Study Finds Conservatives More Open-minded
It's always a good idea to take these, usually government funded, studies with a copious measure of salt. But just the same, it is real nice to be vindicated.An Ohio State study found that conservatives are more likely to read opposing views, than are so-called "liberals." (a word leftists and progressives hijacked during the New Deal and then proceeded to change its meaning).
It is the same conclusion reached in the book I Can’t Believe I’m Sitting Next to a Republican. Liberals are often surprised to find that conservatives tend to know their thinking, but they don't understand conservatism—and are generally clueless when it comes to libertarianism. I remember how Barack Obama, in one of his prime time press conferences, expressed amazement that there were still people who did not believe that Roosevelt's New Deal ended the Great Depression. The truth is that virtually all economists, including liberals like Paul Krugman, admit this.
Many of my leftist friends are shocked to learn that, unlike many of them, I have actually read Das Kapital and the Communist Manifesto—as well as President Audacity's hymns to himself---and even read blogs like Moveon.org on a regular basis.
The history of this blog certainly supports the finding that conservatives are more open-minded than liberals. In the three years I have been publishing this blog the core readership has been conservatives, even though it is written by a lesbian who has always strongly opposed the Iraq War, Patriot Act and War Commissions Act—and strongly supports same sex marriage and the legalization of marijuana.
Nonetheless conservative guys like MK Freeberg and KURU have been long time readers. And the blog was saved from oblivion by readers like Tigerhawk and the support of Pajama Media, when some of my detractors were able to, in some inscrutable manner, get Google to designate the blog as a pornographic site.
We used to have liberals and feminists around here—they liked it when the topic often drifted to the follies of George Bush. But since he doesn't matter anymore, I scarcely mention him. And they are quite offended that I frequently point out there is now a man in the White House who is a much bigger threat to liberty, and America as I understand and love it, than was the other guy. And I suppose it makes them uncomfortable when I mention that Barack Obama has not taken any significant steps to undo those things which troubled me most about George Bush.
Just like a local chapter of the National Organization of Women 86'd me for believing that abortion is a bit yuckier than spilling pea soup, feminists, like Womanist Musings, no longer stop by. A lot of feminists didn't like it when I thought out loud how maybe they should speak up on the misogynistic treatment of Sarah Palin, even if they didn't like her, or her politics—after all, I stood up for Hillary Clinton.
Gay and lesbian activists (with a few notable exceptions) want nothing to do with me. Perhaps they don't like hearing that Barack Obama has done nothing that he has promised gays and lesbians, and has the same viewpoint on gay marriage as does Carrie Prejean --while Dick Cheney is actually on their side, and George Bush's solicitor general has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8.
It is just difficult to learn much when you only read stuff you already agree with, and apparently, according to the Ohio State study, that is what most liberals do.
And when you are ignorant, it is inevitable that you are wrong a whole lot of the time, and it is uncomfortable when this is pointed out.
So avoidance is the best policy.
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