|
|
:: 8.15.2003 ::
The War on Terror ain't going so well.
Apparently, Bush can't stand to be overshadowed:When asked this week why he was not getting involved in the biggest political story in the country, the president responded testily, "It is the biggest political story in the country? That's interesting. That says a lot. That speaks volumes."
After saying the media would decide if the recall is a big deal, he said, "Oh, I think there's maybe other political stories. Isn't there, like, a presidential race coming up?" Even the Houston Chronicle has noticed that Bush is acting like a 4-yr-old! Similar article here, actual transcript of the remarks are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Serena for the story.
She also forwarded the following gem:A study funded by the US government has concluded that conservatism can be explained psychologically as a set of neuroses rooted in "fear and aggression, dogmatism and the intolerance of ambiguity".
As if that was not enough to get Republican blood boiling, the report's four authors linked Hitler, Mussolini, Ronald Reagan and the rightwing talkshow host, Rush Limbaugh, arguing they all suffered from the same affliction.
All of them "preached a return to an idealised past and condoned inequality". Story here, in the Guardian.co.uk. Not sure who in the US government commissioned this study, but I have a hard time imagining it was the current administration. Here's a quote from a press release from the UC Berkeley website (Jack Glaser, one of the 4 researchers, is an Assistant Prof at UCB):Four researchers who culled through 50 years of research literature about the psychology of conservatism report that at the core of political conservatism is the resistance to change and a tolerance for inequality, and that some of the common psychological factors linked to political conservatism include:
- Fear and aggression
- Dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity
- Uncertainty avoidance
- Need for cognitive closure
- Terror management
...
The terror management feature of conservatism can be seen in post-Sept. 11 America, where many people appear to shun and even punish outsiders and those who threaten the status of cherished world views....
Concerns with fear and threat, likewise, can be linked to a second key dimension of conservatism - an endorsement of inequality, a view reflected in the Indian caste system, South African apartheid and the conservative, segregationist politics of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-South S.C.).
...
"In many cases, including mass politics, 'liberal' traits may be liabilities, and being intolerant of ambiguity, high on the need for closure, or low in cognitive complexity might be associated with such generally valued characteristics as personal commitment and unwavering loyalty," the researchers wrote.
This intolerance of ambiguity can lead people to cling to the familiar, to arrive at premature conclusions, and to impose simplistic cliches and stereotypes, the researchers advised.
The latest debate about the possibility that the Bush administration ignored intelligence information that discounted reports of Iraq buying nuclear material from Africa may be linked to the conservative intolerance for ambiguity and or need for closure, said Glaser.
"For a variety of psychological reasons, then, right-wing populism may have more consistent appeal than left-wing populism, especially in times of potential crisis and instability," he said. Fascinating stuff!
Quote of the Day:
"Look, my job isn't to nuance."
G.W. Bush to a British reporter, 2002
:: Deb 4:16 PM :: permalink ::
[0] comments ::
::  
|
