Liberals: criminally insane
Written by Alex Foster on 29th February 2008 – 4:02 pmSo says an American psychiatrist in his latest book The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness, sadly only available in the United States.
“Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded,” says Dr. Lyle Rossiter.
For a full, unbiased review, see the scary World Net Daily.
Rossiter says the kind of liberalism being displayed by the two major candidates for the Democratic Party presidential nomination can only be understood as a psychological disorder.
Sometimes I’m really glad British politics hasn’t quite caught up with the US just yet. (Hat-tip: Joe.My.God)
Posted in Book reviews, LDVUSA
29th February 2008 at 4:44 pm
And a US government study has concluded that conservatism can be explained psychologically as a set of neuroses rooted in “fear and aggression, dogmatism and the intolerance of ambiguity”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/aug/13/usa.redbox
Gee, let’s just all call each other “CRAZY!” and forget about trying to work thingks out :rollseyes:
29th February 2008 at 4:44 pm
Of course, “Liberal” in America means something very different from “liberal” in the UK.
That being said, my guess is that this book joins the long tradition of pseudo-scientists using their area of expertise as cover for making political statements.
29th February 2008 at 4:47 pm
Since the two main candidates in the US aren’t displaying much liberalism I wouldn’t worry.
29th February 2008 at 4:48 pm
“That being said, my guess is that this book joins the long tradition of pseudo-scientists using their area of expertise as cover for making political statements.”
And the list would include Dr David (now Lord) Owen who insisted that gays are mentally ill.
29th February 2008 at 5:35 pm
It’s really important to say this: David Owen was never, and never claimed to be, a liberal. In this he contrasted poorly in the Alliance days with his predecessor Roy Jenkins who was liberal, and later a Liberal Democrat, although never precisely a Liberal!
Back to the main point though, I suspect that this emerges from the swamp that surrounds U.S. politics indeed just as a tit-for-tat for the 2003 findings that Richard has referenced above.
Personally, I find that the idea that conservatism is a sort of neurosis more convincing - why otherwise would sufferers always seek to look backwards, fear otherness and do anthing to cling to ha’pennies?
29th February 2008 at 6:05 pm
Nothing to see here, move along, etc.
1st March 2008 at 12:27 am
The psychology of the American right is based on a power trip; the US is the most powerful nation on earth and that you can acheive anything you like by brute force, whilst Liberals are the wimps who prefer to chicken out.
That is why it is important the Democrats win the elections in November, even though they are not promising anything worthwhile themselves. What is important is that the Republicans are defeated. They have overplayed their hand in how much power the US has in the world, and it will no doubt be as difficult for them as it was for the British when we lost our empire.