What an interesting perspective, John. Vermonters I know would love to think of themselves as exemplary in this area.
(And now I'm going to be singing, "Oh, the farmers and the ranchers should be friends!" from *Oklahoma* all day*.*) Beth Benoit Plymouth State University Plymouth NH On Mon, Jan 12, 2015 at 1:51 PM, John Kulig <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > We should take an historic peek at the "farmers versus ranchers" conflict > in the US (and then visit Vermont). I have heard it argued by evolutionary > psychologists (I am not in a position to fully explain or defend ..) that > ranchers have an "all or none" culture. You either hit it rich or flopped, > with little incentive to co-operate. In farming societies everyone can get > ahead if rules and boundaries are established, hence communal values. I > have not studied this issue in detail, but I suspect the key difference is > that cattle roam; hence no boundaries, rules, or statehood. In contrast, > farm equipment and crops stay put; hence boundaries and neighbors. The > difference lead to actual conflict in the US West. > > In New England, Vermont may be the most farm-like, and gave the US Senate > its only socialist (Bernie). It is also home to Ben & Jerry ice cream which > is known to donate heavily to liberal causes (before they sold out) and > Cabot diary products which (the last I heard) is tied into a dairy > co-operative. Now, what do we make of the fact that Bernie Sanders, Howard > "scream" Dean (former governor) and Ben & Jerry are all transplanted New > Yorkers (not from the Long Island potato farms)? And the fact that when I > drive through I encounter "Take Back Vermont!" on barns? Not sure. There > are obviously many other factors e.g. less law and order presence in the US > West versus Canada ..the proximity of Vermont to Canada, and so forth. And > we are stereotyping countries and states .. there is much variability > within each. In sync with the other comments, there is also a > self-reliance streak in VT. It is the only US State I know of that was its > own country, with their own laws and mint, in the aftermath of the US > revolution. Seriously, Vermont is a cool place if you don't putting up with > the transplanted New Yorkers :-) > > > ========================== > John W. Kulig, Ph.D. > Professor of Psychology > Coordinator, Psychology Honors > Plymouth State University > Plymouth NH 03264 > ========================== > > ------------------------------ > *From: *"don allen" <[email protected]> > *To: *"Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" < > [email protected]> > *Sent: *Monday, January 12, 2015 1:12:58 PM > *Subject: *Re: [tips] What Would Skinner Do? > > Hi Chris- > > I think that you've nailed this one nicely. When I had a farm in Ontario > may years ago There was a strong culture of self-reliance. You were > expected to be able to do all of the tasks by yourself. At the same time > there was a strong sense of community support. If we head of a neighbour > who needed help we all pitched in without hesitation. Of course, it's > easier do do this in small communities where everyone knows everyone else. > It's easier to ignore the needs of "Them" when you've never met them. > > -Don. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Christopher Green" <[email protected]> > To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" < > [email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2015 5:43:40 PM > Subject: Re: [tips] What Would Skinner Do? > > > > On Jan 11, 2015, at 4:33 PM, Joan Warmbold <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > A more > > unfortunate concern/question I have about the USA is why we fairly > > consistently stand apart from other westernized nations in our > > perspectives on taking care of the needy, whether it's in regard to > caring > > for the homeless, those in need of health care, etc. Is it simply a > > result of the powerful corporate lobbies or is more reflective of our > > strong cultural support of individualism and that we each 'make our own > > bed to sleep in,' so to speak. > > > I think individualism is a laudable cultural attitude (not only of the US, > but of many successful countries) but that it has been skillfully exploited > by propagandists (corporate and otherwise) into a rigid ideology that is > socially harmful when practiced without exception. Canadians, who have > historically had to make their way through comparatively harsh weather, > have long had a strong tradition self-reliance, but that was never seen as > a justification for failing to help others who required it. The Finns, > also, have a strong ethic of *personal* preparation for the possibility of > harsh conditions, but that has sat side by side comfortably with a strong > socialist strain. > > Put simply (perhaps simplistically), the ethic of individualism is > something that works best when applied to the self -- *I* will be > self-reliant and prepared for any contingency -- but makes for a nasty, > brutish society when cast upon others -- *They* should be self-reliant and > prepared -- and too easily slides into a justification for an ethics of > "uncaring." > > Chris > ....... > Christopher D Green > Department of Psychology > York University > Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 > > [email protected] > http://www.yorku.ca/christo > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13157.966b795bc7f3ccb35e3da08aebe98f18&n=T&l=tips&o=41511 > or send a blank email to > leave-41511-13157.966b795bc7f3ccb35e3da08aebe98...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13338.f659d005276678c0696b7f6beda66454&n=T&l=tips&o=41522 > or send a blank email to > leave-41522-13338.f659d005276678c0696b7f6beda66...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aaf72&n=T&l=tips&o=41523 > > (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) > > or send a blank email to > leave-41523-13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aa...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > > > > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. 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