"But let’s break this down into straightforward, more ‘politically incorrect’ terms. Overall, I’d say that conservatives tend to be more moralistic and closed-minded, have a pronounced empathy deficit, favor the individual over the collective, are not truly in favor of ‘equality’, are more authoritarian-leaning, are prone to public bullying, and increasingly have a ‘win at any cost’ attitude."
Personal characteristics can always be phrased both in negative and positive ways. The left will always use negative terms to describe personal characteristics of the right, and vice versa. Nothing new there.
What's more pertinent, however, is the overall paradigm that the two camps operate out of. Several studies, for example, show that conservatives are generally happier than liberals are. One can read this paper if they wish, or perhaps just the abstract and conclusion, but the general gist is that conservatives tend to see the world and their lives as fair and successful, with perhaps a few tweaks here and there needed, while liberals take a darker view of their lives and the world, and see the world as a place in need of some fairly radical change.
Obviously, if you think the world is a dark and unfair place, as the liberals seem to, you tend to get more anxious and negative when it doesn't improve. OTOH, If you think it's a pretty great place over all, as the conservatives seem to, you have less to worry about. You're free to be happier.
"Liberals, by contrast, tend to care more about society as a whole, are concerned about the less fortunate, want to ensure equality, fairness, and equal opportunity, want to spread wealth around more fairly, are also moralistic (but more open-minded), and are often overly ‘nice’ and considerate."
And there you have it. Liberals want to see the world as a fairer place; conservatives already see it that way. :-)
"And this is a big, big problem for our democracy, going forward. If one of our two main political parties harbors or even encourages fear, hatred, racism, lying, deliberate deviousness, callousness towards others, and focuses only on winning and maintaining its power at any cost… our experiment in democracy is doomed, for there is no good or adequate way to combat such fundamentally anti-social attitudes and conditioning."
Definitely true. At this stage in our political dialogue, few on either side are willing to believe that the "other side" is well-intentioned. If you believe the other side is evil and destructive, there's no reason to talk to the bastards.
This does not bode well for the future.
"Democracy depends largely on its citizens’ faith in their elections, mode of governing, and basic ‘social contract’, so if one party has made it its mission to undermine that baseline faith and redefine the nation in its own fearful/angry image, then democracy will rapidly cease to function — as we are seeing happen now, right before our eyes."
And, clearly, you're in the "other side are bastards" camp.
Good luck with it, but I can tell you straight up that unless we get back to a politics which compromises with the other side, rather than one that demands total capitulation, we have become the architects of our own destruction.
