America Needs A Shrink

Conservatism is dead. At least, it should be. The strongest fiber running through conservative ideology, the core if you will, was the notion of government NOT interfering in business. It was, above all else, orthodox capitalism.

Oh well, we can throw that out the window.

Now the truth of conservatism is revealed for what it really is: A group of people who agree to agree, no matter what. Facts, history, science and consequences are all irrelevant. Common sense be damned, all that matters is solidarity with one another. It is truly a confederacy of dunces.

This cancer has metastasized in the breast of the American spirit. It is hardened, lethal, and spreads if unchecked.

In fact, you could argue that because of the constant obstructions of conservatives the progress of the world and even all of humanity have been held back.

Since facts, history, science and consequences are all irrelevant to the conservatives what then is the point of arguing with them?

That's why we always lose.

They will never reform, there won't be any awakening. They will simply cling to one another until the Armageddon they so fervently pray for happens.

Again, I cannot emphasize enough, their only strength is solidarity. From the lowly talk show caller to the president and all through the ranks their only refuge is in each other.

Why?

In my opinion, almost all of their reactionary tendencies are rooted in fear. They are simply afraid. They are not necessarily cowards, but deep, deep down, they are all afraid. There is some scientific evidence backing up this theory. The study quoted below measured the body's involuntary fear response to certain stimuli. The results were statistically significant and very intriguing. Consider this:

"In the study, the scientists recruited 46 volunteers living in Lincoln, Nebraska, all of whom had strong political beliefs. They were asked for their opinions on a wide variety of controversial issues. All the questions concerned social or international issues, rather than economic matters.

The participants were then given two laboratory tests, to establish their physiological responses to frightening or unexpected stimuli. In the first test, they viewed 33 images, three of which were distressing or threatening: a large spider on the face of a frightened person; a dazed person with a bloody face; and maggots in an open wound. The scientists measured the electrical conductance of the skin, a standard measure of distress and arousal.

In the second test, the volunteers were subjected to a loud, unexpected noise, with scientists measuring the involuntary blinking that followed. A strong startle response is indicative of heightened fear and arousal. The results, which are published in the journal Science, revealed significant differences in both responses, which corresponded with people’s political views. Those with “markedly lower physical sensitivity to sudden noises and threatening visual images” tended to support liberal positions, while those with strong responses tended to be more conservative.

This would fit with the hypothesis that people who have more fearful responses to perceived threats are more likely to be conservative, while those who have weaker responses develop more liberal views."

What Are They Really So Afraid Of?

I don't know, the mind of the conservative has always been opaque to me. For the life of me I could never understand what makes these people tick.

But from this reservoir of collective fear many hateful, backwards, reckless, and incompetent actions have sprung which have harmed many people.


What Can Be Done About It?

I don't know, these people need more than just a hug.

Iraq War veterans with Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder are often treated by gradually exposing themselves to the things that trigger a fight/flight response and (it is hoped) by immersion and therapy any disproportionate or irrational reactions are watered down to the point that they are manageable.

Perhaps conservatives should be outfitted with virtual reality goggles and sent to do a little window shopping in the West Village.

"Oh my god it's a gay couple... RUN!!!"

In all seriousness, I think the three pronged, 24hr. cable news assault is the perfect fuel for the subconscious conservative fire.

Since shutting them down is unrealistic I think the only way to coax conservatives out of their bomb shelters is through some kind of foreign exchange program in their formative years. If all Americans were immersed in and forced to adapt to a different culture for a fixed period of time I believe it would burst the bubble enough for a little light to shine through.

I am not the first person to suggest this, I am merely walking you through my thought process. It just seems to me that we keep investing all of our energy into fighting them on the political front and we keep losing. While we must maintain that front we should open up another flank. We will never convince them and they will never change their mind. We must find a way to facilitate experiences for them that will open their hearts and minds because of their own discovery. Only then will the pathways of critical thinking and empathy appear to them as alternatives to the head-in-the-sand, lifeboat mentality.