Rightwing Obedience to Authority

[harm]

Milgram's original experiment was performed in an attempt to understand why so many normal Germans went willingly along with Nazi experimentation. Other researchers have also linked Milgram's results to other totalitarian regimes like that of Stalin and Pol Pot while some researchers suggest that modern day political parties utilize Milgram's findings to promote greater loyalty within their supporters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

This is the difference between a liberal mind and a conservatives.

[RusskiSoldat]

Here's the Russki experiment: 1) read a thread 2) see if it attempts to make one of the two major US parties look fundamentally idiotic/unnatural/unholy 3) if it does, leave that thread after a comment insulting the author's intelligence
I think everyone should try it.

[Lord Bohemond]

This is the difference between a liberal mind and a conservatives.

I'm not sure where you pulled that from - are you implying that Stalin and Pol Pot were supported by RIGHT-wingers? :hmmm:

Here's the Seylanov experiment: 1) read a thread 2) see if it attempts to make one of the two major US parties look fundamentally idiotic/unnatural/unholy 3) if it does, leave that thread after a comment insulting the author's intelligence
I think everyone should try it.

Very cruel... but funny.

Of course not all repubs are christian fundamentalist but all fundamentalists are republican. That is common sense and I didn't think I needed to state the obvious.

Yes, it is obvious... obviously false.

The progressive political movement was originally Christian (The Clergy were the most educated people around, so its only natural their members would be at the vanguard of such a group) - the shift to the left is relatively new, and certainly isn't 100% true.

[harm]

insults...

[KingOfTheIsles]

It doesn't say anywhere that the political views of the test subjects were taken and analysed, so that's a pretty faulty conclusion to draw.

[DefenderofFreedom]

A: Nazi's were Superconseratives, fascists if they went along with it.
B: Liberals would agree with liberal authority and conservatives agree with conservative authority.
C: Comparing conservatives to Nazis is pathetic and will recieve many flames.
D: Personally, everything Liberal and Conservative gets in the way of choosing what you really think is right and best for the country or the world. Being a liberal doesn't mean you don't have morals. Being a conservative doesn't mean you the world to be an empire like Rome (bad example).

[Lusted]

Erm, the original poster has taken Milgrams study completely out of context. Milgram was investigating whether ordinary people in the US would follow instructions given to them by people in uniform which could have potentially lethal results(though faked). Milgram found that a large percentage of the group tested: 65%, would go all the way to the highest voltage(read wiki article if i've just lost you as it explains the experiment) which would kill someone. The study has been duplicated in other countries with different gropus of people and the results are all about the same. People will do nearly anything someone in uniform or position of authority says. The Milgram study did not look into whether conservative/liberal mindsets would be more susceptible to this, but just whether people were, as Milgram was shocked by the holocaust and the orders people obeyed, and wondered whether a similar thing could happen elsewhere.

[harm]

Erm, the original poster has taken Milgrams study completely out of context. Milgram was investigating whether ordinary people in the US would follow instructions given to them by people in uniform which could have potentially lethal results(though faked). Milgram found that a large percentage of the group tested: 65%, would go all the way to the highest voltage(read wiki article if i've just lost you as it explains the experiment) which would kill someone. The study has been duplicated in other countries with different gropus of people and the results are all about the same. People will do nearly anything someone in uniform or position of authority says. The Milgram study did not look into whether conservative/liberal mindsets would be more susceptible to this, but just whether people were, as Milgram was shocked by the holocaust and the orders people obeyed, and wondered whether a similar thing could happen elsewhere.

I never took Milgram out of context; I first discovered Milgram through a book called Conservatives without Conscience by John W. Dean He was the first administration official to accuse Nixon of direct involvement with Watergate and the resulting cover up, in press interviews as well as his testimony. Dean pled guilty to obstruction of justice before Watergate trial judge John Sirica on October 19, 1973. He admitted supervising payments of "hush money" to the Watergate burglars, notably E. Howard Hunt, and revealed the existence of Nixon's enemies list.

Dean and Milgram actually knew each other. Dean has spoken at Milgram conferences because of the Watergate probes that he established. It is proven that convervatives follow a strong father figure more than liberals. They like to follow strong authoritarians unlike liberals who by definition tend to think for themselves. Bob Altemeyer Has done some follow up studies; his most well known book Right-Wing Authoritarianism ( n00kie, alot of your questions can be answered here).

There is a reason why the Democratic party can never agree on things. They are less authoritarian.

