# Partisan, biased people who don't see their own stupidity **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 28, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726 "2010-01-28T03:38:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/21 "2010-01-28T18:06:17Z")
> [@Slypork](#): > > Maybe your quote of them is taken severely out of context but nowhere in reading that do I see any way of getting “they lie and Republicans don’t.” I can see the lying politician thoughts, though. Unless there was way more to the quote or they went on to say, “I wouldn’t trust a Dem any further than I could throw them,” then I would agree with you. Otherwise, I believe that you are reading way too much into a simple opinion. You make a point, but there is some background context to this; the individual in question has an occasional history of one-sided, talking-point based comments that are definitely anti-Democrat. But again, that part of the quote was the less bothersome, and if the “not on his side” response hadn’t been posted, I wouldn’t have started this thread. > [@](#): > > As for the rhetoric and pig-headedness on both sides, there is nothing that can be done. I’ve seen too many times where one side will make a statement about an issue and be immiediately met with a response about how stupid all Democrats/Republicans/liberals/conservatives/pro-lifers/pro-choicers/etc. are. You think that the government wasted money by bailing out GM? Obviously you are just another right-wing asshole who gets his talking points from Rush. You think that we should never have gone into Iraq? You’re just another pussy liberal who doesn’t know how to stand up against the evil in the world. It goes on and on. The biggest issue, I think (though this is getting a little off-topic), is that even intelligent people make up their mind about an issue/ideology (war is bad, abortion is bad, gays are bad, Republicans are bad, religion is bad), and become instantly unwilling to entertain any thoughts that jeopardize their allegiance in the personal battle they’ve placed themselves into against the forces of Evil. How can you support that Republican candidate!? Republicans are bad! > [@](#): > > The problem comes when a person has mixed stands. I’m a fiscal and defense conservative but believe in gay rights. I am pro-life but believe abortion is a valid option in specific situations. I believe in a separation of church and state but not to the point of absurdity (Is a Christmas tree really that offensive?) . Sure, I watch Fox but I also watch CNN and listen to NPR occasionally (used to listen to Air America once in a while). > > But as soon as I make a comment that is from a more conservative view I’m immediately labeled as a Neanderthal Nazi happily waterboarding illegal aliens while raping the environment, pausing only long enough to drive my Hummer to the abortion clinic where I’ll shoot an abortion doctor with my assault rifle embossed with bible verses, then celebrate by lighting a cigar with the bailout money I got from being a Wall Street fatcat. Heh. I am in a similar political position. It has become 100% impossible for me to discuss any Republican-based policy with my Democrat friends, and similarly impossible to discuss any Democrat-based policy with Republican friends. How a person can believe that the same 50% of the population is 100% wrong 100% of the time on 100% of the issues and not consider that they might have a majorly biased position blows my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/22 "2010-01-28T19:25:15Z")
I had to hide an ex on Facebook who I really kind of wanted to keep in distant friendly contact with because of this crap. And it was all so _stupid_ and ignorant. I don’t agree with my boyfriend about politics, no, but I believe he’s educated himself enough about the issues to know what he’s talking about. Look, Nate, if you can’t spell the President’s name right, kindly shut the fuck up about him! ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/23 "2010-01-28T20:02:44Z")
Research on the brain suggests that partisans, of either party, simply [aren’t using](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9904E1D9133FF937A15752C0A9609C8B63) the rational parts of their brain when they are dealing with political subjects. The emotional centers light up in their brains, but not the parts responsible for rational reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/24 "2010-01-28T22:48:17Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > And given what has been happening in Washington for decades, one can argue that a lobotomy is required before being seated in Congress. Who knows? It might be an improvement. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/25 "2010-01-29T18:16:33Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Research on the brain suggests that partisans, of either party, simply [aren’t using](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9904E1D9133FF937A15752C0A9609C8B63) the rational parts of their brain when they are dealing with political subjects. The emotional centers light up in their brains, but not the parts responsible for rational reasoning. From what I understand by reading Marc Hauser’s book _Moral Minds_, that is accurate for just about any moral decision any person makes. The chain of reaction goes something like: instinct —\> emotion -----\> rationalization. People who think their opinions of right and wrong were derived from reason are kidding themselves. It likely goes beyond even emotion, to something far more primitive. (One piece of evidence that supports this comes from the study of sociopaths. Sociopaths are completely able to tell right from wrong, and have a very distinct sense of moral reasoning. They just don’t _care_, so the empathic/emotional sense that would compel them to act in accordance with their moral compass or to feel they should follow it is missing.) ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/26 "2010-01-29T22:11:07Z")
I have a work neighbor like that. It is an emotional need being fufilled. It has nothing to do with discerning the facts and assessing them. It’s about reptilian-brain terror and response to perceived threats. And the need to hit that emotional response for all it’s worth. It’s like an addiction to be scared out your wits, or something. Jumping straight to possibility as if it is the same as probability. (Is it _possible_ that Obama will single-handedly turn the US into a Stalinist state? I… uh… guess? But I really really doubt it.) Now, I admit, I was a knee-jerk liberal in the past. But I’ve learned from people much smarter than me that not all opposing ideas lead directly to the destruction of everything I hold dear. And I’ve learned a lot from talking to people who may feel differently, but can explain their beliefs rationally. I still may not agree, but I actually feel more secure in my beliefs after talking them over and having them challenged. My neighbor, she’s a good person in all other regards. But she got flabbergasted and indignant when I pointed out that fascism is associated with the extreme right. She thought all dictatorships are leftist. All of them. Sigh. There is no talking to her. About politics. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726/27 "2010-01-30T17:30:37Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > I expect the partisan horseshit here. I come here, I know I’m going to read it. > > On Facebook, it’s more jarring when someone just blurts out some sort of partisan stupidity. The stupid is also more apparent on Facebook. It’s also jarring on a forum where you expect people to be “Fighting Ignorance”. I come here because whatever idiocy is going on in the world, the folks here will have intelligent (and often witty) critiques. So knee-jerk reactionary talking points spouted here are surprising, and disappointing. If you’re one of those people here who overstates your case or even makes up a stance just to get under the skin of your fellow dopers, please stop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partisan-biased-people-who-dont-see-their-own-stupidity/526726.md?page=1)