Category Archives: Psychology

LQCs: Moral Collapse, the Paranoid Style, Deflection

Posted on 17 May 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

(With an endpiece.) Paul Krugman is back from vacation. NYT, Paul Krugman, 16 May 2022: From Voodoo to MAGA to Buffalo I never thought I’d say this, but I miss voodoo economics.

Posted in Personal history, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on LQCs: Moral Collapse, the Paranoid Style, Deflection

Endless Polarization, Ideology, and What MAGA Means

Posted on 8 May 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

David French on polarization; the inevitability of endless political arguments; how MAGA is about white Christian men.

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LQCs: Paranoia and Fantasy Realities

Posted on 30 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Pondering. NYT, 30 April 2022: Inside the Apocalyptic Worldview of ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ Subtitled: “Night after night, the host of the most-watched show in prime-time cable news uses a simple narrative to instill fear in his viewers: ‘They’ want to … Continue reading →

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LQCs: Reality, Fantasy, Narcissism

Posted on 27 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Media Matters, Payton Armstrong, 27 April 2022: According to right-wing media, anything that makes them look bad is a “false flag” Subtitled: “Whether it’s acts of right-wing violence, Russian war crimes, or the January 6 pipe bombs, right-wing media personalities … Continue reading →

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LQCs: Ideologies vs. Expertise

Posted on 26 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

This neatly follows up from yesterday’s comments about ideologies. The issue is, why don’t Americans trust experts?. And to cut to the chase, Lewis sees the problems as: people drawing conclusions about the world (including ideologies!) based on anecdotes (personal … Continue reading →

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LQCs: Sanctimony and Amorality

Posted on 24 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly
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LQCs: Creativity, Education, Reactionaries

Posted on 21 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Today, another counter-intuitive premise. Before reading the article, I reflect that most people admire celebrity artists, but wouldn’t want their child to try to be one. Other items follow.

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on LQCs: Creativity, Education, Reactionaries

LQCs: Imaginary Problems, Critical Thinking, 11-Point Plans, and Prophets

Posted on 20 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Latest in a recurring theme about how Republicans not only aren’t trying to solve real problems, or even fighting the culture wars, they’re fighting *imaginary* problems to rile up their white working class base. NYT, Paul Krugman, 18 April 2022: … Continue reading →

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LQCs: Jonathan Haidt on the Corrosive Effects of Social Media

Posted on 18 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

The Atlantic website has a long essay (some 5000 words at an estimate) by Jonathan Haidt, to appear in the May 2022 print edition. The Atlantic, Jonathan Haidt, 11 April 2022: Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have … Continue reading →

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LQCs: Stories of Religion and History and Why We Tell Them

Posted on 15 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly
Posted in Narrative, Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on LQCs: Stories of Religion and History and Why We Tell Them