The Authoritarians

The research work of University of Manitoba's Bob Altemeyer on the nature and structure of Right-Wing Authoritarian personalities is available in an a non-technical, breezily written online PDF book, and is essential viewing/reading for anyone interested in the kinds of extreme personalities that are the dominant voices and actors in the impediment of social progress globally, and what we can do about them.
After all, we cannot fight against an enemy we know nothing about, and as G.I. Joe said, "Knowing is half the battle!".
This work confirms much of what one half consciously suspects when, god forbid, one tries to have a rational discussion with a political or religious 'true believer', but it is all based on rigorous research and so is immune from charges of mere opinionationism.
There is an objectively measurable difference between progressives and retarders, and we must ourselves be clear on this distinction and use it to affect positive change.