Cultural Survival Skills

Liberals Are Like Bratty Kids

The following is a very interesting article by John Hawkins, that appeared on http://www.townhall.com.

Read it and you will see radical liberals in 15 ways that you never have before.

I endorse Mr. Hawkins’ perspective, but would add one important aspect to his views. I hope you will read his insightful article and then, see my psychological twist on his thesis.

http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2014/07/08/15-ways-liberals-are-like-bratty-kids-n1859780/page/2

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Mr. Hawkins makes some interesting observations about the behavior patterns of progressives/liberals/socialists/communists. But as a psychologist, I would like to take his thinking one step further.

Children do show many of the characteristics that  Hawkins ascribes to liberals. But there are some very important differences between children, and their behaviors, and those of radical liberals. The voters of America need to know these differences.

First of all, with the help of principled and loving parents, reasonable limits and humane discipline, children normally develop pro-social moral and ethical values and behavior patterns.  Judeo/Christian, or other similar religious teachings, can strongly reinforce these cognitive and behavioral developments in children and the citizens they become.

It is an important side-note that our Founding Father’s judged that religion was an essential part of citizen development and the preservation of a healthy American Republic. Reading their original writings will clarify this fact to anyone; no matter their political, philosophical, or religious perspective.

All of this underscores a simple truth that must be added to Mr. Hawkins’ insightful article: Under the right developmental conditions, most children are helped to grow-out of the personality characteristics of  liberals and conservatives with damaging personality flaws.

Tragically, the normally transient 15 features of childhood, noted by Hawkins, can become fixed and nearly unalterable in many adults. When this happens, these psychological flaws are often diagnosed as Personality Disorders. I do not intend to suggest that all “liberals” display personality disorders. However, the documented records of misconduct in office and private life strongly support that this is more often a trait among liberals than it is among conservatives.

However, I will assert that a great number of revolutionary progressive/liberals, such as those inspired by the thoroughly pathological Obama administration, do.

See for your self!

Antisocial Personality Disorder:

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/antisocial-personality-disorder-symptoms/

Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/narcissistic-personality-disorder-symptoms/

Now, here is another troubling perception. When the two pathological personality configurations described above come into contact with individuals suffering from Dependent Personality Disorder, or perhaps only features, the results are normally the exploitation of and damage to the dependent individuals, or populations of dependent individuals, by the narcissists and the antisocial personality disordered.

As a psychotherapist I see this dynamic among individuals on a all-to-regular basis.

Dependent Personality Disorder:

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/dependent-personality-disorder-symptoms/

Although the  diagnosis of dependent personality disorder, as well as the other two personality disorders occurs in a small percent of the population. These traits and features in our population appear to me to be on a dangerous  increase in America. See the following references.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-narcissism-epidemic/201308/how-dare-you-say-narcissism-is-increasing

http://www.synthesizingeducation.net/2014/04/the-prevalence-of-sociopathy-in-america.html

I have not yet found data on increasing rates of dependent personality disorder, however the increase in our percent of population that have embraced dependency upon the government’s entitlement/welfare programs have increased dramatically in recent history.

http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/PA694.pdf

The welfare contingencies of positive reinforcement for people doing little, or nothing, will unquestionably shape dependent behavior patterns in recipients. I will judge that such population dependent behavior patterns are are moving along a continuum toward the full criteria for of Dependent Personality Disorder. These are therefore very bad citizen behaviors to reinforce in our increasingly socialistic America.

You may read the following article, or skip to item #4,  in order to understand some of the damages (though not all) of  socialistic contingencies of positive reinforcement a population.

http://spectator.org/articles/55875/five-reasons-reform-welfareagain

• Can you see the results of these increasing population personality features  in an increasingly socialistic America?

• Do you understand that the process by which this increase is a self-feeding one?

• Do you understand that as the traditional methods by which children have been acculturated in America break-down our citizens become increasingly easy prey for unprincipled and unscrupulous power-hungry narcissists and antisocials?

• Isn’t it clear to you that narcissist and antisocial progressive/liberal politicians (in any party) and their minions are advantaged by an increasingly dependent population?

• Can you see this population transformation being fueled and shaped by so-called progressive politicians and citizens in key sectors of society (Political, Law, Education, Media, Religion, etc.) ?

If not, you had better look again. You had better look much closer.

V. Thomas Mawhinney, Ph.D.

Health Services Provider in Psychology, HSPP 20090171A

Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Indiana University South Bend