Consertivism as a mental disorder? (Repost from my blog)

[Unmasked]

((Disclaimer: This is not a criticism of Republicans, or anybody who may be inclined that way. The Republican party has a few good ideas, and a little conservativism may be healthy. The "sick conservatives" are the ones that are certifiably crazy, like Bill O, and some of the pastors we all grew up with.))

"A meta-analysis by Jost, Glaser, Kruglanski, and Sulloway in 2003 analyzed 88 studies from 12 countries, with over 22,000 subjects, and found that death anxiety, intolerance of ambiguity, lack of openness to experience, uncertainty avoidance, need for cognitive closure, need for personal structure, and threat of loss of position or self-esteem all contribute to the degree of one's overall political conservatism."

The above information is a synthesis of the findings of a study published in issue 139 of the Psychological Bulletin. While it can't fairly be said that all Republicans are mentally ill, there is a compelling case for treating political conservatism as a serious mental disorder, and has finally showed me why I will never win an argument with a fundamentalist about anything.

I have a need to make sense. A fundie will not let reason get in the way of their argument. It's like arguing with a defiant toddler. They have neither inclination nor the capacity to understand.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this. In light of these findings, I'm convinced that I must be more compassionate towards these conservatives, because though they infuriate me, it's not their fault. They were born this way. While I will recommend that some of the more conservative ones seek professional help, I will be patient with them. I will try to love them as best I can. James Dobson and Pat Robertson aren't evil, they aren't bad people. They are sick people, and as a student hoping one day to become a doctor, I have a duty to care for all these people. Anybody who believes in the call and mission that Jesus of Nazareth put forth nearly 2000 years ago has a duty to care for their conservative friends, family members, and foes. I believe that we can rehabilitate them. I believe that there is a cure. I believe that there is hope.

[BruceChris]

I've always thought that conservative people tend to be fear based. To be liberal, you have to be love based, or at least hope based. I'm sure that Emproph may have some arguments making those correlations, but I don't have the energy, right now.

Bruce Chris