Conservative intuition: ingroup/loyalty, authority/respect, and purity/sanctity

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by Essay

My goodness, I don't usually find myself shaking with indignation after reading many posts.
...but let me tell you....
My grandpa, an immigrant from Europe, eventually was a state Sec. of State; my dad gave most of his sight and hearing for this country's wars as a pilot, and contributed to the skunk-works programs; and I can't tell you where my sister worked, but her husband gave his life overseas for this country also.
My family chose to educate me beyond all reason, but don't tell me that I don't always have to hold back tears when I think of our flag.

I'm educated and experienced enough to know that conservatives only have the best of intentions for the future of our country also.

Just because we disagree on tactics doesn't make either of us evil or unpatriotic.
The fact that you choose to write here at all indicates that you care; I hope you'll realize that the same holds true for others.

Thanks,
~SA

I am glad to hear someone else takes exception to this BS of questioning anyones patriotism who disagrees with one party. Just because I don't worship at the alter of the neocons I am consistently told I am a traitor and unpatriotic. It pisses me off! I love my country, I would do anything to defend my country. I fly the American flag year round unlike lots of my conservative neighbors who think it's too much trouble. I get pissed when anyones love of country if questioned because of their politics not just liberals but it seems the Conservatives are much more likely to brand me a traitor for my views than the other way around.

[ChunTzu]

I'd try to paraphrase this but I don't want to mess it up. The following was written by George Lakoff for Huffington Post. I can't post links yet b/c I don't have enough posts. Just search "George Lakoff" and it should be the first post.

The Palin Choice
The Reality of the Political Mind

by George Lakoff

This election matters because of realities-the realities of global warming, the economy, the Middle East, nuclear proliferation, civil liberties, species extinction, poverty here and around the world, and on and on. Such realities are what make this election so very crucial, and how to deal with them is the substance of the Democratic platform.

Election campaigns matter because who gets elected can change reality. But election campaigns are primarily about the realities of voters' minds, which depend on how the candidates and the external realities are cognitively framed. They can be framed honestly or deceptively, effectively or clumsily. And they are always framed from the perspective of a worldview.

The Obama campaign has learned this. The Republicans have long known it, and the choice of Sarah Palin as their Vice-Presidential candidate reflects their expert understanding of the political mind and political marketing. Democrats who simply belittle the Palin choice are courting disaster. It must be taken with the utmost seriousness.

The Democratic responses so far reflect external realities: she is inexperienced, knowing little or nothing about foreign policy or national issues; she is really an anti-feminist, wanting the government to enter women's lives to block abortion, but not wanting the government to guarantee equal pay for equal work, or provide adequate child health coverage, or child care, or early childhood education; she shills for the oil and gas industry on drilling; she denies the scientific truths of global warming and evolution; she misuses her political authority; she opposes sex education and her daughter is pregnant; and, rather than being a maverick, she is on the whole a radical right-wing ideologue.

All true, so far as we can tell.

But such truths may nonetheless be largely irrelevant to this campaign. That is the lesson Democrats must learn. They must learn the reality of the political mind.

<...>

George Lakoff: The Palin Choice and the Reality of the Political Mind

Obviously, Lakoff is writing from a liberal point of view but I still believe he brings up some interesting issues. I'm sure conservative thinkers will tear this apart but it's worth a read, at least.

Also, one of my favorite things from living in a conservative state (I lived in TX before I moved to L.A.) is the use of "liberal" as an insult. Amazing.

[Galapagos]

Just saw this video of Haidt over at TED:
Jonathan Haidt on the moral roots of liberals and conservatives | Video on TED.com

[Buffy]

From the The Times of London:

Originally Posted by How scary is this spider? That may depend on your politics, Mark Henderson, Science Editor, The Times, 9/19/2008

… participants were then given two laboratory tests, to establish their physiological responses to frightening or unexpected stimuli. In the first test, they viewed 33 images, three of which were distressing or threatening: a large spider on the face of a frightened person; a dazed person with a bloody face; and maggots in an open wound. The scientists measured the electrical conductance of the skin, a standard measure of distress and arousal.

In the second test, the volunteers were subjected to a loud, unexpected noise, with scientists measuring the involuntary blinking that followed. A strong startle response is indicative of heightened fear and arousal. The results, which are published in the journal Science, revealed significant differences in both responses, which corresponded with people’s political views. Those with “markedly lower physical sensitivity to sudden noises and threatening visual images” tended to support liberal positions, while those with strong responses tended to be more conservative.

This would fit with the hypothesis that people who have more fearful responses to perceived threats are more likely to be conservative, while those who have weaker responses develop more liberal views.

h/t to Cernig at Crooks and Liars who had this to say:

Originally Posted by Conservatives-They Scare Easily, Cernig, Crooks and Liars, 9/19/2008

Jeebus, they went to all that trouble when they just could have asked Karl Rove? The GOP has been using fearmongering - on terrorism, evil axises, taxes, guns, God, gays etc etc - as a vote-getting tactic for how long now?

9/11! 9/11! 9/11! Now vote for McCain or you're all gonna die!

Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one,
Buffy

[Michaelangelica]

Self-Assessments." The two Cornell psychologists began with the following assumptions.

# Incompetent individuals tend to overestimate their own level of skill.
# Incompetent individuals fail to recognize genuine skill in others.
# Incompetent individuals fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy.

Psychology voting | Salon

[modest]

Moderation note: Subsequent discussion involving religion and atheism and their effects on society have been moved to: Theistic and atheistic influences on society