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Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by enraged_camel on Friday August 23, 2013 @01:20PM (#6264923)
>>If you actually believe conservatives think this way, you'll never actually convince them of anything because you're speaking at them as if they are children. You're not giving their point of view any legitimacy.

I don't want to turn this into a political debate, but the conservative ideology does lack legitimacy for the most part. The reason the term "conservative" is used is because the person is resistant to alternative points of view as well as information that contradicts their perspective. This is why those who reject climate change are conservatives: they are rejecting or ignoring scientific evidence because it doesn't fit their worldview.

I don't treat conservatives as children. That does children a huge disservice. Children by their nature are curious and they want to learn new things. Conservatives in contrast are stuck in certain mindsets (that revolve around Just-World Fallacy) and are scared of change in general.

Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by bhauer on Friday August 23, 2013 @02:13PM (#6265283)
I don't mean this as hostile as it will unfortunately likely come across, but, do you not see a hint of irony here?
Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by enraged_camel on Friday August 23, 2013 @02:37PM (#6265454)
I do see a hint of irony. I'm open to changing my opinion on what conservatism is if I encounter enough data that overwhelmingly points in the other direction: that conservatives are very accepting of new ideas and viewpoints. So far, I have not.
Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by gyardley on Friday August 23, 2013 @03:45PM (#6265875)
Of course conservatism isn't very accepting of new ideas and viewpoints. Nothing political you can slap a label on, and that includes any of the left-wing varieties, is very accepting of new ideas and viewpoints. Otherwise, the label itself would be meaningless. (That's not to say the meanings of these political labels don't change at all, but it takes a hell of a long time.)

When individuals decide to accept new ideas and viewpoints, this creates conflict with the label they've chosen to apply to themselves. Enough new ideas, and they simply start call themselves something else. A conservative open to too many new ideas will stop calling themselves conservative, and a liberal open to too many new ideas will stop calling themselves liberal. This happens all the time, in both directions - it's the people that change, not the labels.

Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by bhauer on Friday August 23, 2013 @02:46PM (#6265511)
Very well.

As another anecdote, I have met many conservatives who are willing to discuss and debate ideas. None of these conservatives I have met has acted or said anything that suggests they believe women are incapable of management.

I have met chauvinists and I have met conservatives. I don't see a whole lot of correlation.

Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by enraged_camel on Friday August 23, 2013 @03:15PM (#6265700)
There's a huge difference between being willing to discuss and debate ideas, and being actually open to changing one's opinions on the subject.
Re:Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by bhauer on Friday August 23, 2013 @04:29PM (#6266065)
I suppose. But those two notions are related, and I think appealing to an interest to discuss and debate honestly without fear of jumping to name-calling is a peaceful way to go about changing minds. I absolutely will never change minds if I belittle my adversary.