Charting the cultural abyss: the chasm between Left and Right
24 April 2007 by Naomi
(For larger image; from Otaku, Cedric’s weblog)
…We think our political stance is the product of reason, but we’re easily manipulated and surprisingly malleable. Our essential political self is more a stew of childhood temperament, education, and fear of death. Call it the 9/11 effect.
Excerpt:
Most people are surprised to learn that there are real, stable differences in personality between conservatives and liberals—not just different views or values, but underlying differences in temperament. [Jost, Carney, and Gosling] have demonstrated that conservatives and liberals boast markedly different home and office decor. Liberals are messier than conservatives, their rooms have more clutter and more color, and they tend to have more travel documents, maps of other countries, and flags from around the world. Conservatives are neater, and their rooms are cleaner, better organized, more brightly lit, and more conventional. Liberals have more books, and their books cover a greater variety of topics. And that’s just a start. Multiple studies find that liberals are more optimistic. Conservatives are more likely to be religious…
[It's not necessary to read the first four paragraphs; they are more color than texture...]
If this it true, and it seems plausible to me, coupled with “opium of the people” and the “addiction model“, there is a low probability they will budge on the faith part and only slightly higher odds on the religion part.
I’m counting on time and attrition. More and more teens are leaving religion — so many, in fact, that it’s “shivering the timbers” of evangelical religion! Now is not the time to let up on the pressure!
Well?
24 April 2007, on 2:59 pm
I love the part that liberals have more books. Of course, that and they actually read what they have.
24 April 2007, on 3:21 pm
Toni, I have a theory about “atheists who read”. Our natural curiosity compels us.
So my question is: did you read all five pages? If not, where and why did you give up? And did you follow the “shivering the timbers” link?
I’m just a curious atheist…
24 April 2007, on 4:04 pm
Naomi:
I did read both, it’s a slow day at work today. I had already read some literature about the study the Blocks did. I had also read a bit about the 2004 study with the elections. I just think it is sad that fear is continually used to try and manipulate votes. I also think it is sad human psyches are such that some people fall for it. I have also seen some stories done injecting religion into the mix.
As for the article about the falling out of religion for teenagers. I have hope for the future, but I worry that some will use it to say “see, we are a picked on minority” more than they already do.
24 April 2007, on 4:34 pm
Well, I DO have a lot of books (currently on hiatus of Harry Turtledove’s Great War trilogy and reading Jim Marrs Crossfire).
I also a messier, cluttered room, and I collect Power Ranger Megazords/Sentai Mecha and Kamen Rider PVC toys, and six wrestling masks which are rather colorful.
I don’t have any flags or travel documents though. I suppose three bandannas with an American flag design, one with the Arizona flag design, and one with a Confederate flag design as flags from around the world.
24 April 2007, on 4:44 pm
Oh, and my prominently displayed official certificate from the Writer’s Guild of America for my script Dominion of the Dead.
24 April 2007, on 6:36 pm
Christianity did not spring up and spread over night, it took several centuries before it reached a critical mass in the Roman Empire in order for it to become the dominant religion.
Likewise, if it declines in the United States, it will also be a gradual decline taking decades and then plunging preciptously when something else comes along to take its place.
24 April 2007, on 7:14 pm
I loved that article about the evangelicals losing the teenagers. It made me smile.
I really like the line about “post-Christian America.” Can you imagine an America where only a small minority of the population identifies themselves as Christian? Praise jeebus, I’m trembling with excitement!
24 April 2007, on 7:49 pm
I think of the difference between the left and the right in simple terms.
Those on the left when standing on the ladder kick upwards. It is the person above them who has more power than they do, who has more responsibility for seeing that the needs of those lower on the ladder are met.
Those on the right when standing on the ladder kick downwards. It is the person below them who is to blame for them not being higher on the ladder.
Kicking upwards has always been harder, but better than kissing the arse of the person above you.
24 April 2007, on 8:59 pm
I think this was my favorite passage:
24 April 2007, on 9:43 pm
Amrose Bierce defined Conservative as “a statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace thewm with others. (Sorry, I’m in one my cynical moods.)
24 April 2007, on 9:51 pm
Hmmmmmm
Well, being an atheist conservative….. I would say that I kinda fit both. I’m definitely self-reliant, energetic, and resilient. On the other hand, I’m also neat, tidy, and though I’m eclectic in taste, my rooms is very plain and drab….
25 April 2007, on 12:50 am
You know, Old Viking?…Your: “Sorry, I’m in one my cynical moods.” stirred up a somewhat relevant idea concerning MY (cronic) cynicism.
It’s like…maybe I’ll send a photo of myself…of course, from my younger bearded and more ‘hairful’ days…to be put next to the word “cynical”…(and/or cynic?) in the next published edition of Webster’s dictionary.
Yeah…and maybe even the Encylopedia Britannica…or whateva.
WTF!…Live dangerously!”?
Say what, OV?…”Be hairful what you wish for!…?”
I suppose now; many of you…including Old Viking…will want to compete for that dubious distinction…Hmmm?
What’s that, Naomi?…I’m the ONLY one?
25 April 2007, on 12:55 am
Haha, that description about the liberal’s room fits me 100%! I even have a world map on the side of my bed, and several nations’ flags all around. I love it!
…And I’m proud to be part of the teens without religion.
The best of my friends are all atheist/agnostic. The very christian teens are, indeed, rare (how wonderful!)
And therein my hope lies.
25 April 2007, on 4:55 am
Hmm im a liberal (in the UK) or so I’d like to think.
