Finally, it's been proven: talking to those on the far right is impossible. Why? Because no matter what they hear, it only goes to prove them right. Resistance is useless.
A study done at Ohio State shows how the keen conservative mind deals with someone like Stephen Colbert (forgive the stilted abstract-speak language here, but you'll get the gist). Both conservatives and liberals were asked to watch some of Colbert's show and then interpret what he was "really" saying:
...there was no significant difference between the groups in thinking Colbert was funny, but conservatives were more likely to report that Colbert only pretends to be joking and genuinely meant what he said while liberals were more likely to report that Colbert used satire and was not serious when offering political statements. Conservatism also significantly predicted perceptions that Colbert disliked liberalism.
I'm stumped trying to imagine the mental re-wiring that has to take place in their brains that allow them to still function in day to day life while in the meantime not having a clue as to what's happening all around them. I guess it helps explain why the answer to everything from gay marriage to Somali piracy can only be...TAX CUTS!
(Via Political Wire)
