# The completely smug density of right wingers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 29, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122 "2022-06-29T16:28:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HorribleMutantBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@HorribleMutantBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorribleMutantBoy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/1 "2022-06-29T16:28:34Z")
You know what I’m talking about. The ones who yell “Fuck your feelings” while having the emotional regulation of a toddler. The ones who bemoan “Cancel Culture” but do the same to companies for ads they disagree with. Or accuse “The Left” of civil disorder while literally storming the seat of government. Is there not a single millisecond of introspection going through their heads? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/2 "2022-06-29T16:37:18Z")
I’ve seen some equally crazy left wing folks on Facebook. ---
**Author:** ![HorribleMutantBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@HorribleMutantBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorribleMutantBoy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/3 "2022-06-29T16:39:31Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I’ve seen some equally crazy left wing folks on Facebook. I don’t doubt it. It just seems like online discourse recently is inundated by the types I describe who never seem to take a break. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/4 "2022-06-29T16:40:21Z")
There are crazies in every demographic, but they seem to dominate the American right at the moment. The left-wing ones are the fringe; the right-wing ones are the base. And in answer to the OP, a disturbing number of them appear to operate on the basis of “That which I wish to be true is true, and that which I wish to be untrue is untrue”. That seems to be the full extent of any introspection or critical consideration for those. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/5 "2022-06-29T16:51:45Z")
It would be interesting to see if IQ level correlates with being able to conduct a reasonable discussion. ---
**Author:** ![HorribleMutantBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@HorribleMutantBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorribleMutantBoy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/6 "2022-06-29T17:00:39Z")
If you’re unable to see yourself as fallible then reasonable discussion is just impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/7 "2022-06-29T17:01:07Z")
Eh. IQ isn’t really a meaningful metric of anything other than the ability to take IQ tests. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/8 "2022-06-29T17:03:20Z")
One of the turning points for me was realizing that I couldn’t recall a single instance of conservatives sacrificing something they wanted, or acknowledging they were wrong. Sure, it’s rare for liberals to do that - it runs contrary to human nature. But I could name at least a few liberals who, when confronted with facts, would own up to having been wrong. The Covid pandemic was when I truly realized conservatives couldn’t admit to being wrong about anything, or sacrificing anything they liked. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/9 "2022-06-29T17:12:00Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The Covid pandemic was when I truly realized conservatives couldn’t admit to being wrong about anything, or sacrificing anything they liked. To be fair, I have seen quite a few formerly self-identified conservatives on these boards talking about how they gave up on the Republican Party post-, or prior to, Trump, and how they still wish they had a sane conservative party to support in order to promote aspects of conservative ideology that they like, but failing that, they’re willing to hold their noses and keep voting Democratic for the duration. I think that counts as the sort of admission of fallibility and willingness to sacrifice that you’re talking about. Or maybe it just indicates that those individuals are No True Conservatives™? IIRC at least some of them don’t identify as conservative anymore. I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![HorribleMutantBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@HorribleMutantBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorribleMutantBoy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/10 "2022-06-29T17:14:09Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > but failing that, they’re willing to hold their noses and keep voting Democratic for the duration. I’ve also seen the opposite happening where the thought process is “Sure Trump is bad BUT the Democrats would be much worse”. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/11 "2022-06-29T17:14:48Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > To be fair, I have seen quite a few formerly self-identified conservatives on these boards talking about how they gave up on the Republican Party post-, or prior to, Trump, and how they still wish they had a sane conservative party to support in order to promote aspects of conservative ideology that they like, but failing that, they’re willing to hold their noses and keep voting Democratic for the duration. I think that counts as the sort of admission of fallibility and willingness to sacrifice that you’re talking about. I was tempted to say something similar. See this thread, for instance: > [@My job as a Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-job-as-a-republican/966838): > > My prediction is that by post 2 this will be turned into an anti-Trump thread. At least I’m going to try. I consider myself a moderate Republican meaning fiscally conservative and recognizing the deficit/debt problem is due to both sides of the aisle but I am a social progressive/libertarian. I am pro-choice. I don’t care if you smoke weed. Public schools are the greatest invention this country has ever come up with (besides the Cinnabon) and we need to eliminate any and all public funding … Since part of the essence of conservativism (small-c conservativisim, stripped of the political baggage and the particular people and issues it has become associated with of late) is resistance to change, I wonder if conservatives are inherently more resistant to changing their minds and their perspectives. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/12 "2022-06-29T17:16:18Z")
> [@HorribleMutantBoy](#): > > I’ve also seen the opposite happening where the thought process is “Sure Trump is bad BUT the Democrats would be much worse”. Which is why I think wild theories like the Comet Pizza one gain traction. Some of these folk look at how bad the current GOP is and build a Liberal Strawman that is even worse, and the worse the GOP get, the scarier the strawman becomes. ---
**Author:** ![HorribleMutantBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@HorribleMutantBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorribleMutantBoy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/13 "2022-06-29T17:18:23Z")
Could it be the fact that conservatism seems to be a defensive ideology “Things are just fine the way they are/were” compared to a progressive ideology of “Things need to change”. It would seem that conservatives would feel constantly on the back foot and under attack. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/14 "2022-06-29T17:19:12Z")
One very anecdotal observation from my life: the more conservative (specifically, the more MAGA conservative), the less likely the person is to ask questions – _any_ questions about _anything._ Their metaphorical keyboard simply doesn’t have a “?” key. Not the case – even remotely – among my more liberal friends and family. And when you first have it pointed out to you, it becomes shockingly obvious in those conversations. ETA: I love the term “aggressively incurious.” Anybody else notice that ? ---
**Author:** ![irae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f0a364/32.png) [@irae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irae)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/15 "2022-06-29T18:37:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > on Facebook Well there’s yer problem. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/16 "2022-06-29T18:41:27Z")
I don’t wade into the news cycle recreational outrage and talking head punditry circus very often, I find it exhausting. But I do have a few friends that often make subtle references to liberals being too easily offended. It would be nice if I could rattle off a handful of recent times later than the Kaepernick dustup that conservatives got their panties in a bunch and wanted something canceled. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/17 "2022-06-29T18:51:13Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > It would be nice if I could rattle off a handful of recent times later than the Kaepernick dustup that conservatives got their panties in a bunch and wanted something canceled. Mr. Potato Head Dr. Seuss Keurig boycott Also, please try to wean yourself off of using the word “conservatives” to describe people whose behavior is radical and reactionary. Just as a favor to me, because I find it Orwellian. TIA 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/18 "2022-06-29T18:59:55Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Also, please try to wean yourself off of using the word “conservatives” to describe people whose behavior is radical and reactionary. Just as a favor to me, because I find it Orwellian. HALLELUJAH! and AMEN! This has been bothering me for some time now, I’ve seen a slight shift in my family towards this, dropping “conservative” in favor of “radical reactionary” and I keep encouraging it as it is more reflective of reality. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/19 "2022-06-29T19:58:47Z")
No cite to hand, but there have been some studies that suggest conservatives tend to be more authoritarian in personality than “liberals,” and that personality trait extends to their politics. All conservative ideologies have some notion of hierarchy at their base; many leftwing, though not “liberal” ideologies, do not have some notion of hierarchy at their base. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122/20 "2022-06-30T15:22:55Z")
Let me know when they get the full support of the DNC. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-completely-smug-density-of-right-wingers/967122.md?page=2)