Category Archives: Conservative Resistance

Tribalism and Cooperation

Posted on 1 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s topics: How tribalism, evolutionary evolved, solved some problems and created others, especially in the modern world; The counter idea of “coöperism”; Current events about Chick-fil-A and Republican condemnation of anti-racism. I talk of politics as manifesting ‘tribalism’ a lot; … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Evolution, Morality | Leave a comment

Narrative Bias and Control

Posted on 30 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Another take on why conspiracy theories have become so popular; How home-schoolers who decided to send their kids to public schools exposed the three lies about home-schooling that convinced them to do so; The Week on the state of book … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Music, Narrative, Religion | Leave a comment

Then They Came for the Meteorologists

Posted on 29 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s items. How conspiracy theorists are attacking meteorologists; Naomi Oreskes on how the right attacks Social Security because it’s a “big government” program that actually works; The connection between American Christians and Uganda’s “kill the gays” policy And today’s music: … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Music, Psychology | Leave a comment

Groupthink, Reason, and Conspiracy Thinking

Posted on 26 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

An apology/defense of groupthink; My thoughts about how religion undermines the ability to reason; A Republican who believes globes are a global conspiracy; How Republicans take advantage of laws they voted against; And how they’re trying to disappear gays and … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Epistemology | Leave a comment

More Examples of What MAGA Really Means

Posted on 22 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Items today: How Florida has been designated a dangerous state for blacks, Latinos, and sexual minorities to visit, with Tennessee close behind Florida and Texas on implementing similar policies; Marjorie Taylor Greene’s hypocrisy about drag (she condemns it, except when … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Psychology | Comments Off on More Examples of What MAGA Really Means

Today’s Authoritarianism Watch

Posted on 19 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Items today: Heather Cox Richardson on the transformation of the Republican Party since Reagan, from a party of small government to one bent on enforcing Christian nationalism; How Republicans now argue that juries don’t count (when they lose); FDR’s four … Continue reading →

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Motivated Reasoning, and Vigilantism

Posted on 17 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Two themes today. A prime example of motivated reasoning, from today’s NY Times font page (as if on cue from yesterday’s post), about conservative opposition to transgenders And several examples of the increasing Republican approval of vigilantism NY Times, 16 … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Psychology | Comments Off on Motivated Reasoning, and Vigilantism

Skepticism, Beliefs, and Cognitive Biases

Posted on 16 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Familiar topics, but worth another look, especially since if they were broadly understood it would make so many of America’s partisan controversies go away. (But conservatives will never allow concepts like skeptical thinking to be taught in schools, for precisely … Continue reading →

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Fear and Guns, Fear of Diversity, and Conservative Misogyny

Posted on 15 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

For today, current events items about How gun buyers are motivated by fear How Republican politicians are motivated by fear of change, and fear of the other How Trump and his fans expose conservative misogyny For later, I need to … Continue reading →

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The Upside-Down World of Conservative Values

Posted on 13 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

They’re for discrimination against some (gays and lesbians) against discrimination against others (religious conscientious objectors) Their ideas of freedom involve the freedom to discriminate against people they don’t like (even if that infringes on *their* freedom) Their belief in capitalism … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Morality, Personal history | Comments Off on The Upside-Down World of Conservative Values