Jason calls our attention to a column in the liberal Washington Post by University of Virginia professor of politics Gerard Alexander titled Why Are Liberals So Condescending?
Alexander observes that:
This condescension is part of a liberal tradition that for generations has impoverished American debates over the economy, society and the functions of government -- and threatens to do so again today, when dialogue would be more valuable than ever.
He goes on to discuss what he identifies as four major narratives about conservatives that fuel this condescension. The four are these:
- The belief that conservatives win, when they win, because of a "vast right-wing conspiracy, not the quality of their ideas."
- The belief that the people who vote for conservative candidates are fundamentally simple-minded.
- The belief that conservatives are racists and xenophobes.
- The belief that whereas liberals are motivated by reason and logic, conservatives are driven by their emotions.
Alexander makes an interesting case that liberals actually do believe these things about conservatives and that this mythology has not infrequently led to serious political setbacks.
Give the article a look. It's pretty good.
RLC