'Right-wingers are less intelligent than left wingers', says study

Logical Fallacy · 03-02-2012 01:52PM

I've never really understood the sense of describing yourself as left or right wing to be honest. It just shows a degree of blindness to the actual complexities of social, economic and political issues.

It also seems to go hand in hand with a degree of reactionary thinking as if the person finds more aspects of their opposing viewpoint repugnant than they can find attractions to the political ground they find themselves drawing a line on.

I'd be much happier if people would actual think about the details of any topic and decide how they really feel and worry a lot less about whether their viewpoint is right or left or centrist.

John Doe1 · 03-02-2012 01:54PM

So you are saying that this person is not an intellectual unbermensch?

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rls=com.microsoft:en-ie:IE-SearchBox&biw=1024&bih=578&tbm=isch&tbnid=jer-lla_xyrj6M:&imgrefurl=http://williamkendallbooks.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-is-no-flippin-way-to-launch.html&docid=_4rbn7AdkOAF6M&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RdF7S0TNAHY/TOVYmBqvHMI/AAAAAAAAAIA/uvGMvoTV-5M/s1600/yaaay-shiny-object-palin.jpg&w=500&h=392&ei=1-YrT-_nCcbt-gb-ysmeDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=154&sig=110596913359927558354&page=1&tbnh=165&tbnw=222&start=0&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&tx=124&ty=33

44leto · 03-02-2012 01:54PM

If people were to learn anything from history which off course we don't and carry on repeating the mistakes of yester years. We should run to the hills every time socialism is mentioned.

Let us look at some of its stars, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, Castro and many more. It what happens when a society pursues a utopia over individual rights.

Temptamperu · 03-02-2012 01:55PM

44leto wrote: »

If people were to learn anything from history which off course we don't and carry on repeating the mistakes of yester years. We should run to the hills every time socialism is mentioned.

Let us look at some of its stars, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, Castro and many more. It what happens when a society pursues a utopia over individual rights.

Thats communism, not socialism.

southsiderosie · 03-02-2012 01:58PM

I don't think the way the implications of this research shakes out is that people vote 'traditional' conservative (i.e. Tories). In Europe, this demographic votes for populist conservatives: anti-globalization, anti-immigration, somewhat nationalistic. So, yes, you can have people who are populist conservatives who would still support a welfare state.

The funny thing in Ireland though is that none of the parties 'fit' on a traditional European political axis. Labour is quite moderate for European social democrats, Fianna Fail are center-right populists, and Fine Gael are kind of Christian Democrats, with the occasional surprise. And Sinn Fein as a party is pretty liberal on a lot of social and economic matters (immigration, social welfare), yet their voting base (working class/poor, urban, somewhat disgruntled with the current situation) in most other European countries would lean towards voting for populist conservatives. Irish politics are a complete outlier in Europe, and really among most democracies.

Seachmall · 03-02-2012 01:59PM

44leto wrote: »

If people were to learn anything from history which off course we don't and carry on repeating the mistakes of yester years. We should run to the hills every time socialism is mentioned.

Let us look at some of its stars, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, Castro and many more. It what happens when a society pursues a utopia over individual rights.

Hhhhmmm...

token101 · 03-02-2012 02:00PM

It's the ultimate left wing fundamentalist thing to say though isn't it? They don't agree with, therefore they must be less intelligent. Democracy should be about choice, not having views inflicted upon you by those who are arrogant enough to believe they are the intelligentsia.

They mention 'conservative' and then they have a picture of the Klu Klux Klan FFS :rolleyes: Utter nonsense.

southsiderosie · 03-02-2012 02:02PM

44leto wrote: »

If people were to learn anything from history which off course we don't and carry on repeating the mistakes of yester years. We should run to the hills every time socialism is mentioned.

Let us look at some of its stars, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, Castro and many more. It what happens when a society pursues a utopia over individual rights.

Typical ridiculous knee-jerk response - every time someone mentions conservatives, should we throw up Pinochet, Rios Mott, etc?

Lenin, Mao, et al are totalitarian regimes. European socialism in most of its guises really means social democrats. And most Mediterranean countries still have traditional socialist parties that, as far as I can tell, have not shoved people into gulags. So please stop with the anti-socialist hysteria.

