A new meta-analysis published in Applied Cognitive Psychology finds that people with lower cognitive ability are more likely to find meaning in pseudo-profound nonsense. The study identifies key psychological traits linked to susceptibility to feel-good but meaningless statements.
Did I specify either: a part of the political spectrum that doesn’t fall victim to this; or a part of the political spectrum I identify with?
You named the right wing and centrists. I know the second part from your many other public statements.
Like you point out, my comments are all publicly available. I’m sure if what you are saying is the case then you can drum up some form of positive evidence of this. But I too am also fairly familiar with what I’ve put out, and I’ve been extremely critical of both Democrats and “the left” as a greater project in the lack of rigor they bring to their strategy.
I’m not suggesting the “left” is free from this whats-over. Search my comment history for my opinion on the “left” and the edging display Rachel Maddow engaged in (my self included) for literally years waiting for that second shoe.
The examples I put out I put out because they are good examples. I don’t think there are better examples of this phenomena in political circles than first and foremost 1) Trump and the MAGA movement, and 2) the collective self deception of Democrats, specifically the Blue MAGA/ Blue dog/ BAU/ “moderate” wing of the party in specifically the previous 4 years. The consequences for engagement in fantastical thinking and self deception on the part of MAGA is very obvious and very on display and so warrant less time. There are also many people covering this issue. The consequences for engagement in fantastical thinking and self deception on the part of Blue MAGA are less obvious, although perhaps, no less consequential. They warrant more time and coverage because of this.
If you have good examples of this happening on the left, but outside of the centrist/ Blue MAGA disaster which was the DNC in 2024, you are more than welcome to share it with the class. Otherwise, if its just you circle jerking because “I dont like how these words make me feel”, maybe have a seat.