Intelligence Study Links Low I.Q. to Conservatism, Prejudice, Racism

[Purplebike]

This discussion reminds me of some of the insights over at the "You Are Not So Smart" blog.

One of the entries begins:

The Misconception: 
You celebrate diversity and respect others’ points of view.

The Truth:
You are driven to create and form groups and then believe others are wrong just because they are others.

Reference:
http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/08/21/the-illusion-of-asymmetric-insight/

[Dog Walker]

I like labeling people as idiots on a case by case basis.

It's fun and convenient. It doesn't require that I lug a big, broad brush everywhere I go.

Good!  Very, very good.  Best creative use of sarcasm on the forum in a long time.  Thumbs up!

[BridgeTroll]

Wow... I learn more about Ron every day...

Thanks Troll.   I just thought this article would stimulate a little thought on the subject of intelligence vs. inclinations to racism, prejudice, and conservatism.  But no, I'm really not as intelligent as I seem to be.  As I recall, my I.Q. testing showed over 400 however. 

But, seriously, it all seems a little confusing to me, especially when someone relates the conservative thought to a lack of intelligence.  I can more clearly see an association of a lack of a certain kind of intelligence to the racist or one who is excessively prejudiced against others because of ethnicity, color, or religious beliefs.   

Surely one can assume that a racist lacks something in the mind, something that should be there.  And the same goes for the religious bigot who aggressively conveys words or actions against believers of other religions.  Surely these two types cannot be on the high end of the intelligence spectrum.

And to suggest that all conservatives are of less intelligence seems to be unfounded unless one divides the conservatives into at least two types.  In other words, to suggest that the wealthy and successful conservative businessman, who has created a huge empire via hard work and creative business decisions, is of deficient intelligence doesn’t make good sense to me.  Perhaps these types are of the conservative bent not as a consequence of deficient general intelligence, but simply because they want to sit on what they have, to keep things the same because the current scenario has been good to them.  They are watching out for what they have, and thus, conservatism.   

But to suggest, as the Brock University study seems to indicate, that perhaps some of the non-wealthy conservatives might lack on the average some measure of general intelligence might carry some weight.  In my opinion, one’s tendency to be of the conservative bent, could be either a result of one’s lack of ability to perceive and digest some of the complexities involved in arriving at good or correct opinions, which  is a condition perhaps related to a lack of general intelligence, or simply as a result of one’s lack of education.   
 
 

Absolutely eye opening... Thanks Ron!

400 Is pretty impressive...

[ronchamblin]

Well....... okay Troll, you caught me.  I guess I misinterpreted the test results.  Actually, I didn't realize that the curve would zero out about 145 or so.  Another thing learned today.   

[BridgeTroll]

Well....... okay Troll, you caught me.  I guess I misinterpreted the test results.  Actually, I didn't realize that the curve would zero out about 145 or so.  Another thing learned today.   

Ron... most call me BT... or bridge... troll is just soooo... well you know....

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Well....... okay Troll, you caught me.  I guess I misinterpreted the test results.  Actually, I didn't realize that the curve would zero out about 145 or so.  Another thing learned today.   

Ron... most call me BT... or bridge... troll is just soooo... well you know....

Now that you mention it, weren't you supposed to change over to BurroTroll? 

[ronchamblin]

Ron... most call me BT... or bridge... troll is just soooo... well you know....


But how about     _...      _           or Bravo Tango?  Actually the simple BT is good. 

[BridgeTroll]

Well....... okay Troll, you caught me.  I guess I misinterpreted the test results.  Actually, I didn't realize that the curve would zero out about 145 or so.  Another thing learned today.   

Ron... most call me BT... or bridge... troll is just soooo... well you know....

Now that you mention it, weren't you supposed to change over to BurroTroll? 

I thought of that but... am not the regular there as I was at the bridge...

[Ocklawaha]

Any of us, not matter how smart or well educated can make ourselves "mind-blind" to information or viewpoints that upset our world view.  Refusing to think about something can look an awful lot like stupidity.

I wonder however, in keeping with the subject, if it is true to state that as one has a greater general intelligence, with the additional fortune of having a good education which might result from the greater intelligence, that one is less vulnerable to attacks on one’s world view; and this, simply because one’s world view, by way of creating it via a higher general intelligence and education, is less built upon one’s faith in revealed religions, and more on one’s understanding of the sciences, histories and humanities, which, by their nature, are less open to attack as compared to a world view based upon one of the revealed religions. 

This lack of vulnerability therefore, allows the more intelligent and educated, to have fewer occasions of mind-blindness, simply because they do not feel threatened by anything thrown their way; that is, from someone attempting to undermine their world view.  In other words, their world view is on a more solid ground than that of the individual who’s view is based upon a faith in a revealed religion.

"Intellect, if you take a close look, is the atrophy of natural instinct.... Intellect has nothing to do with human intelligence and knowledge. Most people confuse them." W.

