I talk to a lot of Bush supporters, and one thing is utterly clear in the majority of them. They see only what they want to believe

Allow me to demonstrate

Iraq War is stopping terrorism
Bush is for protecting mankind
Iraq War was started on concrete evidence
Bush is a great president
Bush protects the environment
The world loves Bush
Post War Iraq is going great
Bush is doing a great job with the economy
........it goes on & on

Obviously none of this is true, yet they believe it. They even do this with FACTS, and change them around to adapt to their thinking.

Is there a psychological term for this? And does anybody else notice this?



[Edited on 23-10-2003 by Killuminati]

Originally posted by Killuminati
And does anybody else notice this?

yes,I notice this alot. I dont understand why a sane person would even like bush,let alone support him. I am not democrat or republician,I just know a bad president when I see one.

[Edited on 10-23-2003 by theshadowknows]

Is there a psychological term for this? And does anybody else notice this?

Yup. Its called stupidity.

Terms that apply:

ignorance
complacency

doublespeak
brainwashing

superpatriotism
racism


But the psychological term nearest to the effects you are seeing is really cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon which refers to the discomfort felt at a discrepancy between what you already know or believe, and new information or interpretation. It therefore occurs when there is a need to accommodate new ideas, and it may be necessary for it to develop so that we become "open" to them.

Beyond this benign if uncomfortable aspect, however, dissonance can go "over the top", leading to two interesting side-effects for learning:

if someone is called upon to learn something which contradicts what they already think they know — particularly if they are committed to that prior knowledge — they are likely to resist the new learning. Even Carl Rogers recognised this. Accommodation is more difficult than Assimilation, in Piaget's terms.

if learning something has been difficult, uncomfortable, or even humiliating enough, people are not likely to admit that the content of what they already "knew" has no value. To do so would be to admit that one has been "had", or "conned".


Rampant nationalism and patriotism combined with the shellshock of 9/11 and the terrorism employed by the Bush admin, affects people in different ways. Some see the underlying agenda, some continue to be conned because it's the easier path for them to take.

Originally posted by heelstone

Is there a psychological term for this? And does anybody else notice this?

Yup. Its called stupidity.

actually it's called that wonderful term IGNORANCE

people on the "left" and "right" can be that way.

The mainstream of society seems to go along with the status quo and they are just plain susceptible to brain washing and believe whatever they are told and then on top of that add plain old stupidity and you got a voting zombie. Long ago I posted a thread on another website about how the government had time and time again used the military and civilians for experimental testing of drugs, viruses, etc., released on the mass populace and the majority of replies I got back was, so we all know that, that is old news but it could never happen again even though a recent bill that was not passed included in it that no one could sue the government if they found out they had been damaged by any testing the government had done on them without their knowledge but yet these people said over and over again it can't happen again even though the webpage had documentation that proved it had been done to the military up until 1975, the American people believe what they want to believe and what they are told to believe and facts and history are most often ignored.

It's the same the world over.

People are sheep.

While I loved MA's definitions....I'd have say one simple one...

DENIAL

Originally posted by Killuminati

Is there a psychological term for this? And does anybody else notice this?

its not a psychological term but its called ignorance.

i notice it among conservatives AND liberals (and other party groups) when a person believes the hype the party they believe in tells them. i'm talking unconditonal acceptance of whatever is uttered and that plagues "both sides of the aisle" in politics.

i also notice that some people make rather ignorant remarks and suggestions about a persons mental health who dont have the same views as their own. what a boring world it would be if we all thought the same way!

so much for that liberal thinking for diversity huh?

(psst, that means embracing the fact not everyone shares your views and being tolerant of it, not thinking they have a deep psychological disorder)

I enjoy Bush for his entertainment value, whether it be choking on his snacks, falling off a Sedgeway, thanking his "paki" allies, or laying naked in a coffin telling his buddies about first sexual encounter with the family dog. I am amused and laugh, that is, until I remeber and realize, this man is in charge of the worlds largest nuke arsenal, and then i begin to cry when i realize...

He is my leader, my ELECTED leader.

Are Bush supporters mentally disturbed people? If they are the average cud chewing American, no, because they lack the capacity for thought beyond this weekends beer and game on ESPN. The more educated ones? They are either really sick sociopathic people, or are simply, in denial. How could anyone support.....the Simian in Command?

He may be our leader, but he wasn't "elected"... We voted for the other guys....

Originally posted by Gazrok
He may be our leader, but he wasn't "elected"... We voted for the other guys....

please dont day you voted for gore, oh please..
i know bums who voted for him cause someone was givin um a cigarette and some food for doing so, now tel me that aint fuc_ed up.

Originally posted by BeingWatchedByThem

Originally posted by Gazrok
He may be our leader, but he wasn't "elected"... We voted for the other guys....

please dont day you voted for gore, oh please..
i know bums who voted for him cause someone was givin um a cigarette and some food for doing so, now tel me that aint fuc_ed up.

isnt that called buying a vote? isnt such a thing illegal?

of course i'd love to see some proof of this actually happening.

Do Some Bush Supporters Have Some Sort Of Psychologic Problem?

Yeah they must be retarded. Thats the best answer I can come up with.

I cant wait for colonel to get in on this thread.

Nothing wrong with the thread, nor does it 'Out" a 'liberal' for not standing to the definition. You've had respondants who voted for Bush, were strongly anti-Bush, foreign nationals...

When does observing denial and cognitive dissonance become labeled as being unrespectful of other views? When that one making the assertion suffers from denial & cognitive dissonace, of course!!

Do Some Bush Supporters Have Some Sort Of Psychologic Problem?


Well, YEAH!, duhhh?

Originally posted by Ocelot
I cant wait for colonel to get in on this thread.

It wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be. Maybe he's getting old.

"Why of course the people don't want war," began Goering. "That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along."

The Nazi leader paused, then continued. "All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."

(saw this on Pravda forum)

Originally posted by m0rbid

Originally posted by Ocelot
I cant wait for colonel to get in on this thread.

It wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be. Maybe he's getting old.

Waitamint. Am I here to entertain you? Am I here to amuse you. If you want somebody to do a shuffle and jig dance for you go ask Tyrrific.

(tell 'em again how we eat babies, Colonel!)