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Why Do They Vote That Way?: from The Righteous Mind
To understand what drives the rift that divides our populace between liberal and conservative, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has spent twenty-five years examining the moral foundations that undergird and inform two differing world the political left and right place different values of importance on order, care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and liberty. From one of our keenest dissectors of moral systems, Why Do They Vote That Way? explains how deeply ingrained moral systems have estranged conservatives and liberals from one another while crossing the political divide in a search for understanding the miracle of human cooperation. A Vintage Shorts Selection.ÌýAn ebook short.
53 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2018
168 people are currently reading
1081 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Haidt
32Ìýbooks5,011ÌýfollowersJonathan Haidt is the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He obtained his PhD in social psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and taught at the University of Virginia for sixteen years. His research focuses on moral and political psychology, as described in his book The Righteous Mind. His latest book, The Anxious Generation, is a direct continuation of the themes explored in The Coddling of the American Mind (written with Greg Lukianoff). He writes the After Babel Substack.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 31, 2019
This book is like a short version of /book/show/1..., and although I recommend reading the full version, it does a good job of summarizing moral foundations theory as applied to American politics
It is a mystery why the left doesn't read Haidt to find out why they keep losing elections, but instead insist on going down the route of social justice.
It is a mystery why the left doesn't read Haidt to find out why they keep losing elections, but instead insist on going down the route of social justice.
June 17, 2020
So good!!! BUT, don’t read this. Instead, get the Righteous Mind (Haidts other book that this book draws from), and read that. Basically, my review of this little short book is the same as my review for The Righteous Mind, which is that it is well written, informative, timely, and possesses intellectual humility. So good! Thank God for smart and reasonable people on both sides of the political spectrum.
December 7, 2024
2*
I had high hopes for this after the lunacy of the 2024 election. Maybe it was the format (essentially just a 50-page essay) or that the theory is now obsolete in the Trump Era, but I did not feel like I came away with many new insights even though I have not read much social psychology since graduate school. In many ways, these differences between liberals and conservatives were already evident from the beginning of the nation's founding.
Essentially it reads like the author is blaming liberals for the bad behavior of conservatives. Haidt conveniently fails to consider data points that don't align with his model. For example, he doesn't comment on how conservatives used their supposed moral foundations selectively even before this election, for example, the lack of deference to principles of American democracy like the peaceful transfer of power (authority), collusion with foreign powers (loyalty), and the ascendancy of a convicted criminal to the highest government position (fairness). The very last paragraph on conservatives voting against their own interests made no sense to me. Similarly, the discussion on proportionality was a head scratcher, given the preferential treatment the winning side reserves for its most wealthy and corrupt players. These were "flavors" of the moral foundations Dems repeatedly appealed to in the past 8 years, often at the risk of discussing specific platform positions, a decision they were roundly criticized for. And yet here we are, again.
I am all for each side not demonizing the other, but unfortunately this did not help me get any closer.
I had high hopes for this after the lunacy of the 2024 election. Maybe it was the format (essentially just a 50-page essay) or that the theory is now obsolete in the Trump Era, but I did not feel like I came away with many new insights even though I have not read much social psychology since graduate school. In many ways, these differences between liberals and conservatives were already evident from the beginning of the nation's founding.
Essentially it reads like the author is blaming liberals for the bad behavior of conservatives. Haidt conveniently fails to consider data points that don't align with his model. For example, he doesn't comment on how conservatives used their supposed moral foundations selectively even before this election, for example, the lack of deference to principles of American democracy like the peaceful transfer of power (authority), collusion with foreign powers (loyalty), and the ascendancy of a convicted criminal to the highest government position (fairness). The very last paragraph on conservatives voting against their own interests made no sense to me. Similarly, the discussion on proportionality was a head scratcher, given the preferential treatment the winning side reserves for its most wealthy and corrupt players. These were "flavors" of the moral foundations Dems repeatedly appealed to in the past 8 years, often at the risk of discussing specific platform positions, a decision they were roundly criticized for. And yet here we are, again.
I am all for each side not demonizing the other, but unfortunately this did not help me get any closer.
November 10, 2018
Chapter 8
This is a great short read for somebody that does not feel that they have the time to spend in reading Dr. Haidt's books, however, they still want to understand what motivates Republicans to vote as they do (here's a hint it is not because they are either STUPID or duped). So go ahead &read it. You might even learn something.
