A good deal of progressive ideology is rooted in sociological theory.

[YoungDemCA]

35. Thinking about this some more....

I would agree that sociological theory complements progressive ideology, since at the core of both is the view that human beings do not have a fixed "human nature" but act differently depending on environment, circumstances, and social structures and conditions-all of which can and do change.

Conservative ideology, remember, very much rests on the assumption that social inequality is inevitable and natural; therefore, any attempts to alter the social order to make it more equitable would have dangerous consequences for the social good. Furthermore, a lot more emphasis is put on individual morality and responsibility by conservatives.

Therefore, when you have a field of research that says that social forces have as much (if not more) impact on individuals' choices as do their own moral compasses-which are themselves very much a product of social environment, according to social scientists...well, it only figures that conservatives would take this as a threat to their ideology (which it in fact is).