Does the "conservative" brain work differently from the "liberal" brain ?

[kentuck]

Ask William Safire. In a shocking confession, he admits to the "cognitive dissonance" within his own mind, in regards to the many contradictions of conservative Republicans. "I presume the liberal brain works the same way", he says....Should someone tell him that, "No, the liberal brain does not work the same way, although we have our contradictions to deal with, they are nowhere near the burden you have to carry..."?

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http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/21/opinion/21safi.html

<snip>
My social conservative instinct wants to denounce the movie-and-TV treatment of violence and porno-sadism as entertainment; repeal state-sponsored gambling; slow the rush to same-sex marriage; oppose partial-birth abortion; resist genetic manipulation that goes beyond therapy. However, this conflicts with -

My libertarian impulse, which is pro-choice and anti-compulsion, wants to protect the right to counsel of all suspects and the right to privacy of the rest of us, likes quiet cars in trains and vouchers for education, and wants snoops out of bedrooms and fundamentalists out of schoolrooms.

<snip>
If these different strains of thought were held by discrete groups of single-minded people, we would have a Republican Party of five warring bands. Social conservatives would fight libertarians over sex, who in turn would savage neocons over pre-emption, who in turn would hoot at the objections of economic conservatives (traditional division) to huge deficits.

But think of these internecine battles not as tugs of war among single-minded groups; instead, think of them as often-conflicting ideas held within the brain of an individual Republican. What goes on is "cognitive dissonance," the jangling of competing inclinations, with the owner of the brain having to work out trade-offs, suppressions and compromises until he or she achieves a kind of puzzled tranquillity within.

....mre

[tandot]

1. Conservatives have a brain??? Shouldn't this be posted under LBN?

:evilgrin:

[CO Liberal]

2. The Liberal Brain Works

The conservative brain is programmed to mimic what it hears listening to Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Schlessinger, Savage, etc.

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Conservatives think "ME", liberals/progressives think "US".

4. actually I think it's subtler than that, both are self interested

Those who think me, define self in a narrower sense than those who think us, but both are self interested.

I think this is important to keep in mind because of the argument that socialism fails because it does not take into account self interest. It does take into account self interest, but defines self differently.

[bigmonkey]

5. Absolutely.

I strongly agree with this. The same can be said for self-defense. Liberals and Repugs define the self to be defended differently. I often think that they (the Repugs) include too much in their definition, as if the extension of the idea of marriage to gays is somehow an actual attack on them personally. Their definition of the self seems to include themselves living in a particular version of the U.S., with very particular laws and mores.

[Dems Will Win]

6. It's very simple. Progressives use the mammalian and more developed human

parts of the brain.

Most conservatives, especially Freepers, think only with their Reptilian Brain, which is purely emotional and always ready to either fight or run.

[mongo]

7. "cognitive dissonance" is ingrained in them at an early age

Starting with "the bible is the 100% all true word of God".

[leftofthedial]

8. Don't you mean simply . . .

"Does the conservative brain work?"

As the neocons have ascended and taken over the con movement, they have gone from woefully superficial shallow thinkers to pathological. One must utterly suspend disbelief and accept that 2+2=5 in order to be a conservative. It has become profoundly irrational.

[spooked]

9. No, but the HEART sure does

n/t

[bloom]

10. ++++ Conservatives and the Parent model ++++

Seems like I've heard that Conservatives tend to be authoritarian parents and liberals tend to be more nuturing...

Apply that to what Safire is saying. They want to be the authoritarian parents to the rest of society AND libertarian in that they do NOT want people telling THEM what to do. (They are the parents, doncha know).


I think when liberals are at their best - they expect people to make adult choices on their own. And provide support to those who are in need - perhaps not unlike a nurturing parent.

[spooked]

11. Myers-Briggs theory

Myers-Briggs personality theory would say that Conservatives are "J"s (Judgers) whereas Liberals are "P"s (Perceivers).

--Based on the Myers-Briggs theory of 16 basic personality types.

http://www.personalitytype.com/quiz.html

Bush is an ISTP, which, as a type, has the most juvenile deliquents as well as the greatest number of relapsed alcoholics according to a recent study. Their ideal career would be that of car mechanic.

Definately NOT a type suited to the Presidency of the United States.


Myers-Briggs anyone??

[Kanary]

12. Wrong organ. Has to do with the "heart", not brain

Those who endlessly proclaim the virtues of the brain lose the heart, and eventually the soul.

Kanary

[EndElectoral]

13. It;s all about greed with them and enforcing their morality on others