Harvard University Confirms: 4th of July is Just Right-Wing Social Engineering

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/06/30/harvard-july-4th-parades-are-right-wing

Click the link to read the story. Key points:

"There is no evidence of an increased likelihood of identifying as a Democrat, indicating that Fourth of July shifts preferences to the right rather than increasing political polarization," the two wrote.

The three key findings of those attending July 4th celebrations:

• When done before the age of 18, it increases the likelihood of a youth identifying as a Republican by at least 2 percent.
• It raises the likelihood that parade watchers will vote for a Republican candidate by 4 percent.
• It boosts the likelihood a reveler will vote by about 1 percent and increases the chances they'll make a political contribution by 3 percent.

Should we ban 4th of July celebrations?

Are you ***** kidding me?

Is the 4th of July like the 5th of November in the UK where nobody actually cares about it, we just want an excuse to start a fire and blow things up?

Is the 4th of July like the 5th of November in the UK where nobody actually cares about it, we just want an excuse to start a fire and blow things up.

toast_burner

Here in Australia, we just use public holidays as an excuse to get drunk and not have to work.

/facepalm

Can't anything not have politics tied to it anymore?

... I'm on the next plane out of this country.XiaolinPrincess

/facepalm

Can't anything not have politics tied to it anymore?

Pirate700

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

I believe the democratic party is already petioning to have the 4th removed from July. The american flag is also a propaganda tool of the right wing and should be replaced with a banner of a vegan colony and a prius.

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

theone86

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

theone86

I think that the article that you linked to might be exaggerating or simplifying the study's claims.

I'm not saying the study is right, I'd like to actually see the study in its entirety before bashing it.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

sonicare

[QUOTE="sonicare"]Way to completely miss the point of indenpendence day.Pirate700

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="sonicare"]Way to completely miss the point of indenpendence day.LJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

I believe the democratic party is already petioning to have the 4th removed from July. The american flag is also a propaganda tool of the right wing and should be replaced with a banner of a vegan colony and a prius.

theone86

So as long as we're throwing worthless sterotypes out there, let's come up with an idea for the Republican flag. Oooh, I got it, how about an inbred redneck with a single-digit IQ, an AK-47, and a poster about communist/nazi conspiracies! Ah, what fun this is, don't let it stop, say something about how me and every other liberal are god-hating tyrants who want to destroy America, we've gotta keep this good vibe going!

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

/facepalm

Can't anything not have politics tied to it anymore?

LJS9502_basic

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

I believe the democratic party is already petioning to have the 4th removed from July. The american flag is also a propaganda tool of the right wing and should be replaced with a banner of a vegan colony and a prius.

theone86

So as long as we're throwing worthless sterotypes out there, let's come up with an idea for the Republican flag. Oooh, I got it, how about an inbred redneck with a single-digit IQ, an AK-47, and a poster about communist/nazi conspiracies! Ah, what fun this is, don't let it stop, say something about how me and every other liberal are god-hating tyrants who want to destroy America, we've gotta keep this good vibe going!

[QUOTE="toast_burner"]

Is the 4th of July like the 5th of November in the UK where nobody actually cares about it, we just want an excuse to start a fire and blow things up.

Celldrax

Here in Australia, we just use public holidays as an excuse to get drunk and not have to work.

Whatever.

Right wing propaganda or no, it lets my centrist ass get free barbecue food from this guy who lives down the street who's like a BBQ Jesus. F***in' love the holiday.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

I believe the democratic party is already petioning to have the 4th removed from July. The american flag is also a propaganda tool of the right wing and should be replaced with a banner of a vegan colony and a prius.

DivergeUnify

So as long as we're throwing worthless sterotypes out there, let's come up with an idea for the Republican flag. Oooh, I got it, how about an inbred redneck with a single-digit IQ, an AK-47, and a poster about communist/nazi conspiracies! Ah, what fun this is, don't let it stop, say something about how me and every other liberal are god-hating tyrants who want to destroy America, we've gotta keep this good vibe going!

I always thought the 4th was an excuse to get drunk in front of family members.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

sonicare

That depends on what you mean by the point. If by the point you mean what it was originally intended to be, a celebration of independence as a nation, then yes I missed the point. If you mean what it actually is in practice, an excuse for a bunch of people to get drunk off their asses and watch big explosions that make big sounds and use these manufactured images to force themselves to get all teary-eyed and emotional like a first-year drama student who just mastered crying at will, then I think I hit the nail on the head.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Pirate700"]

/facepalm

Can't anything not have politics tied to it anymore?

taj7575

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

How do you know the study said that there's a problem with people celebrating it?

