A study conducted in Germany found that men with higher IQs are less inclined to traditional values, but the lead author, psychologist and intelligence researcher Maximilian Krolo of Saarland University, said the researchers did not find these differences among women.
“The current study showed that high intelligence does not, as one might assume, lead to radical political positions. Instead, highly gifted adults are on average just as politically diverse and moderate as the rest of the population.”
Well that headline is…misleading.
Imagining a world where the headlines aren’t click bait and the articles are well researched. One day…
You’d need media that wasn’t predicated on advertising revenues.
“Solid ice colder than liquid water, study finds.”
Proof that academia cultures the left, neglecting real science like the fact that you can pressurize water into ice while preserving its warmth!
~ a conservative somewhere
“My social media isn’t an echo chamber”
A fact so obvious and apparent only a German would even bother asking.
As a high IQ person I would like to remind everyone that IQ has been coopted by a scientific racism and eugenics agenda, and the originator, a French man by the name of Alfred Binet,
“stressed that intellectual development progressed at variable rates and could be influenced by the environment; therefore, intelligence was not based solely on genetics, was malleable rather than fixed, and could only be found in children with comparable backgrounds.”
We can only assume that any correlation in beliefs and scoring is the product of an environment which tends to produce both or inhibits the production of both. IE Fox News makes you dumb, and Fox News makes you conservative, concurrently. The study does not mention TV.
I wonder if there’s a similar study that uses executive capacity (multitasking etc.) as a more objective measure of intelligence. When I was in school, this was the most supported way to objectively measure intelligence (but of course, is that actually intelligence? Intelligence is just a word we have. Having the word doesn’t mean that the concept exists.)
Maybe, but I think that’s still going to be a function of environment vs innate. There’s not really an objective measure when existence is subjective, and an individual’s capacity for effort is very dependent on their resources that they can consume. All sorts of effort, not just intellectual.
IQ is bullshit.
In my opinion IQ measures only a narrow field of the brains capabilities. Namely logical thinking.
Here’s a link to the paper, so you don’t have to read an article about an article.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000893
I am pretty sure that I would flunk IQ tests, and I have leftist preferences. Mathematics and other subjects of high learning are not something I really understand. While I appreciate neat things like electricity, chemistry, design, and AI, I simply don’t understand them to any meaningful extent.
That sucks. I would like to have a character sheet with +10 bonuses across the board, and a platinum piece to start my game with. Same goes for the rest of the neighborhood.
There’s no flunking an IQ test, but you are probably a normal median person.
The fact they don’t think they’re a genius and know their limits suggests they’re probably smarter than average. I’ve found the dumbest people have an unshakable confidence they’re always correct.
Higher IQ is also associated with higher Critical Thinking Skills, which help you recognize and avoid conservative propaganda.
from a logical standpoint, conservatism is lacking any kind of sense or logic. I think it’s safe to assume that, in order to follow blindly an idea that crumbles as soon as you critically think about it, you have to lack the ability to critically think.
What I think tho is that it’s empathy what we should link to intelligence (or whatever you want to call the skill set that allows you to question and critizice everything).
Conservatism is a lack of empathy (which comes with a lack of said “intelligence”).
I also believe this, and want to add that conservatism is mostly a combination of ideals based on grievances and a complete lack of critical thinking thinking as well.
I know plenty of intelligent conservatives, but all them lack empathy for anyone outside their circle.
From where? No university I’ve worked at has a significant amount of conservative thought.
I don’t think they are intelligent if they are conservative. Conservatism is objectively bad for the collective. Supporting it means, ultimately, hurting the planet even to the point of making it uninhabitable. And if you think that you, with all the money in the world, can survive in a world like that, then you are not very intelligent.
They are selfish, and they might have some skills. But I don’t think they can be called intelligent when they lack the critical thinking skills to question the most basic concepts of conservatism.
it would be easy to fake. its not hard know how to be a good person in theyre given socity, manipulator do it all the time. also are you going to define morality for all of humanity for this test? yah good luck with that lol.
