Conservatism: America's Personality Disorder

by Christopher Armitage, D. Carl Brown

AMERICA’S PERSONALITY DISORDER

Conservatives often defend policies that feel hard-hearted. Why? Christopher Armitage and D. Carl Brown argue the root problem is a measurable empathy gap, not mere ideology.

Their concise analysis shows how this gap drives positions on poverty, immigration, pollution, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ equality, hurting millions while claiming virtue.

Grounded in psychology and real-world data, this book reframes the culture war and offers a path toward compassion-led politics.

Christopher Armitage is an Air Force veteran and researcher in psychology, law enforcement, and public policy.

D. Carl Brown is a clinical psychologist who studies empathy and personality in political behavior.

314 pages, Hardcover

Published July 2, 2025

Reviews

[David Rebula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facts: NPD (Taco man). Psychosis ("January 6th-ers are Patriots"). Schizophrenia with delusions of grandiosity ("America's 1st", "Make America Great Again"), hallucinations ("Golden Age"). Psychopathy (killing citizens in the Caribbean indiscriminately). Machiavellianism (tariffs as a defensive tactic while simultaneously taxing its citizens). Literally the Dark Triad of Personality Disorders. People wearing MAGA shit is the equivalent of believing, "you're wrong, that stripper is in love with me, not just my money (aka vote)!" ...Right. But truly, this book shows just how there is a general lack of empathy, on average, from the conservative right. And this isn't written by some Antifa guy in Portland. This book has hundreds of scientific references to academic studies done across the globe showing how, on average, conservatives, especially in MAGA America, are less compassionate, less empathetic, less willing to see collective and more of us-versus-them mentality. They aren't ever going away. But progress is on our side and when the boomers die (vast majority of conservate Fox-news, MAGA voting people), they become less and less relevant
Opinions: *see above facts*

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agreed

[Veronics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congrats on moving into non fiction

[Ares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great method o testing and describing physiological theory

[Jay Von · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only science matterd

[Gerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great take thank you for putting your work out