This is a great short read for somebody that does not feel that they have the time to spend in reading Dr. Haidt's books, however, they still want to understand what motivates Republicans to vote as they do (here's a hint it is not because they are either STUPID or duped). So go ahead &read it. You might even learn something.
December 10, 2023
Having read several books from Haidt I quickly purchased this when I saw it for a buck on Kindle. I didn't realize it was actually an excerpt from his book "The Righteous Mind" - one of my top books.
But listening to it again I wish more people on left and right and anywhere in between. It is one of the best critiques of the growing left-right divide in the US and why we are different. The elephant/driver analogy is ground breaking for me to understand the "why" of people's views.
But listening to it again I wish more people on left and right and anywhere in between. It is one of the best critiques of the growing left-right divide in the US and why we are different. The elephant/driver analogy is ground breaking for me to understand the "why" of people's views.
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November 17, 2018Interesting research but like another reader I don’t feel we are any closer to understanding why people vote the way they do, and there was no mention of the Independent party....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2023
As an excerpt from The Righteous Mind, with a discussion of how his Fairness pillar was revised, and the addition of the Liberty pillar, Hairy reminds us we vote our morals, at the expense of our economic interests. Haidt asserts that GOP politicians may be at an advantage, since conservatives rely on all moral pillars to one extent or another, whereas Dems rely on two of the original, and three in the evolving system.
NOW I need to know how to talk to others, and how to persuade...how to craft a message...an honest message...to reach other voters.
NOW I need to know how to talk to others, and how to persuade...how to craft a message...an honest message...to reach other voters.
July 18, 2024
- In essence, the author noted that there are fundamental difference between priorities of liberal vs conservatives. And it's liberals' inability to understand the conservatives side, and their inability to understand why nationalistic president wins election (author compare that to a catholic persist who refuses to use Latin). Author noted that liberals tend to view president's as a nation-less, charitable leader, but for many, they view American president as a cheerleader for all things Americana a).
November 15, 2024
A refreshingly non-pathological perspective about the state of politics today
More, please. Haidt and his team offer a refreshingly non-pathological perspective to the differences of the left and right debate. It is helping me understand who I am in the greater social and moral co text, perhaps a little of why I have become who I am, and helps me shift my perception of others without diagnosing or blaming. Human behavior and the social systems that have evolved is complex, but Haidt has given me enough to begin to understand a little more.
More, please. Haidt and his team offer a refreshingly non-pathological perspective to the differences of the left and right debate. It is helping me understand who I am in the greater social and moral co text, perhaps a little of why I have become who I am, and helps me shift my perception of others without diagnosing or blaming. Human behavior and the social systems that have evolved is complex, but Haidt has given me enough to begin to understand a little more.
February 14, 2023
Moral Foundations Theory is a secular idea about what makes something morally right or wrong. it was developed by the scientific use of questionnaires, and finds that there are six foundations which can be used to develop ones political views.
"Until Democrats understand the Durkheimian vision of society and the difference between a six-foundation morality and a three-foundation morality, they will not understand what makes people vote Republican." p.47
"Until Democrats understand the Durkheimian vision of society and the difference between a six-foundation morality and a three-foundation morality, they will not understand what makes people vote Republican." p.47
October 9, 2019
This is the second short bit from his book "The Righteous Mind" that I read and again I really like it. I guess I should just read the whole book. The book is trying to explain the values that motivate the left and right. And eye opener, how they can start with similar values but different interpretation and spectrum.
May 18, 2024
Una anà lisi dels valors que condicionen el vot de Republicans i Demòcrates a Estats Units, que és transposable als vots Europeus i ens dona eines per entendre la situació actual. Val molt la pena llegir-lo.
June 29, 2019
Read this before you demonize someone who differs with you politically.
November 6, 2020
In summary, the Left doesn't realize they don't know enough, while the Right understands that they don't know enough.
November 20, 2020
A nice elusive analysis, present political, media, and public left should read to understand the right better and vice versa.
February 4, 2025
Is it fair to say some vote for what is best for "us", but our vision of "us" is variable?
August 22, 2019
five stars. I mean, I'm not saying it's going to make you think people who value ritual cleanliness are any more sane? but it's a good model.
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