Our society has become triggered and outraged by "emotional manipulation" and the rejection of "actual logical reasoning," according to Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, on Newsmax TV.
"[Outrage is] emotional manipulation, and I think we're too eager to be emotional manipulated," Crenshaw told Monday's "Greg Kelly Reports." "I call out the left and the right for this.
"It happens on both sides. The further into the activist community you get, people are always trying to trigger you."
Crenshaw, a wounded U.S. veteran who wears an eye patch from an IED in Afghanistan, losing his right eye, was talking about his new book "Fortitude: American Resilience in the Era of Outrage," outlining how betrayal and anger are weaponized in societal and political discourse.
"Once you're mad and you feel betrayed, you can be activated to their ends," Crenshaw told host Greg Kelly.
"It's not well thought out, it's shallow, and it's emotional reasoning and not actual logical reasoning. And we could use it bit more logical reasoning. We could use more people who want to peel back the onion a little bit, look a few layers deep before you get really mad, start waving a sign around, maybe think about what's behind that."
Crenshaw used viral examples of how he diffused outrage with logical reasoning, engaging in "Saturday Night Live" debate with Pete Davidson, who mocked Crenshaw's eye patch and called him a pirate, and debating Bill Maher on HBO's "Real Time."
"You play the role of the aggrieved victim, but it would have been quickly forgotten," Crenshaw said. "Remember, the only reason it was actually remembered at all was we actually made up at the end, and it was kind of a cool moment, and it was a bit surprising for America."
Crenshaw admitted things he says "cause outrage culture every single day" in this polarized America because he is a strong-headed conservative.
"I'm aware of that," he said. "All I can do is stick by my own standards, and my standards are pretty simple when it comes to politics. I am very hard-hitting, I don't mess around, it's not like I always say, 'I see both sides of the issue.'
"No, I don't. I see this side, and I am going to fight like hell for it."
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Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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