[danzig]

Dean and Milgram actually knew each other. Dean has spoken at Milgram conferences because of the Watergate probes that he established. It is proven that convervatives follow a strong father figure more than liberals. They like to follow strong authoritarians unlike liberals who by definition tend to think for themselves. Bob Altemeyer Has done some follow up studies; his most well known book Right-Wing Authoritarianism ( n00kie, alot of your questions can be answered here).

Pfft Altermeyer's book is almost offensive in that it pretty much implies being 'right wing' is some type of mental disease and probably one of the most slanted, biased 'studies' itself. Basically if its viewed by Altemeyer as a bad trait then it is right wing if anyone did such a study about any other group it would probably be instantly dismissed. Ironically he believes there is absolutely no such thing as LWA which comes no suprise because the entire thing is setup so that if its bad=right if its good=left so people like say Stalin, Mao would actually be 'right wing' I suppose. Dont like Nudism? Check, bad trait/right wing.

There is a reason why the Democratic party can never agree on things. They are less authoritarian.

Taken to the extreme you might have a point but what you are basically saying is that being disorganized, unable to come to an agreement on a course of action = non right wing and hence is a good thing. As with everything on the face of the planet things have to be taken with moderation, a level of 'authoritarian' (if you want to use that word for it) that allows people to band together for a common good is infact a good thing, IF done within limits. The west banding together for WW2 would in fact be right wing authoritarian no (and I take a point here to mention the congresswoman who was a 'radical' left winger who voted against declaration of war back in 1941)? But was that a BAD thing? We'll we can see the worst in group mindset when taken to the extreme the opposite end is anarchy like behavior. So the key is moderation and rather than instantly dismissing people or entire groups of people, traits etc as bad or good.

[Sammur-amat]

so actually all mankind is deep inside mostly good lil soldier,only difference is who issue orders, right?

[Tom Paine]

Yes, yes we are and aye, it is.

[Sammur-amat]

hmmm...but there is sum serious flaw..all people participated in the xperiment are common people, with no military,financial or political power,right?..i mean how many times you heard that people with power, abuse power for their own benefits..startin from ordinary street cop & up..is this whole xperiment apply only to powerless or all?

[RusskiSoldat]

We don't know the jobs of these people.
And the potential for abuse of power has nothing to do with it.

[Sammur-amat]

yea but picture urself as a millionaire (probanly sorrounded by security n secretaries) would you spent some time in sum xperiment that not bring money into your wallet...while your bussiness suffers? i dont think so...would you let sum low ranked uniform play "good dog' with you..i dont think so..but powerless under sum uncertain job with morgage,with kids @ home to be fed..would you act "smartass" on uniform and risk it whole?..i dont think so..you obey and hope that nuthin bad comes out of it..

[bdh]

yea but picture urself as a millionaire (probanly sorrounded by security n secretaries) would you spent some time in sum xperiment that not bring money into your wallet...while your bussiness suffers? i dont think so...would you let sum low ranked uniform play "good dog' with you..i dont think so..but powerless under sum uncertain job with morgage,with kids @ home to be fed..would you act "smartass" on uniform and risk it whole?..i dont think so..you obey and hope that nuthin bad comes out of it..

It was a random sampling of people. I doubt that someones socio-economic status has much to do with the experiment. You're talking more about someones state of mind rather than their position in life. You're describing arrogance, not power.

[Sammur-amat]

But actually if you look at it, many rich people oobey the uniforms as well, because it ensures they remain out of trouble.

Yes they to ..they obey thru they lawyers,PR's...but rarely personally..

It was a random sampling of people. I doubt that someones socio-economic status has much to do with the experiment. You're talking more about someones state of mind rather than their position in life. You're describing arrogance, not power.

it random ok but question yourself..how many of that random number is sum senator,judge,chief of the police, plastic surgeon or sumthin alike and what percent is just workers (its IMO but i think around 100%).....its ability to send sumone of your stuff to deal with it...its case that you need an apointment to talk to them personally "face to face". Call it "arrogance" or whatever you want to call it..its power to keep yourself distanced from things, but still have influence on it indirectly...

[Tom Paine]

That's a point. Most people aren't rich and most people obey the men in uniforms. Maybe they are related?
But actually if you look at it, many rich people oobey the uniforms as well, because it ensures they remain out of trouble.

[Tom Paine]

Um.... you can't send someone else off if you are randomly sampled, it doesn't work; and to say no looks really, really bad in the media.

[Sammur-amat]

Um.... you can't send someone else off if you are randomly sampled, it doesn't work; and to say no looks really, really bad in the media.

yeah but ever heard the term "curently unavailable" ?

[Tom Paine]

Like I say, that plays badly in the press.