They subordinate facts and reason to tribal emotion

[GoodTaste]

"The most dangerous threat in liberalism’s spiritual home comes from the Trumpian right. Populists denigrate liberal edifices such as science and the rule of law as façades for a plot by the deep state against the people. They subordinate facts and reason to tribal emotion. The enduring falsehood that the presidential election in 2020 was stolen points to where such impulses lead. If people cannot settle their differences using debate and trusted institutions, they resort to force.

Source: Gator Counrtry

I wonder whether "They subordinate facts and reason to tribal emotion" and "They submit facts and reason to tribal emotion" are interchangeable. To me, "submit" sounds stronger than "subordinate" and seems to be better suitable there. I am not sure.

What is your opinion?

 

[jutfrank]

No, submit doesn't work there.

 

[slevlife]

To me, "submit" sounds stronger than "subordinate" and seems to be better suitable there.

No, submit doesn't change the intensity; it changes the meaning.

In this context, "to submit facts to emotion" would be a strange description and would mean something like "to present facts to emotion for emotion's approval/consideration/decision," whereas in this context "subordinate" means to "make secondary."

Submit does have some definitions that are closer in meaning to some definitions of subordinate, but they don't work here.

 

[GoodTaste]

No, submit doesn't work there.

Does "reduce" work there?

In this context, "to submit facts to emotion" would mean something like "to present facts to emotion for emotion's approval/consideration/decision."

That is exactly Trumpian style and why I suggested using "submit." Now let's discuss "reduce."

 

[SoothingDave]

"Subordinate" is the right word.

 

[GoodTaste]

"Subordinate" is the right word.

Please recommend a synonym for it.

 

[5jj]

"Subordinate" is the right word.

I agree. Why look for a synoym which will be less appropriate?

 

[slevlife]

I triply agree that subordinate is the right word.

Does "reduce" work there?

No.

That is exactly Trumpian style and why I suggested using "submit."

No, I don't agree that submit works.

You could say something like "They make facts and reason the slaves of tribal emotion" or "They ignore/downplay facts and reason in favor of tribal emotion." But in comparison to the original, well-written sentence, these are strictly worse and they lose or change aspects of the original meaning.

 

[tedmc]

Please recommend a synonym for it.

Downplay/deprioritize/subjugate

 

[Tdol]

You could say that facts submit to tribal emotion.

 

[5jj]

I wouldn't.