There are very few actual republicans or conservatives now. What you are describing is not historical conservatism either socially or fiscally.
There is literally always room for improvement, everyone knows this, everyone is taught this. Conservatism flies in it’s face. Conservatism says “good enough”. Conservatism says “I’m fine, thanks” without asking how you are.
Actual conservatism is just as “logical” as libralism / leftism, or whatever you want to call the other side. Old fashioned conservatism is just the idea that traditional ways of doing things are good, so we should be slow in adopting changes.
Modern American conservatism isn’t conservatism. It’s an incoherent philosophy that resists some changes while making a lot of other very radical changes. There’s no plan behind it. Even their “gameplan”, project 2025, is a mess of contradictory ideas. The execution depends on the whims of an idiotic, incurious, and possibly altzheimer-addled man.
Men with high net worth are more conservative leaning?! Isn’t that weird. Learning about the world builds compassion, while feeding your own greed breeds self interest. So weird. Remind me why we ask the opinions of rich people again?
Because if we make them feel valued they might give you some money. Do this enough times and you can be a rich asshole too!
Of course. There’s a reason why conservatives don’t want the masses educated. Because they’d see how much they’re getting fucked by said conservatives.
That’s why they’ve been attacking public schools for decades, and why they push religion in schools.
The kids of the filthy rich go to private schools that teach capitalism the same way they have for generations.
And how to win at it and defend it from democracy
In USA, conservatives are fine with educating the masses, but they want it to be a Christian education.
Which I can tell you is practically worthless, I mean, look at me. Stuffed full of useless Bible knowledge that I can’t discuss in civilized company. I didn’t even learn about critical thinking until my 20s. Blew my mind
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. ~Proverbs 26:11
Aaah a feel-good article for leftists.
Plenty of dumb dumbs among us, don’t worry.
There’s a reason universities lean heavily left
I would disagree on the “heavily” unless you accept the US definition of the right-left paradigm.
Also ignore if you mean heavy in population ratio not how far the needle goes.
What university did you go to?
A canadien one.
Highly depends on what university you go to and whether or not you participate in the Greek culture.
whether or not you participate in the Greek culture.
yogurt?
We’re talking about Universities here, not the hundreds of bullshit liberal arts colleges that are just sleep camps for the Learning Annex.
Can you elaborate on that?
Do you mean like “greek” college cults, like the alpha beta omega stuff? Or like Greek from the actual country, Greece?
Use your brain. Obviously it’s the Greek clubs. Everyone who replied to my comment doesn’t understand American Greek fraternities/sororities and the terrible culture surrounding them.
I saw that and was leading the conclusion for people. You’re welcome.
Edit: but also, what IF greece somehow had a culture that led to this
It really doesnt.
Don’t worry. Let a non dumb dumb explain.
There are many causality relationship kinds.
- Leftist -> big IQ: being leftist makes someone have big IQ
- Leftist <- big IQ: having big IQ makes someone a leftist.
- Leftist <-> big IQ: both 1 and 2. That is, saying “I am a leftist” and saying “I have big IQ” is the same, since one causes the other.
- Third parameter -> leftist AND third parameter -> big IQ: there is something that causes both being leftist and having big IQ.
In case 1, all leftists have big IQ. But NOT all big IQ ppl are leftist.
In case 2, all big IQ ppl are leftist. But NOT all leftists have big IQ.
In case 3, all big IQ ppl are leftist, and all leftists have big IQ.
In case 4, some NOT all leftist have big IQ. And NOT all big IQ ppl are leftist. But some are.
Assuming having big IQ is desirable, leftists would want either case 1 or 3. Since that would mean they have a big IQ.
However, the headline seems to suggest case 2. And in reality. And it could still be case 4.
Of course, in reality there is an uncountable number of parameters, not just 3, so don’t take the “all” in my comment as literally “all”. Reality probably resembles more case 4.
If this were a feel-good article for leftists, the headline would suggest case 1 or 3. Since that is what leftists want.
