http://www.sciencecodex.com/when_seeing_is_believing


"Through a series of six experiments, the researchers showed that individuals who lacked control were more likely to see images that did not exist, perceive conspiracies, and develop superstitions.

The less control people have over their lives, the more likely they are to try and regain control through mental gymnastics," said Galinsky. "Feelings of control are so important to people that a lack of control is inherently threatening. While some misperceptions can be bad or lead one astray, they're extremely common and most likely satisfy a deep and enduring psychological need."

This helps me understand how right wingers can actually believe that unions have a great deal of power or how black in America can believe that AIDS was developed by the CIA as a way of controlling the black population.

For people who feel that they have little control over their lives- most ignorant people- it's not about reality. it's about superstition. And, there's no superstition in the US bigger than Christianity. Except maybe belief in a free market.