Low-Effort Thought Promotes Political Conservatism

Conservative political ideology in Western democracies may be identified by several components, including an emphasis on personal responsibility, acceptance of hierarchy, and a preference for the status quo. These ideological components map closely onto non-ideological psychological processes, which support attitudes consistent with political conservatism. We describe how attitudes and behaviors consistent with these components increase as a consequence of thinking that requires little time, effort, or awareness. From this starting point, we develop the argument that political conservatism is promoted when people rely on low-effort thinking. When effortful, deliberate responding is disrupted or disengaged, thought processes become quick and efficient; these conditions promote conservative ideology.

Scott Eidelman, Christian  Crandall, Jeffrey A. Goodman, and John C. Blanchar,  Pers Soc Psychol Bull published online 16 March 2012

http://psp.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/03/16/0146167212439213.full.pdf+html

Destiny

Sad, really.
Our destiny
Something, beyond us - the end of who we are.
Never meant for greatness
humankind then -  a next step.

Listen to the MUSTN'TS

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child
Listen to the DONT'S
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child
ANYTHING can be

by Shel Silverstein

Conservative 'Thinking'

Conservative thinking is low effort thinking
Complexities reduced to black and white - unknowns and shades of gray replaced by rigid structure and over-simplification
At its basis - fear of an uncertain, complex, and confusing world
Such thinking results in rigidness of thought, purposeful ignorance
It lies at the heart of racism, bigotry, hate, repressiveness
It is a fearful, rigid resistance to progress and revelation and can in the end therefore only, finally, fail
For fear is the price nature extracts for imagination, wisdom - enlightment
It is the reason there is courage and must always be overcome

Ill Take The Moon

When it comes to big egos there are two basic types at opposite ends of a spectrum. The first actually believes they can accomplish the impossible and change things for the better.This sort inspires vision and greatness in those surrounding them, spearheading collaborative efforts that exceed what was thought possible - the first landing on the moon in less than 10 years.What egos those first NASA engineers and scientists must have had.

The second type assumes the world owes them - greatness, grandeur, and control.
Owed their greatness they crush anyone in the way using tools of fear, repressiveness, subjugation and over-reaching control - Stalin comes to mind.

One is a talented optimist and positive force, the second a narcissist, usually aided by a solid dose of sociopathy - by their nature, destructive, demoralizing, repressive.

The origins of the ego - matter - the size of the ego - not so much.