A Scientific American article discusses how unconscious reactions shape conservatives and liberals and how attention to psychological factors might help soften tensions between these often warring parties. One of the items discussed was the “fear factor.” “When people feel safe and secure, they become more liberal; when they feel threatened, they become more conservative.” So, how might an understanding of fear’s conscious or unconscious influence on us shape how we might try to persuade one another to moderate our views in one direction or the other?
The following is a thought experiment. I am not advocating any one of these lines of reasoning in this post, but am simply trying to tease out how one might seek to persuade those on the right and left toward a mediating position.
Could it be that if you wanted to motivate political conservatives to care more for racial minorities, refugees and undocumented workers, for example, you would try to persuade them that such care would make the country great again, that is, stronger, safer, more secure?
And could it also be that if you wanted political liberals to respect authorities like police more, you would try to show them how such respect would help foster more freedom and equity for racial minorities, refugees and undocumented workers?
Would the same basic approach, if cogent methodologically, apply to conservative and liberal Christians, too? In other words, if you wanted conservative Christians to open the country’s doors to Muslim refugees, would you try to convince them that such openness would actually increase respect for Christianity and expand its reach?
And if you wanted liberal Christians to become more wary of welcoming Muslim refugees to America’s shores, would you try to convince them that the more Muslims there were here, the more it would impinge upon the rights of other marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ community (given how many Muslims’ countries of origin are viewed as far from sympathetic to LGBTQ rights, and given what occurred in Orlando at the hands of an American born extremist pledging allegiance to ISIS)?
Whether or not any of these particular claims are valid, they are facets of this thought experiment that aims to speak to the intuitions and feelings that are claimed to drive conservatives and liberals–such as security and strength on the one hand and fairness and equity on the other. If conservatives become more liberal when they feel secure and strong, and if liberals become more conservative when they feel fairness and equity are under attack, how might you argue your case to get the right and the left to meet in the middle?
Please feel free to share reflections specially responding to this thought experiment rather than debating partisan issues and perpetuating our divisions!
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