Politics, Odors and Soap - Conservatives v. Liberals

[groovedaddy]

Conservatives may not like liberals, but they seem to understand them. In contrast, many liberals find conservative voters not just wrong but also bewildering.

One academic study asked 2,000 Americans to fill out questionnaires about moral questions. In some cases, they were asked to fill them out as they thought a “typical liberal” or a “typical conservative” would respond.

Moderates and conservatives were adept at guessing how liberals would answer questions. Liberals, especially those who described themselves as “very liberal,” were least able to put themselves in the minds of their adversaries and guess how conservatives would answer.

Now a fascinating new book comes along that, to a liberal like myself, helps demystify the right — and illuminates the kind of messaging that might connect with voters of all stripes. “The Righteous Mind,” by Jonathan Haidt, a University of Virginia psychology professor, argues that, for liberals, morality is largely a matter of three values: caring for the weak, fairness and liberty. Conservatives share those concerns (although they think of fairness and liberty differently) and add three others: loyalty, respect for authority and sanctity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/opinion/kristof-politics-odors-and-soap.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120322

[get the red out]

1. I'm not so sure about that entirely

After reading that article I guess I would be a centrist, though just about every political opinion I have is very far to the left. Really I think that there are all kinds of people on both sides. I doubt that a lot of the big money types feel much loyalty to anything but themselves, yet they would consider themselves quite conservative. Not all liberals think alike on everything under the sun either, as anyone who has ever seen liberal vegetarians and meat lovers go at it on a message board would know.

I know that there are certain things I'm just as unlikely to compromise on as a conservative, and those tend to be issues that would be considered quite liberal, like women's rights; yet I've had liberals get incredibly angry with me for being unmovable on those very issues. We all have opinions in this world and I don't think you can classify people so easily.

[groovedaddy]

3. "big money types" may consider themselves "conservative" but if you look at the change

they have wrought in the world, particularly in this country, it becomes very difficutl to pin that label on them. Of course, they doesn't necessarily make them liberal either, though it would probably be easy to find specific issues that they are liberal on. Is fascism "conservative"? You'd think so, but I think that would be an over-simplification. They essentially want it their way and they know how to bully, cajole or trick "conservatives" into going along with them.

[The Wielding Truth]

2. This couldn't work for me because I'm not just one or the other.

Last edited Thu Mar 22, 2012, 09:19 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm liberal in my politics and world view of individual religious beliefs, yet I would say very traditional and conservative in my personal life.

I respect how others want to live their lives while I have been fortunate to have been able to make choices that stabilized each step of my life. I'm not saying that the economy has not put me on the edge daily but using common sense and the best I could glean from what I've learned I try to make life work.

I am a liberal Democrat because I want the world to work and things don't work when run by Republicans.