Category Archives: Psychology

Politics and Psychology

Posted on Friday 15 November 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Politics is as much about human psychology as about policy or ideology. Politics succeeds via simple sound-bites, “feels,” not policies or facts; It’s all about perception; How what has led evangelical Christians to follow Trump is rooted in racism; And … Continue reading →

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This Is What Dictators Do

Posted on Tuesday 12 November 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Many topics today. Trump plans to fire generals who are not “yes men”; RFK Jr. plans to fire scientists who do not subscribe to his anti-scientific ideology; Federal scientists anticipate firings, and the parallel with the Soviet Union and Lysenkoism; … Continue reading →

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There’s Another Word For It

Posted on Saturday 12 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

I skim or glance at so many articles about politics every day, I’m surprised that I haven’t come across this phrase before, considering how this article suggests it’s been around a while. The word, or phrase, is “directionally correct,” and … Continue reading →

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Monochrome and One-Dimensional and Upside Down

Posted on Thursday 3 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Items from Facebook about MAGA conflation; John Kenneth Galbraith; and conservatives’ lack of a sense of humor; How legislators in North Carolina left homes vulnerable; Fact-checking the debate, Vance’s irritation that he was fact-checked, and how Republicans consistently lie and … Continue reading →

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Chemophobia

Posted on Monday 30 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

How Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking Silent Spring led to fixing the environment, but also led to an irrational fear of “chemicals” and then the anti-vax movement; Short items about Vance and Wallnau, Trump’s threats of a violent purge of society, how … Continue reading →

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Changing Minds

Posted on Sunday 29 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s theme: a couple items that illustrate when and how people have changed their minds. Erwin Chemerinsky, and Malcolm Gladwell. First, another piece about the new book by Erwin Chemerinsky (last discussed on 31 Aug), this time a review by … Continue reading →

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The Real Trump Mystery, and My Explanation

Posted on Friday 27 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thomas B. Edsall on The Real Trump Mystery, and how base human nature explains this; Fareed Zakaria on how Trump’s economic ideas would stunt growth and spur inflation; Because Trump doesn’t understand money; Short items about Roseanne Barr accusing Democrats … Continue reading →

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Reality v Fear

Posted on Wednesday 25 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

If there’s a core lesson to take away from the studies of psychological biases over the past two or three decades, it is this: our minds evolved for survival, not for accurate perception of the real world. We are primed … Continue reading →

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Francis Collins on Facts (!)

Posted on Tuesday 24 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Francis Collins on how facts don’t care how you feel; Short pieces on Trump and golf; how brain damage is linked to religious fundamentalism; how Carlson and Vance are smart guys who play dumb; about Trump’s Truth Social posts; how … Continue reading →

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Admitted Liars; Presumptions of the Ancients

Posted on Saturday 21 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Republicans repeatedly are admitting they lie; How Republicans voters trust Trump as a source of election information; Reading Timothy Ferris, revisiting the ancient astronomers and their presumptions about the universe — not unlike the modern discovery of psychology biases. Increasingly, … Continue reading →

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