Take My Dog - Please

The psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues in his new book that a lot of what we think of as principles, opinions, political convictions are really just a matter of instinct. 

For example, he says that research shows that you can tell whether someone is politically liberal or conservative according to the kind of dog they like. If you ask them which sort they would want, a liberal will want a dog that is gentle and relates to them as an equal, conservatives prefer a dog that is loyal and will respect them as an authority.

Which proves that I must be a conservative. Our dog does not relate to me as an equal, she relates to me as an inferior and her only loyalty is to someone holding her food bowl. Loyalty? Respect? Sounds good. Guns? The death penalty? Well, if I get some loyalty and respect, I can live with that.