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Originally Posted by GenuineRisk
And, another good article, on how whether we wind up liberal or conservative may be determined earlier than we think, and about the things that can shift our political leanings:
http://psychologytoday.com/articles/...222-000001.xml
Fascinating stuff. I laughed at "liberals are messier than conservatives" because in my case, that's very true! |
That was an awesome read. Obviously, it could piss lots of people off
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I think that a couple of things really stood out to me based on personal experience. I often find myself arguing with conservative and conservative Christian friends about social issues or current events. They, by and large, see issues as very black & white. I see very little as completely black and white. I believe that very little in the entire world is either "this or that." My lack of rigidity on many issues contrasts with their very certain view of how certain things are.
EMPHASIS MINE.
The study's authors also concluded that conservatives have less tolerance for ambiguity, a trait they say is exemplified when George Bush says things like, "Look, my job isn't to try to nuance. My job is to tell people what I think," and "I'm the decider." Those who think the world is highly dangerous and those with the greatest fear of death are the most likely to be conservative.
Liberals, on the other hand, are "more likely to see gray areas and reconcile seemingly conflicting information," says Jost. As a result, liberals like John Kerry, who see many sides to every issue, are portrayed as flip-floppers. "Bush in appearing more rigid in his thinking and intolerant of uncertainty and ambiguity, and Kerry in appearing more open to ambiguity and to considering alternative positions."
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Studies show that people who study abroad become more liberal than those who stay home. (completely true in my experiences in college and seeing those who have versus those who haven't)
People who venture from the strictures of their limited social class are less likely to stereotype and more likely to embrace other cultures. Education goes hand-in-hand with tolerance, and often, the more the better:
Professors at major universities are more liberal than their counterparts at less acclaimed institutions. What travel and education have in common is that they make the differences between people seem less threatening. "You become less bothered by the idea that there is uncertainty in the world," explains Jost.