How Nazism Created the Current Republican Party

I would add that perhaps people who fall into the category of viscerotonic (slightly hippy-dippy, etc.) and cerebrotonic (slightly paranoid, etc.) believe in, and value, a subjective reality, whereas the people who fall into the category of somatotonic (power-hungry, etc.) believe in, and value, an objective reality. Maybe there's a comparison to the left and the right there, too.

America's somatotonia problem is far too pervasive to restrict to the Republican party, though it does represent the most public face of the phenomenon, and the one responsible for the most dire gobal consequences.

The callous tough guy is now considered the masculine ideal in working class America, moreso now than ever. Hip-hop culture has turned the word "thug" into a badge of honor. Youtube is awash with videos of teens brutally beating other teens. As testosterone-crazed as we were at age 18, my friends and I never casually referred to girls as "bitches and hoes". This is now commonplace for this age group.

This trend has posibly gone unnoticed by those who don't regularly interact with lower income Americans. Indeed, in middle-class America, the "metrosexual" and the "emo" have taken things in the opposite direction, valuing androgyny and emotional sensitivity. This is a good thing, but in the long run, these qualities must be tempered with courage and steadfastness. If this doesn't happen, the over-submissiveness of the "sensitive guy" will lead to his extinction. The very assertiveness of the somatotonic will make his type the norm. If nothing else, this divergence of values will further alienate lower income Americans from the rest of society.

KG replies: Thanks for the alarming report. I have to think that some of this macho seeps down into the populace from the highest levels. I've noticed the local police in my rural area getting meaner and meaner, no longer even trying, for instance, to conceal their homophobia. And when I mentioned it to the guy at the liquor store, he countered, "Whaddaya expect when the government's run by thugs?"

Fascinating. Much thanks!

Sounds like if you look like Mussorgsky or Silbelius you might be able to fake them out. Otherwise you can resort to grunting the likes of...," Let's go kick some serialist ass!"

Just so you know:
1)I always thought there was a comonality of Nazism/Bushism "us vs. them"
and
2) They scare the crap out of me.

Glad I'm safe (for now) in Canada.

Doesn't the American take on this actually come from the old British stiff upper lip view? We'll evolve away from this eventually, it's just taking us a little while...

Some, such as Christopher Lasch would argue that the real problems are the Ivy League universities and their veneer of open-mindedness and tolerance. See another example here:

http://www.theamericanscholar.org/su08/elite-deresiewicz.html

Meanwhile, look to the Nazi party and its flirtation with eugenics for the inspiration for Margaret Sanger, our current abortion and birth-control movement, etc.

KG replies: Ha! So it's Nazi-like to use condoms? Very clever, but I don't think so. You must have really enjoyed Jonah Goldberg's recent book. Thanks for crossing over.

Wow Phil what an insight on yourself. However it does not reflect middle class America or "lower income Americans". You'd be suprised to find out that middle class teens regularly use the phrases you outlined and are often binging on drugs and violence. The emo and metrosexual come from all economic backgrounds and do not cluster in the middle class. It may be easier to spot the emo and metrosecual in the middle class in contrast to the jock. Jocks do cluster in middle class America and unfortunately the rugged tough guy image cluster around the tv on Sunday's to watch football yell obscenities. Those who don't value the Monday night tradition generally in middle class America are made to feel ashamed of not participating in what is being touted as an American tradition.