Most of the description matches me quite closely. My room is a mess, and definately filled with eclectic clutter.
I have almost every shelf and cupboard filled with books on a wide range of subjects, from dietary advice, holistic medicine, stress management, meditation, philosophy, LOTS of fantasy books as its my primary passion, roleplaying books, Autobiographies, Buddhism, books on managing relationships and books on travel.
Whilst I dont have travel documents lying around, I have visited Sweden, France, Germany, Belgium, Barbados, Spain and Portugal.
This year I plan to visit New York, Prague and if I can get the money together, Morocco too.
I am not currently very optimistic, but I am undergoing a difficult period in my life. I hope to change that round soon =-)
25 April 2007, on 10:13 am
While posting this, one of my assumptions about atheists is that, as a group, you would be more likely to read the entire article before commenting (despite its length AND if you could get past Cinnamon Stillwell
).
The second part of my assumption is that theists would only read the quote I chose and take issue with some part of it. Cowardly little fundies would likely not even leave a comment.
25 April 2007, on 12:15 pm
Most people are surprised to learn that there are real, stable differences in personality between conservatives and liberals
Not this person. I can usually tell if a person is conservative or liberal just by their behavior and personality. Not always, but I’ll bet I’m batting 75-80%.
Have to agree with the books too. My shelfs are full. Also, I always have at least 10-15 books on the waiting list at my library. They have got to know me quite well over there.
25 April 2007, on 12:42 pm
Possible anomoly: in Canada there is a political party known as The Progressive Conservatives. My wife thinks a bit quicker than me, and she wondered if there were an opposition called The Revolutionary Reactionaries.
Note to Faeryl, make your plans and do what you can, make your motto Semper Gumby (always flexable). Bad patches come and go, but you’re actually here. I’ve been told to plan for my seventieth birthday party, but don’t plan to attend it. Fine. But I want to live every day I’ve got no matter what. Some good, some bad.
That’s another difference between the conservative and the more liberal. The more conservative seem to be almost as afraid of living as they are of death. And for all their praise godding, and wanting to be in ‘glory’, they’re shit-scared of what might be waiting for them.
25 April 2007, on 5:47 pm
I’m not afraid of death. It is funny to me that so many Christians are. Has anyone else noticed this?
25 April 2007, on 8:44 pm
I’ve definitly noticed it, dd. I’ve been in situations where I did hear people call on their diety. But about as many called for their mothers with about the same observable results.
But, I also don’t think many are really as anxious to get to their heaven as they let on. I often think that it’s marginally better than what they think is the alternative…but not by much.
25 April 2007, on 8:46 pm
Sorry, got out too soon. These people always seem to shout for their diety to let them live. They seem reluctant to partake of the joys of a saved afterlife.
26 April 2007, on 8:27 am
Any of y’all ever read Gore Vidal’s book “The Messiah”? It’s a great tale about the making of a modern day messiah who convinces his followers that the greatest way to attain salvation is to leave this world behind and go straight on to the afterlife. Basically it starts a worldwide rash of suicides. It also deals with the corrupting forces of power in religion, political influence and many other important issues concerning organized religion. And it was written in the 1950’s. A brilliant novel on so many levels.
26 April 2007, on 12:09 pm
Stupid Git, it sounds like my kind of book. I’ll see if I can get a used copy.
On the other hand, this would be a perfect time to re-release it, dontcha think?
26 April 2007, on 1:43 pm
Yes, Stupid Git…and Naomi…I garnered a HUGE amount of respect for Gore Vidal back in the late ’80s or early ’90s; in particular on some of his Dick Cavett(?) interviews. I have some VHS recordings of same.
He was ‘right on’ with the recognition of how little difference there was between Dems and Repigs in the sellout to Corporate power.
More interesting, to me, was his relatively ‘early’ highlighting of the rapidly growing power of the Republican Fundie Wingnuts; and his call for an outright fearless open confrontation with them. Yeah…like, “Bring it on!”
At that time, I was a ‘budding atheist’, and his clarion call for true Liberals to wake up and start taking action, was, essentially, totally ignored by the media; EXCEPT for Cavett [and perhaps Charles Grodin?].
That reminds me also, that he and Al Gore are distantly related; but, as I remember…don’t see eye to eye on certain issues.(?)
Unfortunately, Vidal’s age…and, of course, his atheist views…prevent the biased media from giving him proper coverage…and respect!
Too bad, I say.
Thanks for the reminder! I’d been meaning to check for some of his books at the local library.
26 April 2007, on 10:52 pm
[...] (First posted at God is for Suckers!) [...]
27 April 2007, on 7:45 am
I actually got to talk to Gore Vidal once. Quite an experience. Turned out that in my teenage years I knew an aunt of his, she went to the church my parents dragged me to. He said that if she had gone into politics she probably would have been the first woman president…and a damn good one, too.
I wonder if the Heaven’s Gate outfit had contact with that book?
In the late 1970s I was stationed in Germany and there was some kerfuffle about the founders that even made it into the Stars and Stripes. One of the officers saw some of the names and he told us that they had come to where he was in college. He went to a meeting they had and the man got up to speak. He said that he knew he was hearing the most absolute, whacked out, crazy bullshit that ever hit anyone’s eardrums, but he wanted to stay. It took every bit of his self will to get up and leave that room, and he felt bad for days afterward. Said he couldn’t say why.
3 May 2007, on 12:37 pm
“Liberals are messier than conservatives, their rooms have more clutter…)
I guess he’s never seen my staunch republican boyfriend’s house. Ten of my liberal friends combined have less clutter and disarray then he does.