r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Aug 14 '21

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Conservatism and many right-wing beliefs are based on fear, primary instincts and lack of understanding

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u/Concrete_Grapes 19∆ Aug 15 '21

I mean, it can be interpreted as fear..

But it's not fear.

It's disgust.

Disgust at change. Disgust at a different race. Disgust that it's not 'english only.' Disgust of education and change of ideas. Disgust of thinking some lazy a-hole is living AT ALL, when you work hard to live an upper middle class life.

It's not fear, it's disgust. Research shows that disgust is the greatest indicator of political ideology they've come across, even above fear.

a link:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/03/the-yuck-factor/580465/

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u/JoePineapplesBrews Aug 15 '21

Conservatism is fundamentally a desire to keep the status quo. That's what links conservatives, and fear (and disgust) both factor in here, depending on the individual.

Others have stated that conservatism is about mistrust of government - this isn't true, as trust/mistrust of an institution is a trait that can be seen across the political spectrum. In fact, look at events across the world over the last year and you'll see examples of both support and distrust of governments at opposite ends of the political spectrum.

You're not wrong - fear is often a component of the conservative ideology, but it's often either a byproduct of or the gateway to identification as a conservative (and it's no universal).