STUDY: COLLECTIVISM SHATTERS SELF-RELIANCE

FAMOUS NEO-CON WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE:

"TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE."

MAO AND HILLARY AND THE DEMS:

"IT TAKES A VILLAGE."

HERE ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS, FROM YAHOO:

Rugged American individualism could hinder our ability to understand other peoples' point of view, a new study suggests.

And in contrast, the researchers found that Chinese are more skilled at understanding other people's perspectives, possibly because they live in a more "collectivist" society.

"This cultural difference affects the way we communicate," said study co-author and cognitive psychologist Boaz Keysar of the University of Chicago.

Simple study

The study, though oversimplified compared to real life, was instructive. Keysar and his colleagues arranged two blocks on a table so participants could see both. However, a piece of cardboard obstructed the view of one block so a "director," sitting across from the participant, could only see one block.

When the director asked 20 American participants (none of Asian descent) to move a block, most were confused as to which block to move and did not take into account the director's perspective. Even though they could have deduced that, from the director's seat, only one block was on the table.

Most of the 20 Chinese participants, however, were not confused by the hidden block and knew exactly which block the director was referring to. While following directions was relatively simple for the Chinese, it took Americans twice as long to move a block.

"That strong, egocentric communication of Westerners was nonexistent when we looked at Chinese," Keysar said. "The Chinese were very much able to put themselves in the shoes of another when they were communicating."

The results are detailed in the July issue of the journal Psychological Science.

Collectivist societies, such as the Chinese, place more value on the needs of the group and less on the autonomy of the individual. In these societies, understanding other peoples' experiences is a more critical social skill than it is among typically more individualist Americans.

IF YOU WANT TO BE SUBJUGATED TO THE COLLECTIVE, THE BRG, THE STATE, THE VILLAGE, THE PARTY THEN BY ALL MEANS VOTE SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST, OR DEMOCRAT. AND KEEP MARX AND OBAMA-EDWARDS-HILLARY.

I'LL TAKE SHAKESPEARE AND HAYEK.

CHINA WENT FROM BASKET-CASE TO POWERHOUSE BECAUSE THEY ABANDONED COLLECTIVISM.

ALL THIS STUDY REALLY PROVES IS THAT COLLECTIVIST IDEAS ARE PERSISTENT.

WHICH IS WHY - EVEN HERE IN THE USA AND IN EUROPE , EVEN AFTER THE FALL OF THE USSR AND RED CHINA - WE MUST FIGHT LEFTISM.