How Can This be a Shocker?
Copyright 2006 Cole's Poetic License
Headline, New York Times: "A Shocker: Partisan thought is
unconscious.
"The thought process of a partisan being challenged is almost
entirely emotional, and there are flares of pleasure when
unwelcome information is rejected." Benedict Carey, January 24,
2006.
Evidently neuroscientists using MRI scanners now prove what your
mother has always known. Don't discuss politics or religion at
dinner.
Remember the arguments you had with her when she'd say, "Now
don't you bring up politics when Uncle Harry's here."
"But, Mom, I want to know why he thinks the way he does."
"Don't you dare question him. He gets all riled up and your
father gets into it, too."
"But if you can't discuss politics you can't have a true
democracy, an enlightened exchange of ideas."
"With Uncle Harry you get lightning, not enlightened. So don't
mention religion either. You hear me?"
Unless you have never witnessed a political demonstration or
have never had your views challenged by someone in your family
with opposite views, you might be surprised that an MRI scan
reveals that partisan thought is unconscious.
I was shocked by the word "shocker" in the headline. Who doesn't
know the heat of political rhetoric?
If we all understood the basic fact that our emotions support
our political views, we might be able to exchange viewpoints
without shouting.
If we all realized that the "child is father to the man" and
that everything learned in childhood is stored in the
subconscious mind and powers our emotions, we could avoid a lot
of family dinner friction.
Children in the same family perceive different messages from
their parents.
For example, my father grew up relatively poor on a farm in
Massachusetts. He went to college on scholarships and felt
socially inferior to his wealthy classmates. Consequently, he
worked hard to become relatively wealthy by the time I, his
fifth child, was born. He was a staunch Republican.
He retired when I was nine years old and began traveling around
the world. He witnessed extremes of poverty and wealth that
disturbed him.
Although he still espoused Republican rhetoric after he
traveled, he communicated, indirectly, the values that my
youngest brother and I associate with the Democratic Party.
His first three children still vote Republican. His last two
generally vote Demcocratic.
Not so strangely, I have never discussed politics with my older
siblings. I do with the youngest of my brothers who most
influenced me. I know exactly where each of my siblings'
partisan viewpoints came from.
In the last U.S. presidential election the country was divided
into red and blue states. The blue states, predominantly
democrats, are heavily populated. If you grew up in such a state
you inhaled its partisan politics as a child. If you grew up in
a red state you inhaled opposite politics and religion, opposite
identity within your identity as U.S. citizen.
Do you remember other kids at national elections asking, "Are
you a Democrat or a Republican?" It was part of your identity.
My daughter is married to an Australian. She has dual
citizenship, as do her two sons. One son asked, "What religion
am I, Australian?" She answered. That's your nationality. You
were baptized Anglican." He said, "I thought I was part
American."
Identity. It's confusing for little kids. And for big kids, too.
Do you have a dream of an ideal world? I do.
We're in a new century. Technology changes at exponential rates.
Amazing good is possible.
We seem to be in a terrible quagmire worldwide now, but the
pendulum can swing the other way. It's due.
I think it will when more people understand the power of the
subconscious mind and fewer people are shocked by the fact that
partisan politics has subconscious roots.
Do your family a favor. Discuss the emotional roots of your
political and religious beliefs instead of the beliefs
themselves.