this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2025
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Leopards Ate My Face
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It’s not quite as simple as stupidity. I think it’s poor critical thinking, plus a strong resistance to questioning their own beliefs. Combined, those things do appear to be stupidity, but there’s a difference.
Combined they appear to be stupidity because they are stupidity.
What else would stupidity be?
I don’t exactly know, but I’ve met conservatives who are highly skilled in their own complex fields of expertise. They can’t possibly be stupid and still be good at their jobs.
I think dismissing people as “stupid” just helps build barriers. We need to understand why conservatives do what they do. Why do they consistently vote against their own interests? Why are compassion and empathy seen as weaknesses?
Bob Altmeier makes the argument that it's not that they can't think, it's that they were taught not to. It helps reduce conflict when the people above you get things wrong.