1) Isn't accusing people using it of engaging in dehumanizing tactics, and therefore implicitly or explicitly in a fascist/nazi tactic, itself a form of dehumanization?

2) Since the side freaking out also believes physical violence against "nazis" is justified, would any time someone is accused of being a nazi be an instance of dehumanization?

1, maybe not, 2, yes definitely

The Side freaking out also calls people who disagree Russian bots

or Right Wing Trolls

both dehumanizing

Isn't the latter just an accusation of insincerity?

by the argument they are making about NPC does that matter?

They are calling their political opponents an inhuman.

The former, if I'm being charitable, would be a matter of fact--i.e. most conservative opinion on Twitter is peddled by foreign intelligence agencies

I honestly think 1 is stronger than 2

Accusing people engaging in the meme as "dehumanizing others" is a way to give a pass towards virtually any kind of action against them

IMO neither the Russian Bot thing nor the NPC thing are dehumanizing at all

I've yet to see any actual evidence the intent of the NPC meme is to dehumanize

I don't think any of them are dehumanizing tbh

but

It's pretty much just a conspiracy theory

THEY are, they entirely are saying that NPC is dehumanizing

They're attacks on sincerity

And I don't see how it's different from usual smears of "automaton" or "sheep"

and it is no different saying an account isn't "Human"

leftists can't take criticism

and that is really the conversation people should be having

because this is how the left has worked for decades.

"You are just a racist/bigot/russian bot/troll/altright/sexist

ect

No, I know that

I worry sometimes, though, that I feel like I can never get into their heads

So I try from time ot time

well

the russian bot thing is an attempt to just dismiss one side of an argument. the NPC meme is designed to criticize a lack of original thought.

it isn't about getting it into their heads, they are a cult..we argue to convince the sane undecided folks.

@Grenade123 I thin kthere a re differences, but at bottom both are really about the claims of one side or the other being insincere

not really

In one case as propaganda, in the other as groupthink

does that mean they are insincere?

you could say they both are designed to criticize lack of original thought maybe

@ryuplaneswalker I worry sometimes that this way of thinking promotes division

All signs, from my viewpoint, point in that direction

That is, the cult-like aspect

But I almost feel like I understand actual cults better