Tag Archives: liberals
Truth Wars: The Bitter Divide Between Conservative and Progressive Belief Systems
Every so often, a truly great book comes along. When God Talks Back: Understanding the Evangelical Relationship With God by Stanford anthropologist T.M. Luhrmann is certainly one of these. Let me recount briefly the main argument of Luhrmann’s book. In a word, Luhrmann gives us deep insight into the nature of different belief systems and why the battle between them is often so bitter and prolonged. Continue reading
The Republicans’ Masterful and Insidious Prey on America’s Founding Fears and Stories: Part II
In a recent op-ed, “The Republicans’ Masterful and Insidious Prey on America’s Founding Fears,” I talked about the fact that in 1988, Rupert Wilkinson published a remarkable little book. Wilkinson identified four fears that not only have been present from the very founding of the Republic, but are so basic that they are virtually synonymous with it: 1. The Fear of Being Owned; 2. The Fear of Falling Away; 3. The Fear of Winding Down; and 4. The Fear of Falling Apart.
Very few people know that just a year earlier in 1987, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich also published a book that dealt in a different but complimentary way with the same themes. In fact, I regard it as one of his best books. Continue reading
The Need to Fight Ignorance on the Left and Right
The confusion that reigns in the “marketplace of ideas” is as great as it’s ever been. To say that the Republicans candidates for president exploit this state of confusion for their own benefit is a gross understatement. (Indeed, they provoke it by spreading vicious lies. In this sense, “confusion” is too nice a word.)
Nonetheless, to lay the entire blame for confusion wholly on Republicans is not only not fair, but inaccurate. Liberal Democrats are confused on many of the same issues as well. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Media + Politics, Psychology
Tagged confusion, conservatives, Democrats, liberals, marketplace of ideas, Republicans, Rick Santorum
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The War of Words: Are Certain People and Words So Reprehensible Such That They Should Be Ostracized?
The recent “reprehensible outburst” — if that’s what it really deserves to be called — by Rush Limbaugh towards Sandra Fluke has predictably set off a War of Words between conservatives and liberals.
Liberals, among whom I enthusiastically count myself, are completely — and in my view, rightly — disgusted not only by Rush Limbaugh’s choice of words, but his general behavior and demeanor. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Media + Politics
Tagged conservatives, liberal, liberals, Rush Limbaugh
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Ian Mitroff | Mitroff Crisis Management 