Theories Of Right Thinking

Washington Post ^ | 08/10/03 | George F. Will

[Pokey78]

This just in: Conservatism often is symptomatic of a psychological syndrome. It can involve fear, aggression, uncertainty avoidance, intolerance of ambiguity, dogmatic dislike of equality, irrational nostalgia and need for "cognitive closure," all aspects of the authoritarian personality.

Actually, this theory has been floating around academic psychology for half a century. It is reprised in "Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition," written by four professors for Psychological Bulletin.

[Agnes Heep]

Don't look now, but conservatism is the new progressivism.

[Consort]

Is what he said good or bad?

[GatekeeperBookman]

Rush L. made great humor of this-no, actually he dismissed it some week or two ago. It is very negative & thinly disguised slam. No basis. No logic. "Conservatives compared to Hitler, Stalin, et al"

The book, a published work from the study, The Authoritarian Personality, authored by Adorno, et al, was funded by a group which wished to explain the Holocost-how could people do such things, etc. When it was found to be FLAWED-it went down the memory hole. Has not been quoted by the Left in decades! They failed to realize that such folks were as predominant on the LEFT as they were on the Right!!

[eno_]

The Soviets were, as usual, way ahead of the West. They had psychiatric hospitals full of capitalists and conservatives.

Now we know where those hospital directors are today: Stuffing kids full of Ritalin and declaring conservatism a disorder.

[MosesKnows]

Conservatism often is symptomatic of a psychological syndrome. It can involve fear, aggression, uncertainty avoidance, intolerance of ambiguity, dogmatic dislike of equality, irrational nostalgia and need for "cognitive closure," all aspects of the authoritarian personal

So, if you are none of these things you are not conservative. What people are not authoritarian, sheeple?

[eggman]

The professors acknowledge that... "virtually all belief systems" are embraced because they "satisfy some psychological needs."

The authors of the study were satisfying their psychological need to demonize conservatism. It is the only way they could justify their liberal belief system.

[Ronin]

The scary part of that study, and one that seems to have slipped under the wire in the general jocularity and mirth that we have all thrown at it since it was released, is that it has a parallel in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

By beginning the process of defining Conservativism as a "disorder", they are opening the door, just a crack, to the possibility of "treatment".

The Soviet Union was justifiably infamous for perverting their psychiatric services into ideological conformity with the state’s definition of sanity. “Our way is so obviously good and true that if you disagree with it you MUST be crazy.”

Does anyone want to bet that it can’t happen in America? I won’t. If, Dear God forbid, Hillary ever becomes President and starts packing the courts with judges that believe in her utopian version of Socialism, we can all expect commitment orders and visits to the funny farm.

[AirborneMedic]

My tax dollars went to that crap.

[GatekeeperBookman]

Funny how the ritalin & ADD went away. Real funny.

[exDemMom]

Does anyone want to bet that it can?t happen in America? I won?t. If, Dear God forbid, Hillary ever becomes President and starts packing the courts with judges that believe in her utopian version of Socialism, we can all expect commitment orders and visits to the funny farm.

Actually, the election of Klintoon in 1992 made me realize that America has the potential of becoming as authoritarian and deadly as any socialist/communist state has ever been. That realization scared me. That was when I went and re-registered as a Republican, because I knew that any party that can put forth Bill Klintoon as the best it had to offer is a party that has no room for freedom or individuals.

[Maelstrom]

Well no.

Fascism evolved from Socialism.

There's nothing from the "right", philosophically, within either outlook.

[Maelstrom]

You're ready to take the next step...

...The realization that many Republicans also have that capability. US freedom relies upon the limitations our Constitution has placed against government. Whenever anyone from either party tries to stomp on them, or even shave a bit off...we need to cut them down.

I've torn up my Libertarian Party membership, so now I'm a little "l" libertarian within the Republican Party. I believe that the Republican Liberty Caucus holds the best hope for us.