Devine, James wrote: >from the article: > >Four researchers who culled through 50 years of research literature >about the psychology of conservatism report that at the core of >political conservatism is the resistance to change and a tolerance for >inequality, and that some of the common psychological factors linked to
>political conservatism include: > >Fear and aggression >Dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity >Uncertainty avoidance >Need for cognitive closure >Terror management > >[by these criteria, a lot of leftist sectarians are "conservative."] Bingo. I remember at the time of the Sokal affair that Judith Butler & her posse criticized a band of "neoconservative Marxists," who exibited a similar temperamental and intellectual conservatism to what's identified here. At first, I was really annoyed and dismissed the critique - thereby, I realized later, proving the very point. Doug Perhaps add: Lack of Humility Lack of Curiosity Lack of Courage Lack of Perserverence Anal Retentiveness Malignant Narcissism Arrogance Superficiality Lack of Foundations and Preparation Lack of Awareness of Basic Principles of Critical Thinking Lack of Integrity Lack of Respect for Diversity Lack of Memory of One's Own Intellectual and Personal Changes and Development EtcETc. John Stuart Mill once wrote that "although it is true that not all conservatives are stupid [mean and selfish], most supid[mean and selfish] people are conservative." I think there is a lot of truth to that. For example, assuming that advertizers generally know their target audience and what rings the bell for members of a given demographic group, the fact that virtually all NASCAR ads focus on crashes, suggesting that is what members of that group are really going to see, and assuming that someone going to see crashes and misery is a fucking idiot and not very bright, there are some 73 million NASCAR fans in the U.S. the majority of whom (over 80%) of whom self-identify themselves as conservative. Now of course fanatcis and the stupid may be found on all ends of the political spectrum for sure. And I would agree with these comments about leftist sectarians. Unfortunately, those who criticize the likes of Judith Butler and her posse (true legends in their own minds and generally irrelevant to anything real) get the favor of sectarian or intolerant critiques of Butler and her ilk returned by the patent arrogance and intolerance of Butler and her ilk. Jim C.
