[wdewind]

> I think conservatism as a personality is a symptom of good mental health: if you arent able to do something, its lazyness. So you must just need some motivation: either a beating or some money. etc.

This is a really cynical view of conservatism and I have a hard time seeing how you don't see half the country as evil if that's what you think.

Another view might be: this stuff is so complicated, and as you pointed out it's so difficult for political leaders to have real empathy for people in these situations, there is a high degree of chance we will screw this up and make it worse while trying to help. Example: homosexuality being in the DSM. Or really much of the history of how state institutions have treated the mentally ill, which has mostly had to do with keeping them away from the non mentally ill and not actually treating them.

[mjburgess]

I don't see it being cynical. I think it's the opposite of evil. It paints conservatives as entirely reasonable people making entirely reasonable suggestions but simply failing to appreciate difference.

A failure to appreciate difference is not evil, its part of how everyone acts in entirely well-intentioned ways.

Also, I dont think anywhere near half of any country has a conservative personality. Certainly the GOP are not today defined by their conservatism, whatever it is, it is radical.

I would say a fundamentally conservative personality is something most common in the vaguely upper-middle classes. It is present, to a degree, in the more traditional working class environments (eg. mom-and-pop store children, etc.).

It's all about seeing your success follow from your actions in a way that you control. It's about being able to plan, execute, and understand consistently -- for most of your life.

I think that's rarer than half, maybe 1/3? At a guess. And i think its not partisan: there are leftwing and rightwing conservatives.