The Political Brain - Chapter 5: "Special Interests in Mind"

When Republicans and Democrats listen to a speech, they usually hold diametrically opposing perspectives that depends on the political party of the speaker him/herself. Each party favors their own. Essentially, it boils down to what people want to hear. Drew Westen argues that “the tendency to see what we want to see reflects an accidental byproduct of the evolution of our brains.” Why? Well because what people hear elicits an emotional response and they can base their judgments on these emotional associations. This is why, Westen says, there...

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The Political Brain - Chapter 4: "The Emotions Behind the Curtain"

This chapter opens with one of the most memorable moments during the presidential debate of 1988. Bernard Shaw (moderator) asks Governor Dukakis a simple question: “If Kitty [his wife’ were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?” Dukakis: “No, I don’t Bernard…I don’t see any evidence that it’s a deterrent, and I think there are better and more effective ways to deal with violent crime.” Thus far, we have been talking about the evolution of the dispassionate mind. On the surface, this answer seems very...

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