Spotty was whining yesterday about my only-occasional posting here at the Cucking Stool. Not only is a whining dog acutely annoying, but today something came up that I know will appeal to Spot's loyal readers.
A while back, I lent Spot my copy of John Dean's "Conservatives Without Conscience" -- a book whose location appears to be somewhat in doubt at this moment -- which prompted some observations from Sigmund Spot. Building on Sigmund Spot's earlier work, the post in turn had its genesis directly in the work of Prof. Stanley Milgram and indirectly Prof. Bob Altemeyer (Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba). Prof. Altemeyer has spent his entire career exploring authoritarianism and his work provided insight into much of what was in John Dean's book of last year.
Well, Prof. Altemeyer seems to be a man who loves to tell people about his research, apparently even when they don't want to hear about it (actual quote: "everyone who knows me would rather volunteer for a root canal operation at a school for spastic dental students than ask me a question about authoritarianism"). He also bases his research on those actual experiments that psychology professors are always sucking their students into, something I recall vividly from my days as a Psych 101 student. He hasn't taken a research grant since 1972, has never been a member of a political party, and is someone clearly in hog heaven doing the work he's spent his life with.
And following the buzz around John Dean's book, he's decided to write his own. I've only read the introduction, but will be picking it up over the next few days. The best part? So can you! For free!
The good professor has decided to pass on the "big bucks, fame, and cocktail party hors d'oeuvres" and make the book available here absolutely free.
So read the book, and the next time you see some right wing blogger exhibiting high levels of aggression in the name of their authorities, you'll know why.
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