Brain structure differs in liberals, conservatives: study

Originally posted by beezzer
Well said. That is exactly what we're missing in Obama. He analyzes. He postulates. He cogitates. He looks for consensus. He looks at options.

A leader acts. Obama reacts.

And what you claim as Obama's weaknesses is what was missing near entirely with his predecessor GW.

Who was quick to act...slow ...oh so slow...to think. Invade Iraq...Mission Accomplished!!

Maybe one day we will get a POTUS to both our liking?

reply to post by soficrow




I've seen this before and it makes perfect sense. Why, though are there only the two types?? That part mystifies.

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
What did happen? Did you buy a house around that age? Have children? Begin to achieve a certain level of material success? Was your family of origin more conservative and your liberal tree hugging phase your rebellion? So is this radical change in your thinking just an return to your families values?

Was much of your liberal tree hugging due to trying to fit into a cool group, and do the in thing? Or were you really deeply intellectually engaged in the philosophy of the liberal belief system?

And the brain actually does physically change as you get older. The more dramatic physical change probably comes about 5 years on average before you report YOUR change of heart or mind, when the pre frontal cortex finishes developing,

www.hhs.gov...

This brain region gives an individual the capacity to exercise “good judgment” when presented with difficult life situations. Brain research indicating that brain development is not complete until near the age of 25, refers specifically to the development of the prefrontal cortex.3

and so in a sense you DO get wiser at and after that point in life.

I wasn't part of a cool group, really. I was part of every group. In a school of 2000 students there was hardly anyone that didn't know me (I was a part of our school's choir "Pop Group", who sang the hits of that era) and I was a rock star (locally, at least!). As far as liberal philosophy, that's a big negative. I was exactly what a young liberal was expected to be: an idealist. The world should be fair, everyone should take care of each other, save the owls, etc.

I got married when I was 26, we had a kid when I was 31 (which is when we bought our first house). My parents weren't really politically involved, but I was closer to my mother (my dad worked nights all the time) and she was definitely left/liberal, and I was just like her. As I grew older and more responsible (being a parent, owning a house, having a job) I grew more conservative in my views and how I looked at the world. Not that I'm saying left/liberal/progressive=irresponsible, I'm just drawing a parallel with my own history.

So, as far as MY history goes, it would seem that environment, not physiology, changed my viewpoint. Though I wouldn't rule out half-and-half.

/TOA

this reminds me of back when W won his second presidential election, and CNN had a big map of the usa with the words JESUSLAND printed across it and a reporter who was discussing how conservatives lived primarily in southern, uneducated, low IQ, rural communities, were religious, particularly christian, prejudice, white and poor. whereas liberals, were minorities, cosmopolitan, well educated, urban, non religious, and not remotely prejudice (well, most of the time.. wink wink).

i remember watching that with my jaw hanging open, completely floored that what constitued news to CNN was not far removed from any hitler speech or stalin purge.

Why is no one debating the issue that soficrow brought up, which is changing the structure of brains? I totally believe it to be possible, and so does the US government, with projects like MK ULTRA which supposedly fracture the personality into many parts.

For all of our knowledge, and as great as we are, we actually know very little about our brains (at least officially). Modern science can do many things, but cannot tell me how to transplant a brain, repair a spinal cord, tell what an out of body experience is, explain to me what happens at the moment of death, what conciousness is, etc. etc.

Im certain that if you watched FOX all day long, your brain would change. Its like the old Bill Hicks joke..."I watch CNN, and its just 'RAPE! WAR! MURDER!' and I rush to my window and look out side, and its nothing, man! Just a couple birds; tweet...tweet"

Just like if you watched cartoons all day, or just watched Clockwork Orange all day and nothing else. It will certainly change your thought and personality. Listen to nothing but death metal all day...you will probably have a different outlook on life than someone who listens to only "Ode to Joy" all day. I dont understand how anyone can doubt this idea, its obvious (to me, at least) that every commercial or program you watch, every video game you play, every song you hear, affects your brain in certain ways....watch and read (and actually process and understand) a lot of stuff about how we are all being exploited and brainwashed, you might become liberal.

but what do I know, Im just a commie socialist liberal.

