Posted by:
Dr. No
(
)
Date: July 11, 2020 02:24PM
Understanding the other sometimes helps.
Some thoughts:
Einstein once stated "I think the most important question facing humanity is, ‘Is the universe a friendly place?’"
How this is answered determines the role of data (be these statistical, physical, conceptual) in our lives.
- If the universe threatening we build walls to keep ourselves safe.
- If the universe is friendly there is no need for walls, so we are open.
Liberalism and conservatism are actually not political positions, they're methods of thought: how we arrive at a life position (there are liberal right-wingers and conservative leftists). Each has inherent strengths and vulnerabilities.
Liberalism, from Latin liberalis (or liber excogitatoris) roughly translates " free thinker." These take in ample data, which is processed to try and find out how things actually work, so the more data the better. These are those open without walls. Change is no threat in a safe universe.
Conservatism, from Latin conservare, translates to keep, to guard. These organize life based on fixed authoritative beliefs and rules (e.g. Bible), the maintenance of which is very tenuous as a perpetually changing universe is always intruding. So for these data and other ideas are destabilizing threats and not at all welcome: walls are built. Change is unwelcome.
Interesting summary of many studies (and there's more)
https://www.businessinsider.com/psychological-differences-between-conservatives-and-liberals-2018-2So according to this idea, those shutting out "facts" are simply fearful and trying desperately to maintain a "safe bubble" in a hostile threatening changing universe. To approach these with information is to threaten them. That's why you get the fierce reaction you do.
These live in a very different universe.