Video: 50 year study says conservatives 'followers'

DEAN: I ran into a massive study that has really been going on 50 years now by academics. They've never really shared this with the general public. It's a remarkable analysis of the authoritarian personality. Both those who are inclined to follow leaders and those who jump in front and want to be the leaders. It was not the opinion of social scientists. It was information they drew by questioning large numbers of people -- hundreds of thousands of people -- in anonymous testing where [the subjects] conceded their innermost feelings and reactions to things. And it came out that most of these people were pre-qualified to be conservatives and this, did indeed, fit with the authoritarian personality.

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DEAN: What I'm saying is that there has been fear mongering, the likes of which we have not seen in a long time in this country. It happened early in the cold war. We got accustomed to it. We learned to live with it. We learned to understand what it was about and get it in proportion. We haven't done that yet with terrorism. And this administration is really capitalizing on it and using it for its' political advantage. No question, the academic testing show -- the empirical evidence shows -- when people are frightened, they tend to go to these authority figures. They tend to become more conservative. So, it's paid off for them politically to do this.
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An interesting interview. I for one would like some evidence that this "massive study" actually exists. However, i must admit, that this has a ring of truthiness. What doesn't ring so true, is the lack of references; perhaps they are provided in the actual book.

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Mark de LA says

M 2006-07-12 06:22:46 3913

M 2006-07-12 06:19:37 3913

There are followers on both sides; Hitler on the right & Stalin & Mao on the left. Somewhere buried in Dean's stuff is an agenda. I think he followed Nixon a bit too far.

Here is a link in Wikipedia about him & Nixon. I love that Wikipedia can give a biography which exposes what the whole life of a person looks like & may explain where he is coming from!!

Seth says

M 2006-07-12 06:25:51 3913
I think he followed Nixon a bit too far.

Since i was a Watergate freak, i have been following John Dean's career .. i bought his first book. To me he was the guy within the Nixon administration who stood up and said "enough is enough" ... remember "There is a cancer growing on the presidency" ... not something that Nixon wanted to hear. For me he stopped well short of "too far".

Here he is playing the same role

Mark de LA says

2006-07-12 07:53:53 3913

source: ... (Wikipedia) Dean pled guilty to obstruction of justice before Watergate trial judge John Sirica on October 19, 1973. He admitted supervising payments of "hush money" to the Watergate burglars, notably E. Howard Hunt, and revealed the existence of Nixon's enemies list. On August 2, 1974, Sirica handed down a sentence of one to four years in a minimum-security prison.

... IMHO, a sentence of one to four years is a bit too far!

Seth says

M 2006-07-12 08:00:48 3913

... IMHO, a sentence of one to four years is a bit too far!

Well for a young ambitious political layer he demonstrated exceptional courage. We all make mistakes. We all are lead by circumstances into actions that hindsight proves are in error. He paid for those mistakes. For me that test which he faced and emerged from lends credance to what he says now. So fine, go ahead and sit there with your laughfing faces and throw your ad hominem remarks to excuse yourself form examining his message. But i honestly think you would learn more about politics in America today if you would instead just listen to the interview or read the transcript.

Mark de LA says

M 2006-07-12 08:43:55 3913

testy..testy! Why would I want to listen to a felon trying to make amends for his life , whose theorem is that "conservatives are followers" ? Conservatives tend the other way around & drive their politics by inner principles & core beliefs. Maybe Dean should look inside further or maybe he should just take a poll & see if he has any core beliefs. If you revised his theorem or your headline to say that "Liberals are Panderers" would you want to waste your time listening or reading further into your linkfarm ?

Mark de LA says
I think I know my own beliefs better than you

Mark de LA says

M 2006-07-12 09:55:55 3913

I think I know my own beliefs better than you

Do you know what your core beliefs are? In 1988 in a Date w/ Destiny at Tony Robbin's castle I spent a day determining my own. The result (almost 19 years ago) is in 3000. I'm sure it has changed since then - it's age dependent. On the other hand as I review it, mine has a core that is fairly constant.

It is simple method. Answer the question "What is most important to you in life" & continue .. what's important about that...etc. Eventually you will end up with a list (such as mine). Then order them. What is more important to you (say) love or money etc. I got a tree which I flattened out. You have to be honest and make sure the values you describe are current values & not what you think you should have. For extra credit you should also answer the question "How do I know when I have (say) Love" and refine your internal dialogue about .

For really extra credit: Turn this question technique into your left-right thingy.

Seth says

M 2006-07-12 08:49:04 3913

... , whose theorem is that "conservatives are followers" ? Conservatives tend the other way around & drive their politics by inner principles & core beliefs.

Well you might want to look at how closely you follow Bush ... how violently you defend him. You might also want to look at how you keep bringing up how we should prioritize our war against terriorism. All that stuff came from your inner principles and core beliefs? Sure your gonna say it does ... but curious people wonder

Seth says
Your 3000 is private.

Seth says
An interesting article: The End Of the Right?

Video: 50 year study says conservatives 'followers'

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