Even assuming the best case scenario of case 2 where all big IQ people are leftists. If you define big IQ as “top 10%” and low IQ as “not big IQ”: it is technically possible for 90% of leftists to be low IQ. And if low IQ is 50-50 leftist-conservative, 78% of leftists would be low IQ.
what about big PP tho?
Could be the third parameter that causes both leftism and big IQ.
Someone would need to do the study on that to be sure though.
Sure, but perhaps take solace that we’re less deliberately hateful and that stupidity isn’t celebrated as it is among the arch conservatives?
Aaah a feel-good article for leftists.
Eh. I don’t feel particularly good that I’m surrounded by conservative idiots.
Present! I don’t even remember my times tables
I think that political allegiance is often much more about emotions and sociological relations than intellect. Class thinking is more prevalent than we assume nowadays
To be liberal requires empathy. A deep understanding of others and their situations and the knowledge that your own personal needs dont always automatically outweigh others.
Empathy requires emotional intelligence.
Its easy to see it in action. Pick a problem and then look at the solutions offered by populist politicians to solve them.
In the UK one of the problems is immigrants arriving on small boats. The populist “solution”? “STOP THE BOATS” shouted far and wide.
How we ask?
And then silence. And when pressed, the likes of Reform offer more soundbites like “use the navy” and “send them back” but without any substance.
Meanwhile Liberal politicians offer actual solutions that are not sound bites, and they won’t work quickly. Things like working with the French to find and arrest the people organising it. Helping to improve facilities in France and the rest of Europe so the UK isn’t seen as somewhere an immigrant needs to travel to.
Basically, intelligent people aren’t fooled by meaningless slogans. Morons aren’t able to understand that deep problems require deep and complex solutions.
It is not just a question of emotional intelligence. As an autistic person, this is really a weak point in my statistics.
I’m simply not stupid enough to fall for their ideas.
yes. the whole “liberals require empathy” thing comes of as moral masturbation to me. like everyone else is incapable of it or something.
I agree, there are always occasions where things will be different as you demonstrate
To be liberal requires empathy. A deep understanding of others and their situations and the knowledge that your own personal needs dont always automatically outweigh others.
Not strictly necessarily. For me, it comes down to logic, reason, and evidence.
I’m neurodivergent. This means that among some mild cognitive superpowers, I also have some significant weaknesses, such as an inability to understand or even recognize the inner workings of others. Essentially, the first half of your second sentence, above. That simply isn’t in my wheelhouse, no matter how hard I try. It’s analogous to asking a blind person to pick out the colour red.
But I reach the same place - the second half of the second sentence - by using logic and reason and evidence (usually via science) to come to an understanding of what is correct and good and right and how the needs of others simply don’t restrict my own personal needs in any way, and so carry equally as much importance and have all the same ability to be fulfilled without conflict. And because some of these people are disadvantaged or oppressed, it is my duty as a fucking human being to have their back whenever I have a decent opportunity to do so.
As an another neurodivergent lacking some essential emotional stuff: also being nice and kind to others is smart for maximizing your personal well-being. If people think nicely of you, they are more inclined to listen to you, and help you, and that gets you way further in life than just being a selfish prick people don’t want to be around. It is also logical to apply this not only to people immediately next to you, but to people far away as well, since being mean and evil towards them will not get you shit in the long run or might even make things worse, but it’s more likely it might benefit you later.
Or sure, you can be as mean as you want and might even end up some bitter asshole with all the money you could imagine if you have good enough start and lot of luck. But that’s pretty far from a good life in itself; you can get all your needs met a lot easier and even have nice people around you.My theory is that we never find the actually smart sociopaths (or psychopaths or whatever the term is here), since they’re intelligent enough to hide themselves with kindness
So interesting… to me (I don’t think my brain profile particularly gets in the way of my daily life) what you describe is the prefrontal cortex version of empathy, but empathy nontheless.
Salutations, fellow human :)
Equating left with lib. Love it. Thanks, appropriator.
What a well thought out response, perfectly formulated to start an informed discussion.
Stop sniffing your own farts and don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Whats the gift here? Do you know the origin of that phrase?
Duh