44leto · 03-02-2012 02:03PM

Temptamperu wrote: »

Thats communism, not socialism.

And Fascism if a party has socialism in its name, run, run and don't look back, that is a lesson from history, but as it goes "we will do it right this time round".

Temptamperu · 03-02-2012 02:09PM

44leto wrote: »

And Fascism if a party has socialism in its name, run, run and don't look back, that is a lesson from history, but as it goes "we will do it right this time round".

Although The nazi party was the national socialist party they did some cool stuff like putting the country working again before all the final solution malarky and it ran the country in more a capatilistic manner. The leader was the problem he took over the national socialist party by feeding on everyones fears of outsiders.

Hitler was as rightwing as you can get.

all the rest you mentioned where communist not socialist.

There are a few socialist countries in europe who are doing very well at the moment. Unlike capitalism which is drowning.

44leto · 03-02-2012 02:15PM

Temptamperu wrote: »

Although The nazi party was the national socialist party they did some cool stuff like putting the country working again before all the final solution malarky and it ran the country in more a capatilistic manner. The leader was the problem he took over the national socialist party by feeding on everyones fears of outsiders.

Hitler was as rightwing as you can get.

all the rest you mentioned where communist not socialist.

There are a few socialist countries in europe who are doing very well at the moment. Unlike capitalism which is drowning.

Say what you want about capitalism but in truth that system has lifted more people out of poverty than any other system tried in history. Just recently it is in evidence with the rising middle classes of India and China.

The western European social democracies are now crippled with debt and those countries and us are now clawing back the socialist model, because we can no longer afford it.

CL7 · 03-02-2012 02:32PM

I love how people have no problem with the Daily Mail's integrity when it suits their agenda.

Seachmall · 03-02-2012 02:40PM

SnoogyDoogy wrote: »

I love how people have no problem with the Daily Mail's integrity when it suits their agenda.

It's been brought up on AH at least 2 or 3 times before. It's one of those repeating topics and people just accept it and proceed to slug it out.

Sauce [PDF].

Note use of the word "Hypothesis".

token101 · 03-02-2012 02:44PM

Seachmall wrote: »

It's been brought up on AH at least 2 or 3 times before. It's one of those repeating topics.

Sauce.

I like the way the title is a not a question, but a conclusion. By Social Psychology Quarterly? Self indulgent, academic nonsense :rolleyes:

twinQuins · 03-02-2012 02:50PM

I like the way you say "academic" like it's a bad thing.

Chuck Stone · 03-02-2012 02:51PM

44leto wrote: »

Say what you want about capitalism but in truth that system has lifted more people out of poverty than any other system tried in history. Just recently it is in evidence with the rising middle classes of India and China.

Well it can be argued that Communism lifted the Soviet Union from feudalism to an industrial giant that sent men into space in a matter of decades etc. (at great cost of course).

The western European social democracies are now crippled with debt and those countries and us are now clawing back the socialist model, because we can no longer afford it.

Yes but they're partly crippled because the capitalist model wasn't allowed to fail i.e. socialism for the elite.

I wish people who claim to be 'right wing' in economic policy would use the term 'free market'. Right wing in an economic sense is just the use of the state to further corporate ambitions/profits and as insulation from the actual free market.

Temptamperu · 03-02-2012 02:51PM

twinQuins wrote: »

I like the way you say "academic" like it's a bad thing.

God damn them academics with their college words and their book reading :pac:

Seachmall · 03-02-2012 02:58PM

token101 wrote: »

I like the way the title is a not a question, but a conclusion. By Social Psychology Quarterly? Self indulgent, academic nonsense :rolleyes:

Just as note: The reason presented for the apparent correlation in the paper is the hypothesis. That statistics that, on average, liberals are more intelligent is not being debated. It is true (at least for the sampled people), the "why" is the question trying to be answered.

And as far as I'm aware there's nothing wrong Social Psychology Quarterly. It's as peer reviewed as any other journal.

Greentopia · 03-02-2012 03:02PM

Temptamperu wrote: »

Thats communism, not socialism.

Not even Communism (at least not how Marx and Engels envisaged), more like Autocratic Authoritarian Statism.

gcgirl · 03-02-2012 03:03PM

Temptamperu wrote: »

44leto wrote: »

If people were to learn anything from history which off course we don't and carry on repeating the mistakes of yester years. We should run to the hills every time socialism is mentioned.

