging with and being in the normal world.
But if you’re in a conservative environment even the smallest dissent can be seen as fully treasonous. It spirals into hysteria and we see how conservatives have to live in an alternate reality to stay in the in-group.