AN ANATOMY OF HYSTERIA
SIR,—Mr. Mursell has missed my point. If is precisely because Socialists are not more high-minded than Conservatives that the question I raised in your columns is a question. Why should it be that obscene reactions to social controversy are particularly associated with the Right?
Is it, for example, because Left-wingers, who habitually express themselves in terms of criticism, protest, complaint, have permanent outlets for their social frustrations, which Right-wingers do not? Or is if, perhaps, that the Conservatism of some Con- servatives is based on a fear of change, a fear of instability and insecurity, that has its roots in child- hood? Or is it some explanation quite different from either of these? There are many possible answers.
But whatever the right one it must evidently be in terms of psychology and not of party politics. Per- haps someone like Professor Eysenck, who has made a scientific study of the psychology of political belief, can come to our rescue.—Yours faithfully, Pall Mall, SW I
Previous page
