When did who you vote for become more public?

[dawgstudent]

I remember growing up - who you voted for was more of a private matter. Is it 100% bc of social media?

 

[dawgman42]

I also remember when people didn't use politics as a be all/end all for every aspect of their lives and those with whom they associate.

Dawgs win! 1-0.

 

[She Mate Me]

Probably, because I don't ask and if you ask me it will be very clear it's not your business.

But, if you choose to make it obvious, I'll have no qualms telling you whether or not you're a complete idiot.

 

[Fritz!]

It’s about time somebody in charge started a thread that’s bound to get locked ***

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

No question it’s social media.

 

[HailStout]

Social media and the internet have made politics into tribalism mixed with basically sports level fanaticism.

 

[POTUS]

Are more people sharing that or are we just able to hear from more of the loud mouths because of social media? I feel like there are many who keep it to themselves still.

 

[mstateglfr]

There were almost 0 yard signs in my neighborhood growing up.
Well, I don't know about the 80s because I wouldn't remember one way or the other, but thru the 90s, they just weren't a thing that people put out in large numbers.

Since '04 though?...the increase in yard signs is exponential.


^ just mentioning yard signs because they are distinctly analog and rose in popularity before social media.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Around the same time, the Internet became a central part of our lives.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

There were almost 0 yard signs in my neighborhood growing up.
Well, I don't know about the 80s because I wouldn't remember one way or the other, but thru the 90s, they just weren't a thing that people put out in large numbers.

Since '04 though?...the increase in yard signs is exponential.


^ just mentioning yard signs because they are distinctly analog and rose in popularity before social media.

I’ve never understood the appeal to have 10 Trump yard signs (or any other candidate) in your yard when he’s going to cakewalk Mississippi.

 

[mcdawg22]

I’ve never understood the appeal to have 10 Trump yard signs (or any other candidate) in your yard when he’s going to cakewalk Mississippi.

I never understood the point of having a yard sign period unless you personally know the candidate. Congrats, you chose one of two options. I’m going to have a yard sign that says Tails 2024.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I never understood the point of having a yard sign period unless you personally know the candidate. Congrats, you chose one of two options. I’m going to have a yard sign that says Tails 2024.

 

[HailStout]

 

[drexeldog23]

I never understood the point of having a yard sign period unless you personally know the candidate. Congrats, you chose one of two options. I’m going to have a yard sign that says Tails 2024.

my parents were staunch Republicans but they never had any candidates signs in their yard. my brother ran for Rankin County Alderman in 2018 and they didn't even put his sign in the yard. as far as me personally yall might have noticed im a Republican but i have never had any t-shirts or caps or signs in the yard , but if anyone asked i would not have any problem answering them. Go Pubs!

 

[Dawgg]

There were almost 0 yard signs in my neighborhood growing up.
Well, I don't know about the 80s because I wouldn't remember one way or the other, but thru the 90s, they just weren't a thing that people put out in large numbers.

Since '04 though?...the increase in yard signs is exponential.


^ just mentioning yard signs because they are distinctly analog and rose in popularity before social media.

Yard signs was the measuring stick I was thinking about too. Growing up in North Mississippi, the only signs I really saw in front of homes were local and maybe state races because they actually knew the candidate (or their opponent) personally.

I noticed after I moved to Texas in 2003 that there were a LOT of W Bush signs in my neighbors’ yards and a lot of Perry for Governor in 2006. I didn’t really engage until 2008 when my neighbor and I had almost a friendly competition on Obama vs McCain signs. We lived across the street from each other on corner lots in an older neighborhood, so it was a fun visual since we positioned them similarly and directly across from each other.

For me, it wasn’t necessarily that I thought some rando undecided was going to see my sign and think “huh… ya know… maybe I should vote for Obama” and I knew Obama wasn’t going to win Texas. It was more like a beacon to like-minded folks saying “hey, I know you’re a blue dot in a deeply red sea, but you’re not alone. There are a few of us here in Ellis County.”

But I do think the “my politics is my identity” stuff really took off with message boards, but those were still largely powered by people using pseudonyms. Once social media took off and people started attaching their real names to their political leanings, it became a lot of people’s defining characteristic, like their familial status, favorite sports teams, or religion.

We’ve also had a “cult of personality” in 4 of the last 5 races. It was Obama (and to a lesser extent Palin) in 2008 and Trump in 2016, 2020, & 2024. People were coming out of the woodwork to specifically vote for or against those candidates, not necessarily their party or a specific policy.

 

[mcdawg22]

my parents were staunch Republicans but they never had any candidates signs in their yard. my brother ran for Rankin County Alderman in 2018 and they didn't even put his sign in the yard. as far as me personally yall might have noticed im a Republican but i have never had any t-shirts or caps or signs in the yard , but if anyone asked i would not have any problem answering them. Go Pubs!

And that’s fine by all means. The other side is I think some people actually believe their signs will somehow affect the way others will vote. Gary, you can’t keep your crabgrass under control do you think we should listen to you on how to curb inflation?

 

[Fritz!]

I live in The Fondren, there’s a LOT of Harris/Walz signs. A lot of them hand made on State St. I wouldn’t put a sign in my in in for ANYBODY, mostly because my wife won’t let me, partially because we’re trying to sell the house (only to move a half mile away) and basically because I like my neighbors (for the most part). I’ve thought of the addendums I could have added to the Harris signs, but I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t want anyone screwing with my stuff,so I don’t want to screw with anyone else’s stuff. Perhaps I’m more of a Libertarian **

 

[mstateglfr]

Yard signs was the measuring stick I was thinking about too. Growing up in North Mississippi, the only signs I really saw in front of homes were local and maybe state races because they actually knew the candidate (or their opponent) personally.

I noticed after I moved to Texas in 2003 that there were a LOT of W Bush signs in my neighbors’ yards and a lot of Perry for Governor in 2006. I didn’t really engage until 2008 when my neighbor and I had almost a friendly competition on Obama vs McCain signs. We lived across the street from each other on corner lots in an older neighborhood, so it was a fun visual since we positioned them similarly and directly across from each other.

For me, it wasn’t necessarily that I thought some rando undecided was going to see my sign and think “huh… ya know… maybe I should vote for Obama” and I knew Obama wasn’t going to win Texas. It was more like a beacon to like-minded folks saying “hey, I know you’re a blue dot in a deeply red sea, but you’re not alone. There are a few of us here in Ellis County.”

But I do think the “my politics is my identity” stuff really took off with message boards, but those were still largely powered by people using pseudonyms. Once social media took off and people started attaching their real names to their political leanings, it became a lot of people’s defining characteristic, like their familial status, favorite sports teams, or religion.

We’ve also had a “cult of personality” in 4 of the last 5 races. It was Obama (and to a lesser extent Palin) in 2008 and Trump in 2016, 2020, & 2024. People were coming out of the woodwork to specifically vote for or against those candidates, not necessarily their party or a specific policy.

What we did have a ton of in the 90s were political bumper stickers.

Dole Kemp '96!

 

[MSUDC11-2.0]

I think some of it is we’ve become a nation of candidate worshippers. Both sides. One side views their candidate as a savior and the other candidate as the anti christ, and it goes both ways.

I don’t love that we’ve started to attach so much of our identity to which cable news channel we watch or which candidate we’re voting for. I have a dear friend at work who is voting for the same candidate as me but she’s so consumed and obsessed by all of it that it’s almost impossible to have a conversation with her.

If anyone I know asks me privately, I don’t mind sharing who I voted for. But I’m not going to go out of my way to broadcast it ever.