How Fundamental Dysfunctions of
the Human Brain Make the Candidacy of these Republicans Possible in the 21st
Century
Donald B. Ardell – August 21, 2011
Michael Shermer has written an interesting book about reason
and the human brain. Entitled "The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods
to Politics and Conspiracies - How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as
True," Shermer portrays the brain as a "belief engine" that
drives its owner on pattern-seeking trips. The brain's processing capacity,
regrettably, is not so good at reasoning. Early education, often infused with
toxic, ludicrous beliefs, are not easily weeded out later in life. Once beliefs
about the nature of reality are formed, decisions large and small are processed
accordingly.
I found this perspective helpful while trying to make sense
of Rick Perry's candidacy and enthusiasm for it by poor and middle-class
followers. That anyone not already enmeshed in a fundamentalist Christian
Republican Party worldview would not be appalled by Perry, as well as sister
leading Tea Party lights like Bachmann, Palin and that ilk, calls out for a
biological explanation.
J.M. Keynes defined capitalism as the extraordinary belief
that "the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work
for the benefit of all." Perry and the fundies love capitalism as
practiced in the U.S. for the richest one percent of the population. That this
vile man would also be embraced by non-rich Americans after doing little or
nothing on their behalf for a decade as governor in Texas boggles the mind.
Prayer leader Perry, the darlin of a fundamentalist cult called, "the New
Apostolic Reformation," stands ready to lead a faith-based army seeking a
"kingdom of God" - in this life, not just an imagined eternal
existence that starts after death.
Listen to Perry and you can add separation of church and
state to the causes of our economic meltdown, along with abortion, uppity women
and gay marriage. Elect Perry and the Federal government will deal with
"Jezebel" (a biblical whore), "Saul Structures" (an
invisible pagan network of evil), demons, liberals, union members, anyone
pro-choice or sympathetic to gays/lesbians/bisexuals or transgendered folks, anti-war
activists, environmentalist or, god-forbid, anyone lacking a serious crush on Jesus. Perry considers
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid unconstitutional programs,
"Ponzi" schemes bankrupting the country. Then there's that well known
threat, expressed on several occasions, to lead Texas out of the Union. An
awkward idea for someone who wants to lead that Union, presumably that includes
Texas.
I believe it was R.D. Laing who observed, "It is no
measure of mental health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick
society."
According to Shermer, we find reasons to support existing
beliefs and resist evidence to the contrary. The smarter we are, the better our
rationalizations.
What better explanation than Shermer's can explain a sitting
governor who is not a member of any clergy using his secular office to address
a religious congregation as follows: "Father, our heart breaks for
America. We see discord at home, we see fear in the marketplace, we see anger
in the halls of government. And as a nation, we have forgotten who made us, who
protects us, who blesses us."
Whose father is he talking about? How did he determine that
"our" hearts break for anyone or anything? Has there not always been
discord at home, fear in the marketplace, anger in Congress? Who did make us,
besides our parents? Who protects us from what, when and under what conditions?
Isn't that what the police are for, if not the Armed Forces? Blesses us? What's
a "blessing," anyway, and how does that work? This is all meaningless
religious babble - it's conventional for high priests of all sects to go on
like this, but it's dangerous folly when perpetrated on the public by an elected
public official. We ought to be outraged. Well, some of us ARE outraged, but
why not Republicans?
Shermer's ideas about pattern seeking and pattern protection
offer an explanation. His concepts deserve the attention of REAL wellness
promoters and everyone else. Shermer offers lots of evidence for his own
assertions and cities studies that explain why inconvenient truths actually
strengthen bogus beliefs founded on crappy ideology. No absurdity is too
preposterous for the Republican faithful, as the latest Iowa straw poll
suggests. Imagine - Bachmann for president! It boggles the mind. No wonder
Borowitz wrote that Standard and Poor's took the "unprecedented action of
downgrading Iowa's IQ." But Michele can't celebrate - Borowitz also predicted
"tough sledding ahead ... a new poll shows Bachmann losing support to
Texas Governor Rick Perry among voters who describe themselves as morons."
Shermer notes, as did Eric Hoffer in "The True
Believer," that fundamentalist/ extremist/fanatics ignore contradictory
evidence, and cherry-pick data for anything that supports existing beliefs.
Hoffer did not have the studies of brain functioning available to Shermer, but
he did have good intuition, as reflected in comments such as this: "An
empty head is not really empty; it is stuffed with rubbish. Hence the
difficulty of forcing anything in to an empty head."
In a review of Shermer's book published in this magazine,
fellow columnist "Science Junkie" writes: "We are now
experiencing in this country a veritable epidemic of science/reality denial. I
sense growing hordes of ideologues rejecting reason and evidence in favor of
spin, propaganda, dogma, and lies ... the reality-based community and concerned
scientists are at a huge disadvantage trying to combat opponents who hold no
respect for the constraints of reason and evidence...the challenge is to
persuade people to listen to contradictory evidence and evaluate their own
beliefs accordingly."
Shermer would endorse a wellness focus on reason, as he
favors education that teaches people how to recognize and thereby resist
malevolent snake-oil salesmen like Perry, Bachmann and Palin who poison the
nation's atmosphere. To date, reason has not been a prominent element in
wellness education on a par with fitness or nutrition, but we better learn to
exercise common sense if we hope to overcome the patterns of nonsense laid down
in the formative years and reinforced ever since.
But wait! Maybe common sense is overrated, or at least
misinterpreted. Shermer's writing about the brain puts the focus on the
importance of science and reason. "Common sense," as interpreted, can
and often does lead us astray. After all, common sense is what the Tea Partiers
think they have. John Dewey wrote, "Common sense is that which tells us
that the earth is flat." Common sense -- the way people naturally think --
is what Shermer want us to try to overcome; critical thinking based on reason
and evidence is uncommon sense. Uncommon sense requires training and
discipline.
Good luck. Don't let me discourage you. Do what you can to
stay well, fit and focused - and look on the bright side of life.
Donald B. Ardell is the Well Infidel. He favors evidence
over faith, reason over revelation and secular perspectives over the
gobbledygook of spirituality. His enthusiasm for reason, exuberance,
athleticism and liberty are reflected in his books (14), newsletter (586
editions of a weekly report), speeches and most recently, a full deck for
playing a REAL wellness card game. Write Don for a sample copy of his
newsletter at awr.realwellness@gmail.com