Also, universities have never simply done "useful research". Sometimes they do research to better understand certain events.

I always thought the 4th was an excuse to get drunk in front of family members.

ImaPirate0202

[QUOTE="taj7575"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] It's the liberals at Harvard....>__>GreySeal9

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

How do you know the study said that there's a problem with people celebrating it?

That was directed to the person who's ranting about the day in here..

How they can they say it "raises" the likelyhood? What if conservatives are just more likely to attend Fourth of July celebrations? At least Harvard is a private university not wasting taxpayer money on this.

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

[QUOTE="taj7575"]

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

taj7575

How do you know the study said that there's a problem with people celebrating it?

That was directed to the person who's ranting about the day in here..

Oh, OK.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

I believe the democratic party is already petioning to have the 4th removed from July. The american flag is also a propaganda tool of the right wing and should be replaced with a banner of a vegan colony and a prius.

Pirate700

So as long as we're throwing worthless sterotypes out there, let's come up with an idea for the Republican flag. Oooh, I got it, how about an inbred redneck with a single-digit IQ, an AK-47, and a poster about communist/nazi conspiracies! Ah, what fun this is, don't let it stop, say something about how me and every other liberal are god-hating tyrants who want to destroy America, we've gotta keep this good vibe going!

An early morning and coffee withdrawl can do that.

Hey - I get a three day weekend. If that's a product of Republican propoganda, then throw me a sparkler and a Bud Light, and I'm on my way to changing my voter affiliation.Engrish_Major

How they can they say it "raises" the likelyhood? What if conservatives are just more likely to attend Fourth of July celebrations? At least Harvard is a private university not wasting taxpayer money on this.

Boston_Boyy

That is why I'd rather see the entire study itself instead of having it filtered to me through this article.

lolharvard.

Conducting studies on useless information just to proclaim they did a study on something since.. forever.

How they can they say it "raises" the likelyhood? What if conservatives are just more likely to attend Fourth of July celebrations? At least Harvard is a private university not wasting taxpayer money on this.

Boston_Boyy

[QUOTE="ImaPirate0202"]

I always thought the 4th was an excuse to get drunk in front of family members.

Pirate700

It's what makes the holidays so special for us:lol:

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Pirate700"]

/facepalm

Can't anything not have politics tied to it anymore?

taj7575

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

I never expressly said there was anything wrong with people celebrating it, but saying that there is NO propaganda in fourth celebrations whatsoever is just patently false.

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

theone86

lolharvard.

Conducting studies on useless information just to proclaim they did a study on something since.. forever.

UCF_Knight

Sometimes intellectual curiosity about something is reason enough to conduct a study.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

BMD004

His statement is pretty much the opposite of political correctness.

[QUOTE="taj7575"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] It's the liberals at Harvard....>__>theone86

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

I never expressly said there was anything wrong with people celebrating it, but saying that there is NO propaganda in fourth celebrations whatsoever is just patently false.

[QUOTE="UCF_Knight"]

lolharvard.

Conducting studies on useless information just to proclaim they did a study on something since.. forever.

GreySeal9

Sometimes intellectual curiosity about something is reason enough to conduct a study.

This is what they were intellectually curious about? Of all things?

[QUOTE="BMD004"]

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Social engineering, no. A bunch of patriotic bull**** meant to inspire blind enthusiasm at best and jingoism at worst, yes. Frankly, I find patriotism to be a rather inane concept, basically being proud of something for the sake of being proud of it regardless of whether or not it's actually a good thing or a bad thing. It's nothing, though, that ****tacular summer blockbusters made by immature manchildren with hard-ons for angsty jerks who have a strictly linear moral compass don't do. The fouth is simply a Micheal Bay movie without an explicit narrative.

GreySeal9

His statement is pretty much the opposite of political correctness.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="taj7575"]

You know, in all seriousness, it probably is >_>

Nice to see Harvard spending money on some useful research :|

But seriously..What a bunch of crap. July 4th is an important day in American history, and there's no propaganda in it, nor is there a problem with people celebrating it.

BMD004

I never expressly said there was anything wrong with people celebrating it, but saying that there is NO propaganda in fourth celebrations whatsoever is just patently false.