Psycho Analysis...

[angryinoville]

I think analytical therapy is good for everyone. You don't have to be crazy to see a therapist (you just have to be able to afford one). But what I would like to see is the psycho-analysis of a right wing conservative that supports Bush and listens to Rush Limpdick. I think that if I could hear the analysis of what makes these folks tick, we could better understand and help them. Republicans weren't always bad. I mean, Lincoln was a republican. Something very bad has happened over time to the point where when I hear that someone is a republican, I assume that there is something wrong with this person. Feel free to give your own analysis of a typical right winger. The analysis of a right wing woman would be spectacular. What amazing creatures they are!

[kaitykaity]

1. I think you'd find emptiness, fear, insecurity,

and a dogmatic need to be told what is right, rather than having to figure it out for himself. (Not being sexist here, but the majority of Limblah's listeners are men.)

[hippiegranny]

2. i think you'd find people

with no empathy for others.

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Here's an idea:

Invite "a right wing conservative that supports Bush and listens to Rush Limpdick," to dinner and engaged them personally. Avoid the hot-button issues, and it's likely all you will find is an American.

"Something very bad has happened over time to the point where when I hear that someone is a republican, I assume that there is something wrong with this person."

Have you told your therapist about this, angry?

[Catfight]

5. insecure and sexually abused men

my friend is both of these and he listens and believes all the things straight from talk radio. Although, he did say he wants to listen to Al Franken, but I doubt he will enjoy the logic and rational, but maybe Al might appeal to at least his desire to be told the truth. But we've gotten into debates because he regurgitates everything that was said on Insannity or Boartz, and because I like to hear what those two are ranting about, I get the little buzz phrases that my friend will use to support some ambiguous idiotology of the day. When I come back with the facts, he usually apologizes. And it's HERE that I get most of those facts...I luv you guys!:)

[enough]

9. Have to agree with DemsUnite on this.

I know a lot of Republicans, some wealthy and some blue collar, and I couldn't disagree with them more about politics. But I've known them most of my long life and I know that they are "good" people -- care about their children, devote a lot of time and spirit to their communities, are very generous and thoughtful of others, and are generally doing the best they can, which is about all I can say for most of us.

I don't know how we came to see things so differently. I wonder about it a lot. But I don't think it's explainable by psychology alone. There is a huge spectrum of personality types among the Republicans I know, just about as huge as the spectrum of personalities among the Democrats and lefties I know.

Just as a secondary observation, from what I see, the well-heeled Republicans are really having second thoughts about Bushco, while the struggling blue-collar Reps are still hanging tough. It's beyond me to understand why.

[gottaB]

4. when it comes to the psychopathologies on display at 1600 Penn Ave

I'm always coming back to the same old imponderable: Psychopath, or sociopath? Sociopath, or psychopath?

As for the idjits who voted for these people, well, I'm rather surprised a self-help book hasn't been published to answer that. Something like Married Women who Vote for Psychotic Politicians Way Too Much, and Also Their Husbands who Spent that Tax Refund on NASCAR Paraphernalia and Thought They were Getting a Good Deal Because They Let their Wives Handle the Household Budget.

[formactv]

6. I work with a woman like that...

Despite her difficult circumstances she is more concerned with expressing resentment for welfare recipients dressed in L.L. Bean clothes than anything else.

[H2O Man]

7. It might be difficult to come up with traits

for a large group of people in a strictly "psychological profile." There is the obvious over-lap with the sociological aspects of the herd mentality. But let's examine a few ideas: for many people, the general idea of authority or discipline with children is to teach the skills of self-discipline. I find that many republicans are able to discipline their lives in the sense of becoming great cogs in the wheel, in order to make money. They live to work. Democrats work to live. Republican tend to have more rigid, authoritarian viewpoints. Clearly environment plays a larger role than genetics. Issues are defined in black and white terms. But, as we are all sad and weakly human, this causes guilt feelings. These are externalized, and projected on the "others" who, after all, cause problems. This general personality type is open to leadership. Add the rigid moral judgemental viewpoint, and there is the tendency to view even a pathetic clown like bush as a "strong moral leader." There is an unconscious response to silly cues, such as "we love freedom," and "they hate freedom." Although there have been significant advances since Freud, my bet is that it would be accurate to say that many republicans have never experienced multiple orgasms.

[VOX]

8. A need for absolute boundaries imposed by a strict father figure...

Whether that figure is a higher power, a president, a business, or a way of life. The strict father is appeased only by unquestioning worship and absolute allegiance. Any deviating behavior constitutes betrayal ("traitor!").

Add to this fear, rigidity, and an inability and unwillingness to perceive others' point of view.

A parallel could be drawn between a die-hard right-winger and a member of any cult. And the preponderance of right-wing media simply reinforces the behavior, and offers no alternative viewpoints.

[Jade Fox]

10. Check out what this psychologist has to say.....

<http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/03/12/int03326.html>

She has some very enlightening things to say on this topic.

[mulethree]

11. Thanks - great read(s)

Sounds pretty hard to counter that kind of appeal :(

[Jade Fox]

12. Yeah, its not very encouraging, but at least it explains some of the above

questions about working class people voting for Bush.

I guess she is not actually a psychologist, but a sociologist.

[9215]

13. I was invited by a psychologist

some years ago to go to a fundie church and sit in on a group meeting of churchgoers who were having personal problems. About 1/2 the way through the 1 hour session I was slammed with the reality of what was going on. Being a counselor myself at on time I had to work to control myself.

These people, all faithful wives, religious, were the most de-invidualized people I had ever seen. They had absolutely no awareness of their own needs as human beings. Everything they talked about was directed outward. Completely brainwashed. They were in complete denial of their feelings. Very suicidal. It was truly a scary situation.

My psychologist friend asked me what I thought. I told him pretty much what I stated here and he was in total agreement.


IMO the church environment they were in caused this. It literally destroyed their individuality.