Good post on Kos...

link

It's about using cognitive dissonance and a mastery of facts- facts that a conservative can't readily dismiss- to get past the visceral reactions of conservatives.

You can see an example of sucha visceral reaction below with Richard/Mossback's comments on my post on terrorism.

It is clear to me that the responses the we often see from conservatives: the anger, the resentment, the attempts to shut down debate- are really at their core based on fear.

One additional "source" of information - that the conservative can't really readily dismiss- is their own feelings and emotions. Call attention to their behavior. Although there will be massive denial and outrage, this is itself symptomatic that the message is getting through.

One really certain of their position does not reflexively, always go for the anger, outrage, and resentment. It is a defensive reaction to something. And so it raises the question: why is there the need for the defensive reaction? Just as someone who acts guilty acknowledges their culpability, this is a "tell" that the conservative's world view is threatened.

And it's at that time it's up to us to keep up the good work; not to get the conservative pissed off, but to help the conservative come to an understanding of the origin and cause of the conservative's anger so as to transcend it.

And that, friends is nothing other than engaged Buddhism.