Hard-wired: The brain's circuitry for political belief

originally posted by: Deaf Alien
We already have that study and it explains the Evangelical Christians.

True. For those who were around in the 1970's and 80's you will remember how the Moral Majority and other evangelical groups swept Reagan in to power. Tired of the seeming breakdown in society this was their fear-based reaction to it - by taking religion and attempting to base our laws upon it. Much of our law was already based on Christian principles but their agenda was to take it much further - to eliminate freedom of choice to stop people from sinning.

More mature Christians know that you don't seek to control other's behaviors and understand that to be ready for salvation one must usually fall to the absolute bottom. It is at that point your Christian duty is to pick them up and help them, to show them the love Christ showed the world. Parents do much the same for their children when they are ready to be adults and move out in to the world for themselves - if the child falls on hard times you're there to help them out. Organizations like the Moral Majority would never allow the child to grow up.

a reply to: Krakatoa

"Q: Do I really understand the topic to the depth required to intelligently respond? "

That is the primary question which should be posed before anyone even considers commenting on anything.

And, given the ever expanding, and ever increasing pace, of change in our society, the honest answer to that vital question would have to be: No.

At least the vast majority of the time.

a reply to: Asktheanimals


It's all 'fear-based.' The left is convinced the right is dominated by folks one bad day from a shooting spree and the right is scared shirtless of terrorists, criminals and 'socialists.'

None of it is based on anything more substantial than group-think and paranoia.

a reply to: Asktheanimals


What school is it that seeks to harness an unquestioning belief in capitalism (whatever that means) to the benefit of economic elites? Because in the real world, everything has doubled or tripled in price over 30 years while wages have remained flat and major urban areas can't afford to keep the trains and busses functional or operating on time.

Where did the money go?

One side of the lizard-brain duality remix say its the Frankfurt socialists, the other says it's capitalism.

In the meantime, everyone wants a 'significant' return on their home and investments. If only there was some way to profit off every single transaction without having to actually do or make anything. AMIRITE?

a reply to: c2oden

People who are too set in their ways, is all.

Someone who refuses to expand their perceptions.

I don't think you or I fit that description.

a reply to: Krakatoa

We're all hardwired "special". Some of us are lazy or energetic, or bungee jumpers, discoverers, patience or not. There is no perfect human, but together, we are a perfect race. It's all in the attitude and love. There are so many variables: how we were raised, our own internal interpretations of life as we know it. It isn't cut and dried. That's why we each are amazing and so uniquely special.

a reply to: Krakatoa

The article's title should have been People Are Stubborn.

It's well known that people change their political stance as they get older. Likewise there's 'socialisation' when we slowly conform to the majority beliefs of the group we spend most time with. Throw in contrariness when son/daughter #1 chooses the opposite of what their parents believe in.

'Hard-wired' is a part of it, sure, but there's no overlooking the effects of environment and upbringing. People are stubborn and stick to their beliefs until something in their lives changes.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Its really interesting stuff!

At its most basic (see: oversimplification), we are this collection of habits. Even seemingly "novel" decisions or actions tend to be habitual.

These behavior patterns can form over time, through trauma, etc. but they all involve repeated exposure or repeated use of the same neurological structures.

The most modern social manipulation focuses on building foundational constructs rather than specific, direct correlations. Meaning, instead of hammering home "conservatives are evil," the focus is on nurturing the foundation which will lead to that conclusion on its own.

Critically, its important to note that manipulation can be successful whether an individual accepts or rejects a given premise. The only thing that is required is that they operate according to the premise, like religion and anti-theists. One accepts the premise and the other rejects it, but neither are likely to color outside the lines and introduce a premise of their own.

I do believe that these things could be used to spur our society to higher heights, instead of purely motivations of control, but I suppose that's neither here nor there. Just the point of our tools being defined by how we use them.

Science and politics have replaced religion in transmitting our explanations of the world around us and the values we hold as humans in societies.

Every last society on Earth has had some type of Gods they worshiped. Pagans and Animists believe in nature Gods that controlled the weather, the animals, the seasons etc. These Gods later might become human in form or a mix of animal and human. Long story short, we went from that to our modern religions which have eliminated nature as science removed the mystery from it.

As the ages progressed we formed larger civilizations which required complex rules for social interaction, trade and a host of other things. The advent of the enlightenment and age of reason have led more and more people away from traditional religions. The values contained within those religions remained important enough to transmit them to some other avenue - politics. Aside from religion, politics have become the only way we can express our values and beliefs.

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

The money all went to the 1% which I know you are aware of.
The masses are having beliefs imposed on them which the 1% don't believe in or abide by.
Bankers and investors are the only class who can get a return on absolutely nothing.

a reply to: Asktheanimals


Sounds exactly like socialism in reverse then, doesn't it. Socialize the "debt" (completely made-up) of the "masses;" funnel it back to a privileged class.


We just call it "capitalism" because its one of the table legs that keeps the working people in this country thrusting on demand. A magic word, like "abracadabra."


Of course, I can't simply harvest all the flax my submarine will carry, and trade/sell it to the highest bidder without involving a bunch of reverse-socialists who want to take their cut, first, so it's business licenses, sales-tax ID, local, state, federal and foreign taxes/vats/tariffs (and so on).


You have to admire the balls of middle-men everywhere though. I mean, their whole shtick is just a tax on everyone else for their own benefit. They make nothing, they use little and insert themselves between every deal we make. Even sex, marriage and education.