This
all begs the obvious question about the existence of differing ideologies
between people. Why do they exist? And how are they constituted differently?
George Lakoff has demonstrated in his studies (which are supported strongly by
psychoanalysis), that human beings are not born already believing an ideology.
Rather people are socialized into an ideology during their childhood formative
years. The main agents which prescribe the ideology are the parental authority
figures surrounding the child, who rear him, from infantile dependency on the
parent-figures, into an independent adult. The parental values of how the child
should be an independent and responsible adult, in regards to his relations
between his self and others, later informs that child’s ideology as an adult.
Thus to answer Nyahan’s question—how can society counter the negative
effects of backfire?—it seems only one answer is viable. Society will need to
adopt the truths uncovered by cognitive science and psychoanalysis. And society
will have to use those truths to inform their overall cultural practices and
values. Short of that, Peck’s “fortunate few” will remain the only individuals
among us who resist self-delusion.
Lakoff
shows that two dominant parenting types exist, which can determine the child’s
adult ideology. Individuals reared under the “Strict Parent” model tend to
grow-up as political conservatives, while those raised under a “Nurturing
Parent” model tend to become political liberals. His most influential book on
these matters, “Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think”, was
published in 1996.
Of
course, peoples’ minds can fundamentally change, along with their ideological
values. But short of a concerted effort by an individual to change, through one
form of therapy or another, that change is mostly fostered by traumatic or
long-endured life experiences.
Yet
many minds remain rock solid for life, beliefs included. As psychiatrist Scott
Peck sees it, “Only a relative and fortunate few continue until the moment of
death exploring the mystery of reality, ever enlarging and refining and
redefining their understanding of the world and what is true.”
Article
originally appeared on Seismologik (http://www.seismologik.com/
).
