Liberals are intellectual, smart, and educated while those with more conservative views tend to be expressing their knee-jerk, oversimplified reaction to the world. That is the stereotype and, as it turns out, probably the reality as well. A new study published in Psychological Science shows that not only are many conservatives opposed to higher education for all (Rick Santorum anyone), the views they express are often a result of "low effort" thinking.
Wow. I am so shocked.
But seriously, in other obvious news: Did you know the grass is green? How about the sky? It turns out that is BLUE. Wow. Shocking, right? The fact is, anyone who has ever been drunk knows that the things conservatives believe in are the things liberals might believe in, too. If they were drunk.
In fact, the study used alcohol to make a point. Psychologists asked people about politics in a bar and in a laboratory setting. Those in the bar proved that people with higher blood alcohol levels were more likely to be conservative than those who were less tipsy. Awesome.
When the same questions were asked in the lab, those who responded quickly off the top of the head or who were distracted were more likely to be conservative.
Indeed, it's true. When people are in a bad mood or not in the mood to think, they tend to be more selfish. They tend to say things like, "I have to work hard, why can't everyone else?" Suddenly, the part of their brain that thinks about things deeply is shut off and hey, look! Everything is so simple! I am just like Mitt Romney!
This isn't the first study like this. Back a few months ago, there was also a study that showed prejudice, racism, and yes, conservative thinking was most prevalent in those with low IQs. How many times does it have to be studied before people will start believing it?
Memo to conservatives: Life isn't simple. It isn't black and white and it certainly isn't some oversimplified, knee-jerk response, easy answer-filled joy ride. If only it were.
This study is no surprise, but it's unfortunate. Given the time (and capacity) to think things out wholly and intellectually, more people might agree politically. Wouldn't that be amazing?
Does this study ring true to you?
Image via Fran Ontanaya/Flickr
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Comments 40
I've seen this same study in the news in the last couple of weeks, along with the one a few months ago that said racists and conservatives are of lower intelligence or "lazy thinkers". Meh, I can recognize a few people in those remarks, but the media tends to sensationalize LOTS of things, so I take it with a grain of salt. I admit that I don't see the world the way most Conservatives do (a lot of their views baffle me), but this article is almost like a left-leaning parody of a Jenny Erikson piece. I don't think most Liberals want to follow in those footsteps. It seems kind of gross.
Article after article just drives the point home - you're an idiot.
Just because many conservatives believes in everyone working and paying their fair share doesn't mean their selfish, it means they were probably brought up with the attitude to work, not slack off.
See and this is the part that I don't get (see my comment above re why I don't get some of the Right's values). It seems to me that a lot of Conservatives think most Liberals were not taught to work and pay their fair share, which from at least my own experience is entirely untrue. I was raised by parents who taught us to work from an early age, starting with house chores, insisting that we get a part-time job when we were 15 and requiring that we pay for our own educations. I have NEVER been without a job for the last 25 years. I have NEVER not paid a bill. I have NEVER used most of the safety net social services that exist (used unemployment for my maternity leaves as per the law, but have never used a food bank, welfare, etc.), but I recognize that they are there for people who need them and I don't begrudge part of my taxes supporting those efforts. I would rather my tax money be spent on people than war.
I have also read study after article after comment that says the Red States use more welfare than the Blue States, so who's supporting who? Who's being taught to work hard?
My mom and dad or conservatives. They are two of the smartest people in the whole world. My dad has a masters degree and retired as a full bird COL in the Army. My mom doesnt have a college education, but it doesnt make ger stupid. Both my parents would be able to debate Obama or any "educated" liberal and be able to stand toe to toe with them.
This article originally posted by Huffington is an insult to a great many Americans, who just because they think different than a liberal are called drunks, stupid and not intelligent. How sad.
@billsfan - I would say that my parents are fiscal Conservatives, but if you look at the way Conservatism has shifted waaaaaay over to the right in the last 30 or so years, they are by no means anything like Republicans. I think there's a whole generation of older people left standing in the middle of the political spectrum with no-one to represent them. The Tea Party has pulled Republicans over to the far right and it's been said that the Right's hero, Ronald Reagan, probably wouldn't make it through the primaries today. In 2012 terms he wouldn't be Conservative enough.
How about the possibility that people who answer quickly have considered their stance on an issue many, many times, and therefore have strong feelings about their viewpoint and don't need to consider it as if it were a new question?