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While I agree that in some areas we need more disgust, I'm not sure that total disgust isn't simply a conserved quantity. It's just misdirected is all.

The left has an excess of disgust for the right, compensating for its tolerance of antisocial behavior. Meanwhile the right, oft accused of being too strongly driven by disgust, is too forgiving of its own leaders.

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I think there's a case to be made that disgust is conserved. Tim Walz calling JD Vance "weird" is arguably a form of disgust.

That being said, it doesn't seem to result in more separation. Tim Walz is not the one arguing for more states' rights and differentiation between Minnesota and Florida. The synthesis might be that we need to apply disgust in more traditional ways.

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I think your synthesis is pretty close to my original position, and I would add that the misdirection of disgust is driven by polarization.

I'm curious how you reconcile this with your "polarization is good" take.

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I don't think it's driven by polarization. There was an egalitarian misdirection/elimination of disgust well before current levels of polarization -- certainly during reagan, clinton, bush. If anything polarization is increasing disgust, even if not applied correctly.

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did bloom ask cowen the same question two times? or did you quote that incorrectly?

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He asked a follow up

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