Originally posted by The Old American
I was exactly what a young liberal was expected to be: an idealist. The world should be fair, everyone should take care of each other, save the owls, etc.

Originally posted by The Old American
I got married when I was 26, we had a kid when I was 31 (which is when we bought our first house). My parents weren't really politically involved, but I was closer to my mother (my dad worked nights all the time) and she was definitely left/liberal, and I was just like her. As I grew older and more responsible (being a parent, owning a house, having a job) I grew more conservative in my views and how I looked at the world.

Forgive me for saying so, it will sound harsh, but its just a statement, but nothing really changed in you. You didnt become "wiser."

You were selfish as a young man, and you stayed selfish as a middle aged man.

When you are young, and have little, what you NEED is a chance. Opportunity. The young are often liberal, the way you were, in that "things should be fair" way, because what they REALLY want is fairness for THEM. Not fairness as a philosophic commitment. They want a slice of the American dream.

That happens a lot in racism too. Where the person is VEHEMENTLY opposed to racism, when it is directed towards them, but is much less concerned or even pooh poohs the idea something is racist when they benefit from that discrimination. (Like affirmative action, or the existence of groups that promote the cause of one race or gender only)

YOU didnt change. You stayed self interested. What changed was your stake in things. You had a family, some stuff, kids, once you have something to lose, the idea of "fair" matters less, because you get a share, and suddenly you notice the "have nots" below you wanting "fairness" and that could mean less for you.

Mind you, Im not picking on you. I just tend to analyze things, and I knew what questions to ask you, because I knew what had happened. And there isnt a lot of shame in it, really, most people do it. But I do think people should be aware of what they are doing, and not delude themselves about their motives, or their new found "wisdom." Human beings are self interested.



You arent wiser, you have more to lose. Its pure self interest back then, and now.

Didn't read any other posts, but can you say Propaganda? And I'm talking dangerous propaganda...this needs to stop.

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Wow this is hard core bias right here.

So Liberals can understand complex things? What a crock. Most liberals I know don't understand much of anything.

And Republicans processing fear? That's a crock too! They don't process fear, they just let it process them.

My thoughts exactly! This stupid thing has been flying around emails and the internet at large since 2007. It's good to see that people still find it and think it's new.

I'll bite:
This thread is an obvious unabashed poke at conservatives. I'll play:
IF I infact I process information differently and I tend to believe in certain political ideologies because of a physical characteristic I didn't choose and can't change. Is it right or logical or compassionate or even,",deep and complex" to have a group hug liberal back slapping:" let s abuse the idiot conservatives party" over the way I was born????????????

Why; Isnt that the exact argument?#1most common liberal argument: " straights are not "superior" to Homersexuals because they are born that way; "natural and above all "normal!"?????

Its not nice to make fun of people because they are different.( I',m sure you understand the "complexity" of my argument...).
and yes I harbor a deep seated hate for smarmy ( better'nyou" ) liberals: but I'm handicapped...say so right up there.


Added: if its "natural" :and I think its pure "b.s". who's to claim one is superior to the other. In the jungle I get to watch liberals eaten by hyenas because I watch my back trail through the jungle instead of trying to "reason" with the circling snarling hyena pack.

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


Not offended at all . My selfishness has changed, though it's now more of a realist, grown-up selfishness. Back then it was more "why can't I have stuff?" Now it's "why can't I keep stuff?" Nothing wrong with it, though, as long it's it's self-ish (as in self-preservation) and not selfish (as in only concerned with self-interests).

/TOA

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Give me a few million $$$, and a few dozen idiots to study, and I will present you with a document that claims (as fact even though it's pure BS), that hermaphrodites are inferior to normal people, or vice versa.

Just fork over the $$$, and I'll provide you with all the BS studies you can dream of. Promise!

Hey don't blame me, fabricating exceptionally well documented bullcrap is expensive!

While I find the "study" funny and entertaining on a "your dumb and I'm not" level, I have to agree with you on this. You can prove anything you want if you want to. If you gave me a million dollars, I can prove to you that any demographic is better at any given activity than any other demographic.

You really nailed it, there.

reply to post by soficrow


"The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom."

I think that probably gives us the answer to the difference here. Liberals are Godless.

I'm glad my fearful conservative brain led me to buy silver a few years back.

