Other than tribalism and group think, are there any scientific studies that explain why some people become so fixated on being either conservative or liberal? Does that hyper empathy/collectivism vs tough love/individualism come down to testosterone and estrogen levels?
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Research Jon Haidt's work on the Righteous Mind. His work focuses on the psychological and moral foundations that create partisan outcomea
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Thanks. I have listened to many of Jonathan Haidt's lectures. Maybe it's time I buy one of his books and eventually read it, LOL. Would love to know however if there are any practical, doable solutions to this pointless divide.
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Some would argue it isn't pointless, but an inevitable ying and yang dimorphism that occurs in complex state democracies dealing with rapid change
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I agree the inevitable pull of liberalism and conservatism isn't pointless, I consider myself socially liberal / fiscally conservative. The pointless divide I'm talking about is when people fail to see they share the same goals/needs, and even the solutions to the same problems.
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I would say that the soup of propaganda in which we swim because this society is really an oligarchy probably distorts the better parts of our nature that could find fruitful compromise otherwise, and make a better world for all of us (except the super wealthy minority).
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At least they've provided us with the Twitter sandbox to throw some cat shit around. Just hope some of us at some point clean up the mess of buried turds so we don't keep stepping on them, LOL.
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They are everything but Libertarians.
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Part of the idea is that "libertarianism" is a sort of mind-thralling ideology that grabs people and helps make them support actual right-wing realpolitik, not knowing it, as useful idiots. I know firsthand. I was a teenage libertarian. I outgrew it with experience and wisdom.
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a) Contra
@willwilkinson’s out-of-context claims, today’s GOP endorses a massive welfare state. b) All liberals agree some things (eg free speech) should be excluded from majority rule.Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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Dr. Pinker, your comment doesn't show the kind of even-handed rationality I've come to expect from you. I suggest: many of them hate socialism, but not democracy. (I'm neither a Trump voter nor a libertarian, by the way.)
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This is just a consequence of the culture of money worship in the US. The wealthier you are, the more admired. Anything that reduces your wealth is seen as a theft or attack, because it reduces your intrinsic value (and your power&freedom).
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Our Constitution was set up precisely to subvert democracy. GOP are not right wing libertarians. Hans Hermann-Hoppe is a right wing libertarian. Ron Paul is kinda a right wing libertarian. How many in GOP openly reject Rawls?
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It is Progressives that despise democracy. Look at how little faith Woodrow Wilson had in the constitution and how he tried to destroy it, then look at at the horrific record of FDR. The Left despises individual freedom. To them “freedom” means the State’s freedom, not yours.
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Woodrow W?



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@sapinker Why do you call them libertarians when libertarians despise 90% of what they stand for? For the record, libertariams do not approve of corporate favoratism, corporate influence in politics or any kind of cronyism. We also don't approve of lower rights for anyone. !Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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Libertarians will never get their agenda authorized through democracy, so they have a choice: Accept that fact, or make it happen some other way.
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mmm this sounds almost as bad as some protesting teenagers on a minor university campus
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