Category Archives: Psychology

LQCs: Preferring Simple Answers to Complex Problems

First for today, a blast from the past. From 2009. This is a song from Les Miz, which we watched on PBS last week. Susan Boyle. Watch the clip above from the beginning, until at least about 1:15 when she … Continue reading

Posted in Music, Personal history, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on LQCs: Preferring Simple Answers to Complex Problems

LQCs: Mass Shootings and Logical Fallacies

More causes of mass shootings revealed, in just the past couple days!

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Psychology | Comments Off on LQCs: Mass Shootings and Logical Fallacies

LQCs: Moral Collapse, the Paranoid Style, Deflection

(With an endpiece.) Paul Krugman is back from vacation. NYT, Paul Krugman, 16 May 2022: From Voodoo to MAGA to Buffalo I never thought I’d say this, but I miss voodoo economics.

Posted in Personal history, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on LQCs: Moral Collapse, the Paranoid Style, Deflection

Endless Polarization, Ideology, and What MAGA Means

David French on polarization; the inevitability of endless political arguments; how MAGA is about white Christian men.

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Endless Polarization, Ideology, and What MAGA Means

LQCs: Paranoia and Fantasy Realities

Pondering. NYT, 30 April 2022: Inside the Apocalyptic Worldview of ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ Subtitled: “Night after night, the host of the most-watched show in prime-time cable news uses a simple narrative to instill fear in his viewers: ‘They’ want to … Continue reading

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on LQCs: Paranoia and Fantasy Realities

LQCs: Reality, Fantasy, Narcissism

Media Matters, Payton Armstrong, 27 April 2022: According to right-wing media, anything that makes them look bad is a “false flag” Subtitled: “Whether it’s acts of right-wing violence, Russian war crimes, or the January 6 pipe bombs, right-wing media personalities … Continue reading

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on LQCs: Reality, Fantasy, Narcissism

LQCs: Ideologies vs. Expertise

This neatly follows up from yesterday’s comments about ideologies. The issue is, why don’t Americans trust experts?. And to cut to the chase, Lewis sees the problems as: people drawing conclusions about the world (including ideologies!) based on anecdotes (personal … Continue reading

Posted in Psychology | Comments Off on LQCs: Ideologies vs. Expertise

LQCs: Sanctimony and Amorality

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on LQCs: Sanctimony and Amorality

LQCs: Creativity, Education, Reactionaries

Today, another counter-intuitive premise. Before reading the article, I reflect that most people admire celebrity artists, but wouldn’t want their child to try to be one. Other items follow.

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on LQCs: Creativity, Education, Reactionaries

LQCs: Imaginary Problems, Critical Thinking, 11-Point Plans, and Prophets

Latest in a recurring theme about how Republicans not only aren’t trying to solve real problems, or even fighting the culture wars, they’re fighting *imaginary* problems to rile up their white working class base. NYT, Paul Krugman, 18 April 2022: … Continue reading

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on LQCs: Imaginary Problems, Critical Thinking, 11-Point Plans, and Prophets