Do you think Conservatives are followers?

Question

John Dean, former Nixon counsel, wrote a book "Conservative Without Conscience" which explains a 50 year academic study that shows they are.

Here is a clip where he talks about the study and the book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f1Idgh5KUw

Do you think conservatives will read this book and, hopefully, learn from it?

I didn't call it a conservative thing. A 50 year study called it that - and a Republican, a former Nixon counsel called it that. His point is - the type of people that are conserative tend to be followers. The danger of that is apparent today - it's what has allowed the Bush administration to be successful with it's lies and propaganda. Watch the clip - the good thing is that the Republican party can be saved - if the ultra right wing neoconservatives no longer control it.

Answer 1

I am currently reading the book. I got it because I wanted to better understand why so many on the right behave and think the way they do. The book brings together the information and presents it pretty well. It also does a good job of explaining why the people who respond to questions like this explode in rage and incivility in their responses.

In answer to your question... yes, there is a significant portion of the population that is drawn to being a 'follower', worse yet are those people who play on this fact and take advantage for personal gain. Contrary to previous posts, the studies make a clear distinction that this behaviour is most prevelant in conservatives in the US and NOT in progressives.

Answer 2

John, "save my own as*" Dean is still around.

At least SecDef McNamara finally fessed up to his incompetence.

John Dean is a self serving sycophant of any person or group that will let him speak.

Conservative, as a political label, cannot be applied in a "general" context.

Every fri**ing Washington hack, old and new, has got to write a book.

Find some good literature.

Answer 3

Actually, Liberals are more-likely than Conservatives to be followers. I think conservatives WILL read CONSERVATIVE WITHOT CONSCIENCE and learn from it that John Dean is a turncoat & an idiot.

Answer 4

jdc6733 nailed it pretty well. The government does not want people to think. They want people to listen.

The problem with "thinkers" is that, once in a while, they have revelations. Sometimes those revelations are contrary to what the government want them to believe. One is not allowed to "think" contrary to the government, or one is deemed Un-American. (Reread 1984)

People seem to have forgotten that government is in place to do the will of "We The People", not the other way around.

Answer 5

I think thats funny because nearly every "liberal" is a follower. They just say things are wrong because their "leaders" tell them how to think. It goes both ways I guess. But since you are not willing to listen based on your statement and only want responses that help your argument, your question is void in my mind.

Answer 6

No, not all conservative. It's people who are unable to think for themselves, or make their own decisions that blindly follow others.

I don't think it's fair to call it a conservative thing.

Answer 7

The government does not want you to think. They want you to be dependent on them. It makes it easier for them to suppress you.