Are Liberals And Conservatives Different Species?

In 1960, F.A. Hayek, one of present-day conservatives' favorite economists, published an essay entitled "Why I Am Not A Conservative." Bottom line: conservatives fear change and welcome authority; liberals are open to change and oppose coercion.

Hayek seems to be on to something deeply embedded in the character of conservatives and liberals. Recent research seems to show that young children who are easily startled usually grow up to be conservative. In fact, both fear and revulsion seem to feed into what I think it is fair to call the conservative syndrome. Two years ago, Nicholas Kristoff called attention to research tending to show that the roots of political judgment may lie in the way our brains are wired.

"Researchers have found, for example," Kristoff reports, "that some humans are particularly alert to threats, particularly primed to feel vulnerable and perceive danger. Those people are more likely to be conservatives." Here is a link to research by professors Smith, Oxley, Hibbing and Alford. More recent research seems to indicate that attitudes toward moral issues are likewise built in to our personalities. A recent book by Professor Haidt of the University of Virginia lends further weight to such research.

I admit I have always thought that when Republicans and other conservatives tell us we should be afraid of something, they are cynically preying on people's irrational fears. Maybe I've been wrong. Maybe they are genuinely afraid and think everyone else must be, too. Domination by fraidy-cats.