Moral Diversity and Political Ideology

Introduction

• Story of Adam and Bill visiting Michelangelo's David.
  • Adam appreciates the art; Bill feels embarrassed.
  • Question posed: Who is more likely to vote for George Bush or Al Gore?

Personality Traits and Politics

• Political stereotypes based on personality.
• Liberals score higher on openness to experience.
  • Crave novelty, diversity, new ideas.
• Conservatives prefer familiarity, safety, and dependability.

Openness to Experience

• Explains behaviors and preferences.
  • Artists vs. accountants, book choices, travel, food preferences.
• Openness linked to liberal/progressive views.
• Ties to group membership and political ideology.

Ted Talk Audience Poll

• Majority revealed to be liberal.
  • Few conservatives present.
  • Moral diversity concerns.
• Shared values and team psychology shut down open-minded thinking.

Moral Matrix

• Trapped in a moral matrix: analogy to the movie "The Matrix".
• Choice between comforting delusions (blue pill) and moral psychology (red pill).
• High openness to experience indicated preference for the red pill.

Understanding Morality and Innateness

• Mind is not a blank slate at birth.
• Gary Marcus: Brain's initial organization slightly dependent on experience.
  • Brain as a 'first draft' revised by experience.

Five Foundations of Morality

1. Harm/Care

• Mammalian bonding, compassion, aversion to harm.

2. Fairness/Reciprocity

• Golden Rule, societal justice, reciprocity in humans.

3. Ingroup Loyalty

• Tribal living history, pleasure in group belonging, sports as a form of ancient tribal drives.

4. Authority/Respect

• Respect and voluntary deference, unlike power-based authority in other primates.

5. Purity/Sanctity

• Ideologies of controlling body and actions for virtue, moralizing food by the political left.

Cultural and Political Differences

• Moral Mind as Audio Equalizer
  • Questionnaire results from 30,000+ people showed distinct patterns.
  • Liberals focus on harm/care and fairness/reciprocity.
  • Conservatives value all five moral foundations.
• Global consistency: Same patterns observed in multiple countries.
• Conservatives emphasize ingroup, authority, and purity more than liberals.
• Experimental analogy with dog breed preferences reflecting political orientations.

Importance of Group Dynamics

• Co-operative dilemmas solved through punishment and social norms.
• Examples from historical and contemporary research.
• Religion's role in social cohesion and moral behavior.

Liberal vs. Conservative Values

• Liberals: Diversity, questioning authority, individual body autonomy.
• Conservatives: Order, tradition, stability.
• Balance needed for societal function: Liberal pursuit for change and justice vs. conservative pursuit for order and tradition.

Philosophical Insights

• Importance of balance (Yin-Yang, Hinduism, Buddhism).
• Stepping outside moral battles can foster understanding and constructive engagement.
• Harmonizing pursuits of change and stability.
• Moral humility key to bridging divides.

Conclusion

• Engage in the pursuit of truth and positive change.
• Step out of moral matrices to understand differing perspectives.
• Cultivate moral humility for effective and sustainable solutions.