Headline, New York Times: "A Shocker: Partisan thought is unconscious.

"The thought process of a partisan being challenged is almost entirely emotional, and there are flares of pleasure when unwelcome information is rejected." Benedict Carey, January 24, 2006.

Evidently neuroscientists using MRI scanners now prove what your mother has always known. Don't discuss politics or religion at dinner.

Remember the arguments you had with her when she'd say, "Now don't you bring up politics when Uncle Harry's here."

"But, Mom, I want to know why he thinks the way he does."

"Don't you dare question him. He gets all riled up and your father gets into it, too."

"But if you can't discuss politics you can't have a true democracy, an enlightened exchange of ideas."

"With Uncle Harry you get lightning, not enlightened. So don't mention religion either. You hear me?"

Unless you have never witnessed a political demonstration or have never had your views challenged by someone in your family with opposite views, you might be surprised that an MRI scan reveals that partisan thought is unconscious.

I was shocked by the word "shocker" in the headline. Who doesn't know the heat of political rhetoric?

If we all understood the basic fact that our emotions support our political views, we might be able to exchange viewpoints without shouting.

If we all realized that the "child is father to the man" and that everything learned in childhood is stored in the subconscious mind and powers our emotions, we could avoid a lot of family dinner friction.

Children in the same family perceive different messages from their parents.

For example, my father grew up relatively poor on a farm in Massachusetts. He went to college on scholarships and felt socially inferior to his wealthy classmates. Consequently, he worked hard to become relatively wealthy by the time I, his fifth child, was born. He was a staunch Republican.

He retired when I was nine years old and began traveling around the world. He witnessed extremes of poverty and wealth that disturbed him.

Although he still espoused Republican rhetoric after he traveled, he communicated, indirectly, the values that my youngest brother and I associate with the Democratic Party.

His first three children still vote Republican. His last two generally vote Demcocratic.

Not so strangely, I have never discussed politics with my older siblings. I do with the youngest of my brothers who most influenced me. I know exactly where each of my siblings' partisan viewpoints came from.

In the last U.S. presidential election the country was divided into red and blue states. The blue states, predominantly democrats, are heavily populated. If you grew up in such a state you inhaled its partisan politics as a child. If you grew up in a red state you inhaled opposite politics and religion, opposite identity within your identity as U.S. citizen.

Do you remember other kids at national elections asking, "Are you a Democrat or a Republican? ? It was part of your identity.

My daughter is married to an Australian. She has dual citizenship, as do her two sons. One son asked, "What religion am I, Australian?" She answered. That's your nationality. You were baptized Anglican." He said, "I thought I was part American."

Identity. It's confusing for little kids. And for big kids, too.

Do you have a dream of an ideal world? I do.

We're in a new century. Technology changes at exponential rates. Amazing good is possible.

We seem to be in a terrible quagmire worldwide now, but the pendulum can swing the other way. It's due.

I think it will when more people understand the power of the subconscious mind and fewer people are shocked by the fact that partisan politics has subconscious roots.

Do your family a favor. Discuss the emotional roots of your political and religious beliefs instead of the beliefs themselves.

Copyright 2006 Cole's Poetic License