"We must distrust the intelligence and the conscience and must place our trust in our instincts." A.H.

With predictability our usual ranting liberal Garden Guy, has disproved the entire study in a single line completely disrupting the evolutionary order and eternally securing for himself one of the lower branches of the human lineage. "I see conservatives as those who are unable to comprehend reality or understand science and are just full of bullshit." As one can see from the other two quotes he is in good company.

Ron, I would totally disagree with your theory that people that put their faith in some revealed religion (though I would call it an unseen power) are less likely to be, shall we say, cutting edge. There is one major problem with thinking that being religious is somehow inferior in intellect to those who rely entirely on science. JAPAN. There is no more conservative, minimalist, intelligent, and RELIGIOUS place on the face of the earth. Shinto, meaning "the way of the gods", is Japan's indigenous religion and is practiced by about 83% of the population. Note that unlike Judeo-Christian religions Shinto due to its nature does not require the same admission of faith, instead merely participating in certain aspects of Shinto is generally considered enough for association. Thus surveys say the 70 to 80 percent of the Japanese regularly tell pollsters they do not consider themselves believers in any religion, but that is the nature of the practice of Shinto itself. The best fix a Japan TV producer and I could come up with for the western mind is the belief in attaining oblivion, becoming a non being, part of infinite nature. In any case we wouldn't generally confuse these people with the word "stupid." (I think my Honda's just honked)

Further evidence can be found in ancient writings (The Emerald Tablets, Theravada, Bible, Kabbalaha קַבָּלָה‎, Buddhavacana, Bhagavad Gita, Plato or the other philosophers on Mars Hill) some myth perhaps, perhaps not, but faithful wisdom that there is something out there bigger then us, and a willingness to seek it out.

Science is change as much as fact, how many times in our lifetime has salt and sugar been healthy, unhealthy, healthy, unhealthy, healthy...  Each new discovery sends us back to the books or the lab. The first time Gigantopithecus, comes slothing out of the Okefenokee, and into the back of some good ol' boys pickup truck, the scientific community will slap their brow and exclaim, "Damn, I knew that was going to happen!"

Likewise science can't explain the phenomena of "Foo Fighters," but they are absolutely documented. Scientist have been baffled by Indian fire walkers, but they'll deny "Shape Shifters..." Who is really smart? Scientific study had long mocked the Septuagint, but one by one almost every city has been located, moreover, located in the condition which was recorded by ancient scribes. Ya just have to wonder how those walls at Jericho fall down at the precise moment of invasion? We don't know that answer through scientific study, but your local rabbi does.

Actually I think all sides are quite capable of intelligent study and discourse, with the single exception of those who are damaged, illiterate, or enraged by beliefs of other kinds.

The downside to suggesting that one group or the other is superior is documented in the 1942 cartoon, "Tulips Shall Grow," posted below for you enjoyment.

http://www.youtube.com/v/FgFUzqrbKSc?version=3&hl=en_US

Whenever there is a serious tension in life, when a sort of all-pervasive materialism invades the hearts of human souls - an answering manifestation of wisdom and righteousness is essential to restore equilibrium. The Supreme, though unborn and undying, becomes manifest in human embodiment to overthrow the forces of ignorance and selfishness.
SOURCE: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter IV, Verse 7   .

Last but not least Ron, if your IQ is 400 (mine too!) consider the curve is undulating and rises and falls at each 100, dropping back to 0 every 50 points. In our case that would equal 100x4...   Did you guys really expect anything else from me? LOL 

[AKIRA]

I just remembered these.. "A wise man's heart is seldom cheerful" and "About his intelligence no man should be boastful, rather cautious of mind".  Both old Norse proverbs showing a deep understanding about the minds and hearts of people.  Pretty neat.  Especially when coupled with their other proverbs that deal with the brutality they are famous for... "A head stuck on a pike no longer conspires" and "A man who has his feet hacked off cannot scurry far".  They were a people that often showed the best and worst of what humanity were capable of, in terms of intelligence and drive.

[Captain Zissou]

The fact that Garden Guy instantly took up this cause with no other fact checking should be an indication of the study's inaccuracy.  Ron may want to change his password, because I think Faye is hacking his metrojax account.

[urbanlibertarian]

It's hard to be humble but necessary IMO.  Confirmation bias seems to be the biggest obstacle.

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

[Doctor_K]

The fact that Garden Guy instantly took up this cause with no other fact checking should be an indication of the study's inaccuracy.

LoL 

+1

[finehoe]

Then again, maybe there's something to this:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/provincialelitist/congressman-sources-an-onion-article-as-fact-on-fa

[Dog Walker]

Fine, I read that story earlier this morning and laughed so loud that my dogs started barking!  One of his constituents commented, "We didn't know he could read!"

Too funny.