A New York University study was released yesterday that found the difference between Democrats and Republicans may be more than feelings about a few core issues – it’s in the brain:
The brain neurons of liberals and conservatives fire differently when confronted with tough choices, suggesting that some political divides may be hard-wired, according a study released Sunday.
The study gives a scientific explanation for everything from John Kerry’s flip-flops to President Bush’s persistence in Iraq:
Conservatives, however, were less flexible, refusing to deviate from old habits "despite signals that this ... should be changed."
Whether that is good or bad, of course, depends on one's perspective: one could interpret the results to mean that liberals are nimble-minded and conservatives rigid and stubborn.
Or one could, with equal justice, conclude that wishy-washy liberals don't stick to their guns, while conservatives and steadfast and loyal.
Hopefully, medicine can be developed that can serve as a temporary cure for certain "conditions."
Monday, September 10, 2007
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I also read about a recent survey that said liberals read more -- or at least more books -- than conservatives. Perhaps it's because for religious conservatives The Good Book matters most or Rovian conservatism pounds complex issues into soundbites ("Lower taxes," "right to bear arms," "God bless America," "America: love it or leave it") or conservatives are less open to new ideas or ones that challenge their own. The exciting challenge of liberalism is meshing current events, idealism and shared wisdom into progressive reform.
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