Includes bibliographical references and index.

Authoritarian followers, right and left -- Intellectual apathy: a virus that kills rational argument -- Misinformation obsession: the psychology of the elephant's tusk -- Inconsistency: groups in, principle out -- Simplicity: authoritarian black and white thinking, literally -- Self-ignorance: the left-wing authoritarianism blind spot -- We're doing this wrong -- The paradox of the authoritarian deterrence system -- How to fight fire with fire without burning everything down.

"Liberal Bullies argues that the political left has an urgent and rising problem with authoritarianism. An alarmingly high percentage of self-identified progressives are punitive, bullying, and intolerant of disagreement-and the problem is getting worse. Using his own cutting-edge research to analyze contemporary politics, noted psychologist Luke Conway shows that it's not just right-wingers and fascists who long for an authority figure to crush their enemies, silence opponents, and restore order. A persistent proportion of left-wingers demonstrate authoritarian tendencies, and they're becoming more emboldened. On issues ranging from schooling and vaccine mandates to critical race theory and gender ideology, they are increasingly advocating censorship over free debate, disregarding the rule of law, and dehumanizing their opponents. These tendencies are part of an accelerating "threat circle" of mutual hatred and fear between left and right that could tear apart our basic democratic norms. Concluding with an eloquent call for firm but rational resistance to this rising tide of authoritarianism, Liberal Bullies is for everyone who is concerned about cancel culture and the hyperpartisan war zone that our political arena has become"-- Provided by publisher.