I Die, Therefore I Vote

John B. Judis of The New Republic has written an article analyzing the 2004 presidential election from the viewpoint of a relatively new psychological theory. The theory deals with the idea that when we envision our own death, both consciously and unconsciously, we tend to trigger a range of emotions within ourselves...

...from disdain for other races, religions, and nations, to a preference for charismatic over pragmatic leaders, to a heightened attraction to traditional mores.

The article details the rise of this theory as well as how it has been tested both in the United States and in other countries. It then applies it to the last presidential election, noting that it is particularly relevant to how certain elements of American society that would otherwise have not been inclined to vote for Bush -- indeed elements that voted for Clinton in two previous elections -- thought of Bush as their only choice.

Whether you have an interest in psychology or not, it is an interesting political read.

21 August 2007