Let us look at some of its stars, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, Castro and many more. It what happens when a society pursues a utopia over individual rights.

Thats communism, not socialism.

Totalitarian more so apart from Castro
I think Cuba would be rightly classed as communist

44leto · 03-02-2012 03:06PM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Well it can be argued that Communism lifted the Soviet Union from feudalism to an industrial giant that sent men into space in a matter of decades etc. (at great cost of course).

At the cost of roughly 70 million people

Yes but they're partly crippled because the capitalist model wasn't allowed to fail i.e. socialism for the elite.

I don't understand you there, but I do swing to the right, that's my excuse we are thicker

I wish people who claim to be 'right wing' in economic policy would use the term 'free market'. Right wing in an economic sense is just the use of the state to further corporate ambitions/profits and as insulation from the actual free market.

Our comfortable wealthy western lifestyles are a product of democratic capitalism it does serve the wealthy but society as well. Its not perfect, but by nature no human system will be.

.

44leto · 03-02-2012 03:08PM

gcgirl wrote: »

Totalitarian more so apart from Castro
I think Cuba would be rightly classed as communist

Read up on Castro, he is not such a shining light, he has a big secret police and a lot of political prisoners, he is just another socialist lunatic.

Temptamperu · 03-02-2012 03:20PM

44leto wrote: »

Read up on Castro, he is not such a shining light, he has a big secret police and a lot of political prisoners, he is just another socialist lunatic.

Maybe this will help though you righties are afraid to learn shít.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

Greentopia · 03-02-2012 03:21PM

44leto wrote: »

Say what you want about capitalism but in truth that system has lifted more people out of poverty than any other system tried in history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JroogX7zBek

Sorry Chuck, not copying you referencing Chomsky!

it's just the best argument I have found that says the truth about Capitalism. And well...I love Chomsky.

Chuck Stone · 03-02-2012 03:25PM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Yes but they're partly crippled because the capitalist model wasn't allowed to fail i.e. socialism for the elite.

44leto wrote: »

I don't understand you there

Much of the debt acquired in the west has been because the capitalist system (as we know it) failed and had to be bailed out by the tax-payer i.e. socialized.

In a real free market the 'capitalist' system may well have collapsed.

token101 · 03-02-2012 03:30PM

twinQuins wrote: »

I like the way you say "academic" like it's a bad thing.

It's not always a good thing. You can manipulate statistics to prove any kind of abstract concept you like. It doesn't make it valid or worthwhile. This is pure ****.

Greentopia · 03-02-2012 03:30PM

Temptamperu wrote: »

Maybe this will help though you righties are afraid to learn shít.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

Oh haven't you heard? facts have an inherent liberal bias :pac:

Chuck Stone · 03-02-2012 03:37PM

Greentopia wrote: »

Sorry Chuck, not copying you referencing Chomsky!

Ah jaysus of course you're not. Chomsky ain't owned by no one.

And well...I love Chomsky.

Uncle Noam cuts through the bullshit.

southsiderosie · 03-02-2012 03:38PM

44leto wrote: »

Say what you want about capitalism but in truth that system has lifted more people out of poverty than any other system tried in history. Just recently it is in evidence with the rising middle classes of India and China.

The western European social democracies are now crippled with debt and those countries and us are now clawing back the socialist model, because we can no longer afford it.

Given the state involvement in the economy, and in both domestic and international markets, I would hardly call China capitalist.

03-02-2012 03:47PM

44leto wrote: »

The western European social democracies are now crippled with debt and those countries and us are now clawing back the socialist model, because we can no longer afford it.

Ah yes that explains why the Scandanavian conutries' economies are in such bad shape. Oh wait.

The current woes of the E.U. are down to some countries going on mad spending binges with borrowed money. This can happen with either a right wing or left wing system.

In fact here we had elements of both. The right wing aspect consisted of greedy developers, banks and speculators trying to make a quick buck out of the property market using borrowed money.

The left wing aspect consisted of Bertie's "socialism", i.e. using the tax revenue from the property bubble to buy votes by increasing public sector wages and welfare.

'Right-wingers are less intelligent than left wingers', says study

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