During and since my years in social work and politics, I’ve always been interested in what people believe, but more importantly why they believe it. As objective as they try to be, they tend to believe what they want to believe; and they want to believe certain things because of how their minds work. The far left and far right go to extremes because they are immature.

It seems the far left (Jane Fonda types in the late 60s) grew up spoiled, irresponsible, unconditionally loved, and learned to get by on charm and rhetoric. They came of age idealistic and unprepared. They found reality too harsh and rebelled radically. They tear down the establishment yet expect it to cure all of society’s problems the way an adolescent criticizes his folks, yet expects them to solve all their problems. They don’t hold the poor responsible because they (the far left) never learned responsibility. They don’t understand how basic it is. They put it aside and look for a world that is secure, loving, socialistic, egalitarian, positive, psychologically oriented, well‑educated, and rational. They don’t find it and become cynical.

The far right (John Birchers, Lindon Larouches) are the other extreme. They are immature in a different way. They are repressed. They didn’t develop emotionally, establish their identities, or become fully in touch with their feelings. They never resolved many issues, and are angry and fearful. They feel under siege and don’t know why. They resist change until everything is order. They make fetishes of guns, the bible, the flag, the past, and the constitution – secure beacons in a threatening world of change. They plod through life doing their “duty.” Talking about sex is taboo, homosexuality is an abomination, and issues are black and white ‑ sometimes the work of God, the devil, or communists. Security is the biggest military, biggest police force, and biggest gun in the closet. They over identify with their leaders and want them to do their thinking, fight their battles, be macho (and ride a white horse). They don’t find these and remain frustrated, threatened, and angry.

Far left Moderate Far right

I.Q. & education ….. more ……. average ……… average

Maturity

Identity ………… groping ………. settled ……… stunted

Love is ……. everything ……. part of life ……. to be earned

Sensitive ……. overly ……….. somewhat …….. lacking

Outlook ……… idealistic ……. realistic ………. reactionary

Believe in ….. theories ……… practicalities …… dogmas

Orientation … future ……….. present ……… past

Attitude toward:

Social classes …. anti ……… accepting ……. regimented

Superiors ….. too chummy …… some distance …. obedient

Traditional values … anti …… valued ………. dogmatic

Discipline … permissive …… firm ………… repressive

Responsibility … pass the buck … valued …… burdensome

Sex ………. permissive …… restrained ……. repressed

Change …….. worship ………. accept ……….. fear

Future …….. revolution …. evolution … turn clock back

Leaders ……. anti …………. work with …….. venerate

Religion …… anti ………. neutral …….. fundamental

Soc. problems …. guilt ……… empathy ……. intolerance

Psychology ….. worship ……… use ………… fear

See mankind as … perfectible ….. good & bad ……. bad

See the poor as …. victims ……. limited ………. foolish

See hardened criminals as

“ill” ………….. childish (by choice) ……. evil

Priorities …… social programs ……. defense

Priorities …… “compassion” ……. order

Approach ……. sloppy ………… flexible ……… rigid

Approach ……. carrot ………. carrot & stick ….. stick

Lifestyle … non‑conformist …. straight ….. too conventional

Appearance … ” ” ……. appropriate ….. unimaginative

Humor …….. scoffing ………. natural ………. lacking

Results …….. jaded …………. mature …….. frustrated

Seen as …….. bleeding heart …. mature ……….. mean

The far right is uptight and often mixes church and state. The far left is irresponsible, idealistic, patronizing, and too generous. A close look at each would probably show many in these groups are not fulfilled in their personal lives; they seek it in their beliefs, which become their “family.” They seek beliefs that provide all the answers and pervade and control most aspects of life. They want a world that can’t exist. Both can be arrogant, smug, self‑righteous, and fanatical. One has only to look to other countries to see what happens when either comes to power as “temporary” holders of great power – a Fidel Castro of the left or an Ayatollah of the right. In an open, democratic society like ours there is room for these extremes to play themselves out. This helps help keep the majority moderate.