Authoritarianism

[sixdogsmom]

This is from a blogger on Capitol Hill Blues, a nonpartisan site. I thought it interesting.


Submitted by Timr on September 14, 2008 - 3:46pm.
Re why the repigs are doing so good. I can say it in just one word-with lots of words to explain that one word of course-AUTHORITARIANISM. It comes in 3 flavors. The Leader-AL, the Follower-AF and the Leader/Follower-ALF. Studies in the dozens, some multigenerational, by social scientists have been done in the years following WWII as america struggled to understand what made a formerly law abiding nation-Germany-into the fanatical followers of Hitler and Facism. What they found out can be found by googling AUTHORITARIAN or AUTHORITARIANISM, there are too many studies for me to provide links to. What it all boils down to, and I have been harping on this for about 4 years, is that the AF, a rigid thinker is easily led by a AL or an ALF and who is unable to think of things that do not fit exactly into his or her worldview. Whatever the AL or ALF says will instantly become integrated into his worldview, even if it is known to be a lie-it will be ignored-or if it is a direct contradiction of whatever that AL or ALF said an hour ago. Example. Shawn Hannidy is an ALF, someone who can change his views seamlessly if someone who is perceived by him to be a stronger ALF or who is an AL says something that contradicts what he just said or asked(his interview with Bolton is a good example). All right wing radio talk show hosts fall into the catagory of ALF in that they preach the current AL orthodoxy. The US currently has, including the "low information voter" or "sheeple", about a 50-50 balance between the AUTHORITARIAN voters and the free thinkers, with the AUTHORITARIANS gaining ground with each generation. Evangelicals are an excellent source of Authoritarianism as they are more likely to either home school their children or send them to Evangelical schools where, unlike in public schools, they can be indoctrinated into the same AF as their parents. Germany and Hitler had the Hitler Youth where political indoctrination took place. Currently home schooling/Evangelical church schools fulfill the same function. Political indoctrination. Hatred of Science-which violates the rigid thinking and passive acceptance of the creation orthodoxy. It all starts at the School Board level where the ALs have discovered that people generally do not vote in public school elections. This enables them to insert the ALF into the public school system where they can push and insist on teaching creationism or intelligent design on an equal basis with Science-or as they preach, Darwinism.
I have been retired for many years and have been able to read/study the various studies about Authoritarians and how they gestate from generation to generation. The numbers are increasing every year and more colleges are formed to preach the orthodox view that does not allow dissent. Either the Republician party has co-opted the Authoritarians or the Authoritarians have co-opted the republician party, or perhaps the rigid thinking passive AF grew out of the complexity of todays society, Darwinian Evolution one might say.
Whatever the cause, they are strengthing. gwb was the first ALF to be elected, I believe that the attempt to elect McCain is the second. While the ALF is not the top of the Authoritarian ladder, they fulfill the function of leader of the people while the people who are more than willing to exploit the current Authoritarian bent of the country attempt to retain power by being the power brokers behind the scene. I also believe that these people-whom I would characterize as being part of the eclectic group currently known as the New American Century Neocons who at this point in time encompass Big Energy, Big Arms, Big Media and Big Religion. The untimate aims of both groups are currently the same. The neocons wish to, as they say, "project american power" all over the world, the Authoritarians desire the same tho for different reasons. I predict, as I have predicted for the last 4 years, that within 20-50 years the US as it currently exists, a Republic with a Constitution, will no longer exist. Instead we will become a theocratic militaristic dictatorship. I can see no other future with the generational increase of the Authoritarian ranks. A third world country-due to the hatred of science(they will happily use science, but will be unable to come up with new ideas because of the rigid orthodxy that the children will be brought up in)with a first world military bent on increasing the holy american empire. We will become wage/debt slaves, serfs in other words, there to serve the ALs and the ALFs. Scoff if you wish. Call me paranoid. I don't care. All I ask is that you Google AUTHORITARIANISM and become familiar with it, because they will be the ones running the country within a very few short years because they will become the majority.

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[pam]

Lot of good points in there. As a square peg who people have been tryin to pound into a round hole since I was little bitty, I know what the guy is talkin about.
My husband is always teasin me when I start a storm by takin a position that doesn't follow the popular view. He says it's because most people fall into the "Stay with the herd, it's safe with the herd!" mentality. I'm upsettin the herd when I take off on my own.
I say Thank GOD for the people who don't follow the herd! They are about the last best chance we got!