Comments on: Welfare reform – our confused attitudes http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/welfare-reform-our-confused-attitudes/ Politics, brains, social action and the day to day life of the RSA’s chief executive Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:39:05 +0000 hourly 1 By: matthew taylor http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/welfare-reform-our-confused-attitudes/comment-page-1/#comment-210 matthew taylor Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:57:35 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=763#comment-210 Thanks for these comments. Marbury is right that there is a more humdrum explanation for people's resentment, although I still think we would expect people to be more intolerant of claimants when there are loads of vacanices to fill. Michael, I love the RSA Books of the Year idea - which i will now feature in my blog! Thanks for these comments. Marbury is right that there is a more humdrum explanation for people’s resentment, although I still think we would expect people to be more intolerant of claimants when there are loads of vacanices to fill. Michael, I love the RSA Books of the Year idea – which i will now feature in my blog!

]]> By: Fewer people agree with you than you think « Local Democracy http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/welfare-reform-our-confused-attitudes/comment-page-1/#comment-208 Fewer people agree with you than you think « Local Democracy Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:10:47 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=763#comment-208 [...] involves squaring a number of unsquareable circles. Here’s the RSA’s Matthew Taylor on cognitive dissonance and the rose coloured mirror. People - the voters (trans: you and I) don’t recognise the [...] [...] involves squaring a number of unsquareable circles. Here’s the RSA’s Matthew Taylor on cognitive dissonance and the rose coloured mirror. People – the voters (trans: you and I) don’t recognise the [...]

]]> By: Richard http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/welfare-reform-our-confused-attitudes/comment-page-1/#comment-206 Richard Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:19:02 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=763#comment-206 I've always thought of hate as externalised self-loathing (e.g. homophobics - who are, science says, disproportionately excited by homosexual pornography). As Herman Hesse said "If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us." It sounds like you might agree. Also, I'm surprised you didn't mention explicitly the fundamental attribution error or actor-observer bias: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error I’ve always thought of hate as externalised self-loathing (e.g. homophobics – who are, science says, disproportionately excited by homosexual pornography). As Herman Hesse said “If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.” It sounds like you might agree.

Also, I’m surprised you didn’t mention explicitly the fundamental attribution error or actor-observer bias: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error

]]> By: Marbury http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/welfare-reform-our-confused-attitudes/comment-page-1/#comment-205 Marbury Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:41:36 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=763#comment-205 Um, hang on a minute. I'm not sure we need to employ social psychology here, brilliant though it is (is cognitive dissonance a posh way of saying, some people - not me or you, obviously - are out of touch with reality?). If I get more pissed off with people taking advantage of the benefit system, the more people lose their jobs, does that make me disdainful/delusional/hypocritical? Or is it a logical response to the fact that when more and more people are in real need, it's doubly outrageous that some people are playing the system? Um, hang on a minute. I’m not sure we need to employ social psychology here, brilliant though it is (is cognitive dissonance a posh way of saying, some people – not me or you, obviously – are out of touch with reality?). If I get more pissed off with people taking advantage of the benefit system, the more people lose their jobs, does that make me disdainful/delusional/hypocritical? Or is it a logical response to the fact that when more and more people are in real need, it’s doubly outrageous that some people are playing the system?

]]> By: Michael, in UK http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/welfare-reform-our-confused-attitudes/comment-page-1/#comment-204 Michael, in UK Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:56:46 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=763#comment-204 That's a great description of cognitive dissonance and its effects, thank you. I'd be interested to know your "books of the year" - non-fiction and fiction. The lists that appesar in newspapers at this time of yeat always seem to favour inviting fiction writers, and the choices are always dominated by fiction. I wonder if Prospect has compiled a list? That’s a great description of cognitive dissonance and its effects, thank you.
I’d be interested to know your “books of the year” – non-fiction and fiction. The lists that appesar in newspapers at this time of yeat always seem to favour inviting fiction writers, and the choices are always dominated by fiction.
I wonder if Prospect has compiled a list?

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