“Well,”
you might be thinking, “I don’t believe any of this is true.” Or
maybe you’re thinking, “What else is new? I’ve known this all
along.” Why should a conservative, moderate, or liberal bother
with this book? Why should any Republican, Independent, or
Democrat click the “Introduction” link on this page?
Because if you do, you’ll begin an easy-ride journey through
some relevant scientific studies I have done on authoritarian
personalities--one that will take you a heck of a lot less time
than the decades it took me. Those studies have a direct bearing
on all the topics mentioned above. So if you think the first
paragraph is a lot of hokum, or full of half-truths, I invite
you to look at the research.
For example, take the following statement: “Once our
government leaders and the authorities condemn the dangerous
elements in our society, it will be the duty of every patriotic
citizen to help stomp out the rot that is poisoning our country
from within.” Sounds like something Hitler would say, right?
Want to guess how many politicians, how many lawmakers in the
United States agreed with it? Want to guess what they had in
common?
Or how about
a government program that persecutes political parties, or
minorities, or journalists the authorities do not like, by
putting them in jail, even torturing and killing them. Nobody
would approve of that, right? Guess again.
Don’t think for a minute this doesn’t concern you personally.
Let me ask you, as we’re passing the time here, how many
ordinary people do you think an evil authority would have to
order to kill you before he found someone who would, unjustly,
out of sheer obedience, just because the authority said to? What
sort of person is most likely to follow such an order? What kind
of official is most likely to give that order, if it suited his
purposes? Look at what experiments tell us, as I did.
If, on the
other hand, you’re way ahead of me, and believe the extreme
right-wing elements in America are still working to take over
the country despite the recent election--nay because of it--I
think you can still get a lot from this book. The authoritarians
aren’t going away.
You think I’m pulling your leg? Push the button.
|
||||