Liberal Websites 12 Times More Likely To Use Profanity Than Conservative Sites

In an unscientific experiment, the Washington Times uses google search, picks 10 liberal and 10 conservative websites, throws in George Carlin's "seven dirty words" and publishes the results.

wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com...

Liberals are meaner, cheaper, more willing to steal than Conservatives

www.stoptheaclu.com...

Contrary to the image they try to project, liberals are less compassionate and more selfish than conservatives, according to a new book by Peter Schweizer.

theuniversalseduction.com...

Hmmp I see.

reply to post by soficrow


Sounds interesting but perhaps not quite a set rule. I used to be extremely conservative, but have become more liberal on some issues in the past few years. I feel I saw and experienced things which proved to me that some of my prior stances were untenable.

My issue with this is the lack of data for us to analyze. For example:

Self proclaimed....which is subject to the age old human condition of lying. Not saying it happened here, but come on, how many people wouldn't take up the chance to trash the other team if they can.

What is the defined definition for 'liberal' and 'conservative'. Those two can encompass a huge swath of difference and are subject to a lot of play with the words and meanings.

For example: If you were to ask me to self-proclaim, it would depend on the subject at hand. I am liberal in my beliefs in regards to religion but conservative in my beliefs in regard to self governing principles. Too much gray area to be considered hard fact and good science.

Originally posted by 46ACE
I'll bite:
This thread is an obvious unabashed poke at conservatives. I'll play:
IF I infact I process information differently and I tend to believe in certain political ideologies because of a physical characteristic I didn't choose and can't change. Is it right or logical or compassionate or even,",deep and complex" to have a group hug liberal back slapping:" let s abuse the idiot conservatives party" over the way I was born????????????

Why; Isnt that the exact argument?#1most common liberal argument: " straights are not "superior" to Homersexuals because they are born that way; "natural and above all "normal!"?????

Its not nice to make fun of people because they are different.( I',m sure you understand the "complexity" of my argument...).
and yes I harbor a deep seated hate for smarmy ( better'nyou" ) liberals: but I'm handicapped...say so right up there.


Added: if its "natural" :and I think its pure "b.s". who's to claim one is superior to the other. In the jungle I get to watch liberals eaten by hyenas because I watch my back trail through the jungle instead of trying to "reason" with the circling snarling hyena pack.

Complexity is not ALWAYS great, there are millions of example where liberal policy creates way too much red tape, or too many hurdles to things that should not be barred. But then again, creating massive holes for abuse
of systems, society is not smart either...


I tend to think that conservative and liberal differences span a great range of things, literally everything that can be accepted or rejected will be in line with one line of thought or the other.

It is funny that you conjure the notion of "superiority" to summarize your take on the information, that you hone in on that speaks for itself.

reply to post by soficrow

And don't forget another physiological difference between Liberals and Conservatives! Liberals have bleeding hearts and Conservatives have no heart at all! Why else cut programs for the poor, education, and the environment while continuing tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations! GE paid HOW much in taxes? Zero? With over 6 billion in profits? Huh, THAT sounds fair! Funding is being cut off for education and education grants? Huh, THAT sounds like a plan for the future of our children!

reply to post by soficrow


When IQ goes over 130 I'd bet good money the pool gets extremely libertarian. When you get down the the science of politics, libertarian policies are the most correct ones each and every time. Classical liberals are more or less the same as modern-day libertarians, whereas modern liberalism is leaps and bounds away from libertarianism. I have yet to find a study pitting IQ and libertarianism and welcome anyone to link to such a study.

I did find a blurb claiming that Mensa members tend to be Libertarian party members more frequently, but it it didn't offer any specifics or sources for that claim.

reply to post by beezzer


reply to post by beezzer


Hey beezer. Straight to the bottom line.

reply to post by soficrow

I'd say conervatives focus on survival while liberals analyze the concept.

Therefore, conservatives survive while the liberal is pondering the concept while the grizzley is gnawing on the liberals' femur.

If so and probably, then why do we suppose there ARE ANY liberals for would not the conservative if necessary in an existential crisis such as a BEAR, toss the liberal at the bear and make a rapid escape? Where do liberals come from in this equation? Would not this genetic propensity have died out ages ago?