Comments on: Escape from Fundamentalism http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:26:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: Bucky Blue http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-269089 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:09:55 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-269089 I do think we need to be careful with our terms. Fundamentalist is not the same as Evangelical. Most of the Religious Right is Evangelical, not Fundamentalist. While I would characterize most of the Fundi's as being passive toward authority, I would not characterize Evangelicals that way. I believe the Evangelicals and their RR movement is more about class. Go to any large, suburban Evangelical church and it will be filled with rich yuppies who would vote for and support republicans weather they, the Evans, were in church or not. I believe the distinction is much more nuanced than simply the RR are a bunch of fundamentalists who are passive toward authority and voted republican because their pastors told them to do it. I do think we need to be careful with our terms. Fundamentalist is not the same as Evangelical. Most of the Religious Right is Evangelical, not Fundamentalist. While I would characterize most of the Fundi’s as being passive toward authority, I would not characterize Evangelicals that way. I believe the Evangelicals and their RR movement is more about class. Go to any large, suburban Evangelical church and it will be filled with rich yuppies who would vote for and support republicans weather they, the Evans, were in church or not. I believe the distinction is much more nuanced than simply the RR are a bunch of fundamentalists who are passive toward authority and voted republican because their pastors told them to do it.

]]> by: The Mahablog » The Wisdom of Doubt: The Series http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-269084 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:43:05 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-269084 [...] Also — moonbat’s “Escape from Fundamentalism” [...] […] Also — moonbat’s “Escape from Fundamentalism” […]

]]> by: Swami http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266665 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:12:37 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266665 Good post, moonbat. I'm reminded of a story I heard over 30 years ago..Some Fundi had a word from the lord, so he packed up his wife and children headed out into the desert with any provision because the scriptures had promised him that the Lord shall provide..Needless to say, they all perished. Good post, moonbat. I’m reminded of a story I heard over 30 years ago..Some Fundi had a word from the lord, so he packed up his wife and children headed out into the desert with any provision because the scriptures had promised him that the Lord shall provide..Needless to say, they all perished.

]]> by: wmr http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266548 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:52:58 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266548 moonbat, looks like we're running in the same tracks again. moonbat, looks like we’re running in the same tracks again.

]]> by: moonbat http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266531 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:26:07 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266531 Comments 4 and 6: Bob Altemeyer's "The Authoritarians" can be found <a href="http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Much of Dean's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conservatives-Without-Conscience-John-Dean/dp/0670037745/ref=ed_oe_h/102-4540957-0261762?ie=UTF8&#38;qid=1185639341&#38;sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">Conservatives Without Conscience</a> is based on Altemeyer's research. In fact, it was Dean who encouraged Altemeyer to put his work into a book and get it out to the broader public. Altemeyer's material at the first link above, is the result of this prodding by Dean. Altemeyer presents his material in a very accessible and humorous way, and so it's an easy yet informative read. If I may share one anecdote from this material: Altemeyer devised a simple test to score the amount of Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) one "carries around" in one's personality, in other words, how strongly you tend toward these beliefs. He then took 40 people who scored high in RWA, and set them at the controls of a computer simulation of running the world. In short order, this group blew up the world in a nuclear holocaust. Deciding that maybe this wasn't the most informative outcome, he then rolled back the simulation to two years prior to the holocaust. The RWAs managed to avoid blowing everything up this time, but they created a hell on earth: enormous disparities between rich and poor, huge environmental degradation, and lots of smaller wars. Next, Altemeyer took 40 people who scored low in RWA, and let them have a try at the simulation. Those who were familiar with the simulation said it was the best run they had ever seen. There wasn't the huge gap between rich and poor, the environment wasn't that badly trashed, and although there were wars and conflicts, these were relatively small and manageable. I can't think of any better scientific demonstration that shows why we need to get idiots like Bush and the like away from the controls. Everyone should read Altemeyer's work. Comments 4 and 6: Bob Altemeyer’s “The Authoritarians” can be found here.

Much of Dean’s Conservatives Without Conscience is based on Altemeyer’s research. In fact, it was Dean who encouraged Altemeyer to put his work into a book and get it out to the broader public. Altemeyer’s material at the first link above, is the result of this prodding by Dean.

Altemeyer presents his material in a very accessible and humorous way, and so it’s an easy yet informative read. If I may share one anecdote from this material:

Altemeyer devised a simple test to score the amount of Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) one “carries around” in one’s personality, in other words, how strongly you tend toward these beliefs.

He then took 40 people who scored high in RWA, and set them at the controls of a computer simulation of running the world. In short order, this group blew up the world in a nuclear holocaust. Deciding that maybe this wasn’t the most informative outcome, he then rolled back the simulation to two years prior to the holocaust. The RWAs managed to avoid blowing everything up this time, but they created a hell on earth: enormous disparities between rich and poor, huge environmental degradation, and lots of smaller wars.

Next, Altemeyer took 40 people who scored low in RWA, and let them have a try at the simulation. Those who were familiar with the simulation said it was the best run they had ever seen. There wasn’t the huge gap between rich and poor, the environment wasn’t that badly trashed, and although there were wars and conflicts, these were relatively small and manageable.

I can’t think of any better scientific demonstration that shows why we need to get idiots like Bush and the like away from the controls. Everyone should read Altemeyer’s work.

]]> by: wmr http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266522 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:08:09 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266522 Dang, the link didn't take. Well <a href="http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/" rel="nofollow">try again</a> or here it is for cut and paste: http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/ Dang, the link didn’t take. Well try again or here it is for cut and paste:

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

]]> by: wmr http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266517 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:05:56 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266517 The absolutism grows naturally out of the authoritarian personality. The work of Canadian psychologist Bob Altemeyer on this is a big part of John Dean's analysis in <i>Conservatives without Conscience</i> and Mrs Robinson refers to it as well. The easiest place to read up on this is <a>here</a>, where Altemeyer has made his latest book available for free. The absolutism grows naturally out of the authoritarian personality. The work of Canadian psychologist Bob Altemeyer on this is a big part of John Dean’s analysis in Conservatives without Conscience and Mrs Robinson refers to it as well.

The easiest place to read up on this is here, where Altemeyer has made his latest book available for free.

]]> by: paradoctor http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266511 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 15:14:46 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266511 Absolutism condemns absolute evil, but it is itself evil; for it justifies every crime, as a means to an end. Absolutism condemns absolute evil, but it is itself evil; for it justifies every crime, as a means to an end.

]]> by: diane http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266465 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 10:32:36 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266465 Read John Dean's book "Conservatives Without Consciences". Excellent explanation of what's going on in today's politics because of people with this personality type! Read John Dean’s book “Conservatives Without Consciences”.
Excellent explanation of what’s going on in today’s politics because of people with this personality type!

]]> by: cosette http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266430 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 07:20:01 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/07/27/escape-from-fundamentalism/#comment-266430 I was raised in a christian fundamentalist home and to this day I carry such shame about it all. I can hardly talk about it. I broke away from the church when I went to university and took a couple of sociology classes and met lots and lots of different people. Now I can't even stand to hear a church hymn. I was raised in a christian fundamentalist home and to this day I carry such shame about it all. I can hardly talk about it. I broke away from the church when I went to university and took a couple of sociology classes and met lots and lots of different people. Now I can’t even stand to hear a church hymn.

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