Society/Culture Why do less intelligent people gravitate to conservative/right wing ideology.

[Mofra]

The Daily Mail article reports upon a study by Gordon Hodson, a psychologist at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. (another Canadian Academic Psychologist but without a youtube presence). He looked at data from 2 UK studies testing child development. The subjects were
(a) 4,267 boys and 4,537 girls born in 1958;
(b) 3,412 boys and 3,658 girls born in 1970.

The tests were of
(c) verbal and non verbal intelligence; and
(d) cognitive abilities (number recall, shape-drawing tasks, defining words and identifying patterns and similarities among words).

In both surveys, 23 years later, the same groups were asked to answer a series of questions about traditions, authority and attitudes toward other races. Hodson then postulated a definition of conservatism which is undefined but looks to be based upon attitudes towards Authority and other races and concluded that low-intelligence adults tend to gravitate toward socially conservtive ideologies.

I’d very cautious about accepting the conclusions drawn by Grin and his gaggle of applauders from the article helpfully posted by Mofra

So would I.

Here's a meta-analysis that's far more wide ranging.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55893129.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiZksKNiq38AhWmwjgGHVyFAdQQFnoECC0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2xHhvNmp4MW8yHxMsywA_c

There is a significant body of work on the subject. Assuming the entire concept is based off a single study is folly.

 

[Boston tiger]

Im not sure who I voted for last election ..I think it might have been labor but if this thread is run by the left then it feels like a regime that could get evil very quickly.
Just the topic has a disturbing historical darkness to it.
What’s next ? Should less intelligent people be able to vote ?

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Im not sure who I voted for last election ..I think it might have been labor but if this thread is run by the left then it feels like a regime that could get evil very quickly.
Just the topic has a disturbing historical darkness to it.
What’s next ? Should less intelligent people be able to vote ?

So everything that isn't right wing conservative is run by the left?

 

[the_interloper]

I find it interesting interesting that righties won't answer this question. It feels to them like they're being drawn into a trap. Of course they can't perceive what this imagined trap is, so they avoid the question. It's actually not a trap at all.

Anyway, to frame the thread topic in a way you might be able to relate: Why are you attracted to what you interpret as "the centre"?

I've noticed that left leaning people don't appear to believe in someone being a "centrist" or thereabouts, they seem to doubt the existence of a political spectrum more than right leaning people.

If you're asking why I think I'm near the centre, well I disagree with a lot of right and left wing rhetoric I suppose. You'll probably call me a fascist though!

 

[Grin]

Well I guess then, according the the_interloper Peter Dutton, Barnaby Joyce and Adam Bandt are also near the centre.

I guess then, all mainstream Australian parties are near the centre.

 

[Cap]

I explained it. Maybe you're not as smart as you think you are.

It's not a ring though. I also consider myself centralist but in all likelihood I'm leaning one way or another depending on the topic.

I've noticed that left leaning people don't appear to believe in someone being a "centrist" or thereabouts, they seem to doubt the existence of a political spectrum more than right leaning people.

If you're asking why I think I'm near the centre, well I disagree with a lot of right and left wing rhetoric I suppose. You'll probably call me a fascist though!

That's the thing, most people lean left or right on different topics, that's normal.

However if you've been called facist or think your views might be considered facist, I highly doubt you are centre.

I've seen many (not saying you) RWNJs on this forum consider themselves central, which makes me worry how insane the other people are they compare themselves to.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Well I guess then, according the the_interloper Peter Dutton, Barnaby Joyce and Adam Bandt are also near the centre.

I guess then, all mainstream Australian parties are near the centre.

Take the US for example, where the democrats (centre-right/right) are called the radical left by the conservative media.

Dutton uses similar language when talking about Albo/labor.

So I'm assuming most of these self appointed centrists sit somewhere between Albo and Dutton.

 

[kranky al]

I've noticed that left leaning people don't appear to believe in someone being a "centrist" or thereabouts, they seem to doubt the existence of a political spectrum more than right leaning people.

If you're asking why I think I'm near the centre, well I disagree with a lot of right and left wing rhetoric I suppose. You'll probably call me a fascist though!

Its a weird one. Noone disputes it when i say im centre left.

I think its because of the fox / murdoch / stokes thing has a lot of centre right people that arent frothers like the people who lap that sputum up so they think they are centrist. The rhetoric about the far left boogiemen means they defo feel left of the murdochracy, but they are slightly to the right of labor.

 

[the_interloper]

Well I guess then, according the the_interloper Peter Dutton, Barnaby Joyce and Adam Bandt are also near the centre.

I guess then, all mainstream Australian parties are near the centre.

Well I think our parties are a lot closer to each other than in the US for example. I'm not sure how you inferred that first point from what I said but here we are.

That's the thing, most people lean left or right on different topics, that's normal.

However if you've been called facist or think your views might be considered facist, I highly doubt you are centre.

I've seen many (not saying you) RWNJs on this forum consider themselves central, which makes me worry how insane the other people are they compare themselves to.

I don't think I've been called a fascist, maybe I have, I probably ignored it. But yeah when you say you reckon you're centre (or I'm prob centre right I guess) it seems to be an invitation for some to say you're actually right and that's it. Ehh whatevs

 

[Mofra]

Blah blah blah... none of that matters.. the issue is.. what is a woman?

A conservative dismissing information with a pithy one liner is pretty much in line with the OP. Kudos for helping.

 

[kranky al]

A conservative dismissing information with a pithy one liner is pretty much in line with the OP. Kudos for helping.

Its quite literally bumping up against cognitive dissonance.

