FantasySharks.com

A few years ago I was standing on the deck of a beach house on the 4th of July and a person who had obviously drunk too much told me, “The secret of my life is that I always need someone to hate.”

I was reminded of this exchange while watching the stupendously ruthless Republican National Convention over the last several days. Is there anything that conservatives do not hate? Maybe drilling. In fact, they appear utterly phallically obsessed with drilling (a practice that, in about 10 years or so, might reduce gas prices by 2 or 3 cents per gallon). But otherwise, what we learned from the recent hatefest is that Republicans hate community organizers, liberals (surprise!), Madonna, the “east coast elite,” the “angry left” media, trial lawyers, people who are too smart, people who are “cosmopolitan”—the list goes on into eternity.

Listening to this litany on Wednesday night in particular reminded me of a research article that came out roughly 5 years ago on political conservatism and motivated social cognition (Jost, Glaser, Kruglanski & Sulloway, “Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition,” Psychological Bulletin). In a nutshell, the article—by Stanford and UC Berkeley researchers—seems to suggest that conservatism is a mild form of insanity.

Here are the facts. A meta-analysis culled from 88 samples in 12 countries, and with an N of 22,818, revealed that “several psychological variables predicted political conservatism.” Which variables exactly? In order of predictive power: Death anxiety, system instability, dogmatism/intolerance of ambiguity, closed-mindedness, low tolerance of uncertainty, high needs for order, structure, and closure, low integrative complexity, fear of threat and loss, and low self-esteem. The researchers conclude, a little chillingly, that “the core ideology of conservatism stresses resistance to change and a justification of inequality.”

The above list of variables is more than a little unsavory. We are talking about someone full of fear, with a poor sense of self, and a lack of mental dexterity. I always tell my students that tolerance of ambiguity is one especially excellent mark of psychological maturity. It isn’t a black and white world. According to the research, conservatives possess precisely the opposite: an intolerance of ambiguity and an inability to deal with complexity. Maybe that’s one reason why Obama seems so distasteful to them: he is a nuanced, multi-faceted thinker who can see things from several different perspectives simultaneously. And he isn’t preaching fear, either.

the last 2 sentences pretty much puts the whole article into perspective.

The research came out in 2003, BTW.

In case anyone is interested in the actual study: http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/reso ... nition.pdf

Keep in mind, I mean this all in jest. I don't think all conservatives are nutz... just some of them.

I have seen this "study" previously. I have no doubt uni buys into it. I also have no doubt uni attends snuggle parties and is a union rep. He probably has a pet squirrel with downs syndrome.

I'm your Huckleberry

I have seen this "study" previously. I have no doubt uni buys into it. I also have no doubt uni attends snuggle parties and is a union rep. He probably has a pet squirrel with downs syndrome.

I'm your Huckleberry

The talk of footblol reminded me of this interesting article I read: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/gen ... m-insanity



Seems pretty spot-on!
Have at it, Huck!

IBTL

"So extravagant are the patterns of thinking, emoting, behaving and relating that characterize the liberal mind that its relentless protests and demands become understandable only as disorders of the psyche." The Liberal Mind reveals the madness of the modern liberal for what it is: a massive transference neurosis acted out in the world's political arenas, with devastating effects on the institutions of liberty.

This makes complete sense and explains the Liberal thinking and behavior that defies any other explanation.

blah. blah blah. blah blah blah.

liberals suck.

no, conservatives suck.

liberals are clueless and fundamentally wrong.

no, conservatives are clueless and fundamentally wrong.

rinse, repeat.

:?



i am appalled, i say APPALLED, that you would accuse me of wearing panties!!! you sir have completely overreacted to my post!
















bring the banhammer down on this mofo. NOW!!!!!!!