Moral Politics

1. Conservative and liberal worldviews stem from different family models

"Conservatives and progressives have opposing worldviews at the level of basic morality—they have conflicting understandings of what is right and wrong."

Family as foundation: The author argues that our political beliefs are deeply rooted in our understanding of family dynamics. This connection is often unconscious, yet profoundly influences how we view the role of government and society.

Two models emerge:

• Strict Father model: Associated with conservative views
• Nurturant Parent model: Associated with liberal views

These models shape our moral priorities, which in turn inform our political stances on a wide range of issues. Understanding this connection is crucial for bridging the divide in political discourse and finding common ground.

2. Strict Father vs. Nurturant Parent: The core of political ideologies

"The Strict Father model takes as background the view that life is difficult and that the world is fundamentally dangerous."

Strict Father model:

• Emphasizes discipline, obedience, and self-reliance
• Views the world as inherently competitive and dangerous
• Believes in punishment as a means of character building

Nurturant Parent model:

• Focuses on empathy, mutual respect, and open communication
• Sees the world as potentially cooperative and nurturing
• Believes in positive reinforcement and guidance

These contrasting views of family life translate directly into political ideologies. Conservatives tend to favor policies that promote individual responsibility and minimal government intervention, while liberals advocate for social programs and collective support systems.

3. Metaphors shape our understanding of morality and politics

"Much of moral reasoning is metaphorical reasoning, as will become apparent below."

Conceptual metaphors: Our understanding of abstract concepts like morality and politics is largely shaped by metaphors rooted in physical experiences. These metaphors are not mere linguistic devices but fundamental to how we think and reason.

Common moral metaphors:

• Morality as cleanliness
• Immorality as disease
• Moral accounting (debts, credits, balancing)
• Morality as strength
• Nation as family

These metaphors significantly influence how we frame political issues and evaluate policies. Recognizing their role can help us better understand our own biases and the perspectives of others.

4. The Nation as Family: A powerful metaphor in political discourse

"Part of our conceptual systems, whether we are liberals, conservatives, or neither, is a common metaphorical conception of the Nation As Family, with the government, or head of state representing the government, seen as an older male authority figure, typically a father."

Pervasive influence: This metaphor is deeply embedded in our political language and thinking. We speak of "founding fathers," "Uncle Sam," and "Big Brother" without realizing the underlying family metaphor.

Differing interpretations:

• Conservatives see government as a strict father figure
• Liberals view government as a nurturing parent

This fundamental difference in how we conceptualize the nation-family relationship leads to vastly different expectations of government's role and responsibilities. Recognizing this metaphor can help us understand the emotional resonance of certain political arguments and rhetoric.

5. Moral accounting: How we conceptualize right and wrong

"The metaphor by which we conceptualize well-being as wealth is a metaphor that is ubiquitous and important in our conceptual systems."

Moral ledger: We often think of morality in terms of debts, credits, and balancing accounts. This metaphor is deeply ingrained in our language and reasoning about right and wrong.

Key concepts in moral accounting:

• Reciprocation: "I owe you one"
• Retribution: "Payback time"
• Restitution: "Making amends"
• Altruism: "Paying it forward"

This framework influences our ideas of justice, fairness, and social responsibility. It shapes how we view concepts like punishment, forgiveness, and charity in both personal and political contexts.

6. The role of empathy and nurturance in liberal morality

"Empathy is understood metaphorically as the capacity to project your consciousness into other people so that you can feel what they feel."

Centrality of empathy: In the Nurturant Parent model, empathy is the foundation of morality. It leads to a focus on caring for others and promoting their well-being.

Key aspects of nurturant morality:

• Emphasis on social responsibility
• Support for social programs
• Concern for environmental protection
• Promotion of equality and fairness

This moral framework leads liberals to support policies that aim to protect the vulnerable, promote social justice, and address collective challenges. It prioritizes cooperation and mutual support over competition and individual success.

7. Strict Father morality: Emphasizing discipline and self-reliance

"Strict Father morality assigns highest priorities to such things as moral strength (the self-control and self-discipline to stand up to external and internal evils), respect for and obedience to authority, the setting and following of strict guidelines and behavioral norms, and so on."

Core principles:

• Self-discipline as a moral virtue
• Personal responsibility
• Respect for authority
• Adherence to traditional values

This moral framework leads conservatives to favor policies that promote individual responsibility, limited government intervention, and traditional social structures. It emphasizes the idea that individuals should overcome challenges through their own efforts rather than relying on external support.

8. The impact of family models on policy preferences

"The conservative family values agenda is, at present, being set primarily by fundamentalist Christians."

Policy implications: The family models that shape our moral views have far-reaching effects on policy preferences across a wide range of issues.

Examples of policy divides:

• Social programs: Viewed as necessary support vs. fostering dependency
• Environmental regulation: Protection of shared resources vs. interference with free enterprise
• Criminal justice: Rehabilitation vs. punishment
• Education: Emphasis on diversity and critical thinking vs. traditional values and discipline

Understanding these underlying models can help explain seemingly unrelated policy positions and provide insight into the coherence of political ideologies.

9. Rethinking public discourse: Beyond partisan rhetoric

"Public political discourse is so impoverished at present that it cannot accommodate most of what we have been discussing here."

Limitations of current discourse: The author argues that our public discussions of politics lack the vocabulary and conceptual framework to address the deep moral differences underlying political divisions.

Challenges to overcome:

• Assumption of neutral language
• Oversimplification of complex issues
• Failure to recognize underlying moral frameworks

Improving public discourse requires developing a meta-language that can describe and analyze the moral systems underlying political positions. This could lead to more productive debates and better mutual understanding across ideological divides.

10. Cognitive science reveals flaws in Strict Father morality

"Strict Father morality is not just out of touch with the realities of raising children. It has a problem that goes even deeper. It is out of touch with the realities of the human mind."

Cognitive limitations: Research in cognitive science challenges key assumptions of Strict Father morality, particularly its views on human nature and moral reasoning.

Problematic assumptions:

• Absolute categorization
• Literal interpretation of moral rules
• Perfect communication
• Behaviorist view of human motivation

These findings suggest that the Strict Father model may be based on an overly simplistic understanding of human cognition and behavior, calling into question its effectiveness as a moral and political framework.

11. The importance of experiential morality in political thought

"The foundation for all abstract, metaphorically conceptualized morality is thus experiential morality; that is, helping, not harming, on the level of direct experience."

Grounding in experience: The author argues that all moral systems, regardless of their complexity, are ultimately rooted in basic human experiences of well-being and harm.

Implications:

• Moral systems should prioritize human flourishing
• Abstract moral principles should be evaluated against their real-world impacts
• Empathy and direct experience play crucial roles in moral reasoning

This perspective suggests that effective political systems should be grounded in promoting tangible improvements in people's lives rather than adhering rigidly to abstract principles. It calls for a more pragmatic and empathetic approach to policy-making.

Last updated: January 25, 2025