My belief is x

This information crashes hard against the walls of my belief.

I have no information to counter this.

*enter stage left CAPTAIN COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

DUM DUM DA DA DAAAAH

“Captain Cognitive Dissonance is here to save the day”

Blah blah blah etc…



They would handwave intersex folk if they could - trouble is you can see intersex folk. Bit hard to deny both sets of genitals. So of course the next best course of action is to mutilate babies based on what a doctor sees as the most dominant sex trait.

Then in an astounding burst of hypocrisy, they will tell you they are against mutilating kids.

 

[faible]

Well I think our parties are a lot closer to each other than in the US for example. I'm not sure how you inferred that first point from what I said but here we are.



I don't think I've been called a fascist, maybe I have, I probably ignored it. But yeah when you say you reckon you're centre (or I'm prob centre right I guess) it seems to be an invitation for some to say you're actually right and that's it. Ehh whatevs

Have you even posted in the SRP if Gralin hasn't called you a fascist though? It's a right of passage here.

What is 'centre' changes over time, I think the LNP has drifted further away from that centre of politics whilst the ALP has probably drifted closer to it. The ALP isn't particularly 'left' leaning at the moment IMO, they just appear to recognise things that are of concern to a larger portion of the Australian electorate - e.g. women's rights, aboriginal rights and climate change action - and have at least made some attempt to discuss doing things in these areas.

They're not rushing to drastically increase centrelink payments or implement a Universal Basic Income, nor taking rapid action on reducing emissions which would all be 'left' leaning causes.

The Teal Indepedents probably represent that 'right' side version of where the ALP is at, and where the LNP really should be realising they need to be at if they want to genuinely win voters back.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Well I think our parties are a lot closer to each other than in the US for example. I'm not sure how you inferred that first point from what I said but here we are.



I don't think I've been called a fascist, maybe I have, I probably ignored it. But yeah when you say you reckon you're centre (or I'm prob centre right I guess) it seems to be an invitation for some to say you're actually right and that's it. Ehh whatevs

Yeah look, it's really weird that conservatives like Dutton think that not raping people is an extremist lefty woke position.

Other than that type of thing, they do appear close on some issues (tax cuts for wealthy, buying submarines etc)

 

[the_interloper]

Yeah look, it's really weird that conservatives like Dutton think that not raping people is an extremist lefty woke position.

Other than that type of thing, they do appear close on some issues (tax cuts for wealthy, buying submarines etc)

Hang on the what? I might have missed that

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Hang on the what? I might have missed that

His IPA/Murdoch mates and their campaign against Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame, for example.

 

[Cap]

Yeah look, it's really weird that conservatives like Dutton think that not raping people is an extremist lefty woke position.

Other than that type of thing, they do appear close on some issues (tax cuts for wealthy, buying submarines etc)

Dutton is most certainly taking the Libs even further right.

I hope those who run the party see what going on in the US and start moving back to the centre

Not confident

 

[the_interloper]

Dutton is most certainly taking the Libs even further right.

I hope those who run the party see what going on in the US and start moving back to the centre

Not confident

Well the choice of leader is certainly one issue I have with the Libs. I mean jesus christ Peter Dutton? I'm not sure they had better options but bloody hell. Albo by contrast, well if you were just voting on the person you'd have him first in a heartbeat.

 

[Cap]

Well the choice of leader is certainly one issue I have with the Libs. I mean jesus christ Peter Dutton? I'm not sure they had better options but bloody hell. Albo by contrast, well if you were just voting on the person you'd have him first in a heartbeat.

I think that's why they are so pretty much Anti Republic

They realise the people they are likely to put up are going to get smashed.

 

[kranky al]

Well the choice of leader is certainly one issue I have with the Libs. I mean jesus christ Peter Dutton? I'm not sure they had better options but bloody hell. Albo by contrast, well if you were just voting on the person you'd have him first in a heartbeat.

The opposition leader after an absolure pasting is always a patsy. He /she is there to catch the last of the hate towards the former incumbents then they jettison him / her before the next election. If they seriously suck and have no chance they might let him / her go to an election. Again its a patsy. They are gone as soon as they think they have a chance again. The libs know hes unelectable.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

The opposition leader after an absolure pasting is always a patsy. He /she is there to catch the last of the hate towards the former incumbents then they jettison him / her before the next election. If they seriously suck and have no chance they might let him / her go to an election. Again its a patsy. They are gone as soon as they think they have a chance again. The libs know hes unelectable.

He's the patsiest patsy since Alexander Downer!!!

 

[kranky al]

He's the patsiest patsy since Alexander Downer!!!

Alexander Downer

The things that batter….. wonder if he chuckled to himself when he made that up.

 

[the_interloper]

He's the patsiest patsy since Alexander Downer!!!

You'd swear that Alexander Downer was about to cry in this one. Seriously them in a verbal altercation is like me trying to box Tyson Fury, severely outmatched!

 

[Gough]

If memory serves me correctly he got the arse on the same day England beat us here in 94/95 Ashes Test.

 

[kranky al]

Alston (wa political cartoonist) used to portray him in drag like the rocky horror picture show. Always wondered what that was about.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

You'd swear that Alexander Downer was about to cry in this one. Seriously them in a verbal altercation is like me trying to box Tyson Fury, severely outmatched!

Haha, if there was a Verbal Mixed Martial Arts Association Keating would have swept through most if not all of the fight cards!

 

[kranky al]

Haha, if there was a Verbal Mixed Martial Arts Association Keating would have swept through most if not all of the fight cards!

Keating was bjj in ufc 1

Downer was chi master